Four Pucking Christmases (Chicago Racketeers Book 2)
Four Pucking Christmases: Chapter 5

CREW AND LUNA MCNEILL grew up in the freaking Home Alone house.

That’s my first thought as we pull up in front of the huge white house in the Chicago suburbs. There’s no room in the driveway—it’s already full of other vehicles and this crazy-assed RV we’re driving takes up far more than its share of the room.

I have to grin though. The thing is hilarious.

It’s very on-brand for Crew too. We’re turning heads everywhere we go. And he’s eating it up.

And hell, it’s Christmas. We’re bringing the Christmas Vacation RV to the Home Alone house for our own version of Four Christmases. And we’ve got our own personal Grinch along. I smirk as I glance at Nathan. I can’t wait to see what other cliches we can mix in.

Luna leads the way up the walk to the front door adorned with one of the biggest Christmas wreaths I’ve ever seen. Lights strung from the eaves and over the manicured evergreen bushes on either side of the brick front steps that lead up to the door.

Nathan and I hang back as Crew slips an arm around Dani’s waist and starts for the door.

Dani looks back at us. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I tell her quickly. “We’re right behind you.”

This is going to be a great stop. I glance at Nathan. For all of us, even though Nathan looks like he’s approaching the door to the dentist’s office with a broken crown and four cavities.

There are clearly a large number of people already inside based on the full driveway. Nathan’s not a social butterfly, that’s for sure. In social situations, Nathan Armstrong almost always has the upper hand. People interact with him because he has money and influence. Most parties or gatherings he attends, he’s hosting. Which means he can choose who is invited, and he can choose when he leaves. If the boss leaves early, no one can say much about it.

Here it’s a whole different thing.

For one, Lori McNeill, Crew’s outgoing, perky, warm mother is in charge. And Nathan won’t do a damned thing to make her unhappy. Not because she’s bossy or bitchy, but because he likes her.

Nathan really likes Crew’s mom.

We’ve met Lori and William McNeill a couple of times already. They, of course, come to games sometimes, and since Crew’s big speech on the ice letting all of Chicagoland in on our relationship, Lori and William have been sitting with Nathan and Dani when they make it to games.

The first time we all met, Nathan hosted them in the owner’s box before Crew and I had to be downstairs for pre-game stuff.

They were both wonderful.

William had shaken our hands with a sincere smile and had seemed unfazed by the fact that we were all openly dating the same woman. Together. We’d talked hockey, Crew’s first season as a Racketeer, and how great Dani was. Topics all three of us were enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and in full agreement about.

Lori had hugged us both tightly, said she knows Crew can be a handful, and thanked us for putting up with him—though she said it with one hundred percent affection—and told us that our taste in women was impeccable.

The way she interacted with both Crew and Dani was full of love, support, and warmth, and for that alone, I loved her.

Just as Luna reaches the door it suddenly swings open, and her father steps out. “Welcome!”

Immediately four guys about Crew’s age stumble out from behind him, nearly knocking him and Luna over, calling, “Sorry, Mr. McNeill” and “Hey, Luna!” as they nearly fall down the steps.

“Crew!”

“Is that your RV?”

“No way!”

Right behind them are two more, slightly younger guys, and another man who stops next to William.

Crew is grinning and has already followed the small herd of men past us and back to the RV.

Luna is on the top step hugging her dad, but I hear her say, “What a bunch of idiots.”

I step up next to Dani, taking her hand.

William is laughing. “Those are hockey teammates of Crew’s from high school,” he explains to us. “We’ve always been good friends with their families, and they always come over for Christmas brunch. Their parents are all inside.”

“That’s not really the Christmas Vacation RV is it?” one of the younger guys still on the steps asks.

“A replica,” I tell him. “But it’s pretty close.”

“Is it yours?” the kid asks me. Then he looks at Nathan.

“God, no,” Nathan tells him.

I laugh. “Belongs to a friend of Crew’s.”

“That’s hilarious.” They both bound down the stairs to go check it out with the hockey players.

