Because Naughty Holidays Can Be Oh So Nice 2015 (17 page)

3:09 p.m.

SIERRA SAT AT the kitchen table, holding Liam in her arms as she watched Hannah devour some apples. She felt oddly refreshed after a full one-hour nap. How she’d managed that, she wasn’t sure, but she definitely wasn’t going to question it. Hannah had kindly woken her to ask if she could have an apple. As though the sweetness of her tone wouldn’t have been enough, Hannah had followed it with a kiss and a whispered, “I love you.” No way could Sierra resist that.

“So what are you and grandma gonna do tonight?” Sierra asked her daughter.

“Play with stickers!” Hannah squealed excitedly.

Her daughter had taken to stickers months ago. Thankfully, she’d gotten out of the habit of putting them all over people, preferring now to decorate the sticker books Luke and Cole had bought her. It was rather amazing that stickers could keep her occupied for hours on end.

“I bet your daddies bought you a new sticker book,” Sierra said. “But you have to be super good to get it.”

As though they sensed she was talking about them, Sierra’s cell phone rang. She grabbed it from the table and hit the talk button.

“Hey,” she greeted Cole.

“Hey, baby,” he said. “Things good there?”

“Yep. Hannah’s having a snack and Liam just ate, too. How are you?”

“Good. Things are all settled here.”

“By things, are you referring to Luke?” she asked with a chuckle.

“Yep.”

“Did he pull that thing again?” Sierra and Cole were on to Luke’s little game of pretending to be worked up to the point of needing something to calm him down. Sure, there were times when it was clear he was nearing the breaking point, but they’d long ago been able to determine which moments were real and which were fabricated.

Not that they intended to let him know they were on to his game.

“He did,” Cole said softly. “Took good care of him.”

“Wish I could’ve watched,” Sierra said softly.

“Me, too,” he replied. “I think we’re gonna come home for an early dinner, help with Hannah and Liam while you get ready.”

“That’d be great.” Not only would she appreciate the help but she wouldn’t mind seeing either of them. “Should I cook?”

“No, we’ll take care of that.”

“Okay. What time?” Sierra looked at the clock.

“Around four?”

“Works for me. See you then.”

“Love you,” Cole said.

“Love you, too.”

Sierra disconnected the call.

“Was that Daddy? Or Daddy-o?”

“Daddy,” Sierra told Hannah.

“Where’s Daddy-o?”

Sierra smiled, still amused that Hannah had started referring to Luke that way. Not that Luke minded; in fact, Sierra was pretty sure he enjoyed it. “With Daddy. They’re at work.”

“Are they coming home?”

“In a little while.”

“What time?” Hannah asked, morphing into the grown-up version she liked to pretend to be from time to time.

“Four o’clock,” Sierra explained. “When the first number on the clock is four.”

“Okay.” Hannah shoved her last piece of apple into her mouth. “Can we watch more
Paw Patrol
?”

Sierra tried not to let Hannah watch too much television, not wanting to get in the habit of leaving her unattended—because it would really be easy for Sierra sometimes—but she figured it couldn’t hurt. That would burn some of the minutes between now and the time Luke and Cole came home.

And then, when they did, Sierra was looking forward to a long, hot bath before she had to get ready for the night.

Chapter Four

4:12 p.m.

ON THE WAY home from Devotion, Cole and Luke had tossed around the idea of what to have for dinner. When they’d come to the conclusion that steaks were on the menu, they’d stopped by the grocery store, grabbed what they needed, then headed home. Because the temperature was relatively mild, Luke had suggested Cole grill, and he’d easily agreed. He didn’t mind, and it gave him a chance to spend some time with Hannah. She’d long ago insisted that she be able to help, so they’d worked out a way to make that happen without allowing her to get too close to the grill.

His daughter had become incredibly independent in recent months, and though Cole found it endearing, he knew that meant they had to keep extra eyes on her. She was sweet, but mischievous all the same, and almost always insisted that she was the one in charge.

And in order to keep her from making the rules, their grilling routine had become streamlined out of necessity.

While Cole readied the grill, Luke prepared the steaks, then put them in plastic containers, allowing Hannah to bring them out to him, one by one. After taking the meat and flopping it onto the grill, Cole would send the empty containers back inside, and Hannah would help Luke rinse them and put them in the dishwasher. While Cole kept an eye on the steaks, Luke helped Hannah make chicken nuggets and macaroni—her favorites—to pass the time. Then, when the steaks were ready, Cole would put them in another container, wrap it in a towel, and she would deliver it to the table.

Cole loved watching Hannah, how excited she got to do something as mundane as making dinner. The little girl stole his heart every time he looked at her. Especially when she got a burst of excitement and got sidetracked, dancing around the kitchen, as she was now.

“I’ll take that,” Cole told her, retrieving the plastic container from her grip and placing it on the table.

“Dinner’s ready,” Luke called to Sierra, who was playing with Liam in the living room.

While Luke got Hannah situated in her chair, Cole went to the living room to assist Sierra. Helping her to her feet, Cole wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the top of her head. God, he loved this woman, this family he’d been blessed to have. He still thanked God every single day for allowing him to live this incredible life. Sometimes it seemed surreal.

“I’ve got him,” Cole told Sierra when she went to pick up Liam. “What’s up, little man?” Cole crooned to the newest addition to their family. “Wanna watch us have dinner?”

