Their New Year's Beginning
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Michelle Major
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HarlequinPrologue
“Again, Uncle Brian, again!”
Brian Fortune grinned as he lifted first his nephew Toby and then the shyer twin, Tyler, up over his head so that the boys could pretend to be Santa’s reindeer taking off for their long Christmas Eve journey.
“You’re going to regret that when the extra cupcake each of them snuck after dinner makes a second appearance.” Brady, Brian’s twin and the boys’ adoptive father, placed a gentle arm around the shoulders of his fiancée and the boys’ adoptive mother, Harper Radcliffe, as she giggled.
“Nobody saw us take those cupcakes,” Toby said, his eyes wide.
Brian placed Tyler onto the thick carpet of the meeting room in the Hotel Fortune where their extended family had gathered for a lively white-elephant gift exchange among the adults. Each child had also received one special pre–Christmas morning gift, although Brady’s five-year-old twins were clamoring for more.
Tyler sidled closer to his brother, the same way Brian always had with Brady when they’d been that age. “We ate ’em under the table, so nobody saw.”
“I saw,” Brady said with a knowing nod. “You know who else saw? Santa Claus. Did you two forget the jolly old guy sees everything this time of year?”
Brian bit back a smirk as Tyler’s expression turned stricken. “Is he going to put us on the naughty list?” Tyler’s chin trembled ever so slightly, while Toby straightened his shoulders like he was ready to go to battle with an army of elves to prove that he and his brother deserved to remain on Santa’s nice list.
“Of course not,” Harper answered immediately, crouching down and opening her arms. Brian couldn’t imagine bending that way could be comfortable with her pregnant belly. Harper was due to give birth in a little over a month, but that didn’t stop the twins from rushing forward for comforting hugs. “You’re the best boys ever, and Santa knows that.”
“Harper is right,” Brady said, ruffling Tyler’s brown hair. “But just to be on the safe side, why don’t the two of you help with cleaning up the wrapping paper and bows? That will get you some extra last-minute nice points for sure.”
“Okay,” Toby said and led his brother toward the towering spruce tree that dominated the corner of the room.
With a gaggle of Fortunes and their respective partners and families in attendance tonight, the room buzzed with energy and cheer. In addition to Brady and Harper, there were several other happy couples in the room. Their older brother, Kane, and younger sister, Arabella, had also found love in Rambling Rose. They’d be joining Brady and their cousin, Megan Fortune, as well as Wiley Fortune, in a massive wedding on New Year’s Eve, so tonight seemed particularly festive with everyone in high spirits.
They’d had a casual meal catered by the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Roja, which had been started by Megan’s sister Nicole. The gift exchange followed. There were still discarded bows and strips of cheery paper strewn around the room. Tyler and Toby dutifully began collecting scraps and dropping them in the large trash can pushed against one wall.
“I was joking about the naughty list.” Brady lifted his hands in supplication as Harper turned to him, her delicate brows raised. “I definitely didn’t mean to freak them out.”
“Our boys need to get home and to bed,” Harper said gently and then placed a hand on her stomach. “This little one and this mama, too.”
Brian nodded when her gaze tracked to him. “Brewing up a baby is hard work, huh?”
Brady sputtered as Harper gave Brian a wide smile.
“A baby isn’t like a cup of coffee or a pint of Guinness,” his twin said with an eye roll.
“It’s kind of like that,” Harper said, rising onto her toes to give her soon-to-be husband a quick kiss on the cheek. “I know what Brian meant.”
Brady relaxed and pulled Harper closer to his side. Brian had noticed since arriving in the small town of Rambling Rose, Texas, some definite changes in his brother. There was a sweetness and softening he hadn’t expected in charismatic Brady. Particularly apparent was the fact that he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off Harper.
Their affection was natural and unforced, but Brady seemed to unconsciously find reasons to touch her. A hand on the small of her back or pushing an errant strand of hair away from her face. They had an obvious connection, and Brian was still getting used to his twin brother being so smitten.
A sudden pinch in the vicinity of his heart had Brian rubbing two fingers against his wool sweater. It was great to see his brother so happy, although the changes in Brady’s life also had resulted in changes that Brian hadn’t anticipated.
He would have never expected his twin to take to the role of father so naturally. The whole family had been shocked when Brady had been named guardian of his best friend’s twin boys after the tragic accident that killed Toby and Tyler’s parents.
