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Brian knew that his mother was in her element. Her kitchen was full of food, her house was full of her family, and she was doting on everyone like a mother hen. As expected, his mother had welcomed Nick with open arms; not even bothering to ask him to explain his presence. For that, Brian was immensely grateful. He was not, however, immensely grateful for the fact that his mother was pestering him incessantly about Kayla.

“Are you sure that you explicitly told her not to bring anything?” Jackie asked as she puttered around the kitchen. “I don’t want the poor girl to feel as though she has to contribute. I have more than enough for everyone.”

“I know, mom.” Brian took a small sip from his beer and rolled his eyes at Nick behind his mother’s back. “I’m sure that she doesn’t feel any pressure to contribute.”

Nick covered up his laughter by popping a whole Christmas cookie in his mouth. “If you think your mom is bad, wait until Kev sees you with that beer in your hand.” He whispered, crumbs spewing from his mouth.

“It’s Christmas.” Brian whispered back. “Besides, I haven’t had a drink since AJ reamed me out. I think it’s safe to say that I’ve dodged the whole addiction thing.”

“What are you two whispering about?” Jackie turned from the counter and narrowed her eyes. “What did you say about Alex?”

“Nothing.” Brian and Nick mumbled in unison.

“Are these two causing trouble, Aunt Jackie?” Kevin swooped into the kitchen and grabbed a carrot from the vegetable tray. He gave Jackie a swift kiss on the cheek before doing the same to his own mother who was also standing at the counter.

“Of course they’re not.” Ann laughed softly as she returned her son’s affection. “They’re both on their best behaviour.”

“Thanks, Auntie Ann.” Brian looked pointedly at Kevin. “See? We’re being good.”

Kevin narrowed his eyes as he walked around the kitchen table. He grabbed a few more carrots and crunched down loudly on one of them as he leaned his face next to Brian’s. “If I see you have more than two beers today, I will physically harm you.”

“I expected as much.” Brian countered. He defiantly took a long sip of beer and winked at his cousin. “It’s Christmas, you have to be nice to me.”

“What are you boys yammering on about over there?” Harold’s voice caused Kevin to pull his face out of Brian’s personal bubble. “Whatever it is, stop it and come say ‘hello’ to this lovely young lady.”

Brian peered around Kevin’s shoulder and saw that his dad was ushering Kayla and Liliana into the room. Kayla was holding a massive poinsettia, and Liliana was tottering along with her small hand firmly lodged in his father’s strong fingers. Brian couldn’t help but notice how comfortable his dad seemed with the little girl; he was staring down at her with a mixture of happiness and nostalgia.

“Are you talking about Kayla or Lily?” Brain chuckled as he stepped forward to greet them.

“Both.” His dad smiled as he picked a shortbread cookie off of the tray and handed it to Liliana.

The little girl smiled widely in response and curled her fingers around the treat; the red and green sprinkles immediately coating her fingers. “Cookie!”

“That’s right, Lily. Coooookieeee.” Harold praised.

“Say ‘thank you’.” Kayla coaxed. She thrust the giant red-leafed plant in Jackie’s direction. “This is for you. Brian told me not to bring any food, but I felt bad showing up empty-handed.”

“This is lovely, dear. Thank you.” Jackie accepted the plant with a warm smile and set it down on the corner of the counter. She enveloped Kayla in a welcoming hug and patted the younger woman’s back. “It’s so nice that you’re able to join us.”

“My turn!” Nick pushed past Brian and grabbed Kayla into a friendly hug. “Merry Christmas, Kay!”

“Merry Christmas, Nick.” Kayla laughed as Nick quickly whispered something in her ear.

Nick ended their embrace, and he gently pushed Kayla in Brian’s direction as he stepped around her and bent down to address Liliana. “Hi Lily, is that a good cookie?”

Brian felt himself begin to sweat as Kayla turned to face him. He clutched the beer bottle in his right hand as if his life depended on it. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Brian.” Kayla’s voice was soft. “Thanks again for inviting me.”

Brian smiled. It felt as though everyone in the kitchen was staring at him. He could hear Kevin crunching on another carrot and making that stupid half humming, half snorting noise that he always made whenever he knew that someone was about to embarrass themselves.

“Brian, for heaven’s sake, offer the girl a drink!” Jackie scolded. “Why are you just standing there?”

Brian shot his mother a withering look as Kevin’s hum-snorting intensified. “I was just about to do that, mom.”

