Jingle All the Mitchell Way: A Holiday Novella Read online

  As much as I looked forward to being with the family, my mind was focused on one thing. With Reese by my side I didn't much care where we ended up eating or exchanging presents. I wanted us to be together.

  After the flat tire fiasco, I looked forward to climbing into bed with my bride-to-be and getting some much deserved rest while Jax drove us the rest of the way to New Orleans.

  I found Reese sitting comfortably in the kitchen area fold-down bed with her legs tucked under the covers. I crawled up beside her, caressing the skin of her cheek with my chilled lips. Being out in the cold to change a tire in treacherous conditions was worse than expected. Thankfully, with the help of Jax, we were able to do it faster in order to get back in the motorhome to warm up.

  My still freezing hands slid up her thighs, as our lips brushed before finally coming fully together for a heated kiss. I felt her hands shoving me away, breaking the moment I was hoping would move forward instead of coming to a direct halt. “What the hell, Jake. You’re hands are freezing. They’re like icicles. Keep them away.”

  “Oh come on,” I taunted. “I had a perfect way to warm them up. You should be thanking me for being a hero and fixing the tire. I think we saved over a hundred bucks doing it ourselves instead of having to call a service to come and take care of it.”

  “Your dad was a certified mechanic. One would hope you could both change a tire on your own,” she laughed about it. “Go run some warm water under those things, and then come back and start over.”

  I did as she said, but only because I knew it would pay off if I did. While exiting the small bathroom, I spotted my brother climbing back into the driver’s seat. Since I knew the weather was becoming worse, I felt it necessary to ensure he’d be stopping for the night.

  I passed by Reese, walking the ten feet to reach my brother, all the while knowing we weren’t going to be able to get it on with him in such a close proximity to the kitchen bed. “Do you know where you’re going?”

  “I’m just going to find a parking lot for the night.” He was looking at the weather app on his phone. “It’s going to be gone in a few hours. We’ll get some sleep and get back on the road after breakfast.”

  “Sounds good, bro. I’ll see you on the flipside.”

  Just as I was about to climb into the bed I heard my brother saying something loud enough Reese could hear. “Did you tell her about John yet?”

  Reese crossed her arms and sat up. “Who is John and what haven’t you told me?”

  I sighed and looked in the rearview to see my brother smiling. He knew he’d gotten me into trouble, and he was happy about it. I flipped him the finger before climbing under the covers again with Reese.

  “He’s the original owner of this RV.”

  “What about him? Do you know him personally?”

  “No. I don’t even know his real name. Jax calls him John.”

  “Why? What does it matter who owned this thing before you?”

  I sighed. She was going to freak out. “He sort of died, babe.”

  “Sort of died?”

  “In the RV. He had a stroke.”

  I could tell by the look on her face that she wasn’t at all okay with me keeping such pertinent information from her. She stood up in bed, her head almost hitting the low ceiling. “Ew. Where did he die? Tell me it wasn’t in bed. I won’t be able to sleep. How could you buy it? It’s just wrong, Jake. I knew this was a bad idea when you ran it by me. I should have told you no. Now you own a dead man’s motorhome. He’s probably planning on haunting us.”

  “He’s dead. Calm down. You sound like Jax. It’s not a big deal. People die. His loss is our gain. Look at how much I saved by getting a used motorhome.”

  “You mean a haunted motorhome?”

  “Give him shit, Reese. I’m up in this driver’s seat with the heebie jeebies. I know John’s watching me.”

  I shook my head and pulled Reese back to a sitting position. “Everyone dies. He’s not haunting us. I’d like to think he’s our guardian angel of the road.”

  “I think you’ve been hanging out with your brother too long. He’s dementing your beautiful mind.”

  “I can hear you,” Jax reminded her.

  “I don’t care. It’s true. Jake always makes smart decisions, while you’re the reckless one.”

