Christmas with the Kings (The Kings of Guardian) Read online

  "I found an online boutique. I don't want a gown. Since there isn't time for the dresses to be handmade, I figured we can order cocktail dresses. I have the color I picked out for the bridesmaid dresses annotated next to the link. There are three different styles for the dresses. I've put the item numbers beside the color. I don't care which ones you pick, just make sure you have that color, and we're solid."

  Tori's head popped up. "You want me as a bridesmaid?"

  Jade frowned in confusion. "Well, yeah."

  "Oh." Tears built in Tori's eyes again.

  "Nooo… you don't get to do that. I don't do tears. They are not authorized. Copy?" Jade pointed at her sister-in-law. Tori was totally overboard with the emotions. "I want to keep the bridesmaids to just you two."

  "Well, that's going to cause a stink." Jewell sat with her pencil suspended in air.

  "Why?" Jade could see the metaphoric tide rising.

  The pencil in Jewell's hand leveled and pointed at her. "Your twin?"

  And it begins. "She and Chad eloped. None of us were there. How could she be upset?" Jade stared wide-eyed at Jewell.

  "You're not eloping. They had their reasons for doing that," Tori interjected, bringing Jade's attention to her.

  "What reasons?" Jade couldn't think of any. At least she was getting married when everyone was around. Maybe. It was still up in the air.

  "Paparazzi and pregnancy." Jewell grabbed another candy and pulled the wrapper away as she spoke. "You know you have to ask Jasmine. Stop being hard-headed."

  Jade could see her idea of a small, quiet ceremony starting to wither and die, but Jewell was right. She hadn't considered Jasmine's feelings. "Oh. Dammit. Okay, the three of you."

  "What about Faith?" Tori asked. "If you ask me, you almost have to include her."

  Jade dropped her head to the wood table. Ow. A resounding thud echoed in the large room, or at least through her skull. She lifted away from the table, defeated. "Can she keep this from Reece? That kid tells Mom everything."

  "I can talk to her." Tori jotted down a note. "I'm sure she can."

  Jewell lifted a finger. "But if you ask Faith, what about..."

  "Ember." All three of them spoke at the same time. "Okay, but no more."

  "Dani." Jewell countered.

  Jade shook her head. "Uh… no, she isn't married to Justin."

  "Yet." Both of the women across the table spoke in unison.

  "Dammit!" Jade let her head fall to the conference room table again. She picked it up and dropped it. Harder. "How many is that?" She'd lost count.

  Tori tapped her pencil next to each name. "Six."

  Her head popped up, and she blinked her sister-in-law back into vision. "Six, including me?"

  Tori laughed, "No, you make seven."

  This was a bad idea. Her head hit the table again. "Never mind, I'll elope."

  "You don't need to do that. The women in this family are more than capable of keeping this quiet. We all love Amanda, and organizing this so she doesn't have to stress? It's child's play. You are doing a good thing here, Jade. We are inventive, resourceful and determined." Tori's voice sounded resolute.

  "Correct. We can do this." Jewell agreed. "Who are the groomsmen?"

  Jade lifted up from the table. "Right, Nic was going to ask his younger brother, Mario, and Jared to stand up with him, but Mario is spending Christmas with Carmine, Nic's older brother. He'd already committed to it, and if he backs out, Carmine will have more shit to hold against Nic. So, Nic decided to ask Jacob. Now he needs to find four more guys for the detail."

  "Easy, I bet I can guess two more, Jason and Christian." Jewell lifted a finger each time she listed a name. "And Chad, Justin or Joseph, maybe?"

  Jade crossed her eyes. "I'll let him decide who will be the groomsmen." Nic could deal with that shit.

  "Good idea, but we'll have to stay on top of it." Jewell scribbled something down.

  "So, we're wearing cocktail dresses? I think that is a great idea since it will be an afternoon affair."

  Tori's comment helped elevate her belief she hadn't fucked up the entire event. "Yes, cocktail dresses for us, and Nic and I decided black suits for the men. White shirt and ties that match our dresses. I'll order those tonight. I guess I'll send them to Jasmine's place?"

  "Logical staging location. That house they built is huge. Jazz can hide everything away. I'll talk to her tomorrow, which means you need to call her as soon as we finish here." Jewell wrote as she talked.

