We sit like this until we cars roll down the driveway. I turn my head at the lights that crop up as they draw near. The vehicle in front is a pearl white Audi sedan, and behind it is a massive silver truck with chunky winter tires and a loud engine.
The Audi screeches to a halt at the top of the roundabout driveway, and a tiny blonde woman flies out of the driver’s side with her finger pointed at the truck, keychain jangling beneath her hand. She has her keys shoved between her fingers like claws. Like she’s ready for a fight.
“Are you fucking insane?” she yells.
Jasper sits up tall beneath me, clutching me protectively against his chest. I can feel every limb go taut, like he’s ready to spring into action. After cutting the engine, a handsome, dark-haired man hops out of the huge, loud truck. And not regular handsome, the kind that would turn heads when he walks down the street.
The patio lights illuminate the grin on his face, and when Jasper catches sight of him, his body relaxes.
“Easy, Tink,” the man says good-naturedly but a little teasing. “You’re gonna pop a blood vessel stomping around like that.”
“Tink?” she shouts, pulling up about six feet from him, not at all affected by his good looks.
He waves a hand over her casually. “Yeah. You’ve got this whole angry little Tinkerbell vibe happening. I dig it.” His eyes rake over her body appreciatively but not lewdly.
“You’re fucking nuts, you know that? You drive like an asshole behind me for a solid ten minutes, and now you follow me here? To . . . to . . . check me out and compare me to a Disney pixie?” The woman continues reaming him out, her doll-like features twisted in a furious mask. “That was dangerous. You could kill someone.”
My head whips between them as they volley back and forth.
“I think she’s actually a fairy. And for the record, driving twenty below the speed limit is also dangerous and could kill someone. Mostly me. From boredom,” he quips, leaning a hip against the truck and crossing his arms over his chest, not looking the least bit concerned.
“It’s dark and snowy! I don’t know the area. There could be wildlife! Driving slowly is safe so long as a back-forty hillbilly isn’t riding my ass in his small-dick truck, flashing his high beams at me.”
Jasper’s body shakes with laughter, and I toss a hand over my mouth to cover the snort-laugh that’s ready to burst out. “Who is she? I think I love her.”
“That’s Summer’s older sister, Winter.”
My eyes shift back to the interaction near the front door. We’re obscured by Jasper’s SUV but still have a good vantage point for the unusual, but superior, holiday entertainment.
“Ohh. That Winter?”
“Yeah. That Winter.”
The man’s dark brows shoot up on his forehead, and I can tell he’s trying not to laugh. “I hear that if you want your ass ridden, a small dick is the way to go. So maybe I’m your guy.”
Winter’s mouth drops open comically wide, and I cover my entire face with my hands to smother my giggles. “And who is he?”
Jasper wheezes a laugh, clearly enjoying this exchange just as much as me. “That’s Theo.”
“I don’t think I know him.” I peek back over at the clean-shaven man. His eyes sparkle like polished onyx, eyelashes so dark and long they make me jealous. “He’s cute.”
Jasper pinches my butt. Hard. And I squeal into his chest.
“Theo Silva. Bull rider. Rhett’s been his mentor for a while now.”
Winter holds up her left hand and cocks a hip. “I’m married, you fucking pig. Now leave.”
Theo shrugs and smiles. “Married for now, maybe.”
Rhett’s voice draws my attention to the front door. I don’t know how long he’s been standing there watching. “Yeah, don’t worry, Winter. We’re definitely gonna free you from that husband and bury him in the back field. It’ll be like that Dixie Chicks song. Rob is the new Earl.”
Winter presses her fingers to her temples. “You’re lucky you make my little sister so happy, Eaton.” Rhett chuckles and suddenly Winter looks exhausted and very wrung out. She looks like she could crumple. I want to march across the driveway and hug her, but I also don’t want to out our eavesdropping position.
“Theo’s just a baby though. You can’t corrupt him, Winter,” Rhett carries on while Winter shoots him an exasperated glare, sighing heavily.
Theo rolls his eyes. “I’m not a baby. I’m twenty-six.”
Rhett scoffs. “No, you aren’t. You’re twenty-two.”
“Dude. I was twenty-two when I first met you on the circuit. I’ve gotten older. You’re doing the thing my mom does with her pets. They hit a certain age and then she says they’re that same age until one day they just die.”
Rhett chuckles. “Well, I’ll be. You’re like that store with the skimpy dresses. Forever 22.”
“Yeah. You’re definitely getting old. That store is called Forever 21.”
Rhett swipes a hand through the air as though batting away a fly. “Whatever. I only know about the skimpy dresses.”
“Are you two done? I need a drink if I’m going to stay here all night.” Winter’s arms cross over her stomach protectively. From what I know, she and Summer have been mostly estranged all their lives, and for good reason. But in recent months, they’ve been trying to mend that bridge.
“Ah, yes, Winter, meet my protégé Theo Silva. Theo, meet Doctor Winter Hamilton, my future sister-in-la—”
“Winter Valentine,” she corrects stiffly.
“For now,” Theo reiterates and winks at her. She rolls her eyes dramatically, which makes Theo smile bigger as he sticks his hand out to shake hers.
She walks past Theo’s outstretched hand without a second glance, and he rolls with it by swiping his palm through his hair, joking like he wasn’t trying to shake her hand at all.
“Call your dog off, Eaton,” she mutters as she passes Rhett and enters the log ranch house.
“Woof!” Theo makes a deep barking sound into the snowy night air, and Rhett laughs at him as Winter disappears.
“You’re an idiot, Theo.”
“Dude. I think I’m in love with your sister-in-law. She’s so fiery.”
Rhett shakes his head as he turns to go back into the house, Theo on his heels. “Like I said, man, you’re an idiot.”
The door closes, and Jasper and I snuggle up into each other on the quiet bench again.
“Well . . .” he starts, arms swiping up over my back. “Should we go in? I don’t want to miss this dinner. It’s gonna be a good one. I can tell already.”
“Yeah.” I chuckle, kissing his bristly cheek. “Let’s go.”
I go to extricate myself from his lap, but his hands clamp down on me, keeping me where I am.
“First, can I come to The Nutcracker? I wanna see you dance. I wanna be there. Front row. Big bouquet of roses. The whole thing.”
“You better be there, Gervais.” I grin at him, heart swelling in my chest. Having the people I love in the audience is the best part, and suddenly my heart twangs at the loss I feel where my parents are concerned.