  “Things change, sis,” Jax reminded her. “I’m the married one who has his shit together. Your man is still single, fighting the itch to tie the knot with you. Just think, he might be stalling in case you aren’t the one.”

  “Jax, shut the hell up.” I gave Reese a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t listen to him.”

  “I never do,” she mumbled with a sigh. “I can’t believe someone died in this RV. It doesn’t freak you out at all?”

  “Nope. It’s probably best you don’t tell Amber. She’ll make a big deal about it and end up staying in a hotel.”

  “It’s kind of hard to keep something like that a secret. How do you know Jax won’t tell her?”

  I whispered so my brother wouldn’t hear me. “Because he’s too worried about his wife leaving him for another man; a famous Hollywood actor.”

  She covered her face like she was annoyed. “Oh brother. Give me a break. Is he serious?”

  “Yep.” I slid my hand up her shirt, not caring if my brother was catching us fooling around. Reese shoved it back out.

  “Don’t. Your brother can see us.”

  “Who cares?”

  “I do. It’s weird.”

  I rolled over and put my arms behind my head. “Fine. I’ll wait until he parks.”

  Reese rolled over. “I promised I’d get up with the twins, so I’m going to bed. Good luck with getting some. I’m sure you can watch porn from your phone.”

  I chuckled. “Speaking of porn. Did I ever tell you how I told Uncle Colt you did a few movies while in college? I told him I bought this RV so we can take your show on the open road.”

  “You what?” A pillow came slamming into my face, but it didn’t stop me from cracking up.

  “He believed me too.”

  She was not pleased with my banter. “You’re an asshole. Have fun sleeping alone, Jake. I’m going back to the twin bunks. Don’t follow me either. You’re officially in the doghouse.”

  I watched her leave before turning my attention to my brother. He shook his head and pointed to the seat beside him. “Come join me, dude. We’ll sing carols and pretend everything will be fine.”

  “I don’t have to pretend. Reese may be mad, but it’s not like I hurt anyone. It was a joke.”

  “Keep telling yourself that.” He paused for a second. “So, what’s it going to be? Rudolph or Frosty?”

  I shook my head and fastened my seat belt. We might only be driving until we found a safe place to park, but it was already going to feel like forever with my brother at my side.

  Not even twenty-four hours after pulling out of the driveway, Reese was annoyed. I had a terrible feeling I might be spending the holidays alone in an RV, instead of the fun filled trip I’d planned in my head. One flat tire, and a fabricated ghost later, it felt like all was turning to shit quick. Not even Santa would be able to help my crew.

  Maybe my parents were right. Perhaps this was the worst idea I’d ever made.

  I turned my attention back to Jax, who in spite of everything was still in good spirits. “Rudolph.”

  Chapter 9

  Jax

  After getting only a few hours of sleep, Jake got back on the road before daylight. The temperature had risen well above freezing, and in the parking lot we’d stopped in, we could see the traffic becoming heavier on the highway.

  After making a pit stop at a coffee shop, we were armed with enough caffeine to maneuver heavy machinery. “Day two here we come.” I heard Jake say as I fastened my safety belt.

  With a couple clicks I had the GPS set and listened to the sound of the computer generated voice. “How come they picked a woman’s voice for this? Who wants to take orders f
rom a female while driving?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. Is there an option to change it?”

  “Do you really want me to mess around with it when we’re trying to get back on the route?”

  “Not really.”

  Loud screaming could be heard from behind us. I turned to see Reese and Amber securing the twins in safety seats before they got their breakfast. I’d gotten them little ball-shaped donuts to chow down on, knowing in a matter of hours they’d be high on sugar, giving everyone a fit. After a few minutes, the motorhome was quiet. A movie was turned on for the twins and they sat quietly stuffing food into their tiny mouths. Amber came up and crouched down beside the passenger seat. “Thanks for the latte, babe.”

  I kissed her on the lips like we did each morning when I headed out to work on the ranch. “Welcome. Did you get much sleep last night?”