“That’s Grant and James. Two of Crew’s cousins,” William tells us. “And this is my brother, Dave.”

Luna rolls her eyes. “Yes, you two can go look at the crazy RV too.” She’s laughing as she nudges her father.

He grins. “Well, maybe just for a minute.”

We stand back to let them both pass as well, watching them join the group of guys checking the RV out from bumper to bumper and posing for selfies by it.

“We should get a big hose and replace a bathrobe and pose like Cousin Eddie!” someone suggests.

Crew sticks his head out of the doorway. “Told ya’, Nate!” he calls with a huge grin.

Nathan just sighs and shakes his head. But I know him well enough to see the smile he’s fighting.

“I don’t know how you put up with him all the time,” Luna informs Dani.

Dani’s smiling at Crew and his friends. “He’s…adorable,” she says with clear love in her tone and on her face.

“That’s our line,” I tell her, pinching her ass gently.

She giggles. “Well, his sister might not want to hear that when he acts like that—all playful and full of joy and like a big kid—it makes me want to tear his clothes off and climb him like a tree.”

“Ugh,” Luna groans. “His sister definitely does not want to hear that.” She steps through the open door and calls, “Hey! We’re here!”

‘Oh! Hi! William just suddenly got up from the table and a bunch of the boys followed him out of the kitchen, and I had no idea what was going on. I’m so glad you’re here!” Lori says, breezing into the foyer. ‘We’ve been waiting.’ Her gaze goes to the open door and the commotion at the curb. “Oh Lord, what are those idiots doing?”

Nathan actually chuckles at that. “It’s a replica of the RV from Christmas Vacation.”

She lifts a brow. “Crew’s idea?”

“Yep.”

“Figures.”

She shakes her head, but she’s grinning. “Well, come on. It might take them a bit to get over that, but there’s no reason you can’t be warm and have coffee in the meantime.”

She moves behind me, pulls my coat from my shoulders, and then slips my scarf from around my neck.

Dani is laughing, watching. She’s already handed her coat over to someone, and she’s toeing her shoes off.

Nathan is also being helped out of his coat. He gives me a bewildered look. I just shrug and lean over to untie my dress shoes.

Once we are coatless and shoeless, Lori herds us into the kitchen.

The house smells like maple syrup and bacon, and as far as I’m concerned, that is a fantastic start to any event.

Lori’s kitchen is magnificent. She clearly loves to entertain and designed the house with that in mind. The kitchen flows directly into the dining area, so the people currently seated around the huge dining table are able to visit with everyone milling about the kitchen, drinking coffee and mimosas.

She has two ovens, both of which are currently working, and a wide island covered with platters. Some are filled and some are waiting to be filled.

‘Where can I help?’ I ask.

She waves that away with a laugh. ‘Don’t be silly. Everything is done. I just need to pull things from the oven.”

“Great.” I move toward the ovens, reaching for an oven mitt, but she stops me.

“No. Sit.” She points to the four stools that are pulled up to the island. Luna and Dani are already perched on two of them, munching on fruit kabobs.

I expected that response, whereas at my mother’s house, she’ll be handing me an apron the moment I walk in and pointing me to whatever needs to be done next.

“Nathan.”

His head comes up. He was looking at his phone.

“No phones during brunch. The coffee bar is right behind you. Help yourself,” Lori says as she dons two oven mitts.

He actually looks sheepish as he tucks his phone into his pocket. “Sorry,” he mumbles.

I chuckle as I move in next to him, checking out the coffee bar. This little section of the kitchen is set up just for beverages. Mugs and glasses are in the glass-fronted cabinets above. The countertop has a coffee machine almost as elaborate as the one in Nathan’s kitchen. It will provide everything from espresso to cappuccino to plain old black coffee. There is a plethora of coffee pod flavors displayed, as well as teas and cocoas. Underneath there’s a refrigerator full of water, both plain and sparkling, juices, and sodas.

We both prepare a cup of coffee.

