The Plight Before Christmas(16)

“I didn’t know,” he says adamantly. “It never came up.”

“He’s telling the truth,” Erin declares. “I can always tell when he’s lying.”

“Oh yeah?” Brenden taunts. “How’s that?”

“What kind of idiot would that make me to tell you?” She leans in on a whisper. “He swallows and clenches his ass cheeks.”

We share a laugh and aim our scolding gazes his way as he turns and lays the baby on the bed. “I will not be bullied by you two. All I want is Mom’s lasagna and a beer. Is that too much to ask?”

Erin nudges me and lifts her chin in Brenden’s direction as he unbuttons Wyatt’s onesie. “Babe?” Erin lifts her voice to her husband.

“Yeah?”

“You’re looking a little tired today. Sure you only had one beer at Santo’s last night with the boys?”

“Yeah, just one.”

I, to my absolute horror, zero in on my brother’s ass to see it draw tight and cringe. “Thanks a lot,” I scold Erin. “I’ll never get that visual out of my head.”

She laughs. “Let me freshen up, and I want a drink and the details.”

“Details of what?” Serena says, joining us in the bedroom, her eyes sparkling as she greets Erin with a hug and claps my brother on the back before bending to greet Wyatt. “Hey baby, thank God you look like your mother.”

“I can’t win,” Brenden coos to Wyatt. “It’s a coven.”

“Watch it,” Erin scolds, turning to Serena. “My husband has brought your sister’s ex-boyfriend to Christmas.”

“What?” Serena says, turning to me with wide eyes. “Which ex?”

“Eli.”

She sorts through her mental Rolodex before her eyes bulge. “College Eli?”

“Yep,” I say, crossing my arms and narrowing my eyes at Brenden, who refuses to look at me.

“Brother, why would you do a thing like that?”

“I didn’t know!” He explodes in sudden hostility, lifting his hands helplessly after discarding Wyatt’s dump diaper.

“Seriously. You don’t remember that entire summer Whit came home, stayed in her sweats, barely bathed, didn’t go out?”

“Can’t say that I do. You forget I wasn’t living at home then.”

“He does,” Erin says, her eyes trained on her husband’s ass cheeks, “and he remembers it well.” Brenden lifts a warning gaze to his wife.

“Fine, I do remember, but I swear I didn’t know it was my Eli.”

“Your Eli?” I scoff.

“We’ve been working together for nearly two months, long hours. We got close fast. It’s not like we braid each other’s hair yet, or I know his sign.”

“He’s a Capricorn,” I mutter. “And you never mentioned your sisters to him?”

“In passing, but not in detail, we really don’t talk about family.”

“I’m sure,” I mutter dryly, and all three heads turn my way. “He’s anything but a family man.”

Brenden sighs. “You’re no authority on him seventeen years after the fact. He’s a nice guy, respectable, and too old to fit the serial killer profile. I practically had to break his arm to get him to stop by on Thanksgiving after the big dinner, so it was a surprise when he said he had no plans for Christmas and agreed to come. The guy’s been working stupid crazy hours since he moved from Chicago, and from what I can tell, he has absolutely no one to spend Christmas with. Be easy on him.”

“So, did he pull the orphan card on you too?”

“Whitney!” Serena admonishes. “That’s terrible.”

“What?” I shrug. “I’m not a good person right now, and I’m owning it. Besides, that’s the card he played to throw me off my guard before he slithered in and—”

“Showed you his baby snake?” Brenden snorts.

“Keep it up, brother,” I warn, my tone enough to temporarily pause his movement and mute him. “You deserve what’s coming.”

Just as I say it, a small spray shoots up from beneath Brenden as Wyatt soaks his shirt. Erin, Serena, and I burst into laughter.

“That a boy, Wyatt,” I smirk as Brenden sighs.

“Witches, son. I’m telling you.”

Erin speaks up as Brenden glances over at the three of us, his eyes weary, posture defeated. “I can’t speak for college Eli, but current Eli seems to be a really nice guy. And not bad looking.”

“Nope, we hate him,” Serena declares. “Not a chance. I missed him when he got here. Where is this asshat?”

“Dad’s showing him to his room. And don’t even think about it,” Brenden warns.

“I’m going in,” Serena says, pushing up her hoodie sleeves which instills a fear in me. I grip my sister’s arm. Even I know sending her in is going too far. “Don’t you dare,” I clip. “I’ve already made an ass of myself.”

“Correct,” Brenden mutters as Erin scowls at his profile. Brenden lifts his face heavenward, his voice a weak plea. “Help me. Someone, help me.”

“You can’t stop me,” Serena taunts, “If he came into the lion’s den knowing you were Brenden’s sister, he’s fair game for hazing.”