Christmas with the Reeds (Reed Brothers) (6 page)

“You’re just glad you finally found out I don’t like women the same way you do.”

“I only like one woman.” He pinches my butt and I jerk, falling against him.

“That was sneaky.”

“Can you believe Emily is pregnant again?”

I smile. I have known for a while.

“Wait,” he says, extending his arms so he can look into my face. “You knew and you didn’t tell me?”

“What?” I cry. “I couldn’t mess up the betting pool!”

“I’ll make you pay for that.”

“Oh, that sounds like fun.”

“You want me to send everyone home?”

I shake my head. This is my family. “I want them to stay as long as they want. They make me happy.”

“
You
make
me
happy.”

“You better get back to Monopoly.”

He pats me on the ass and grins, and then he leaves the room.

I stare down at PJ and think about the path my life has taken. I can’t regret a single day of it, because it got me here.

I think of all the Christmases that came before this one, and hope for all the Christmases to come. My great big Reed family makes the absolute best Christmases, and I’m so glad to be a part of it.

I go back out into the living room and smile as I see the men talking smack with one another about houses and hotels. I hear Paul’s voice over all the others.

“Tomorrow,” he says, “I want all you guys at the tattoo shop by nine.”

“Nine?” Pete whines.

“What are we doing?” Matt asks, as he sells four of his hotels back to the bank.

“The new artists need to do some sample tats.”

“So, they’re going to use you guys as training skin?” Josh asks. “You’re braver than me, man.” He shakes his head.

“Oh, they’ll be using your skin, too,” Paul says. He gets up and pulls a design out a folder. I already know what it says, but Josh doesn’t. Paul had Logan draw it up especially for him. “This one is yours.”

Josh looks down at it and stares at it for a moment. “Do all of them say the same thing?”

Paul nods. “They say the same thing, but each design is different.”

“If worse comes to worst, we’ll cover it up later. But I think the new guys will do okay,” Matt says.

Josh stares down at it for a little longer. Then he smiles and shrugs. His eyes are shiny and bright, and I almost get the sense that he needed the Reeds as much as they needed him that one fateful day.

The tattoo reads, “Where I go, they go.”

More from Tammy Falkner

Tall, Tatted, and Tempting

Smart, Sexy and Secretive
Calmly, Carefully, Completely
Just Jelly Beans and Jealousy
Finally Finding Faith
Reagan’s Revenge and Ending Emily’s Engagement
Maybe Matt’s Miracle
Proving Paul’s Promise
Only One
Beautiful Bride
Zip, Zero, Zilch

Christmas with the Reeds

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