As Nathan’s finishes brewing, a woman about Lori’s age moves in next to us for a refill.

Or rather, a refill that acts as an excuse to come talk to us.

“Hi,” she says with a smile, setting her cup under the spout. “I’m Melissa. I’m Lori’s sister.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Michael Huges,” I say. “This is Nathan Armstrong.”

“I know. I’ve heard all about you both,” she tells us with a smile. “It’s so nice to meet Crew’s boyfriends.”

Nathan chokes on his coffee, and I press my lips together.

Before I can correct her, Melissa goes on, “Oh, don’t worry, we’ve all known for a long time that Crew is bi-sexual.”

Nathan coughs harder.

“And we’re all fine with it. We’re supportive. Allies. Whatever.” Melissa frowns. “I feel like I’m messing this up. Is this not how to talk about it? I’m sorry.” She sighs. “I’ve been reading and trying to say it all right. I’m just learning.”

I give her a gentle smile and elbow Nathan. “I think it’s wonderful that you’re trying to learn because of your nephew. And I think you should talk to him about it. Ask him what terms and words he wants to use. And don’t feel bad about talking with us. Every relationship is different, so we’re all learning how ours is going to work too. It’s still new. Nathan, Crew, and I are very good friends, who care a lot about each other.”

She looks relieved, if still a little confused. “Okay, thank you. It really is nice to meet you.”

“You too, Melissa,” I say sincerely.

Crew, William, and everyone else swarm into the kitchen just then. The space definitely gets more cramped and louder.

Nathan and I move to the side, picking a spot along the wall between the kitchen and dining room to lean. Then we’ll be here, but out of the way.

Nathan and I had agreed that while at the McNeill’s we would let Crew and Dani have center stage, and we’ll just hang out in the background.

But Lori is having none of that. The minute Nathan’s back meets the wall where he clearly intends to lean for the next little bit, she is tugging him forward and pushing him onto the stool next to Dani at the island. Crew has already taken over the stool where Luna had been sitting. She’s now next to her grandmother at the dining table.

There’s one stool left at the center island, and I know before she even points to it that Lori intends it for me.

Dani is between Crew and Nathan, and she reaches over to put her hand on Nathan’s thigh. He takes a deep breath. That’s good. She’ll keep him calm. Ish.

“Okay! Let’s eat!” Lori calls. “It’s buffet style, so come fill your plates, then replace a place to sit! There’s another big table set up in the living room!”

Within minutes, there’s nowhere for us to go. There are people behind us, beside us, and in front of us as they encircle the island and all the food.

I’m from a big family, but this kitchen is packed.

Clearly, these are neighbors and friends of the McNeills, not just relatives. Though Lori is teasing and scolding the guys from Crew’s old hockey team as if they are her sons.

The general mood in the room is jovial, affectionate, and warm.

I love it.

‘Okay everyone,” Lori says. “We want to welcome the newcomers to our family, too, before everyone scatters. This is Danielle, Crew’s girlfriend. And this is Nathan and Michael, Dani’s other boyfriends.’

All four of us stiffen. We are literally in the middle of the room, seated on stools where everyone can see us, and I guess we’re just going to put that all out there.

‘Okay, Mom,’ Crew says with a chuckle, running his hand over Dani’s back.

Lori’s eyes widen. ‘Oh my gosh, is that not how I’m supposed to introduce you?’ Her gaze scans over all four of us. ‘Because I mean, you’re not really his boyfriends. I mean, you’re not sleeping together. I mean, I know you sleep together. But you’re not really sleeping together.‘ She shakes her head. ‘Unless you are. Which is great. That’s completely fine with us. Of course.’

Nathan has now swallowed coffee down the wrong pipe again, tried to breathe, and gotten more coffee in his lungs. I’m wracking my brain for the right thing to say here. Dani is bright red but trying very hard not to laugh. And Crew lost the fight with trying not to laugh two seconds in. If he was even trying not to in the first place.

