laughed. “That is not true!” she exclaimed, color rising to her cheeks.
“Which part?” Nicholas questioned, meeting her gaze.
She noted the smirk across his face. “I may have had dozens by the time I was thirteen, but when I turned eighteen, I didn’t waste my time with men who didn’t meet the Boudreaux family standard!”
“That’s debatable,” her father interjected. “Y’all remember that boy with the squint eye?”
Tarah jumped to her feet. “No, they don’t, and why are we suddenly focused on me? He’s the problem. Chasing after youngsters!” she exclaimed, pointing a finger at Nicholas.
Nicholas laughed. “I did no such thing!”
Tarah leaned down toward Irene, meeting the little girl at eye level. “You don’t want him to be your boyfriend,” she said. “He’s not very nice!”
Irene’s eyes narrowed into thin slits. She gave Tarah a look before easing her way over to Nicholas’s side. She dropped an elbow to his thigh as she rested her chin against her palm, leaning against his leg.
Nicholas laughed as he gave Irene’s ponytail a light tug. The little girl grinned brightly in response. He winked an eye at Tarah.
Gabi moved to stand beside her friend. “That’s why Santa didn’t bring you gifts!” she proclaimed, cutting an eye at Tarah. “You’re the one that’s not nice! Nicholas is real nice.”
Tarah shook her head as she stood up straight. “Santa brought me gifts!” she hissed between clenched teeth.
Gabi mimicked her Aunt’s eye roll.
“Did I really just get schooled by a first grader?” Tarah shifted her eyes from one kid to the other.
“I’m in second grade!” Gabi snapped back.
The entire room roared, another round of laughter sweeping through the space.
Marah shook her head. “Gabi, Irene, that’s enough out of you two. Head up to the playroom with your toys, please! Only grown-ups can be downstairs right now.”
Irene grabbed Nicholas’s hand. “Come play!”
Tarah laughed. “That’s right!” she exclaimed. “Only grown-ups are allowed downstairs, Mr. Boyfriend!”
Nicholas laughed as Irene and Gabi both pulled him along. “Jealous much, Dr. Boudreaux?”
She rolled her eyes as Nicholas’s sister Naomi eased to her side. “I think my brother likes you,” the woman said, her voice low.
Tarah giggled. “I think I might like your brother.”
Mason shook his head. “He’s not your type. Besides, we all like him, too. No one wants to see you break his heart. And you’re notorious for that!”
Tarah shot her brother a look. “I am not!”
Kendrick nodded. “Yes, you are! You chew guys up and spit them out like they’re nothing. It’s never pretty, so we definitely don’t need you throwing Nicholas off his game.”
“I know that’s right!” Mark echoed. “I’ve bet too much money on him, so I need my cousin’s head straight for game day.”
Tarah tossed up her hands. “I am not a heartbreaker!” she exclaimed as she dropped down into the seat Nicholas had just vacated.
Her siblings all gave her a look, and then everyone chuckled, amusement wafting between them.
“Who all’s going to the game?” John asked, looking around the room as he changed the subject.
“I think we should make it a family event,” Nicholas’s older brother, Noah Stallion, interjected. “Try to get everyone there to support him.”
Tarah clapped her hands together. “Ohh! The championship game! I can’t wait! I really hope I can get the time off.”
Marah laughed. “I thought you hated football?”
“I do, but it’s the championship game! Besides, football players are too cute in those uniforms. Who can hate a tight end with a tight end?”
Confusion washed over her mother’s face. “I thought you all said that boy was a quarterback?”
* * *
Tarah found Christmas Day to be one of the best she’d ever had. She had missed the energy of having her siblings and their extended family together in the same space. The fellowship reinforced how much she loved, and had missed, her people while she was living in Phoenix.
Everyone’s good mood swept from room to room. The laughter was intoxicating, and the whole family was drunk with joy. By midafternoon, all of the children had finally settled down, either napping away the morning excitement or cuddling quietly in a corner with a new toy or book.
Decadent kitchen smells wafted through the home as the final touches were being put on the holiday meal. Turkeys and hams had been pulled from the ovens, cakes and pies decorated the counters, and everyone’s favorite foods were being transferred to serving dishes.
Heading down to the stables, Tarah had followed her nephew Collin, who’d been excited to ride the new horse that Santa had brought him. The college sophomore stood as tall as the other men in the family, his growing maturity reminding her of how quickly time was flying. She couldn’t help but think that if she blinked, she might actually miss something. All the children were growing way too fast for comfort. She released a soft sigh as she sat perched on the top rail of the wooden fence that enclosed the pasture where the young man was putting the Appaloosa through his paces.
Collin’s grin filled his face as he pulled the horse up to a stop beside her. “You really should come ride, Aunt Tarah! I can saddle one of the other horses if you want.”
She reached out a hand to stroke the animal’s neck and it neighed, its large head bobbing slightly as if it were echoing the young man’s comment. “Not this time, Collin. But you go have fun. He really is beautiful!”
Collin nodded. “And here I was hoping they would get me a new phone for Christmas!”
“Sounds like you earned it. I hear things are going well for you at Morehouse.”
Collin’s chest pushed forward slightly. “It’s getting harder, but I promised Mom I would make the dean’s list every semester I’m there. I have to stay true to my word!”
Tarah smiled. “That’s my guy! We’re all so proud of you! Have you thought about what you want to do after college?”
He nodded. “I plan to get a law degree like Mom and Dad. And then I’m going into the family business. Stallion Enterprises keeps growing, so they are always going to need good lawyers!”
She nodded. “You go, boy! And if you change your mind, you can always practice medicine like your auntie!”
Collin shook his head. “Uh, no thanks! I don’t like going to doctors, so I know I don’t want to be one. I’m proud of you, though!”
Tarah laughed. “Go ride, kiddo! Enjoy that horse. What did you name him, by the way?”
Collin laughed. “Baby!”
As Collin pulled gently on the reins to turn Baby in the other direction, Tarah laughed with him.
“What’s so funny?” Nicholas questioned, seeming to come out of nowhere.
His sudden appearance behind her was startling and she jumped, pulling one hand to her chest as she steadied herself with the other. “You just scared the crap out of me!” she snapped, clearly not amused.
He held up hand. “Sorry about that. I just saw you sitting here and thought I’d come say hello.”
Tarah took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She cut an eye