“Have you figured out your Christmas opening hours?”
She wrinkled her nose.“That would be easy, wouldn’t it? I keep thinking Christmas Eve will be our last day and then perhaps open a few days before New Year’s. Then I think maybe we should close on Christmas Eve, but I feel that will be one of our biggest days.” Ava sighed. She had already talked to Harlow, and the other woman was having the same trouble as her.
“Babe, do what you want.”
“You make it sound soeasy.”
“Technically, it is easy. It’s your shop, so open up when you want to. Not when others tell you to.” Smokey took a long swallow of his coffee.
“I was wonderingif you would get down my Christmas decorations from the attic?” Ava asked. “I want to start decorating the house.”
“You love Christmas?”
“Yeah, I do. I know it’s lame and all of that, but I love it.” She shrugged. “Doyou not love it?”
“I do, for you.” He reached out, taking her hand. “We’re building our own traditions, right? Making shit right and all of that.”
“You’re right.” What she wanted, though, was for him to at least enjoy it, but also to be honest about it. “Smokey, I love you.”
“I love you too, babe.”
He leaned in close and kissed her.
It was a chaste kiss, and Ava smiled.
Everything was fine.
Chapter Three
“You know I don’t answer by special request,” Carlos said, standing in Smokey’s doorway.
Smokeylooked up from his desk toward the mafia man. Carlos, like ever, was wearing a designer suit, and he looked pissed off. The only disruptive parts of the whole asshole image were the little girls he held in both of his arms, Winter and Summer.
That musthave meant Carlos had come to pick up Raven. Being married to Carlos meant she had no choice but to divide her time between the club and his mafia world as his woman. It had been a transition, but Raven had handled it. He made sure to keep a close eye on Raven because he didn’t want her to ever feel alone or left again.
She had been through so much already. He wouldn’t fuck up again.
“What do you have planned for Christmas?” Smokey asked, putting down his pen.
“I did originally plan for a nice long Christmas with my wife, my two girls, at my private island. Lots of sun, a few nannies to help us. Spending all the time with my wife.”
“Originally?”
“Raven will not spend Christmas where it’s hot. That’s what she said. She likes her festive season to be freezing, with the chance of snow, and she has also informed me that we’re going to be spending it here.” Carlos looked at the office with such disdain.
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re a snob?”
“Many times, and see how I don’t give a flying fuck.” Carlos pressed a kiss to his daughters’ heads. “So, tell me, Smokey, why am I spending Christmas here?”
“You don’t have to, but I know my woman would like to have Raven for Christmas. You’ve got a lifetime with Raven.”
“And you’ve got a lifetime with Ava.”
“You didn’tfuck up with your woman.”
“Wrong, I did fuck up with my woman, which is why I have no choice but to make up for it now. It’s why I will be spending Christmas here, and I’ll even be happy about it.”
“Good.”Smokey wasn’t too pleased to have the mafia man.