Crew reaches over and slaps Nathan on the back. ‘Okay, so first, maybe I should point out that Armstrong is also my boss, and you all need to be at least a little cool.”

Nathan thunks himself on the chest, shaking his head.

Finally, I say, ‘That is probably a fine way to introduce us, Lori. Though, I would say that Crew, Nathan, and I are good friends as well.’

“I mean, you’d kind of have to be,’ a man leaning against the refrigerator says.

‘Everyone, my uncle Tony,’ Crew says with an eye roll.

“I’m just saying, you see each other naked, right?” He doesn’t seem to be poking at us or trying to embarrass anyone. He’s just curious.

They all seem curious. It’s… kind of nice. This is Crew’s inner circle. Strangers on the internet aren’t entitled to details about our private life, but these people maybe are. Not all the details, of course. But if they have basic questions about how our relationship works, that’s fair.

“I’ve seen all of those guys naked multiple times, too,” Crew says, gesturing with his fork at his ex-teammates. “And I’ve seen Jack Hayes and Blake Wilder naked a bunch of times too, but they’re not my boyfriends.” He digs back into the cinnamon roll he’s eating.

“But you’re going on dates together,” Tony says.

“You mean going out to dinner, movies, concerts, hiking, shopping?” Crew asks. “Hell, Tony, you and I have been on a bunch of dates then.”

Tony thinks about that. “I guess everyone is just assuming that it’s more since there’s sex involved.”

“And no one really knows what goes on in our bedroom except the four of us,” Crew says, lifting a shoulder and seeming much more concerned about getting icing on every bite of his cinnamon roll than he is about what people think of his sex life. He takes the last bite and looks up at his uncle. “People at work asking you?”

Tony nods. “Yeah. Some are dicks about it, but most are just curious. You know they follow you and are big fans. Guess they think they can ask questions since you’re my nephew.”

Crew nods and reaches for a second cinnamon roll. “I get it. Just tell them you saw us all at Christmas, and we seemed really happy.” He glances down the island at the three of us. “Because we are.” Then he looks at his uncle. “That’s just vague enough it will drive them nuts, and it will mean they’ll keep following us on social media.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” Tony says, nodding.

“But you need a photo with the four of us,” Crew adds. “So they believe you really saw us.”

Tony smiles. “That’s perfect.”

“We’re so happy that you’re happy, baby,” Lori tells Crew, scooping eggs onto his plate.

‘Yeah, I mean, think of how awkward it would be if two of you guys irritated the shit out of each other or something,’ Luna says, propping a hip against the island and grinning at us.

‘Very awkward,’ Crew agrees. Then he winks at Nathan.

I think I’m the only one that hears Nathan’s growl. But I know he’s thinking up ways to mess with Crew later.

‘I just want to know what exactly to say to three hot guys to get them to agree to all date you at the same time. Like in the same room together.” This comes from a girl who has a shoulder propped against the wide arched doorway that leads into the living room.

She’s young. Like really young.

She’s obviously talking to Dani. ‘And talk slow,’ she adds. “I’m taking notes, and my friends want me to tell them everything.’

‘And that’s my cousin, Hadley. Who is only sixteen,’ Crew says.

Now Dani chokes slightly. She swallows and says, ‘Well, I was going to give you some notes, but how about you call me in two or three years.’

I’m proud of her for rolling with that and making it funny.

‘How about we make it ten or twenty years?’ a man calls.

‘Her dad,’ Crew adds.

Everyone laughs at that. But we all also see Hadley motioning to Dani that they’ll talk later.

‘Yeah, if anybody’s getting those tips, it’s going to be me,’ Luna says. ‘I live with the girl and have to watch them all be gaga over each other on a daily basis.”

That causes Lori to give us a brilliant smile.

‘And that is the most important thing,’ she says. ‘You’re all clearly together for the right reason. The rest works itself out.’

‘I don’t know,’ another woman says. ‘No offense, but that sounds like a nightmare. One man was too much for me, and it took me twelve years to get rid of him. Having three at once? No, thank you.’