  "Perfect. I can talk to Keelee, who will clue in Ember." Tori chuckled, "Those two are as thick as thieves."

  Jade shook her head. "I should call Ember and Keelee. I'll do that after I call Jasmine. Or maybe I'll do it all at the same time... conference call... I'll figure it out."

  "I can help you with that. Is this the color you want us to order the dresses in? JB78K5?" Jade pointed to the number code the online bridal shop had given her for the deep rose-red she liked.

  "Right. That is the exact color I want. The minute I saw it, I knew it was perfect." Jade smiled. She could do this. She enjoyed the realization that she was semi in control of the situation again. "What's next?"

  "Food and alcohol for the reception. I know Mom and Aunt Betty usually make a big Christmas Eve dinner, so you don't need to worry about that, but people are going to want to drink, toast you and..."

  Jewell and Tori looked at each other before staring back at Jade. She sat up and looked at the folder in front of her. "What? What did I miss?"

  Jewell pointed to the paper where Tori had written the word reception. "Cake. Yours and the groom’s."

  "Wait a minute. That's bullshit. Two cakes? Who has two cakes at a wedding?” She pointed at Jewell. “You didn't!" Jade knew when her chain was getting jerked.

  "Ummm... just about everyone knows you have two cakes. We had a dessert bar instead because... hello, it was me, but you could have just the one. It's old school, but doable." Jewell looked at Victoria who shrugged in agreement.

  Jade gaped at Jewell and turned her stare to Victoria.

  The woman held up her hands in surrender. "Don't look at me, I got married in front of a judge wearing Jasmine's clothes. I'm winging this shit based on Keelee’s and Jewell's weddings."

  "Right. We can ask Keelee who she used for the cake." Jewell scratched a note to herself.

  "I hope it wasn't Aunt Betty, because that woman couldn't keep a secret to save herself." Tori made a note on the paper.

  Jade sat up straighter and peeked at the extensive writing on both Tori and Jewell's sheets. Okay, maybe she’d made the right decision when she'd asked for help. Thank God.

  "What about Justin?"

  "Justin?" Jade had no idea what she'd missed.

  "He has like a hundred restaurants. His pastry chefs catered our wedding. If Keelee doesn't have a source, we could ask him for help."

  "Okay. You know we are going to need to put this into a spreadsheet." Jewell looked at Tori.

  "Definitely. Tabs for each function and who is responsible for what aspect. We can share the sheet between us, that way when an item is finished we'll all see it." Tori shuffled the papers in front of her together.

  Jewell nodded. "Perfect. I'll sync it with an event calendar so we can send reminders and have contact information in one place for all vendors."

  Jade drew her fingers to the sides of her mouth and let out a whistle. The women on the other side of the table jumped. At least she had their attention now. "Good. Thank you, ladies, you are making all of this bearable, but I don't want you to do anything until I talk to Nic. No phone calls to anyone, no databases, no calendars, no orders, no syncing… nothing. Are we clear?" She had to make sure her fiancé was cool with what was turning out to be one hell of a big event. Maybe they should elope. That was still an option because Tori and Jewell had sworn to keep the whole thing a secret.

  Tori smiled. "We are clear. I know it seems like a lot of moving pieces and parts, but we can do this and keep it as
a surprise for Amanda."

  "Wait, what about Mom's dress?"

  Jade felt her eyes roll into the back of her head. "That's a thing?" Jewell snorted and tossed her a look. Jade grimaced. "Let me talk to Nic. Can we get together tomorrow?"

  "Sure, the afternoon is best for me." Tori shuffled her papers into the folder.

  "Perfect. That will give me time to..." Jewell shoved the papers into the folder and glanced at Jade. "... wake up."

  "You're not fooling me. At least don't share those damn documents until I say we are good to go." She knew her sister. If she had a project, she'd work day and night to make it perfect. It made her one of the best tech nerds in the world.

  The woman's smile lit up her face. "Coolio. I'm heading home."

  "No telling Zane or Jacob." Jade reminded the women as they got up to leave.

  "Our lips are sealed."

  Jewell laughed at Tori's comment.

