Welcome back to the blog - it's outtake day! Just as a heads up, this is the final outtake this month, and also for next. I'll go into that a bit more in an upcoming post, but I will be taking the rest of December as well as January off from the blog other than a couple of posts - The last chapter of The Twins, the files for that ebook, and my end of year/new year post.
There is a chance I may post an outtake next week if I get the chance to write it over the coming week as there is an outtake I was inspired to write from a reader, so I am not making promises as my next 2 weeks are going to be CRAZY town, but ... possibly one more outtake this month.
However, I have deadlines to focus on for the next little while and this is one distraction I could cut to be able to do that. Plus, I kinda wanna plan some stuff for the blog, so this time will give me a chance to get ahead in that.
BUT - back to the last Christmas outtake of the month. Do enjoy.
And Merry Christmas.
XO,
BK.
*
Present Wrapping - Andino Style
John & Andino POV
John
"You're not going to tell me what's in those duffle bags, are you?" Siena asked.
On the doorstep of his cousin's home, John angled his body--and the bags holding all of his wife's unwrapped Christmas presents--further out of her view and reach. "How about you just stay over there and mind your business?"
"You seriously brought my gifts for Andino to wrap, didn't you?"
John kept his face a mask of calm. "No."
"Lies," came a call from behind them.
Jonny, that was.
Their youngest.
Snickers passed amongst his three kids.
Teenagers were ... monsters. A breed all of their own. They were also amazing little humans and he didn't have the first clue how he and Siena managed to raise their three kids to this point but here they were.
Little adults.
Almost.
It scared the fuck out of him.
He liked it, too.
"Hey, anything in there for--"
John yanked the bag away from the reach of Lucky, his oldest. Giving the sixteen-year-old a look, he muttered, "And you keep your slick fingers far away from every Christmas present, kid. Swear to God if I find you opened all your gifts again this year before Christmas morning--"
Lucky sighed and rolled his eyes. "I won't."
Right.
Well ...
John didn't believe that for a second.
His daughter thought to open her smartass mouth and join in with her brothers and mother but Andino decided to finally save the fucking day by opening his front door. It wasn't like they hadn't rung the doorbell five damn minutes earlier.
"Come on, get out of the goddamn cold," Andino grumbled, waving his arms to get everybody off the stoop as fast as he could. A warm house with the loudness of life and something sweet lingering in the air greeted John and his broad. "Not paying to heat the outside of this fucking place, am I?"
John chuckled under his breath. He would never tell his cousin, but the older they became, the more Andino reminded him of their uncle Dante, and their grandfather Antony. In little ways, sure, but it was still there all the same.
Siena followed after their kids but not before giving John a kiss to his cheek before she went. The hallway cleared out before John could even tell his kids to behave. However, at the sight of their coats hung up on the rack and their shoes all lined up nicely against the wall with Andino's kids' things, John figured ...
They didn't need to be told today.
They knew.
Andino, however, continued to stare at the two duffles John carried. "Please tell me you didn't bring more presents for me to wrap?"
Well ...
John gave his cousin his you're the best smile. "So listen--"
"Fuck you, John."
*
Andino
"It's just - listen, you have this way of wrapping presents and--"
Andino sighed louder than was necessary just to make John shut up. "Yes, but I also have to wrap all of our presents tonight because guess what? It's Christmas Eve. Oh, and Haven can't wrap - and our kids are little snoops so she's just hid everything until last minute."
Spinning on his heel in front of the master bedroom door, Andino faced his grinning cousin. He had the slightest urge to wipe that smirk from John's face but at the same time, he couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. With their kids downstairs tearing the place up and their wives in the kitchen cooking supper and sweets, it was going to be a quiet Christmas Eve.
"Really?" John asked.
Andino shrugged. "I mean, at least she paid someone to wrap mine. She really doesn't like this part of the holidays. I was busy, and let it pile up. It's my fault, too."
John let out a breath, offering one of the duffles to Andino. "I'll help - deal?"
He eyed the bag. "You wrap - I decorate the gifts."
John's grin deepened.
Andino shook his head. "Don't even start. I can't help that I get particular about it."
"You mean, that you need actual ribbon for bows and gift tags that look like Martha Stewart crafted them?"
He did his best not to glare.
Really made an effort.
And failed.
John simply chuffed like he didn't expect anything less from his cousin. "Yeah, I wouldn't start anything at all about that. Why would I?"
Andino snatched the bag out of his cousin's hand. "You wrap - I decorate."
"Deal."
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