A Very Merry Hockey Holiday (Assassins #6.5)(4)
“I think I like her,” she decided and Fallon’s grin grew.
“Good, ’cause she’s coming home with us,” Aiden said, and Fallon looked up to meet the gaze of her eldest. He was so handsome, looking more and more like his father every day. He was out of the awkward stage, his teeth were nice and straight, his eyes as gray as storm clouds. The angles to his face were beautiful and so much like Lucas’s. He was solid, already possessing a hockey player’s body, and boy, could he play. He was almost thirteen, and it killed her to think of all the girls’ hearts he was going to break. He was his father made over, and she couldn’t be more thankful that Lucas was the man she’d chosen to have kids with. Yes, Aiden wasn’t planned, but she wouldn’t change who his father was. Back in the day was another story, but she’d been young and stupid. Now though, she knew who buttered her bread and that was Lucas Brooks.
Looking past her eldest, she saw that Lucas was carrying a sleeping Asher. Her little man didn’t do mornings, and he was his momma’s boy. He looked just like Fallon, and she took great pride in that since now three out of her four children were their father’s miniatures. Lord, help them all if Emery was like Fallon. Stella was enough, and she honestly couldn’t do a second girl like herself.
The horror.
Grinning, she said, “Is he awake?”
“You know he isn’t, knocked out like you always are.”
Lucas gave her a teasing grin, and she couldn’t love him anymore than she already did. He’d been amazing through the birth. Ever so supportive and wonderful. He didn’t even pass out this time! The other two times though, that was another story. Smiling, she mouthed, “I love you.”
His whole face lit up as he leaned over to press his lips to hers. “I love you more,” he whispered against her lips.
Conveniently, Asher woke up and pushed Lucas away before saying, “Ew, gross.”
“You say that now, buddy, but you just wait,” Lucas said with a wink. “Ask Aiden. He loves girls.”
Aiden’s face went deep scarlet before he complained. “Dad!”
Fallon laughed as Emery moved her arms up and stretched while Stella said, “Aw, it moves.”
They all laughed. “It isn’t an it, sugarplum; it’s your sister,” Fallon corrected her, kissing her temple.
“But you like me more, right?” she asked, her big gray eyes locking on Fallon’s.
“No, she likes me more,” Asher informed her.
“Yeah, right. I’m the first and her favorite,” Aiden said proudly, winking at her as Lucas laughed.
“Last time, I checked, I was her favorite,” Lucas offered, causing everyone to laugh and thankfully causing Stella to forget. But as they looked deep into each other’s eyes, they knew the truth.
There was no favorite.
A couple days later…
Fallon laid Emery in her bassinet and picked up a tray of ornaments. Stella, Asher, and Aiden were already at work hanging ornaments while Lucas hung the stockings. Their home was almost fully decorated. Aiden and Lucas had spent the afternoon hanging the lights, while Asher and Stella helped with the inside décor. Sweet Emery slept through most of it, not that anyone was complaining. That girl had some lungs, and Fallon was more convinced that she was her daddy’s girl.
Lucas was leaving later that night for a couple away games, and they wanted to have the house fully done. His mom, Molly, was coming into town in a week for Christmas and to meet her new granddaughter.
“Good job, Stella,” Fallon doted, receiving a huge grin from her. They all talked happily about whatever came to mind as they dressed the tree with mismatched ornaments, but Fallon didn’t care. Each ornament meant something. There were hockey sticks for Lucas, Asher, and Aiden, dance shoes for Stella, and wine for Fallon. Every time they went on vacation, she got an ornament for their tree. They had Disney ones and even Harry Potter ones since Aiden was still obsessed with the popular book series. It was a tree of love, and she didn’t give two shits that it didn’t match.
When they were all done, she smiled as she said, “Okay, here are all y’all’s first ornaments. Let’s hang them.”
“What about Emery?” Stella asked as Fallon handed her her little pink star with her birthday on it and her name in pretty cursive.
“I haven’t made it to the mall yet to have it made. She’ll have it before Christmas. I promise.”
“Actually,” Lucas said, coming to them. “I went and got it for you.”
Reaching into the tray she was holding, he held up another pink star with Emery’s name on it, and for some dumb reason, Fallon’s eyes welled up with tears.
“You did?”
He smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I know how much it means to you to have the ornaments when we trim the tree, so the boys and I went to get it yesterday while you girls napped.”
Looking over at Aiden and Asher, she found them grinning, and her heart felt as if it was going to come out of her chest as she slowly nodded. It was a tradition in her family to always have all the ornaments before you did the tree. She hadn’t even wanted to decorate today, but Lucas pushed her to do it, and she was thankful for that. Wiping away a tear that fell, she shot them all a grin before handing the tray off to Lucas and then getting Emery. Her little eyes were wide as Fallon lifted her up and into the crook of her arm.