  Jade dropped her head to the table again and groaned, "Oh, fuck. That hurt."

  Chapter 2

  Victoria Marshall entered the front door to her home to the sounds of laughter. A happy contented smile spread across her face.

  "Momma!" Trace barreled down the long hallway and jumped up. Tori grabbed him in midair and braced against the little guy's weight. "Hey, buddy. Where's Daddy?"

  Trace pointed toward the family room. "I'm hungry. When's dinner?"

  Tori laughed at her little bottomless pit. "Soon. Didn't Daddy give you a snack?"

  "I did, and he ate most of Tanner's too." Jacob swooped Trace out of her arms and tossed him into the air. Trace's shrieks of laughter echoed through the hallway, bringing three more boys to the door.

  "Momma!"

  Tori dropped down so she could be smothered in hugs.

  Jacob gave them a few seconds before he sat Trace down. "Okay, Talon, Tanner, Trace and Tristan, clean up time, then dinner. That means put away the toys and wash your hands. Inspection in ten minutes!"

  A chorus of disgruntled hemming and hawing followed the boys down the hall, but they went. Jacob watched them until they disappeared into the family room before he snagged Tori's waist and pulled her against him. "Welcome home." His lips descended on hers, and she sighed into his embrace. She shivered when his fingers skimmed the bottom of her silk shirt and lifted it, sliding his warm fingers along the waistband of her skirt. Jacob noticed and smiled into their kiss before he pulled away. "Somebody needs me."

  Tori reached up and caressed his cheek while she stared into his beautiful green eyes. Those sinfully long lashes enthralled her just as much today as they had years ago. "I do. I'll always need you."

  A shriek of laughter pulled them apart a few inches. Jacob glanced over his shoulder toward where his sons had gone. "That does not sound like cleaning up to me!"

  Another bout of laughter echoed down the hall.

  "They are terrified of you."

  Jacob tried to hide the smile that tugged at his lips. "Damn straight. I'm the enforcer of the family."

  "You're not. You're my fifth child." She winked at him as she headed down the hall. She stalled in the family room doorway and put her hands on her hips. Talon saw her and tapped Tanner, who tapped Trace. "Tristan, honey, the blocks go in the basket, not over your head. Boys, help him, don't encourage him.” Tristan twisted to look at her and smiled the exact smile Jacob used when he tried to appear innocent. "I'm watching you, mister." She pointed at him and then threw the room a kiss. The boys grabbed at the kiss and disintegrated into giggles again.

  Jacob put his arms around her as they watched the boys make a light-hearted attempt at picking up the toys strewn around the room. He whispered in her ear, "Jade better have a good reason for pulling you away from family time. These moments are too damn rare."

  Victoria leaned back into him. "It was a damn good reason."

  "Wow, cursing within fifty feet of the kids. What did she need help with? I haven't seen any mission briefs from the Dom Ops side lately, been too busy working overseas leads on Stratus." He nuzzled her neck. The scratch of his five o'clock shadow sent another shiver through her.

  Tori sighed, "I'm not at liberty to say."

  Jacob straightened and turned her in his arms. The boys’ laughter from the family room surrounded them. "Is she okay?"

  Tori nodded. "She'll be fine. She just needed help coming to grips with something. Something between her and Nic."

  Jacob blinked at her, tossed a quick glance at the boys and then focused on her again with obvious interest. "No. Really? Her and Nic?"

  Victoria held up a finger and narrowed her gaze to slits. "Jacob, I swore I wouldn't say a word to you. You cannot say anything. Period. If she finds out you guessed, she'll never trust me again.”

  "When are they going to announce it?" Jacob flashed a glance at the boys. "Talon, help Tanner with that cubby, please."

  "Okay, Daddy."

  Jacob's eyes followed the boys for a moment before he dropped his attention to her again.

  "I don't think they want anyone to know." Tori grabbed his arms and broke his hold on her waist but tugged him down the hall to the kitchen. The aroma of the roast she had waiting in the slow cooker hit her hard. It was mouthwatering. "Did you put the potatoes in the oven?"

  "Roger that." Jacob grabbed a handful of almonds out of the bowl on the counter and popped a few into his mouth. "When is she due?"

