Love in the Light (Hearts in Darkness, #2)(10)

The door handle jiggled.

“Someone’s in here,” she called.

“Okay,” came Ian’s voice.

“Let’s go help with the table,” Caden said. “We can talk later.”

She nodded, and thrilled when he bent down and gave her a long, slow, wet kiss full of heat and passion and tongue. From the first time they’d kissed in the darkness of that elevator, his kissing skills had totally owned her. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?” she asked in a breathy voice when he pulled away.

The smile he gave her brought out his dimples. “I don’t know, but you taste like apples and cinnamon.”

“It’s my sangria. You should try some.”

“I think I will.” His big hand slipped behind her neck as he kissed her again. A deep, exploring kiss. “Mmm, that’s good,” he rasped.

“God, I could kiss you like that all day,” she whispered.

His grin was full of smug masculine satisfaction. “Could you now?” With a wink, he turned and opened the door.

Down the hall, they ran into Ian. “Were you seriously in the bathroom together?” he asked.

Makenna glared, not appreciating his standoffishness toward Caden downstairs. “Did you seriously bring my ex-boyfriend to Thanksgiving?”

“He’s my best friend,” Ian said, stepping past them. True, but it had been a lot of years since Cameron had celebrated a holiday with them. When they were all younger, it hadn’t been unusual for Cameron to be at their house for meals and sleepovers, including the holidays. But he hadn’t last been there since before she and Cam broke up.

When her brother closed himself in the bathroom, she turned to Caden. “Sorry about him. Not sure what his problem is.”

On one level, she wasn’t surprised that Ian was the one to cause trouble where Caden was concerned. Because Patrick was so much older, she’d always idolized him and he’d always been an awesome big brother to her—they always got along great. And because Collin was younger and generally the easiest-going person you’d ever meet, she usually didn’t end up having issues with him. But her and Ian—the two middle kids—butted heads over just about everything and anything, and always had.

“Loyalty, I’m guessing.” He kissed the top of her head. “Stop worrying.”

“Okay,” she said. They went into the kitchen to find her father pulling the turkey out of the oven. “How can we help?”

“Collin and Shima started on the table. See if they want help and, if not, you can start plating everything. We’ll be ready to eat in about twenty minutes. Just need to make some gravy.”

“Okay,” Makenna said, leading Caden into the dining room that hosted every meal whenever the whole family got together. Collin and Shima were setting out plates and silverware around the big formal table.

“Wait. You forgot Mom’s runner,” Makenna said.

“Oh, shit,” Collin said. “Sorry.”

“It’s no problem,” Makenna said, going to the glass-fronted hutch that sat on the far wall. She found the decorative cloth in the bottom cabinet. “When my mom died, my dad was really good about sharing all the traditions that had been important to her. My grandmother made this and gave it to Mom as a present, and Mom apparently used it every Thanksgiving.” She unfolded the long rectangle with embroidered leaves and pumpkins and acorns. “We still like to use it.”

Caden helped her spread it out down the length of the table between the place settings Collin had already set out.

“It’s beautiful,” Shima said. “It’s really special that you still honor her this way.”

“Yeah,” Makenna said. “Collin and I were too young to really remember much of her, so it’s nice to have things like this.” She shrugged. “I’ve always felt like, if I can’t have her, I have to hang on to whatever parts of her I can have. I don’t know.”

Caden’s arm fell around her shoulders and he hugged her against him. “Shima’s right. It’s a special thing to do.” The sweetness of his words unleashed warmth in her chest. God, she loved this man.

They made quick work of setting the rest of the table and then Makenna and Caden returned to the kitchen to help with the rest of the food. One by one, Makenna filled serving dishes and platters and Caden took them out to the table for her.

She and Caden had made a million meals together over the past few months, but there was something really special about the two of them working on a meal in the house where she grew up. It made Caden feel like part of the family, because to her he already was. Finally, the turkey was carved and the gravy was ready, and it was time to eat. Her father called everyone to the table.

Her father and Patrick sat at the ends, and Collin, Shima, and Ian sat on the far side. Cam went for the middle seat on the close side, which would put him between her and Caden. Not happening.

“Hey, Cam? Would you mind moving down one so Caden and I can sit together?” she asked, perturbed that he’d made her ask. She wasn’t sure what he was up to with this visit, but she wasn’t playing, whatever it was.

“Sure,” he said, sliding over.

“Here you go,” Caden said, pulling out the end chair for her so he’d end up between them.