“It was our pleasure,” Jacob says. “You are all welcome up here anytime.”
“We should go check in on Seth,” I murmur to Zack. Josh and Ty both hear me and toss me surprised glances. Zack nods and kisses my hand.
“It was good to see you all,” he says sincerely. “Happy holidays.”
“Happy holidays!” The gang all waves as we stand to leave.
“Did you really have fun?” I ask Zack when we’re in his truck and headed down the mountain.
“I always have a great time with you, sugar. Thanks for being patient with me.”
“I don’t know if I’d call it patient.” I chuckle and squeeze his hand in mine.
“Come back to the ranch with me.” It’s not a question.
“Are you cooking dinner?” I raise a brow and feel my lips twitch.
“I’ll cook you anything you want.”
“I’m in then. A nice steak and salad would be supercool.”
He laughs and shakes his head as he approaches the stoplight at the bottom of the mountain. “Been hanging out with Seth a lot, huh?”
“Yeah. Maybe he’s rubbing off on me.”
“I would say so. You fart like crazy in your sleep.”
My jaw drops in outrage and I smack his shoulder as hard as I can. “I do not!”
“No.” He shakes his head as he laughs. “But your reaction was super worth it.”
“You’re a super ass.”
He laughs even harder as he drives toward town.
CHAPTER Thirteen
“Why didn’t you trim the tree weeks ago?” I ask Zack as he passes me another ornament for the tree. Josh and Cara are stringing popcorn while Ty and Lo fight over the pros and cons of tinsel.
“I haven’t had much time,” he replies with a chuckle. “A certain woman has kept me busy.”
“Plus,” Seth adds and hangs bulbs on the tree, “we had to cut the tree down ourselves, and it’s been too snowy. But I got to drive the snowmobile and drag it behind us back to the house.”
“I still say fake trees are better,” Lo says with a grimace, eyeing the tree like it’s evil.
“I agree,” Cara says and glares at Josh. “He made me have a real tree.”
“I can cut them down for free on my own property,” he insists, as though this is an argument they’ve had a hundred times.
“I like the smell of the real ones,” I say and take a deep breath. “You bring the outside inside.”
“Along with spiders and who knows what else,” Lo says.
“Oh God.” I feel my eyes grow wide and turn to Zack. “Did you shake it? What if there’s a squirrel? Or birds?”
“There is no wildlife in this tree,” he insists as his dad, Jeff, laughs hysterically.
“It would be so cool if there was a squirrel!” Seth exclaims.
“I’m sure Thor would appreciate that too,” I murmur. Thor’s ears perk up at his name and he tilts head. “No squirrels for you.”
“Oh, Joshy, remember this one?” Nancy says as she pulls an ornament out of the ancient box that Zack rescued from the attic.
“Joshy?” Ty echoes, earning the flip of the bird from Josh.
“I made that in the second grade,” he replies and rolls his eyes.
“Where are its legs?” Seth asks, eyeing the old gingerbread man with a string through its head. “Did you eat them?”
“No, they probably fell off,” Nancy says with a laugh. “It’s about twenty-five years old.”
“You’re such an artist,” Zack taunts his brother.
“You don’t have much room to talk, son,” Jeff says and holds up a photo that’s been choppily cut into a circle and glued to red construction paper that has faded to a light rust color. “I do believe this is you. Zacky.”
“That’s Josh,” Zack lies and laughs.
“Nope, it’s you,” Josh confirms.
“Oh, your first Christmas ornaments,” Nancy announces with tears in her eyes. “Look!”
“Oh God, Mom’s gonna cry,” Zack mutters.
“You were just tiny little things,” she chokes and Ty laughs while pinching the bridge of his nose.
“I love this so much.” He laughs.
“Shut up, man.” Josh punches Ty in the shoulder.
“I think it’s wonderful.” Lo glares at her fiancé.
“Don’t cry, darlin’.” Jeff kisses his wife’s cheek and pats her back. “Just hand the ornaments to the kids to hang on the tree.”
“Can I put the angel on top?” Seth asks excitedly.
“Yes,” I reply and smile at him. He’s been so fun today, so excited for Christmas. It’s been a challenge keeping him away from all of the wrapped gifts with his name on them, because he wants to shake them and try to guess what’s inside.
I can’t wait for tomorrow morning.
The tree that Zack, Jeff, and Seth chose is at least eight feet tall, almost meeting the ceiling of the grand family room. Zack and Jeff strung the lights and garland around it this afternoon before the rest of us arrived, so it would be ready to dress right after dinner.
“Hey, boys, let’s go get the fire started outside.” Jeff motions for all of the guys to follow him outside.
“Be right back, sugar.” Zack kisses my cheek and follows the guys out the back.