“Uh. Isn’t that why he picked them?”
I laughed. “Logan’s soul dogs. I should buy him an alpaca as payback for Christmas next year.”
“If you do, you need to do two. They die from loneliness.”
“Even better.”
We were in the SUV and pulling away from the plane.
Matteo glanced over. “You know he’ll just give it to Nate somehow. Nova will see those things and fall in love. So you’re really gifting Nate two alpacas.”
I grimaced. “Maybe I’ll hold off.”
“I heard Mark’s coming today too?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“What’s going on with them, anyway? He and that girl still together?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea. Sam talks to Mark, but he doesn’t talk about his woman at all. From when I was here earlier, I think Malinda is trying to like her.”
He whistled. “Mark should just cut ties, make a start with someone new. They don’t have kids?”
“As far as Mark knows.” It was meant as a joke, but considering the earlier reason for my visit…
Matteo grunted, “True.”
We talked about our teams, teammates, but nothing specific. General stuff.
Matteo was closer to Nate and Logan, but he and I were on good terms. It really was good to see him. He was family. Then we arrived, and as soon as we parked and I opened the door, an excited but shrill scream came from the house.
“DADDDDDDDDDDYYYYYY!”
Matteo started laughing. “Everyone’s awake.”
“Merry Kade Christmas.”
The front door burst open, and two of my kids came running down. Maddy was chill, hanging out in the doorway, and she raised a glass of what had better be hot chocolate in a salute to me.
Then she saw Matty and Natty.
“OH, MY GAWD! MATTY AND NATTY ARE HERE TOO!”
38
Taylor
Kade Christmas ensued.
I saw Matty and Natty and started bawling. Hormones.
Logan whispered, hugging me, “Surprise!”
Matteo was there. Logan was happy, jumping on him later. The SBC-er chant was heard throughout the day, but not by them. Maddy heard about it and taught the twins. Then, when Heather and Channing came over, the rest of their kids heard about it too. It was a whole choral piece with altos, sopranos, and someone tried for a bass. It didn’t work.
Quincey and Nate arrived halfway through the day. Nova was in tow, along with the rest of their family too.
It was an entire event.
The older kids had settled in the corner, going over their presents and their phones. The rest played with Quincey and Nate’s youngest, who was starting to crawl. Nova got wind of alpacas somewhere and wouldn’t leave Uncle Mason’s lap, asking about the alpacas.
Natty was loving life, on a continuous loop going from one person to the next, giving kisses. Licks. Asking for pets. His tail never stopped moving. That dog would be exhausted for three days after today, but Matty knew better. He had snuggled onto my lap, his head on my leg, and I was petting him.
I was content watching everyone. I was seeing life, love, and hearing laughter.
I was watching happiness.
Then a hush came over the group.
Goose bumps rose, covering my arms, and one by one, all eyes turned my way.
“What?” I sat up straighter. Matty readjusted but didn’t leave my lap.
Sam was blinking away tears.
Heather had a hand over her mouth.
Maddy gasped. “Holy shi—”
“Child.”
“Sorry, Dad.”
And then I saw as Logan came around the corner. He was holding an ornament in one hand and a sparkler in the other. It was lit, which sent some of the adults in a frenzy, grabbing their kids out of the way.
Logan ignored them, coming my way.
I still couldn’t move. Matty was dug in. He wasn’t budging, but he moved his head to watch his dad’s approach.
“What are you doing?” I asked, but then I saw what was inside the ornament. It was a ring. Another ring. “Logan.”
Air left me.
I started blinking away tears.
My throat had swollen.
My chest was pounding.
“Logan,” I whispered.
He knelt, holding that sparkler out of reach since Natty had come over to try to help. “So there’s a family thing. We’re supposed to propose in front of everyone, and well, we didn’t go that route.”
“Cheater,” Heather yelled.
Logan grinned but extended the ornament to me. He nodded at it. “You already have your ring. We already got married, but that’s a memory for us. This one is for the family.” He held it up. “Will you marry me, Taylor?”
I took the ornament, my cheeks hurting from my smile. “I’d love to marry you.” I moved in, hugging him, and for a moment, it was just us. A ripple of tension eased from his body as I held him, and I leaned back. “Were you actually nervous?”
He gave me a look. “Um, yes. I’m proposing to you.”
“Should’ve said no before the ceremony, Taylor.” From Nate, his hand cupped around his mouth.
Quincey added, “She could this time.”
“Wait!” Maddy shoved to her feet. “What? Are you already married?”
Max’s eyes got big. He was sitting by her but eyed her balled hands and started looking around. Without missing a beat, Channing reached forward, grabbed his son by his shirt, and pulled him back and out of swinging distance.
“Uncle Logan!”
Maddy was fierce.
“Uh.” Logan glanced my way before saying, “We are, but nothing official until the whole family witnesses the wedding.”
Maddy was blinking, confused. “So you’re not married?”
“We did a ceremony, but it wasn’t—”
He was struggling, shooting me a look. Sam, Mason, anyone.
I spoke up, “Maddy.”
She glared my way, but it was less fierce. She had a soft spot for me. I had one for her too. “Would you be my bridesmaid for the wedding?”
She gasped again, but her eyes were filling up with tears. The change was dramatic but genuine. “Really?”
I nodded. “If I’m doing a big wedding, I won’t do it without you.”
“Aunt Taylor!”
She started for me, tears sliding down her face, but Mason caught her and nodded at us. “Considering there’s a live sparkler going, let’s let Logan have the floor for a bit longer.”
“Oh.” She blushed. “Yeah. Sorry, Uncle Logan. I love you, Uncle Logan!”
Logan was still holding the sparkler as high in the air as he could get. Thank goodness for the tall ceilings in this Mausoleum. He cleared his throat. “As I was saying, now everyone shut the f—eff up!”
One of the twins gasped. “He said a bad word.”
Nova’s whisper was heard, “They always say bad words. Just go with it. Keep a tally and hit your parents up at the end of the night.”
Smothered laughter came from the room, but Logan was now cursing under his breath. He leaned in, his forehead finding mine, and he whispered, “I brought this sparkler to torch the bottom of the ornament, make a whole gushy thing about it, but now I just want to drop it and torch the house.”