Free Christmas With The Houstons (Acceptance #4) by D. Kelly Page A

new desk. The instructions weren’t in English and they later found out it was missing a whole pack of screws and stuff. When he gave up, he was beyond frustrated and yelled ‘fuck this shit.’”
    Sounds like Mike.
    Hell, sounds like me.
    “So the next morning, Lucas was over and they were watching cartoons but Grant was screaming his head off. Hailey turned up the TV really loud and Misty turned it down. Poor Hailey couldn’t take anymore and yelled ‘fuck this shit’ and grabbed Luke and pulled him into her room. Mike and Misty both had no idea if they should yell or laugh.”
    “That’s funny. I would have paid good money to see that.”
    “I know. Me, too,” she confesses with a giggle.
    “So what did they do?”
    “They laughed for a minute while she was out of sight and then Mike went and told her those words weren’t okay for kids to use and not to use them again.”
    “And that worked?”
    “Not exactly… Hailey said she didn’t think daddies and mommies should use those words if kids can’t, so…”
    “Let me guess… Now they have a swear jar?”
    “Yup.”
    “Remind me to take lots of quarters next time I go over there.”
    “Make that dollars.”
    “Dollars? Who puts dollars in a swear jar?”
    “Well… Hailey is pretty smart and because Mike and Misty have been drilling her for months about choking hazards with all the little ones around, she pointed out change is a choking hazard and it would be safer to put dollars in it.”
    This is the best thing I’ve heard. Mike’s kid is going to take everyone for their cold, hard cash and she doesn’t even realize it.
    “Oh my god, this is hilarious.”
    “Want to know what the best part is?” The gleam in her eye is wicked,
    “It gets better?”
    She nods emphatically. “Oh yeah. Guess who had to pay the piper first?”
    Mike would be the obvious answer but it wouldn’t be funny if it was him. Just obvious.
    “Misty?”
    “Nope. Good ol’ Uncle Connor.”
    I bust out laughing and she laughs with me.
    This feels good.
    I needed this.
    We needed this. 
    “I’m sure he was pissed,” I say once I finally catch my breath.
    She nods. “I know. Can you imagine the look on his face?”
    We both laugh again. I’m sure Connor tried to pout but I can just picture Hailey holding out her hand waiting for him to pay up.
    “Could you have imagined two years ago the things life had in store for all of us? We’re married, Jake, and having a baby. Connor is married and has two babies, Daniel and Kate have two kids, and Mike... Who would have ever thought Mike would settle down with anyone? Let alone happily and with kids?”
    “We’re not kids anymore, that’s for sure. Pretty soon it will be Little League, dance recitals, and Bengay.”
    “You’re such a dork! We’re years away from Bengay, but I can’t wait for the rest. Holidays filled with family and love. Easter bunnies, Santa, the tooth fairy… What if we forget the tooth fairy money?”
    “We’ll get creative. I’m sure we won’t be the first parents in the history of parents to forget about the tooth fairy.”
    “I don’t know how my parents did it with seven of us. Could you imagine?”
    “I could, actually, but I don’t let myself because I know it’s not what you want.”  I answer truthfully.
    “You’re so full of it,” she says as she scoots closer, tucking herself into me as I pull the blanket over us.
    “Nope, not at all. I’ve told you I’m in this for all we can give it. You want three kids so that’s what we’ll have, but I’d absolutely have seven kids with you. As much as I want a big family, seven might be my limit.”
    “Good to know you have a limit. You’re an interesting man, Jake, that’s for sure.”
    “I love you.”
    “I love you, too. Always,” she replies softly and within a few minutes, she’s fast asleep. It’s a good thing tomorrow is Sunday. I’m going to find a real estate agent to find us a big house in Connor’s