  Victoria dropped the spoon she was taking out of the drawer. "Due? Wait you think... Jade’s… pregnant?" Tori could not wrap her mind around that concept. Oh, that would be a major event with an 'all-hands-on-deck' call to every woman in the family, in-laws, outlaws, friends, relatives of friends. It would take a village to get Jade through a pregnancy and the first six months postpartum.

  "Aunt Jade's having a baby?" Talon stood at the doorway.

  "No, sweetie, I guarantee Aunt Jade isn't having a baby."

  "That's what Dad said." Talon pointed at his father.

  "That was an adult conversation, mister. I obviously got something messed up. There is a first time for everything."

  Talon blinked at his father. "What did you get messed up?"

  "Something your mommy told me. Now, are you done cleaning up?"

  Jacob's diversionary tactics seemed to work because Talon nodded. "I need the step stool for Tristan."

  Jacob nodded to the plastic step. "Make sure he uses soap. That goes for the rest of you, too."

  Talon walked out of the kitchen and yelled over his shoulder, "We know… geesh, Dad."

  Jacob's head snapped to Tori. He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "She's not preggers?"

  Tori glared at him. "Seriously, what are you? Twelve?"

  Jacob waggled his eyebrows. "We both know I'm older than that. So, she's not?"

  "Jade pregnant? That would be a no."

  "Then what is going on between her and Nic?" He snapped his eyes toward the door before he hissed, "Fuck me, did they break up?" Jacob immediately dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling. "That is going to be a fucking mess."

  Tori marched over to him and hit him in the chest.

  "Ouch!" Jacob rubbed where she'd slapped him. "What did I do?"

  Tori glanced at the doorway and angrily whispered, "I didn't tell you this, and you can't say a word. To anyone."

  Jacob lifted his fingers in a Boy Scout salute. "On my honor."

  Tori glared at him. "They're engaged. " He straightened, and she clapped her hand over his mouth to stop whatever he was going to say. "She wants to surprise your mom and have the wedding on Christmas Eve afternoon. Everyone will already be there. Jewell and I are helping her do that." Jacob's eyebrows reached toward the ceiling. She could read the emotion flashing across his face like it was written in red crayon. "You got yourself under control?"

  Jacob nodded. Her hand rose up and down with his head.

  "And you swear not to say a thing to another living soul."

  Again, his head, with her hand still covering hi
s mouth, went north and south.

  "Promise me."

  Jacob mumbled under her hand. "I promise."

  Tori dropped her hand and smiled. "A heck of a Christmas surprise for Grandma, huh?"

  Jacob laughed and pulled her into his embrace. "If Jade can pull this off, it may be the best Christmas gift ever."

  "Well, if Jewell and I have anything to say about it, it will be amazing."

  Jacob dropped a long, slow, wonderful kiss on her lips before he sighed, "Anything you do is amazing."

  "You are only saying that so I'll do you." Tori bit her bottom lip and looked through her lashes at the man she adored. "Early bedtime tonight for the boys?"

  "You read my mind." Jacob dropped his lips to hers.

  "Are you done with whatever it is that you’re doing?" Zane looked over the top of the couch. "Didn't you want to watch this?" He pointed toward the television.

  Jewell lifted her eyes to the screen and nodded. "Yeah, just give me like two more minutes." She was almost done. She'd taken her wedding planning software and copied it, shortening the timeline by seven months and deleted the majority of the 'fluff' that had made her and Zane's wedding an event they'd never forget. She entered the link for the dress store and typed in the color code. She needed to get on the site and order a dress, but that could wait until after she spent some quality time with her husband. Lately, having him home was a rare event. He spent so much time at the compound in South Dakota and the one they were building in Arizona that they tended to guard their alone time. Especially with everything that was happening.

  "What are you working on?" Zane's voice from over her shoulder made her jump. His hands on her shoulders settled her, but her heart still pounded against her chest. "Where were you? Lost in thought?"

  "Yep. I was down a rabbit hole, that’s for sure." She laughed and reached to minimize the screen.

  "Wait, why are you in our wedding program?" Zane knelt down behind her chair and looked at the document on the screen. "Well, I'll be damned."

  Jewell turned toward him. "You can't say a word. Jade asked Tori and me for help."