Free Merry Mitchell (Mitchell/Healy Family #3.5) by Jennifer Foor

cuddling half the morning away, we got up and dressed to see the family. For once I didn’t care about opening gifts or watching football with the guys. All I wanted to do was crawl back in bed with my wife and talk about everything that life had in store for us.
    Breakfast was chaotic, although I think Shalan enjoyed that about our family. Her smile lit up the room, and everyone was so busy talking about the baby that I hardly got a word in edgewise.
    I couldn’t stop looking at her, wondering if our child would have her features or mine. As long as he or she was healthy I’d be okay, and even if something was wrong, I knew we’d do whatever that child needed.
    This was what my father wanted me to see about staying on the ranch. It was this kind of fulfillment that I couldn’t get anywhere else.
    I looked around the room at my family.
    My sister Christian was  in love. It was hard to imagine what she’d been through not so long ago. Addison, our youngest sibling had enrolled in art classes, and had also been clean for almost three months. She had a long road ahead of her, but we’d help her.
    Bells and Rusty were already talking about having another child. My only regret was that they lived so far away.
    Even my aunts and uncles, and all of my cousins seemed to be enthralled with contentment, with the exception of Jake. He stood in the corner alone, with a plate in his hand. I couldn’t understand why he was so bitter, but knew he clearly needed to get something off of his chest.
    I pulled him outside where no one else could hear us. “Dude, what’s up with you?”
    “You promise you won’t say anything to my brother? I mean it, Noah. This stays between us. No pranks or jokes. This is for real.”
    I held out my hand. “It’s Christmas. You have my word, Jake. Did you do something wrong? Are you in trouble.”
    He looked down at the ground, and I could tell this was serious. “It’s about my brother, well indirectly. You know that girl he brought; the chick, Reese, that he says is the one?”
    I nodded. “Does she have a kid? Is she married or somethin?” It was obvious he had a problem with her, and clearly it would have to be something Jax didn’t know.
    “I’m in love with her.” He looked right into my eyes after he’d said it. “I’m tryin’ real hard to keep my distance, but it’s not helping. How am I supposed to watch them together when I want it to be me?”
    I didn’t know how to answer. “Jesus, Jake. I don’t know. He’s your brother. You can’t…It’s not like you don’t have to see him. You two do everything together. You’ve got to figure this out. It can’t come between you. No matter what.”
    Jake nodded. “I think I just needed to tell someone. I’ll be alright. I’ll keep being a dick so she hates me. It’s the only way. I’d never intentionally hurt Jax. You know that.”
    “Yeah, I know, cuz. It’ll be okay. You’ll get past it.” I didn’t know if that was the truth, but I had to at least make him feel better. My cousin was in love with his twin brother’s girl. He clearly wasn’t having a good Christmas.
    Once I went back inside I found my bride talking to my Gram, and my other grandmother. They were all smiles as they discussed me as a small boy. Shalan was glowing. I winked to let her know I was watching. She blew me a kiss, making me wish we were back in that bed.
    Later on, when we were heading back to our house, I pulled her close to me. “We haven’t talked about honeymoons. Is there any place you’d like to go?”
    She pointed to the woods in the direction of our house. “I’d like to be locked up in a large cabin for the next few weeks. Do you think we could arrange that, Mr. Mitchell?”
    “Oh yeah, I think we can, Mrs. Mitchell.”
     
    The End
     
     
    Merry Christmas from the Mitchell-Healy’s and have a very Happy New Year.
     
     
    Look For The DOUBLE Release of Jake and Jax on February 8 th .
    2 BOOKS 1 DAY. (JAKE IS READ FIRST)