  “Well, I didn’t have to hear you snoring, so that helped.” She snickered. “I’m teasing. Reese gave me a pill to calm me down. After that I don’t remember much, so I guess I did. What about you? Did you drive all night?”

  “We’re just leaving Georgia. The weather wasn’t on our side.”

  “That sucks. I was hoping the girls could get out and stretch their legs some today. It’s hard to keep them in those seats.”

  I felt bad. It was like they were being punished. They didn’t understand it was for their safety. “How about we stop for lunch and let them run around? I’ll find a park or something that will wear them out.”

  “Good idea. Will we be in New Orleans before nightfall? I have that dinner meeting with my agent tonight.”

  “Yeah. Is that the one where you’re meeting the cast?”

  “Yes. You’re still coming with me, aren’t you?”

  “Of course,” I said with a smile, all the while contemplating threatening any man that came within three feet of her. I couldn’t lead on how nervous I was about her being in the limelight. Amber didn’t need more on her plate. She was a great woman, who didn’t deserve to be accused of something she probably wouldn’t even do. “I’m looking forward to it. Finally Noah won’t be the only one in the family who knows famous people.”

  Amber grinned like she was trying to read me. “Well, I better get back to the girls.”

  “They’re only four feet away. Can’t you sit here for a bit with me? I miss you.”

  “We’ve been together this whole time.”

  “It feels like you’ve been miles away.”

  Jake started pretending to gag in the seat across from me. “You two are pathetic. Go in the back and take care of the itch so I don’t have to hear you whine all damn day.”

  “Suck my balls. If I want to miss my woman I can.”

  “Amber, we should have left him at home,” Reese suggested.

  She giggled. “No. I couldn’t do this without him. He’s my rock.” She stood to walk back toward the girls. “Love you babe. Don’t listen to Jake. I think it’s cute when you whine.”

  I punched my brother lightly on the arm when she was gone. “See, fuckstick. That’s how you keep the wife happy.”

  “Keep telling yourself that. I know for a fact you’re freaking out about her meeting those sexy ass men she’s going to be filming with. Did she tell you about the shower scene?”

  “The what?” My ass was coming off the seat before I had the chance to unbuckle myself. “Amber, is he for real? If so, we’re turning this tin box around and going home. No way are you showing the world those tits.”

  “Tits,” one of my little girls repeated.

  I pointed toward the culprit. “Don’t say that. It’s a bad word.”

  “Tits. Tits,” her sister said.

  They both laughed and did it again. “Tits.”

  I rolled my eyes and focused on Amber, who was sitting at the table sipping on her latte as if nothing was the matter. “It’s just a shower scene, babe. I’m sure I can keep my bottoms on.”

  If real life was like on television, steam would have been shooting from ears. A giant cat would have been slamming a sledgehammer onto my shocked head until I flattened into a pancake. “Come again?”

  “It’s a short scene. They probably won’t even put it in the movie.”

  “Have you looked in the mirror? They’re definitely going to put that shit in the movie. They may even add a few more scenes because of it.” I was furious. “Hell no! This movie thing is cancelled.”

  “I already signed the contract, Jax.”

  “I don’t give a shit. Isn’t there a pissed off husband clause?”

  “You shouldn’t have said anything. I told you he’d overreact.” Reese noted.

  “Overreact? So you’d be okay with Jake stripping down with a sexy woman on film? You’d be okay with him kissing them and rolling around on a bed pretending to fuck each other? You know the guys get hard right? I mean, let’s be honest, it’s difficult to keep it from happening when someone is rubbing all over it.”

  At the same time the girls burst into laughter. Since I didn’t find anything about it funny, I waited for an explanation.

  “Jax, honey we’re kidding. There isn’t a shower scene. I have to kiss someone once, and that’s it. We’ve talked about this. It’s just acting.”

  “So, you’re not going to be naked?” I needed her to reiterate.

  “No. I’m not.”

  I finally exhaled and tried to calm down, turning my attention to Jake, who found it hilarious. “You should have seen your face. Tell me one of you recorded it.”