Then Brady’s move to Texas from New York, along with the boys, had left Brian on his own. He was an adult living his own very successful life as a brand-and-marketing manager for a respected ad agency, but his twin had always been nearby, and he felt the physical distance more than he cared to admit.
“Harper’s right, as usual,” Brady said, giving her shoulder another squeeze. “The boys are going to be up at too-damn-early o’clock tomorrow morning, so they need to get to bed now.” He pointed a finger at Brian. “You’ve got the supplies for tonight?”
“The biggest bags of glitter and Milk Duds you’ve ever seen,” he answered. “And crescent cutouts to leave reindeer footprints all around the house.”
“It’s such a cute idea, Brian,” Harper told him. “The boys are going to get such a kick out of seeing reindeer droppings in the yard. You’re a good uncle.”
“No biggie.” Brian shrugged, embarrassed to feel his cheeks heating under her praise. It was silly, but he didn’t like being the center of attention. Still, the boys were way more fun than he’d expected, and he was having a great time spoiling them during his extended stay in Rambling Rose. He’d seen a clip online about how to make it look like Santa and his reindeer had really stopped by the house, and offered to get creative for Tyler and Toby.
“You’ll be a good godfather, too,” Brady added.
“Right,” Brian said, shifting to look out at the crowd of Fortunes around the room. He’d agreed to stay in Texas until the new baby came and to act as his niece or nephew’s godparent. He still wasn’t sure he was the best choice of Brady’s five siblings. Five-year-old twin boys could be entertained with candy and underarm farting noises, but a newborn would be uncharted territory for Brian.
Territory he didn’t exactly relish moving into.
“Daddy, there’s another present,” Toby shouted as he and Tyler returned, each of them holding one end of a large box. Brady smiled at the boys, and Brian knew how much it meant that they’d started calling him “Daddy” and Harper “Mommy”. He never would have pushed them because he always kept their late parents in mind, but Brady and Harper truly loved the boys as their own. They were a family. “Uncle Kane found it under the tree.”
Brian watched as his twin took the box with a frown. Harper glanced at Brady, who darted a questioning gaze toward Kane, their eldest brother. Kane lifted his hands as if he had no idea where the wrapped gift came from.
“The paper isn’t very holiday-ish, and it’s addressed to Brady and me,” Harper said as she touched a finger to the large cream-colored ribbon that encircled the box.
“It has wedding cakes and champagne flutes printed on it,” Brian observed. “Looks like someone sent an early wedding present.”
Brady placed the box on a nearby table. “Why would we get a gift at the hotel?”
“Well, the big occasion’s going to take place here,” Brian pointed out.
“In a week,” Brady answered.
Brian glanced around the room, for a moment finding it difficult to believe that soon there would be even more Fortunes gathered for the black-tie event, which promised to be elegant, romantic and lively.
“Can we open it?” Toby asked. “It’s so heavy. Maybe there’s treasure in it.”
“Or a toaster,” Brian suggested.
“We got a toaster,” Tyler told him, tugging on the hem of his sweater. “’Member? You burned the frozen waffles yesterday.”
“Good point, Ty.” Brian placed a hand on the boy’s thin shoulder. The kid reminded him so much of himself as a young child.
“We can open it,” Harper said as she lowered herself to one of the chairs at the table. She held up a hand as the twins surged forward. “If you promise to go home right after with no fuss. We need to put out the milk and cookies and get to bed before Santa comes.”
“Okay,” the boys said in unison.
It was sweet how excited the two kids got at unwrapping gifts. They’d clapped for every person who’d received a present tonight, their excitement not dimmed in the least by whether the recipient opened a pair of socks or a bottle of wine.
After a nod of agreement from Brady, Harper made a show of tugging at the ribbon. “Oh, this is a tough one to open. Maybe the two of you could help me?”
Toby and Tyler didn’t need to be asked twice. They attacked the box like they were indeed unearthing valuable treasure.
Harper laughed, but her smile dimmed as they pushed aside the tissue paper inside the box to reveal...a horse.
The bust of a horse’s head, to be exact.
“Maybe whoever sent it should have stuck with a toaster,” Brady muttered.
Harper pulled the sculpture out of the box and held it up so they could all get a better look, then handed the bust of the horse to Brady. She leafed through the tissue paper and peered more closely into the box. “There’s no card,” she said. “Is there anything stuck to the sculpture that would give a hint as to who sent it?”
