airport. Ava isn’t thrilled, so I gave her my credit card and she’s throwing a big party. You’re all invited.”
“Oh, well … .” James balked. That was the last thing he wanted to do.
“Since you missed the California party, I insist,” Art said. “I’ll email you four invitations. I can’t wait to meet the rest of your family, including that wife you never stopped talking about … and now your sister, of course.”
“Sure,” James said, clenching his jaw. “I’m sure Mandy and Ally will be thrilled to go to a Christmas party.”
Ten
“I don’t want to go to a Christmas party given by some dippy California trophy wife,” Mandy pouted later that evening, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Tell me how you really feel,” James said, wrapping his arm around her waist and tumbling her into his lap. They were in the living room, four takeout menus spread across the coffee table as they tried to decide what they were going to order for dinner, when James sprung the big news on his favorite blonde.
“You said yourself that she was insufferable.”
James couldn’t remember if he used those words or not. He knew he’d left out all of Ava’s overt flirting when reporting back to his wife every night. He didn’t want her worrying and, loath as he was to admit it, she still had an insecure streak where he was concerned. He was trying to eradicate it, but he knew Ava’s intentions would bug Mandy.
“She’s a pain, baby,” James conceded. “Art is a client who is paying very well for a security system that he’ll hopefully utilize for years to come. Can’t you spend one hour at a Christmas party for me?”
“Oh, sure, use that as an excuse,” Mandy said, rolling her eyes. “Like I can really say no to that.”
James grinned. “Thank you, wife.”
Mandy’s expression was thoughtful as James nuzzled his nose against her cheek. “Does he know Ally and I were in the store during the robbery?”
“I told him the truth,” James replied. “I didn’t think lying about something like that was in our best interests. He thought it was funny and now he’s dying to meet Ally. He wants to give her a gift for saving his merchandise.”
“Ally will like that,” Mandy said. “She loves getting gifts.”
“Speaking of that, Jake wants to hijack your shopping trip with Finn. He’s convinced he needs to buy Ally more for Christmas.”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine with whatever he bought for her.”
James arched a challenging eyebrow.
“Okay, you’re probably right,” Mandy conceded. “Ally is just so manic about Christmas. She’s going to love those diamond earrings, but I think she kind of had her heart set on another type of diamond.”
James stilled. “Is she expecting Jake to propose over Christmas? If so, I don’t think he’s there yet.”
“He’s not,” Mandy said. “I told Ally to let things happen in their own time, but I think she’s worried he’s going to leave her. I wish she could see – I mean actually see – the way he looks at her.”
“Yes, it’s absolutely filthy,” James said, resting his hand on Mandy’s flat abdomen.
“You know what I mean,” Mandy said. “She needs to relax. I told her that when you surprised me with your proposal it was the best thing ever. I was convinced you were nowhere near that point yet, so when you asked … .”
“You thought I asked because of the explosion,” James corrected, referring to an incident that left Mandy recovering for weeks.
“I thought there was a chance you were asking because of the explosion,” Mandy conceded. “I don’t think that now, though, so don’t worry.”
“What do you think now?”
“I think that you would cry if you didn’t have me with you every day for the rest of our lives,” Mandy teased. “I think you cried every night we were apart.”
She wasn’t far off. “I didn’t cry. I just pouted,” James said, kissing her cheek.
“Did you buy me a lot of Christmas
“Oh, well … .” James balked. That was the last thing he wanted to do.
“Since you missed the California party, I insist,” Art said. “I’ll email you four invitations. I can’t wait to meet the rest of your family, including that wife you never stopped talking about … and now your sister, of course.”
“Sure,” James said, clenching his jaw. “I’m sure Mandy and Ally will be thrilled to go to a Christmas party.”
Ten
“I don’t want to go to a Christmas party given by some dippy California trophy wife,” Mandy pouted later that evening, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Tell me how you really feel,” James said, wrapping his arm around her waist and tumbling her into his lap. They were in the living room, four takeout menus spread across the coffee table as they tried to decide what they were going to order for dinner, when James sprung the big news on his favorite blonde.
“You said yourself that she was insufferable.”
James couldn’t remember if he used those words or not. He knew he’d left out all of Ava’s overt flirting when reporting back to his wife every night. He didn’t want her worrying and, loath as he was to admit it, she still had an insecure streak where he was concerned. He was trying to eradicate it, but he knew Ava’s intentions would bug Mandy.
“She’s a pain, baby,” James conceded. “Art is a client who is paying very well for a security system that he’ll hopefully utilize for years to come. Can’t you spend one hour at a Christmas party for me?”
“Oh, sure, use that as an excuse,” Mandy said, rolling her eyes. “Like I can really say no to that.”
James grinned. “Thank you, wife.”
Mandy’s expression was thoughtful as James nuzzled his nose against her cheek. “Does he know Ally and I were in the store during the robbery?”
“I told him the truth,” James replied. “I didn’t think lying about something like that was in our best interests. He thought it was funny and now he’s dying to meet Ally. He wants to give her a gift for saving his merchandise.”
“Ally will like that,” Mandy said. “She loves getting gifts.”
“Speaking of that, Jake wants to hijack your shopping trip with Finn. He’s convinced he needs to buy Ally more for Christmas.”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine with whatever he bought for her.”
James arched a challenging eyebrow.
“Okay, you’re probably right,” Mandy conceded. “Ally is just so manic about Christmas. She’s going to love those diamond earrings, but I think she kind of had her heart set on another type of diamond.”
James stilled. “Is she expecting Jake to propose over Christmas? If so, I don’t think he’s there yet.”
“He’s not,” Mandy said. “I told Ally to let things happen in their own time, but I think she’s worried he’s going to leave her. I wish she could see – I mean actually see – the way he looks at her.”
“Yes, it’s absolutely filthy,” James said, resting his hand on Mandy’s flat abdomen.
“You know what I mean,” Mandy said. “She needs to relax. I told her that when you surprised me with your proposal it was the best thing ever. I was convinced you were nowhere near that point yet, so when you asked … .”
“You thought I asked because of the explosion,” James corrected, referring to an incident that left Mandy recovering for weeks.
“I thought there was a chance you were asking because of the explosion,” Mandy conceded. “I don’t think that now, though, so don’t worry.”
“What do you think now?”
“I think that you would cry if you didn’t have me with you every day for the rest of our lives,” Mandy teased. “I think you cried every night we were apart.”
She wasn’t far off. “I didn’t cry. I just pouted,” James said, kissing her cheek.
“Did you buy me a lot of Christmas
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