  Reese replied. “I’ve got you covered, baby. I can’t wait to show this to everyone. I’m sharing it now.”

  “You’re all assholes today.” I sulked back to the bedroom, where I could pout like a man in private.

  A little later Amber climbed on the bed. She stuck out her bottom lip while approaching me. “Are you still being emotional?”

  “If you’ve come to make fun of my fragile heart turn back around. I want to sulk in peace.”

  “Jax, we’ve talked about this. Are you really that worried?”

  “I am if you’re taking off your clothes. I’m sorry. Jake can call me a pussy all he wants. We’ve got a good life, and I don’t want stardom to take it away. Those guys you’ll be working with can offer you stuff I’ll never be able to. We may be well off, but they’ve got jets and shit. What if farm life isn’t enough for you, but you haven’t realized it yet?”

  “Jax, do you honestly think I’d choose to leave the life we have? There isn’t another man in this world who can make me smile when I’m stricken with sadness. I married you because I want to be with you forever. Besides, I’m pretty sure none of them will be interested in seeing me naked anyway, especially when I tell them I’m pregnant with my third child.”

  My eyes lit up. “What did you say?”

  She tickled my lips with hers while responding. “I said I’m pregnant. I peed on the stick this morning to be sure.”

  “Holy Hell. I hope it’s a boy.”

  “For your sake I hope you’re right, or else you’re really going to be outnumbered.”

  I hugged her tight in celebration. “I know it doesn’t make my worries disappear, but it helps knowing I knocked you up again. Damn. I hope the girls are potty trained by the time the next one comes. I’ll have to get a second job to pay for diapers.”

  She shoved me down and straddled me. “I’m doing this movie so we can put the money toward our children’s futures. If more come our way we’ll save that money too. We’ll stay in our beautiful home, and fulfill our dreams without hardship. I never could have dreamed this was possible before you came into my life, Jax. Don’t ever think I’d leave you. I’m nothing without you in my corner.”

  “That’s why I’m the president of your fan club.”

  She tapped on my chest. “Butter me up all you want, you’re still not putting a poster of me over our bed. It’s weird.”

  “I’ll settle for a naked you next to me in our bed.”

 
We kissed slowly, taking a few seconds for ourselves before getting back to the other people in the RV with us. “That’s a promise I know I can keep, even when I’m old and covered in stretch marks and wrinkles.”

  “Even if you weighed six hundred pounds, baby. I’d love you still, just not as much, because the sex wouldn’t be as enjoyable.” She put her hand up like she was going to hit me so I added something. “Because I wouldn’t be able to lift you up against the wall and take you like you beg me to.”

  “Don’t get me worked up, Jax. We’re not alone.”

  “That never stopped us before.”

  Amber stood up and started to leave the room. “Get some rest, Daddy. You’re going to need it with a house full of girls.”

  I put a pillow over my head and tried to imagine having a bunch of kids with Amber, all female. The first thing my mind went to was teenagers, and the excruciating truth in how horrible it would be, and how much I deserved that type of future for being such a bad kid. Wasn’t their a saying, you get it ten times what you were as a child? If that’s the case I needed a shotgun and a monthly subscription to cases of bourbon.

  I awoke to hear the sounds of my frantic wife, alarming me so much to where I jumped off the bed and made a beeline for the front of the camper. What I found was hardly a catastrophe.

  Apparently, while I was getting some much-needed sleep, someone had thought it was a good idea to give my toddler daughters crayons. The fake leather furniture, their car seats, and even the hard surface floor had been vandalized. While Amber began scrubbing to salvage the furniture, I got down on the floor and talked to my girls. “Which one of you colored on Uncle Jake’s RV?”

  They both smiled.

  “Jax, get over here and help me.”

  “We can pick up something to take it off once we stop again, Amber. Don’t worry about it.”

  “Two days. That’s all it took for them to damage your property. What are we going to do with three kids?”