“No.” Brady shook his head. “There’s a plaque at the base, but all it says is ‘True beauty lies within.’”
“Definitely in this case,” Brian said with a chuckle, “because this horse is ugly.”
Harper made a face. “I hate to be an ungrateful bride-to-be, but Brian is right.”
“Um, maybe it’s a blessing we don’t know who sent it,” Brady said as he turned the sculpture to stare into the empty slits where the horse’s eyes should be. “It’s creepy.” The sculpture was made of copper, dyed to look like it had a vintage patina. Or maybe it was an antique. It certainly looked old to Brian. The horse’s carved mane gave the impression of being windblown, and its harsh features appeared almost bewitched.
“Maybe it’s possessed,” he said under his breath.
“Or cursed,” Brady added with an exaggerated eyebrow wiggle. “I’m getting a Temple of Doom vibe from this thing.”
“Or maybe someone is making you an offer you can’t refuse,” Brian suggested with a grimace.
“If you’re going to make a Godfather reference, then I’m glad we opened the thing here and didn’t have to open it in our bedroom.”
“Is it haunted?” Toby asked, sounding intrigued.
Tyler moved back several paces until he bumped into Brian’s legs. “I don’t like it,” he said, his voice shaky. “Put it back. Please, Daddy. Put it in the box. I don’t want that in our house.”
The boy’s voice was growing louder and more panicked with every word.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Harper said soothingly.
Tyler shook his head, then reached behind himself and placed a death grip on Brian’s leg.
“Let the real, soon-to-be godfather get rid of that thing.” He held out his hands as Brady quickly stuffed it back into the box.
“You can’t get rid of it,” Harper told him. “Not until we find out who sent it.”
“Someone with terrible taste,” Brady told her.
“But we need to send a thank-you note,” she insisted as she hoisted herself to her feet.
“I hate it,” Tyler whispered.
Brian didn’t know why the kid was so affected by the sculpture, although the weird vibes from that kind of gift couldn’t be denied.
“It’s okay, Ty,” Toby said, patting his brother’s arm. “Let’s go get one last cookie while Uncle Brian takes care of the horse.”
“One cookie between the two of you,” Harper said.
It was a testament to how in need of soothing Tyler was that Brady and Harper weren’t arguing about the boys topping off the night with yet another dessert.
Brady and Brian shared a look, and Brian didn’t need his twin to speak in order to understand the message he was trying to convey. “I’ll take care of it,” he told his brother and Harper.
Brady nodded. “Thanks, Bri.”
“Please don’t throw it away,” Harper added. “We need to find out who sent it.”
“Harper’s right,” Brady agreed, scrubbing a hand over his jaw. Brian could read the tension in his brother’s face. He didn’t like to see the twins upset. “Although it’s clear that thing will never have pride of place in our home.”
“It might keep the boys from sneaking out when they get older,” Brian suggested with a wink. “Set up the horse to guard the front door. They wouldn’t dare cross that threshold.”
“Good point,” Brady answered. “We might have to keep it hidden away in the basement until then. Right now, I’m putting you in charge of figuring out where and who it came from. Think of it as best-man duty.”
“I thought I was in charge of the strippers.” Brian chuckled when Harper reached out and lightly smacked his arm. “Just kidding, Harper. We all know my twin is already an old married man in his heart.”
“Proudly,” Brady agreed, dropping another kiss on Harper’s head. They shared a look of mutual adoration that sent another wave of unwelcome aching through Brian’s chest.
He took the box to his car before the twins returned, inhaling deep pulls of the clean Texas air. Lifting his gaze to the sky, he marveled at the cascade of stars twinkling above him. Sure, he’d seen stars in Buffalo, the city where he’d been born and raised and still lived, but maybe there was truth to the notion that everything was bigger in Texas. The expansive sky had him catching his breath.
And when one bright light darted down toward the earth, Brian had the fleeting idea to make a wish for his own future happiness. Something about seeing several of his siblings settled and in love made him wonder if his solitary life was all it was cracked up to be.
Then he glanced at the corner of the horse’s ear poking up from the tissue paper. Fanciful notions weren’t for men like Brian. He slammed shut the trunk on his sleek BMW and turned back toward the hotel. He’d be in Rambling Rose for a few weeks before returning to his normal life and back to gaining control of his emotions.
