You Had Me At Christmas: A Holiday Anthology(18)

The dining room table had been shoved against the wall to clear a dance floor, and she spotted Moss among the throng, rocking out with two women, his body moving in a sinuous seduction. She scowled when he threw her his bad boy grin. “No hookups in my house this time,” she mouthed, and he blew her a kiss, unrepentant.

Son of a bitch. Where was her husband? On a mission now, she stormed into the kitchen, where she found pasta sauce on the stove, empty pizza boxes piling out of the trash can, two people making out in the pantry, and her best platter dumped in the sink with dirty dinosaur plates.

The kids. Spinning on her heel, she pushed through the dancers and hurried toward the hall leading to the bedrooms. Seth was leaning against the jamb, a beer in hand.

“All under control,” he called above the music, and showed her the baby monitor, tucked into the breast pocket of his plaid jacket. “Jared is checking on them now.” The tawny-haired drummer’s smile held the ‘trust me, girl’ warmth that had inspired numerous marriage proposals from female fans, and Kayla relaxed. Because you could trust Seth.

If Jared was looking out for the kids maybe she wouldn’t kill him. Maybe diaper duty for a month would be punishment enough.

“Great news,” Seth yelled over the music as he let her pass.

Kayla nodded, smiling. Nothing can justify this.

Her husband was closing the door to Maddie’s bedroom. When he saw her walking down the hallway he laughed and opened his arms wide. “Behold.”

“I’m beholding,” she said grimly. Insult to injury, her husband was half drunk. “Jared, what the hell?”

“That was my next question.” He dropped his arms. “Why isn’t your f*cking cell turned on? I wanted to be the one to break the good news.”

“Oh my God!” She suddenly got this. “Zander’s singing voice will recover.”

Jared’s dark gaze sharpened, then he smiled the most radiant smile. “Kayla Walker, you have a Grammy-nominated song written for you.”

It took her a few seconds to process his words. Then she gasped.

He opened his arms again. “Only the best song of the f*cking year.”

Half-laughing, half-crying she cannoned into them. “Honey, I’m so proud of you.”

“I still can’t believe it!”

“This is so…!” Filled with the most incredible joy, she lost the power of speech again.

He pressed his forehead to hers. “I know, right?”

Unable to express themselves coherently, they kissed. Kissed harder. He tasted of vodka and boozy happiness.

“I’m a little drunk on shots.”

She stroked his stubbled cheek. “Yeah, I picked that up.”

“The roadies say it’s a tradition.”

“Funny how many traditions the roadies have involving partying. When did you hear?”

“I was planning a sexy night in for us,” he started to explain. “I even got the house cleaned as a surprise.”

Aww sweet. “It still looks good,” she lied. The best-laid plans of rock stars… Whatever magic he might spin for her through this hiatus could not last. He was destined for a much bigger stage, and this was a timely reminder not to forget that. At the same time, she was so incredibly proud of him.

“And I made you an antipasto platter.” He scowled. “Except these bastards ate it all. I did manage to save one stuffed pepper. It’s in the fridge, hidden behind the yogurt.”

She started laughing at his drunken earnestness. “Kiss me, you fool.” But he pulled away, his expression serious.

“The nominees party falls on our wedding anniversary.”

“I think we can postpone our celebration for the Grammys, babe.”

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

He was genuinely worried about this. “Jared.” She caught his face between her hands. “Let’s just savor tonight, okay? You’ve worked so hard.”

“We’ve worked so hard. Kayla…” His eyes were suspiciously bright. Her husband got hopelessly sentimental when he got drunk. She intervened before he started sobbing like a baby.

“Yes,” she said solemnly, “I’d love a shot. And crazy monkey sex later.”

He threw back his head and laughed.

“Shush, not so loud,” she told him. “You’ll wake the kids.”

He shook his head. “I put noise canceling headphones on Rocco. He’s in a port-a-cot in Maddie’s room, sound asleep. Dimity’s reading our daughter a goodnight story.”

“Wow, is Dimity drunk too?” Dimity made no secret about her aversion to children. On the tour she’d ensured a safe distance between herself and Kayla’s kids, though Kayla had noticed a growing soft spot for Maddie—No wonder, Maddie was Dimity’s mini-me.

“No, it’s the weirdest thing.” Jared hauled her into his arms. “So, tell me more about the crazy monkey sex. Why should Moss be the only one to get it on in this house?”

“Wait…Moss, already?”

“Don’t ask.”

“I’ll kill him.” But she bit her lip to keep from smiling. “He’s shameless, isn’t he? And the women he hooks up with are the same.”

Even drunk, her husband could read her. “Wife,” he said, intrigued. “What’s turning you on?”