I chuckle. “My sister said something similar,’ I say to her. ‘I suppose it very much depends on the four people in the relationship.’

Dani is the one who nods and adds, ‘I never imagined being in a relationship like this. It’s not about having three guys. It’s these guys. I fell in love with my soul mate…it just happens that I have three.”

That makes my chest tighten, and I can’t resist the need to reach over and touch her. I squeeze her hand. She gives me a sweet smile. Nathan and Crew both have hands on her too. Just simple, loving, though possessive gestures. Nathan’s hand is on her thigh, and Crew’s hand is resting on the back of her neck.

People keep talking, and asking us questions like who takes care of the laundry, what about all the dishes, and do we really go everywhere together?

Answers—we all pitch in on basic laundry, though there is a laundry service Nathan likes and we all use sometimes, and Crew’s “disgusting hockey stuff” (his mom’s words) is handled by the team, we share with the dishes, and sometimes we all go out together, sometimes we take Dani on individual dates, and hell, sometimes it’s just the guys when she’s hanging out with Luna. We also all like alone time sometimes, so we have our own apartments. Correction, everyone but Crew likes alone time sometimes.

Finally, their curiosity has been satisfied, and the topic shifts to hockey, then eventually to other topics.

As we all climb into the RV several hours later, we collapse into our seats. Dani and Nathan in back, and Crew and me up front.

We take a collective deep breath.

Dani looks at each of us. ‘Well, that was… lovely.’

Crew chuckles. ‘Could’ve been worse. Sorry for the third degree. That was even a little more intense than I expected.”

“It was fine,” I jump in before Nathan can say anything. “They were curious, and maybe a little awkward in how they worded things, but it came from a place of love and interest in your life. No one was judgmental, harsh, or mean. And I hope we helped them answer the questions they’re getting because people know they know you.”

“I agree,” Dani says. “They were a little more in our faces than I expected, but it really did seem well-intentioned. And honestly, if it was one of my cousins in this position and I ran into her at Christmas brunch, I might ask questions too.”

Crew and I laugh.

Then we all turn and look at Nathan.

He looks a little shell-shocked.

Dani leans into him, running her hand up and down his arm. ‘Are you okay? You were really quiet today.”

He nods. “I was really happy to have you all around…with me…today.”

Dani looks pleasantly surprised. “Really?”

“You all handled all of that so well.”

“Sorry it was a little awkward at times, Boss,” Crew says, sincerely.

“I expect that. Ninety-nine percent of my interactions with other humans are awkward and awful,” Nathan says.

Dani squeezes his arm and cuddles closer to him. “Not true.”

“It wasn’t today,” he agrees. “I got to let you all handle the people, and I got to eat stuffed French toast and quiche, and drink some of the best coffee I’ve had outside of my apartment. That’s all I had to do. I got to just sit and be quiet and know I had people there to handle things even better than I could.” He shakes his head. “I never get to do that. I never get to feel that way.”

Crew looks like Nathan just announced that he was giving Crew his Lamborghini—shocked, and delighted.

“Well, fuck Nate, wait ‘til you taste my mom’s pot roast. You’ll want to go over there every Sunday. There aren’t nearly the number of people, and Lori can keep up a conversation without anyone else contributing more than a ‘yep’ every once in a while.”

But instead of saying something sarcastic, Nathan nods. “Sounds great. I love pot roast.’

Crew turns wide eyes on me. “How many mimosas did he have?”

I laugh and look back at Dani and Nathan. She’s gazing up at him like she just fell even more in love with him. And like she’s thinking the same thing I am—Nathan Armstrong needs a little mothering, and I think Lori McNeill would be a good one to do it. Even if she’s only about seven years older than him.

Nathan looks down at her, then over at me, and then finally, his gaze lands on Crew.

“Your family is wonderful,” he says.

Crew grins. “Thanks.” He keeps his eyes on Nathan when he says, “I have pretty great taste in people.”

Then Crew puts the RV into drive, and we pull away from the McNeill house.