Their New Year's Resolution (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  It was a good thing she’d learned a long time ago to either give them the wrong time to be ready by or inch up the clocks by about fifteen minutes in order for them to arrive on time. Unfortunately, Ricky had gotten old enough to catch on and called her on it several years ago. He’d agreed not to rat her out. So far they’d managed to work it all out so that they were never really late.

  To her surprise, when Ricky bounded down the stairs, he was wearing a nice long sleeved button down shirt of pale blue and his Sunday Kakis. He looked handsome and well put together. Something teased her nose. She leaned in and sniffed at his collar.

  “Is that cologne you’re wearing?” she asked in astonishment.

  “Um, well, yeah. Did I put on too much?” He looked worried and tried to sniff at his own neck.

  “No. Not at all. It’s just that I didn’t even know you had cologne. It smells nice. Old Spice, right?” she asked with a wide smile.

  “Um, yeah. I got some at the store the other day when I went to get the bread. You said we could all get something if it wasn’t too expensive,” he reminded her.

  “That’s fine. When you need more or if you want to try something different next time, let me know and we’ll go do the sniff test at the mall one day,” she said, squeezing his shoulder. “You look really nice.”

  He shrugged. “Do you want me to warm the car up for you?”

  She smiled and nodded. “Make sure the fan is on high so it will warm up fast. Thanks, Ricky.”

  Erica watched him run to grab the keys off the counter then grab his coat and pull it on as he opened the door.

  “How do I look?” Sissy asked, grabbing her attention.

  Her little princess had on a cute red dress with white fur trim around the hem and sleeves. Her hair had been brushed to a glistening shine and her nails were a pearly white with tiny wreathes at the ends.

  “You look wonderful, Sissy. Your nails are perfect. I wish I could keep my nails looking as nice you do.” She looked up the stairs. “Now if Aaron would hurry up we’re all ready to go.”

  “He’s ready. He was fussing about having to retie his shoes ‘cause he put a knot in the shoestrings when he pulled them to take another shower. How does he manage to get so dirty all the time?” Sissy asked shaking her head.

  Erica had to bite her lips to keep from smiling at how grown up her daughter sounded. They were all growing up much too fast for her peace of mind. Before long Ricky would be driving and Sissy would want to go on dates. God help her when that happened.

  Finally Aaron stomped down the stairs with a huge frown on his face. That was highly unusual for her youngest.

  “What is it, Aaron? Why the frown?”

  “I’m never going to be able to afford your Christmas present if I keep having to cut my shoestrings off every time I get a knot in them,” he said with a scowl.

  “How many pair do you have left?” she asked trying not to smile.

  “Two. That will never get me through the rest of the month. I’ll have to use my allowance to buy more and that will mean I can’t get your present,” he grumbled.

  “Oh, honey. You don’t have to get me a Christmas present. You’ve just got to remember to go slow when you get ready to untie them at night. We’ve gone over how impatient you are and that you’ve got to slow down and think things through so you don’t make silly mistakes you wouldn’t if you’d just taken the time to think about it.” This was one of those parts of being a parent she ached over. She had to teach him a lesson on actions and consequences before he did something really wrong and just having regrets or having to pay a dollar of his allowance wouldn’t take care of the problem.

  “Hey everyone. The car is warn enough now,” Ricky said walking inside and slamming the door behind him. “We need to hurry or we’ll be late.”

  “Okay. Let’s go, kids.” Erica shooed them all out to the car and locked the house behind them. Once everyone had their seatbelts on, she drove them out to the twin’s place being careful to watch for ice on the roads.

  When they arrived, the gates were open and covered in greenery that gave the place a welcoming feeling before they even reached the main house. She couldn’t help but feel a little pride in what had been accomplished.

  As they drove wound their way down the drive, she followed the gaily painted arrows to where everyone was being directed to park. To her surprise, there were already several cars and trucks already there. She hadn’t expected anyone to arrive earlier than the time listed on the invitations.