Carrying the little boy into the kitchen, Cole settled him into the bouncer and then sat down to enjoy another meal with the loves of his life. Today was the last day of 2015, the last meal they would share this year. It wasn’t that he was a sentimental man, but he had learned long ago not to take anything for granted. So, while everyone dug in, Cole took an extra minute to watch them, smiling as he did.

5:08 p.m.

ONCE DINNER WAS finished, Luke cleaned up, loaded the dishwasher with Hannah’s help, then allowed her to wipe down the counters before they joined Cole and Liam in the living room while Sierra snuck off to take a bath.

He tried not to look at his watch, but it wasn’t easy. Although he was enjoying spending time with the kids, keeping his thoughts from straying was beginning to get difficult. He was counting down the minutes until they left, thinking about all the things they needed to do between now and then.

The kitchen was clean. Sierra was getting some time to herself. Hannah was reading a book—or pretending to, anyway. Liam had been fed. The only thing left was for him and Cole to shower and change.

“Relax,” Cole whispered, glancing over.

“I’m trying,” Luke assured him. He really was, but his mind was awhirl with all the things he might’ve missed. The doors would open in a few hours, and he damn sure didn’t want to be left scrambling at the last second.

He mentally ran through the guest list, wondering if he should’ve thought of anything else, but came up blank. When his cell phone buzzed in his pocket, he damn near flew off the couch. Looking over, he noticed Cole laughing at him.

“Daddy-o’s a nut,” Cole told Liam.

“Hello?” Luke said into the phone after stabbing the screen.

“Hey, it’s Trent.”

“What’s up?” Luke asked, trying to sound relaxed and not at all jumpy.

“Wanted to let you know that I got a call from Phoenix Pierce. He wants to know if we’ll have some time to talk tonight. Maybe before the party.”

Once again Luke glanced at the clock, as though more than three minutes had passed since the last time he had. “Yeah. What time?”

“Can you be there by seven?” Trent asked.

“We’ll see you then,” Luke assured him, then disconnected the call.

“Trent?” Cole asked when Luke dropped his phone on his leg.

Luke nodded. “Phoenix Pierce wants to meet.”

“Investor, right?” Cole’s attention never left Liam.

“Yeah. I think he’s definitely interested.”

“Sounds like it.”

“We need to meet him at the club at seven.”

Cole nodded in agreement. “What time is it now?”

“Five twenty.”

“You wanna keep an eye on them while I go shower? I’ll use the guest bathroom. Then we’ll trade?”

Perfect. And Veronica would be there by six, which would leave Sierra plenty of time to get ready while her mother was there to watch the kids.

Shit.

Now Luke needed to…

“Don’t worry about it,” Cole said, handing Liam over to him. “I’ve got your proposal ready and waiting in your office at the club. You have nothing to fret about. It’ll be fine.”

Yeah. It would. Luke knew that. Didn’t mean he wasn’t going to
fret
about it, anyway, as Cole liked to put it.

When Cole leaned down and kissed him, Luke relaxed immensely, giving in to the gentle brush of Cole’s lips against his own. The man always knew how to get him to relax.

Didn’t matter that three minutes after Cole had left the room, Luke was pacing the living room.

6:37 p.m.

SIERRA EMERGED FROM her bedroom wearing her robe, not wanting to put her dress on just yet. She was surprised to find Luke and Cole standing in the living room, talking to her mother, both of them dressed to the nines.

Lord. Have. Mercy.

As she looked at those two men, her breath lodged in her chest momentarily. Luke, with his midnight-black hair and striking hazel eyes, looked intimidating in his tuxedo, while Cole, with his blond hair and devastating blue eyes, looked the picture of class and elegance. They were different but equally stunning.

“There she is,” Veronica said when Sierra stepped into the room. “I thought your husband was going to lose his mind.”

Sierra didn’t need for her mother to clarify which husband she was referring to. She could practically see Luke vibrating as he attempted to keep his feet rooted to the floor. If she had to guess, he’d probably worn a rut in the hardwood already.

“Something wrong?” Sierra asked, looking up at Luke.

“No. Trent called. Phoenix wants to meet before the party. We need to head over to the club now.”

Sierra nodded. “I’m riding with Logan, Sam, and Eli. Y’all didn’t need to wait for me.”

“But we wanted to,” Cole said, grinning from behind Luke.

With a smile of her own, Sierra pulled Luke’s head down to hers and gave him a quick kiss. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

“We’ll be waiting,” Luke assured her. “Love you.”

“Love you,” she replied, moving over to Cole and kissing him quickly. “Keep him calm.”

“He’ll be fine,” Cole said. “He’s cool when it comes to business. This is probably the best thing that could’ve happened.”

“I’m sure it is.”

Both her men kissed the kids good-bye, then dashed out the door without looking back.

When they were gone, Sierra turned to her mother. “Mom?”

Veronica’s blue eyes met hers, her eyebrow lifting in question.

“Can you help me with my hair?” Since her hair now hung down to her butt, it wasn’t easy to curl it herself.

“Sure.”

“And I’ll probably need your help with my dress.”

“Is something wrong with it?”

“Not at all,” Sierra told her. “But I fully intend to blow their minds when I see them next. I want to make sure the only thing they think about for the rest of the night is me.”

“I’m sure you won’t have a problem pulling that off.”

Sierra hoped not. It had been a long time—or it seemed that way, anyway—since she’d dressed up. Being pregnant with Liam, she hadn’t been able to wear heels, and now, tonight, she had the first opportunity to glam herself up.

And she fully intended to go all out.

After all, she wanted to make sure Luke and Cole spent the last hours of this year—and all of next year—thinking about her. And only her.