Read Online A Bad Boy for Christmas by Kelly Hunter - Free Book Online

him,” his grandfather murmured.
    “I will.” He could do it right now.
    “But not yet.” Caleb pinned him with a mind-reading stare. “We have guests.”
    Right. So they did.
    And then distraction came in the form of two little boys who barreled up to Caleb and Nash, the younger one holding a soccer ball. It had been months since Cutter had last seen them and they’d grown browner and a fraction bigger. They belonged to Caleb’s friend, Gemma, and last he’d heard they’d been headed for Darwin.
    “Gemma’s back?” he asked Caleb.
    “I am.” The woman in question answered for herself as she came up behind her boys. “Darwin was a bad move. All I did was isolate us. Not the best plan, considering. Anyway, as I was telling the boys, we are not going to bother you with requests for soccer games until everyone has eaten. Isn’t that right boys?”
    The younger one sighed, even as the older one drew abruptly away from Nash’s side.
    “You’re not Cutter,” the boy said, eyeing Nash narrowly.
    “No. I’m not.”
    “Are you a Jackson?” asked the younger boy.
    The silence that followed was fraught with tension as everyone waited for Nash’s reply. Both boys had retreated and now stood out of swinging range, the smaller one tucked behind Gemma, the older one standing protectively in front of her.
    “He’s a Nash.” Mia broke the silence with a bright smile for the kids. “His name’s Jackson Nash instead of Nash Jackson. Cool, huh?”
    But neither boy answered.
    “Gemma, meet Mia. Mia is Nash’s sister, or near enough,” Cutter said, although stalwart supporter might have been a better description. “Mia this is Gemma. Gemma’s a family friend.”
    Mia smiled warmly at Gemma and the boys. “So do you all play soccer?”
    Finally, the little guy nodded and stepped out from behind his mother’s petite frame. “We do here,” he said.
    Mia nodded as if deep in thought. “Think we could get Cutter and Nash to play later? That’d be fun. Although they’d have to play on the same side, otherwise it could get very confusing. We’d keep passing the ball to the wrong one.”
    “We could give Cutter the lobster hat Zoey made this morning,” said Bree. “That’s very distinctive. We’d be able to tell the difference between them then.”
    “Oh, yes .” Mia didn’t bother to hide her grin. “A lobster hat. Perfect .”
    Not perfect. Cutter had seen that thing.
    “Whatever happened to tossing a coin for the lobster hat?” he grumbled. “Or rock-paper-scissors?”
    “Speaking of Zoey,” Gemma said quickly. “I can see her waving at us from over by the drinks table, so we’ll leave you to your meal and catch up with her. We’ll fill our plates while we’re at it and see you all later. Nice to meet you, Mia. Nash.”
    “Likewise,” Nash said politely. Or maybe he meant it. Cutter sure as hell couldn’t tell what his big brother’s thoughts were. All he knew was that Nash had balked at declaring himself a Jackson.
    Which, for some reason, had hurt.
    The silence that followed their retreat lasted a good long while. Long enough for Gemma to reach Zoey, who promptly engulfed her in a delighted hug.
    “Okay, I’ll bite,” said Mia. “What’s with tentative Gemma and the wary kids?”
    “You want the short version or the long version?” asked Bree.
    “I want the good version,” said Mia.
    “Most people in the Bay think Caleb had an affair with Gemma while she was still married,” Bree said bluntly. “Gemma’s ex used to beat her and the boys. Caleb helped her get away from him.”
    “I never touched Gemma, for the record,” Caleb said. “She needed someone in her corner, that was all. Still does. I vote we take her under our collective Jackson wing.” Caleb looked to Nash. “The boys spook easily. You might want to remember that.”
    Nash held Caleb’s gaze. “I noticed.”
    “We all noticed,” said Mia. “Thanks for explaining.”
    Silence fell again.
    “So, Cutter,