“Honestly.” Jackie shook her head and gave her sister-in-law a knowing glance. “I keep telling him that he looks like a space cadet when he just stares like that. You would think that his brain was just rolling around up there.”

“What would you like, dear?” Ann interjected. “Wine?”

“Yes, a glass of wine would be great.” Kayla looked immensely grateful as she turned to address Ann. “White, if you have it.”

“Smooth.” Nick whispered in Brian’s ear as he straightened up from greeting Liliana. He stole another cookie from the tray and, once again, stuffed the whole thing in his mouth. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Everyone was staring at me.” Brian hissed. He downed three-quarters of his remaining beer in one long pull, hoping that the alcohol would calm his nerves. “I don’t want everyone to know that I’m ... you know.”

“Crushing like a school-girl.” Nick finished. “You gotta get a grip. I don’t even think that you were this nervous around Leighanne in the beginning.”

“This is different.” Brian shook his head. He checked to make sure that Kayla was still involved in a conversation with Ann and his mother before he continued. “I didn’t feel like this when I met Leighanne.”

“Is it because Kayla is forbidden?” Nick wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “The sex is gonna be so hot.”

Brian knew that he was blushing. “Nick!” He finished his beer with a final chug. “Don’t say that kind of stuff when my mother is like five feet away.”

“Don’t say what when I’m five feet away?” Jackie turned from her conversation with Ann and Kayla to stare at the two of them with narrowed eyes. “I have a right to hear anything that you say, if you say it in my kitchen.”

Brian’s heart was racing. Even though she was getting on in her years, his mom still had the innate ability to hear everything that was going on around her. “We’re not saying anything, mom.”

“Brian Thomas and Nickolas Gene ...” Jackie scolded them playfully. “You know that I can’t stand it when you two lie to me.”

“I should check and make sure that Lily isn’t giving Harold a run for his money.” Kayla interrupted. She picked up her wine glass from the counter and shot Jackie a small smile. “Excuse me.”

Jackie waited until Kayla had left the room before she redirected her attention to Brian and Nick. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” Brian lied. He placed his empty bottle on the kitchen table and began backing out of the room. “I’m going down for another beer. Does anybody else want anything?”

Everyone else shook their heads and Brian quickly bolted from the room. His feet thundered on the stairs as he went down to retrieve his drink from his dad’s dedicated beer fridge in the basement.

“Spill it, Carter.” Kevin shot Nick a menacing look once Brian was out of the room. “What are you two up to?”

“I’m shocked that you would judge the two of us like that.” Nick busied himself with the task of selecting the cookie with the most icing. He was well aware of the fact that Jackie and Ann were also waiting for him to divulge some information.

“I think that I have an idea.” Ann’s eyes twinkled as she topped up her wine. “It seems as though Brian has finally moved on from she-who-will-not-be-named-in-this-house.”

Kevin choked on the cherry tomato that he had just popped in his mouth. “What the fuck?” He turned to Nick. “I thought that you were banging Kayla!”

“Kevin!” His mother warned. “Language!”

Nick kept his eyes firmly locked on the tray of perfectly decorated cookies. “We’re just friends.”

“That’s not what you told AJ a few days ago.” Kevin chugged his beer to wash down the offending tomato.

“I lied.” Nick shrugged and bit the head off of a sugar-coated Santa.

“So, now Brian is after her?” Kevin shook his head. “Is he crazy? He could lose his kid!”

Nick finally pulled his eyes away from the dessert tray. “He knows that, Kev.”

“She seems like a sweet girl.” Ann interrupted. “And her little one is precious.”

Jackie nodded in agreement. “I like her. I can’t say that I felt the same when I met you-know-who for the first time.”

Kevin rolled his eyes. “You two can’t encourage this. Brian is putting his parental rights in jeopardy by even entertaining the idea of having a relationship with Kayla.”

“Kevin, honey, you’re much too serious.” Jackie admonished. “God works in mysterious ways. Kayla was placed in Brian’s life for a reason.”

“Yeah.” Kevin frowned. “To make sure that he maintains primary custody of Baylee.”

Jackie waved off Kevin’s pessimism. “She’s awfully pretty. Can you imagine my grandbabies?”

Kevin choked on another tomato. “Nobody is having a baby!”

Nick smirked as he watched the exchange between Kevin and his aunt. It was nice to know that Kevin directed his displeasure at everyone, not just him.

“I don’t know what you’re smirking at, Nick.” Kevin’s frown deepened. “I know that you’re somehow responsible for this.”

Nick held up his sugar-covered hands in innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”