Page 12 of Dragged Home for Christmas
“The name’s Sam. And you’re Mike.” He glanced at Ashley, his eyes glinting. “Andyouare—”
“Going to keep your mouth shut,” Mike interjected in a firm voice, giving Ashley a hard stare. He knew she had a sharp tongue and could be abrasive as fuck.
He also knew this situation called for negotiations, and Ashley didn’t have a diplomatic bone in her body.
Ashley opened her mouth as if to retort, then clammed up. A moment later, she offered Sam a polite smile. “I’m sorry. That was rude of me.”
Good girl.
Elliott appeared, carrying a tray laden with a tiny creamer, a sugar bowl, a teapot, and several mismatched cups, one of which had a tiny crack in the handle. Mike glanced at each one, noting how unique they were.
Not unlike the people in the room with him.
“It’s Earl Grey. Sorry if you don’t like it, but it’s the only tea anyone around here drinks.”
Mike stilled. “That’s what my uncle used to drink.” He couldn’t hide his smile as Anthony swept into the room.
He sure knows how to make an entrance.
Sam smiled. “Who do you think introduced us to it?”
Jim toed off his boots and headed for the couch, and Elliott placed the tray on the small table near the heater. Mike took the armchair on the other side of the heater, and Ashley sat at the end of one of the couches.
When everyone was seated, Anthony cleared his throat. “Okay, the way I see it is—”
“Uh-uh.” Sam shook his head. “That’s not how we start this.” He inclined his head toward Mike. “It’s his house, after all. I think he gets to speak first.Thenwe’ll let him know how the land lies.”
Mike blinked at the unexpected courtesy. Ashley nudged him, giving him a pointed stare.
It was time for the gloves to come off.
“Thank you for that, but I knowexactlyhow the land lies. You’re on my property. Illegally.”
Anthony’s eyes flashed, but then he took a deep breath. “This is our home. We have no place to go.”
“It stopped being a home when we lost the heart of it,” Elliott murmured. He met Mike’s gaze. “And that was Nick.”
Mike’s breathing hitched to see the sorrow in those dark eyes.
“We loved your uncle,” Jim added in a low voice.
“Preach.” Sam let out a sigh. “He talked about you. Said you were a good guy. And we hoped—”
“Before we get to that part, can I ask a question?” Anthony pointed toward the street. “What’s in the truck?”
“Everything I possess in this world,” Mike saidsimply.
“Then… you’re gonna live here?”
“That was the general idea.”
Sam stared at him. “What are you going to do with the place?”
He chuckled. “I hadn’t gotten that far.”
The four men gazed at each other, and something passed between them.
It looked a lot like hope.