  “Okay kids. Remember to be on your best behavior but have fun. If you need something, find me. I’ll take care of it. Don’t bother either of the guys. Okay?” She waited until everyone nodded then like a cannon shot, the two boys were gone leaving her and Sissy to walk at a much more reasonable pace toward the front entrance.

  “Boys. They just can’t help themselves, can they, mom?”

  Erica couldn’t help herself, she burst out laughing which was how the twins found her when she and her daughter stepped up to the porch. Her mouth immediately went dry while her palms grew moist, along with another part of her anatomy. What was she going to do if she reacted like this every time she was around them?

  “You both look especially nice tonight ladies,” Brent said with a smile.

  Kent bent down and took Sissy’s hand in his to kiss the back of it as if she were a little princess. It caused her to giggle and endeared him to Erica even more. Why did things have to be so complicated? Why did it matter so much what everyone thought? It shouldn’t matter, but it did and there was no changing that.

  “Hi Brent, Kent. You both look handsome as always. The drive up to the house was great,” she said, almost babbling with nerves.

  Kent grinned. “We have it on good authority that it was the best thing to do to keep people from driving all over our front grass. Thank you.”

  “Come on in. We already have a few guests.” Brent held the screen door open so they could walk inside.

  She could hear Kent and Sissy chatting behind her, but nothing they said penetrated the roaring in her ears when she saw who was already there and talking with Avery from the library. Reverend Thomas, his wife Deidra, and his sister, Virginia. She hadn’t imagined in a million years they would bother to come to the party. It wasn’t their style and they obviously didn’t approve of the Stone brothers. It could only be to find something to use against her.

  “Mom?” Sissy’s soft voice caught her attention.

  “Yes, sweetness?” She looked down to see her daughter staring at the group standing next to the fireplace.

  “I don’t like how they treat you. Can we go home?” she asked.

  Erica knew that her children didn’t like their grandmother or the others in the family, but she’d never had one of them ask her to take them home when one of her ex’s family was around. What had they overheard over the years to have Sissy wanting to leave? That pissed her off more than anything. She didn’t want her children to ever be uncomfortable around anyone.

  “We won’t stay long, honey, but we owe it to the guys to stick around for a while. I was the one who set all this up for them and they expect us to be here to make sure things run smoothly. Don’t pay them a bit of attention. If they say anything to you, just ignore them and come get me, okay?” She squeezed her daughter’s hand and let out her breath when she nodded and gave a small smile.

  “I’m going to go out back where the bonfire is,” she said and hurried through the living room and into the kitchen. It was the fastest she’d ever seen her daughter move when not actually running for a reason.

  She heard the sound of more voices on the porch behind her. Kent and Brent would be busy for a while greeting their guests. She followed in her daughter’s footsteps to check on things in the kitchen but was stopped by a cold hand on her arm.

  “Aren’t you going to say hello to us, Erica? Don’t be so rude,” Deidra Thomas said in her nasally voice.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t i
ntend to be rude, but you were all talking and I needed to check on the food. I didn’t want to interrupt your conversation. How are you doing?” Erica struggled to keep a smile plastered across her face.

  “The good Lord has been kind to us. Our only complaint is that Virginia’s son isn’t at home where he belongs,” Deidra said, staring pointedly at her.

  “I agree, Mrs. Thomas. He should be at home providing for his children, but he isn’t and that’s on him,” Erica said.

  “Don’t get smart with me, young lady. It’s all your fault he left in the first place.”

  “I’m not having this conversation here, Deidra. If you want to continue to talk about it, we can do that tomorrow after the party. I refuse to cause a seen here. The Stone brothers have worked hard to make this a nice time for everyone.” Erica started walking off, but Deidra’s next words stopped her dead in her tracks.

  “And have you been having a nice time with the Stone brothers, Erica? Really, two men at one time? Have you no shame?”

