The Davenport Christmas Chronicles - Piper Davenport Page 0,21
nog. Damn, that girl is funny when she’s tipsy.”
“Right?” Darien said with a laugh and we headed toward the family room.
“Darien!” Cassidy called, setting her glass on the coffee table and making an unsteady walk toward her. “You look amazing.”
She hugged Cassidy while I grabbed Mack and Darien drinks.
Darien shook her head. “Um, I can’t actually drink.”
“Are you sick?”
She smiled. “Nope.”
“Ohmigod! You’re pregnant,” Payton squealed and jumped from her place on Hawk’s lap to hug her.
“I am,” Darien confirmed, laying her hands on her stomach. “We’re really hoping for a boy.”
We descended upon the couple en-masse, hugging them, before Darien insisted on holding the new addition who was sleeping on Austin’s chest.
“Good luck prying her away from Daddy,” Dani said. “He’s stingy with the Daisy love.”
Darien held her arms out and flapped her hands. “Gimmie, Book.”
Booker reluctantly handed Daisy over to Darien who settled her on her chest and crooned while the baby continued to sleep.
“Did Gator settle in okay?” Mack asked as Hatch pulled me onto his lap in one of our overstuffed chairs.
“Yeah. He’s apparently lovin’ Savannah,” Hatch said. “I say we all head out there this summer. Road trip.”
Gator had decided he needed a change, and Doc had offered him a place at the Savannah chapter where he’d help him stay clean and give him a job. Gator said he was sick of the rain and jumped at the chance.
“Hell, yeah,” Mack said. “I’m in.”
As I snuggled closer to my man, the light caught my early Christmas gift, and I couldn’t stop myself from staring at it. My grandmother had given me a ring, years ago, that had seen better days, but I adored it... partly because it was from my Gran, but partly because it had a sunshine pattern which took on new meaning when I fell in love with Hatch.
Unbeknownst to me, he took it in to a jeweler and had several of the tiny diamonds replaced, along with the middle stone (which he replaced with my birthstone... a stunning sapphire). When it was finished and cleaned up, it was even better than the original. In the end, I’d had to admit he might have come very close to winning this round... very close. Hatch gave me a gentle squeeze and I kissed him, then we continued to drink and make merry until the kitchen timer went off to signal dinner was ready.
Because our men all cooked, they were the ones who headed into the kitchen to carve and prep the rest of the meal, while we gathered the kids and got everyone washed up and seated at the table.
Hatch sat at the head of our giant table and raised his glass of whiskey. “May your turkeys get basted and all your stockings be stuffed.”
“Connor,” I admonished, even though I was trying desperately to keep from laughing.
He grinned. “Okay, okay. Love all of you weirdos. Let’s eat!”
We dissolved into laughter as we slayed dinner, then put a serious dent in our liquor cabinet, and I beamed at my husband who’d brought so much happiness to my life.
Our road had led to joy, and I couldn’t have been more grateful.
Dani
“Am I still perfection and joy, Mama?” Daisy asked.
“You give me extra perfection and joy every day, Ducky.”
She smiled and snuggled closer again. “I love you, Mama.”
“I love you, too, sweet girl.”
But she didn’t hear it. She was already snoring quietly, so I extricated myself from her little body, turned off the lamp, and headed out of her room. After closing the door quietly, I made my way to the kitchen, where Austin was pouring wine into a glass. “She down?”
“Finally having visions of sugar plums.” I smiled. “She wanted me to tell her about the Christmas she was born.”
“Thanks for doin’ that.” He handed me the glass and kissed me gently. “You’re much better at telling it than I am.”
“Well, tonight she wanted more of your version,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “With the bad words.”
“Oh, yeah? And the other shit?”
I snorted. “I left the sex out...obviously. Wait, do you put the sex parts in?”
“No,” he assured me. “I keep it strictly PG. The sex parts I let roll around in my head for later.”
I chuckled, sliding my hand up his chest. “A little money in the spank bank?”
“No spanking, baby. Unless it’s your ass.” He gave my butt a squeeze. “Or I could deck the halls.”
“Deck the halls or deck my halls. Or better yet, dick my halls?” I retorted.