A Very Bossy Christmas

by Kayley Loring

  This beautiful old lady named Mrs. P-something got up and read a Russian poem at the reception and she was all funny and dramatic. And then Mel got up and gave a speech that was also funny and dramatic but in a totally different way. Declan’s nonna baked like fourteen different kinds of Italian pastries, and she made me eat all of them. I will probably need a whole new wardrobe because I gained like twenty pounds overnight. None of it went to my boobs though, unfortunately.

  The first song that Maclan danced to was “Come and Get Your Love” and they did the Star-Lord thing together. It was really funny. But also kind of hot. At some point, Declan got up and sang “The Way You Look Tonight” to Maddie. He was kind of drunk and messed up the lyrics, but it was sweet anyway.

  I think literally all of the adults in my family are either still drunk, or they are totally hungover. Maddie and Declan left for a couples resort in Antigua. One of his lawyer friends had told him about it. He was at the wedding and whoa! I might have to go into corporate law instead of writing. I wish it wasn’t the middle of winter and that the ceremony was at a pool, because I bet that guy has like a ten-pack of abs.

  But back to Maclan. I think both of them are really happy that Maddie changed jobs. This way they can be an actual couple and not worry about who’s supposed to be the boss in their relationship. Because obviously Maddie is. But Declan is still Boss Butt. Wait I’m not supposed to talk about his butt anymore. Oh well. The assistant that Maddie found for him is an older lady. She was at the wedding, and she reminds me of the principal at my school. She keeps him in line at the office and Maddie keeps him in line at home, that’s what my aunt says.

  She wrote me a long note in the card along with my bridesmaid gift, thanking me for seeing things with her and Declan even before she was able to. She didn’t exactly acknowledge that I’m the reason they got together, but she did say that if I hadn’t kept stealing her phone to text Declan, they might not have had as good a time together over the holidays last year as they did. So that’s something.

  And Declan keeps promising to buy me a car when I get my driver’s license, so that’s cool too.

  Well, I guess I should go check on the baby since you’re probably still sleeping, ya big lush.

  Yes, I know you’re still reading my journal sometimes, Mom. Maybe this year you’ll stick to your New Year’s resolution of NOT snooping around my room anymore. Love you anyway.

  Happy New Year.

  EPILOGUE TWO

  DECLAN: Babe. You need to come back immediately.

  MADDIE: Dec. I literally just got in the car. What’s wrong?

  DECLAN: She won’t stop staring at me.

  MADDIE: Well, you’re her daddy. She probably can’t believe how handsome you are. Also, babies can only see things that are 8 to 12 inches from their faces. If you’re looking at her in the crib, then you’re probably just a big handsome blur to her.

  DECLAN: But she’s not blinking.

  MADDIE: Pretty sure that’s normal, babe. Newborns only blink like twice a minute.

  DECLAN: Are you sure? What if she’s scared of me? I think you should come back.

  MADDIE: Babe. I have loved being at home with the two of you all week, but I need to get out of the house for like half an hour. I’m just going to pop over to see Bex and everyone at her place for a few minutes. You’ll both be fine. Just let her go to sleep.

  DECLAN: I can’t stop staring at her though. She’s so beautiful. And I don’t want her to think she’s alone.

  MADDIE: Well, why don’t you tell her how you feel? You’re so good at that now, remember?

  DECLAN: I just told her you guys are the most important people in the world to me, and she rolled her eyes. Wonder where she learned THAT?

  DECLAN: Oh wait! She just blinked. She’s fine. It’s cool.

  MADDIE: See?! All is well. I’m gonna start driving now. I’ll be back in half an hour. One hour, tops.

  DECLAN: Be back in half an hour.

  MADDIE: Bossy!

  DECLAN: I think we both know who’s the boss in this family now, and she just pooped her pants. And now she’s crying. Perhaps you can hear her from the car, because holy shit she is screaming. Please just come back now.

  MADDIE: I showed you how to change her diaper, Big Daddy. You got this. Sing Ciara a song and give her a kiss for me. I love you.

  DECLAN: I love you, Mrs. Cannavale. Miss you already.

  MADDIE: Make sure the baby goes back to sleep. And be naked when I get back.

  DECLAN: Yes, ma’am.

  Coming in early 2021…

  Watch for Eddie Cannavale’s story in

  A Very Friendly Valentine’s Day!

  Acknowledgments

  Thanks to Wildfire Marketing Solutions and Give Me Books for handling my book promotions.

  Thanks to Jen Mirabelli for being so supportive, and for conveniently being half-Irish, half-Italian, and for living on Long Island.

  Thank you to Lalinc Proofreading for the beta read!

  Thanks to Viviana Izzo for the audiobook lovin’ and promotion.

  Grazie, Mónica Sablone, for the Italian curse word.

  I would like to thank my aunt (who will never ever read my books) for giving me that bottle of merlot a few years ago, because it got me through the sexy scenes, and it tasted pretty good too.

  Much love and gratitude to Redbone for “Come and Get Your Love,” and to Marvel, Chris Pratt, James Gunn and Star-Lord for one of the best opening credit sequences ever.

  If you would like to follow the cover model Stefano Maderna on Instagram (I mean why wouldn’t you?), here he is: https://www.instagram.com/stefano_maderna/

  So much THANK YOU to @bookaddict_reviews for finding him and the photographer for me, because the company I bought the image from wouldn’t give me any info!

  It was grand having Connor Crais and Mackenzie Cartwright’s sexy voices in my head while I was writing this, and I can’t wait to have them in my ears in December when the audiobook comes out!

  As always, I am so grateful to the Bookstagrammers and Facebookers and readers who are so supportive of me and my books. How did I ever live without you?

  May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and a smooth road all the way to your door…

  Keep in touch with Kayley!

  You finished the book!

  Hooray!

  I really hope you enjoyed reading it.

  If you did, please consider leaving a brief review on Amazon,

  I’d appreciate it so much.

  I’D LOVE TO SEND YOU UPDATES ABOUT NEW BOOKS!

  SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER HERE

  My newsletter is the most reliable way to receive emails about new releases, but if you are on BOOKBUB, you can follow my profile for notifications on the day of release too. Sometimes I even recommend books.

  FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

  Hey, I finally started a private reader group! Come join me in Kayleyville !

  FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST

  FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

  Visit my WEBSITE

  EMAIL ME at: authorkayleyloring@gmail.com ! I’d love to hear from you!

  Also by Kayley Loring

  All of my books are available in Kindle Unlimited!

  SLEEPER (Shane and Willa’s story) – listen to Teddy Hamilton and Mackenzie Cartwright perform the audiobook!

  CHARMER (Nico and Kat) - audio is performed by Jason Clarke and Mackenzie Cartwright!

  TROUBLEMAKER (Alex and Emilia)- audio is performed by Zachary Webber and Mackenzie Cartwright!

  (The New York/Brooklyn standalones)

  REBOUND WITH ME (available in audio)

  COME BACK TO BED (available in audio)

  TONIGHT YOU’RE MINE (available in audio)

  THE PLUS ONES (available in audio)

  THE BROOKLYN BOOK BOYFRIENDS: a collection – contains Rebound with Me, Come Back to Bed, Tonight You’re Mine and The Plus
Ones, plus bonus epilogues for all four novels! You can get the audiobook bundle for one Audible credit! Narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Mackenzie Cartwright

  BACK FOR MORE (available in audio)

  HELLO DARLING – in audio and narrated by Shane East and Mackenzie Cartwright

  SEXY NERD

  EVERY INCH OF YOU

  The Work Less/Play More series of standalones