  Erica turned, keeping her face as emotionless as possible. “My life, my business, Deidra. Keep your nose and your snide comments to yourself.” With that, she walked away, careful to keep her pace casual and her thoughts off her face.

  Before she’d even had time to draw a complete breath, Sarah walked in after her. “What in the hell was that all about? That hag is going to push me once too often and I’m going to let her have it.”

  “Don’t, Sarah. Just relax and stay out of it. I never should have stopped when she grabbed my arm in the first place. I just didn’t want to make a scene. It looks like there’s going to be one regardless of my good intentions though.” Erica sighed and looked over the delicious looking treats the guys had whipped up.

  “If you let them interfere in your life, Erica, you’re a fool. They are nothing more than pot stirrers and windbags. Don’t give them a single thought.” Sarah picked up a tiny sandwich and after sniffing it, popped it into her mouth then squeezed her eyes shut and moaned as if she were in the middle of a mind blowing orgasm.

  “I take it that the food is acceptable,” Erica said with a chuckle.

  “Holy, hell! They can cook. This is amazing,” she said with her mouth full.

  “I’ll be sure to let them know you approve. Now let’s go check out the bonfire. I want to check on the kids. Sissy was upset that they were here tonight and wanted to go back home. I don’t like that. Sissy doesn’t back down from anyone.” Erica opened the back door and they walked through the laundry room out onto the deck to watch the kids roast marshmallows under the close supervision of several of the volunteer firemen.

  She located Sissy talking with Sarah’s daughter and another little girl she’d seen around but didn’t know well. Aaron was hamming it up with the others and Ricky was talking to one of the firemen who kept one eye on the fire and the other kids.

  “Do you think they’ve caught her alone and said things to her that have her upset?” Sarah asked.

  “I don’t know. I’m going to talk to her about it after we leave, but didn’t want to get into it while we were here. If they have I’m going to make sure they know what happens when they stir up a momma bear,” she said with a soft growl in her voice.

  “I know I’m frightened.” Brent’s voice behind them made Erica jump. “Easy, babe. It’s just me. I thought you heard me when I closed the back door. Sorry.”

  “That’s okay. I was watching the kids and not paying attention.

  “Hi Sarah. How are you doing?” he asked.

  “Great. Let me be the first to tell you that should you decide to give up on ranching, you could always open a restaurant and we’d all stand in line for hours to taste your cooking. It is amazing,” Sarah told him.

  Brent chuckled. “Well thanks, but I promise our skills are limited to a few dishes.”

  “I’m going to try another sample, you guys. I’ll see you later, Erica.” Sarah abandoned her to raid the kitchen.

  “I saw that lady grab you on your way through the room,” Brent said. “What did she say to you that got you so upset? You hid it well, but I saw it just before you got control of it.”

  Erica continued looking out at the kids and sighed. “It’s nothing, Brent. She’s just doing what she and the rest of them always do, blame me for Chuck’s weaknesses. I’m used to it, but sometimes it still makes me mad.”

  “She doesn’t have the right to harass you, Erica,” Brent said.

  “I know, but short of filing some sort of legal restraint order or something, there’s not a lot I can do. That would only make things worse, and I just can’t afford to stir them up.”

  “I don’t like that they can cause trouble for you. You’re a wonderful person. People shouldn’t listen to anything they have to say. Your actions should speak for themselves. All we’ve heard has been praise for you as a mother and as a business owner.” Brent shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

  “It’s okay, Brent. Don’t get all upset over this. I’m used to it.” She smiled up at him and walked back into the house, leaving him to watch the kids from the deck.

  Instead of returning to the living area to see who else had arrived, she worked in the kitchen, selecting what foods to send out each time someone returned with an empty platter. It kept her busy enough that she didn’t have time to think about her ex-in-laws or how much she had missed the twins.

