Travis's Gift (Riley's Pride #3)- Sandra R Neeley Page 0,34
on the side table right inside the front door.
Riley started laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Maia asked, looking at him over her shoulder.
“That sounded so much like your daddy,” Riley answered, still laughing.
“Well, I am my Daddy’s daughter,” she teased as she sashayed off the porch and down into the yard to get a good look at the decorations.
Lucas stood halfway between Maia and Riley. He looked over at Riley who was taking his time joining his mate in their front yard to survey their lights and characters they were putting up. “Don’t that make you nervous? I mean just the teeniest little bit?”
“Naw, she loves me,” Riley answered, finally coming to a stop beside Maia.
“You know they say love is blind,” Lazarus snarked from his place up on the roof.
“Yes, the hell it is,” Lucas agreed a little too forcefully.
“I love it!” Maia said, looking up at the roof.
“It’s like you wanted it?” Riley asked.
“Exactly as I wanted. Ya’ll did a great job,” she said, looking up at the roof. There was now a blow up chimney on the roof complete with a Grinch in a Santa suit, and he was holding onto a Christmas tree that appeared to be half in, half out of the chimney.
“Cristie’s going to love it! The Grinch is her favorite,” Maia said, smiling happily.
“She’s going to be very excited,” Riley agreed.
Maia looked around. “Hey, where’s Roman?” she asked.
“He asked right after we got back if he could take the truck. I didn’t think to ask where he was going,” Lucas answered.
“Hmm. If he’s not back tonight, let me know,” Riley said. “Been worried about him lately since Talie’s gone radio silent.”
“I’m pretty sure he’s nearby. He said if he wasn’t home by the time somebody needed the truck, to call and he’d head on back right away,” Lucas said.
“Alright, at least it sounds like he’s still local,” Maia said.
“Oh, he’s not going anywhere. He loves it here, he’s just worried about Talie,” Lazarus said.
“Hopefully he’ll hear from her soon,” Riley said.
“You sure this is where you want it, Reigna?” Lazarus asked.
“I am,” Maia answered.
“Okay, I’m gonna secure it. It might never come down, but maybe we could add a flag for the fourth of July, and an Easter Bunny for Easter. We’ll figure it out,” Lazarus teased.
“I kinda like that idea,” Riley said.
“Ya’ll going to get everything up this afternoon?” Maia asked. “If you need to space it out…”
“No need, we can get it all done. And then we’re going to do the trailer park, too,” Lucas said, somberly.
“Thank you for that. I know Christmas lights aren’t a big deal to you, but for the kids to look out over the yard and see ya’ll across the street decorated, and the diner and gas station decorated, will make them smile,” Maia said. “And don’t forget we’re going tomorrow evening to cut down our tree and do whatever Travis has managed to set up at his place. And before anybody whines, we are ALL going!”
“You know, I think our Reigna kinda likes the decorations and the lights, too,” Lazarus said on a chuckle.
“Only a little,” Maia said haughtily with her little upturned nose in the air. Maia glanced down at her watch. “Oh! I have to go. Cristie is getting out of school shortly. You’ll listen for Sebastian?” she asked Riley.
“I will. Go get the girl!” Riley said, smacking her on the ass as she shoved the baby monitor at him and rushed back toward the house to get her keys.
“What is your fascination with my ass?!” she snapped at him.
“It’s mine! That’s the fascination,” Riley yelled, laughing.
Maia came out of the house a few minutes later with her purse and her keys. “You better watch it. I’ll give you an imprint of my ass for Christmas,” she threatened.
“Sounds like a perfect gift to me,” Riley answered, teasing his wife.
“I’m gonna hang it on the wall so everybody that visits can see it,” Maia said, pausing to peck his cheek as she rushed to her truck.
“Yeah,” Riley said, agreeing that it was a good idea. Then he realized everybody would see it. “Hey! That ain’t funny!” he yelled as she started to back out of her spot.
Maia nodded at him through the windshield as she laughed.
“Love you!” Riley shouted, and blew her a kiss.
Maia blew a kiss back at him then headed off down the drive that leads to the highway so she could be on time to pick up Cristie.