Off Limits Read Free Page B

belch.
    “Attaboy.” Daniel nodded approvingly.
    “Okay, here you go!” Emily handed Christopher to Jenna. “I’m starving. Be right back. Oh wait. You might want this. Just in case.” She draped the blanket over Jenna’s shoulder.
    The look on Jenna’s face made me burst out laughing. She bugged out thosebig blue eyes at me as she turned Christopher over her shoulder and began patting his back. “What?”
    “You look like you’re afraid he’s going to barf all over you.”
    “He
has
had a couple of episodes of projectile vomiting,” Daniel said. “Hit the wall in the nursery one night from five feet.” Paternal pride filled his voice.
    “Not at the dinner table, Daniel,” Brenda said.
    Daniel shrugged as everyoneelse grimaced.
    “After lunch we’re going to decorate the tree,” Brenda said. “We waited until everyone was here.”
    “Yay.” Jenna patted Christopher’s back tentatively. “I love decorating the tree. But you have to let me play Christmas music.”
    Brenda’s lips twitched. “We can play my Boney M. Christmas CD.”
    Everyone groaned.
    “He’s falling asleep.” Daniel peered at Christopher. “I’ll take him andput him down.”
    “I can do it. In your old room?”
    “No, I have to do it.” Daniel removed his son from Jenna’s arms. “He has to be laid down a certain way.”
    Jenna’s eyebrows flew up into her hair and somehow her eyes met mine. We exchanged a “what the fuck?” look of shared amusement that gave me a weird, fizzy feeling in my chest. One corner of her mouth lifted in a wry smile, so familiar and cute.I smiled in response.
    “I guess I don’t know enough about babies.” She leaned on the back of a chair. “I think it’s time for wine.”
    “We don’t have any.”
    Jenna’s head whipped up to stare at her mom. “Say what?”
    “Sorry. I didn’t have time to go to the liquor store.”
    Emily walked into the room carrying a plate loaded up with a giant sandwich, a big pickle, and potato chips. She took a seat atthe table. “We have beer. Daniel made sure to pick some up. I’m not drinking because I’m breastfeeding.”
    “Thanks for thinking of me, bro,” Jenna muttered, although Daniel had already left. “Luckily Jon and I brought a couple of bottles. But we’ll have to go to the store and get more.”
    “Yes, we brought a really nice Côtes du Rhône,” Jon said. “And a good Pinot Noir.”
    I resisted the urge to rollmy eyes, but I caught Connor’s glance as he said, straight-faced, “Fabulous. I love a good Côtes du Rhône.”
    I almost choked, trying not to laugh. Fuck, I missed him. I missed all these people. It was so damn good to be home.
    I knew how lucky I was to have them in my life and swore I’d never stop appreciating them. They were wacky and unconventional, but fuck, they were good people.
    “I broughta bottle of wine too,” I added. I couldn’t look at Jenna when I said what it was. “Snobby Frog Chardonnay.”
    Even though I wasn’t looking at her, I felt the air around us change. I stared at my empty plate, feeling the waves of…something coming off her.
    “I love Snobby Frog,” she finally said.
    I know.
“Oh good.”
    Jon’s face wore a perplexed look. Fucker.
    “Well, that should do us for today.”I snuck a peek at Jenna and caught her grin. Not only did the MacFaddens like their food, they liked their liquor. “Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve. The stores will be crazy.”
    “We can get out early,” I replied. “Before things get too busy.”
    “Right.”
    I felt her gaze on me and refused to look up. “The wine’s in the fridge.” I picked up my plate. “I’ll open it if you want a glass. How about you, Brenda?”
    “That would be lovely, Andrew.”
    Soon we were all in the living room with drinks, surrounded by boxes of Christmas ornaments. “Mary’s Boy Child” played over the sound system. Woop.
    “I’ll start with the lights.” Gary pulled a pile of cords out of a box and began to