Christmas Surprises by Jenn Faulk Read Free Book Online Page B

only men do.
     
    "You know it," Jacob grinned.  "Grant was telling me that --"
     
    "Rachel," Gracie began, "I was just telling Maddie --"
     
    And everyone was talking at once, moving into the house, leaving Maddie alone in the entryway... just as the bell rang again.
     
    "I'll get it," she said to no one in particular.  Huck, maybe, she thought with a small grin.
     
    The grin stayed there, even as she opened the door, wondering at the couple that stood on the other side, one of whom she'd only briefly met a handful of times.
     
    "Mrs. Johnson," she said a moment later.  "Merry Christmas."
     
    "It's Natalie," the woman said, smiling brightly.  "So good to see you, Madison."
     
    "Well, come in," Maddie said, standing aside.  "And I've not met you yet," she said, holding her hand out to the man who, even now, was holding Micah's mother's hand in his own.
     
    "Oh," Natalie said, visibly flustered, "this is Brian Kirkland."
     
    And before Brian or Maddie could say anything or make further introductions, they all heard Micah's voice coming from the entryway where he stood, obvious surprise on his face as he looked them all over.
     
    "Brian Kirkland," he said simply.  "Who are you?"

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER two
     
     
    Rachel
     
     
     
    Her mother-in-law had brought a man to Christmas Eve dinner.
     
    A man she was clearly involved with as Rachel had watched him lean down and whisper something in her ear as they'd moved from the entryway to the dining room earlier, after Jacob had mercifully dragged a shocked Micah back to the kitchen. 
     
    Yes, he leaned down to whisper something to her, and she'd closed her eyes and smiled in that way that said a whole lot more than any "surprise, I have a boyfriend!" could have.
     
    Boyfriend.  Well, manfriend at her age.
     
    Her mother-in-law had a manfriend.
     
    Well, good for her.
     
    Joy obviously shared Rachel's thoughts as she'd spent the majority of the meal beaming at Brian, who'd done an excellent job of asking her and Taylor all the right questions about their jobs, about the center, about their holiday plans, and telling them the same things about himself.
     
    Rachel wondered if Joy had caught the subtle things Brian hadn't said, things that had been clearly communicated, though, as he'd talked about how Natalie was going to go with him in another week to visit his oldest daughter in Oklahoma, how his grandsons there were more excited about seeing her again than they were about seeing him, given how much they'd missed her in the weeks since she'd last seen them over Thanksgiving.
     
    He'd introduced her to his children already.  Rachel got that and could easily guess why Natalie hadn't done the same in introducing him to her children until now, given the way Micah stared at the guest, animosity in his gaze.
     
    Seriously, Micah?   Rachel had thought back to the first few times he'd been around Taylor, about how irritable he'd been back then about anyone else coming into his small family, how it had taken weeks for him to get over it and stop being a giant stick in the mud. 
     
    Even as she thought about it, her mind went to another Christmas, long after those rough early days with Taylor, where Micah had gotten his brother-in-law an Xbox, and the two had literally stayed up all night glued to the screen together, alternately screaming and laughing as Rachel and Joy had rolled their eyes at one another. 
     
    Taylor had concluded that Christmas with a hug for Micah, telling him that with this Xbox in their lives now, it was like they had a "bromance."  And Micah had frowned and said, "I have no idea what that even means, Taylor... but I'll expect you back here on New Year's Eve for round two."
     
    From animosity to friendship.  Or a bromance, if you will.  But those days at the beginning had been unpleasant for them all.
     
    More of the same now, likely, except worse as Rachel couldn't recall Micah having ever shot a death glare to