  Around ten p.m. Aaron slid into the kitchen from the living room and grabbed her hand. His pale face immediately grabbed her attention. She took both of his hands in hers and knelt in front of him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Grammy Carol is upsetting Sissy. She won’t let her leave and Sissy is about to cry. I don’t want Sissy to cry, mom!” Aaron’s voice had risen with his anxiety.

  “Where’s Ricky?” she asked.

  “He’s arguing with the preacher about letting Sissy go.”

  “You go get Ricky and tell him to meet us at the car. Here are the keys. He’s to start it and turn the heater on while I get your sister. Understand?”

  Aaron took the keys she handed him and nodded his head before running out into the living room where the noise level hadn’t decreased at all despite the late hour. She stood up and counted to ten as she removed the apron she’d borrowed and grabbed her purse from the laundry room where she’d stashed it earlier.

  “I’m coming with you,” Sarah said.

  “The more the merrier.” Erica marched out into the living room to where she saw Aaron pulling an obviously reluctant Ricky from the direction of the twin’s office on the other side of the entrance hall.

  When Ricky saw her heading their direction, his entire body language changed from enraged fear to relief. He nodded and grabbed Aaron’s hand before heading for the front door. When she looked around, neither of the twins were anywhere to be seen. She would have liked to have said good-bye but her kids came first.

  When she rounded the corner of the entrance hall, she saw Reverend Thomas and his wife blocking the office doorway. When she’d gotten within five feet of them, she could hear Sissy’s high pitched voice demanding to be let go so she could find her mom.

  “You listen to me young lady. I’m your grandmother. I’m going to be raising you soon so you better be quiet and learn to follow directions. I will discipline you if you continue to act this way. No grandchild of mine speaks to me like that!” Virginia’s voice grated on Erica’s nerves, but her words chilled her heart.

  “What is going on here?” she demanded walking over to where the reverend and his wife had the door blocked. “Let me through. That’s my daughter you’re holding hostage.”

  “Not for long, whore!” Deidra hissed.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Soul burning fear stole her voice for all of two seconds. Then Erica lost it. They were threatening to take her children from her, calling her names, and had held her daughter against her will. They wouldn’t get away with it. She knew a moment of sorrow that this had happ
ened at the twin’s Christmas party where they’d hoped to ease their way into the community, but she was a mother first and a friend second, and it looked like, a business owner last.

  “Get. Out. Of. My. Way,” she ground out glaring daggers at the woman standing in her way.

  “You’ve left us no choice but to file for custody of the children. You have no business raising them…”

  “Shut the hell up, bitch! You will not tell me how to raise my children. They are my children. It’s not my fault you don’t have any. Perhaps God was telling you something there. Now get the hell out of my way before I punch you,” she said in a deceptively calm voice.

  “Don’t talk to my wife that way, woman. You are not fit to raise my nephew’s children. We should have taken them from you as soon as you made Chuck leave,” Reverend Thomas said.

  “They are my children, and I will not allow you to threaten me or them like this. Now move out of my way before I make good on my promise and give you both a taste of my fist.”

  The reverend looked as if he was going to argue with her when Kent interrupted him.

  “This is our home. I will not allow you to threaten one of my guests this way. Get out of my house, now,” he said.

  To her astonishment, Deidra smirked at her and crossed her arms. “Looks like one of your boyfriends is tired of you already.”

  “I wasn’t talking about Erica. I was talking about you and your asshole of a husband and his crazy sister. I want all of you out of our home before I have to call the sheriff,” he said.

  “No need to waste a call, Kent. He and one of his deputies are already here. I can go get them if you need me to,” Brent said with a smile.

  Erica turned back to watch Reverend Thomas and his wife blanch before turning to Virginia.

  “Let’s go, sister. We can file the papers Monday morning with the judge. Judge Carmichael will see things our way. I’m sure. Those children shouldn’t be raise by a woman with loose morals,” he said as he shoved his wife toward the front door. “Come on Virginia.”