Page 121 of Wrapped in Red

“Is this part of my Christmas present?” He didn’t wait for my answer as he rushed outside to launch himself at Maverick, nearly knocking him over in the process.

Maverick giggled happily as he hugged Ezra. “Surprise!” He pulled back before he motioned to his brother. “This is my brother, Dean. Dean, my best friend Ezra. Well, okay, second-best friend.” He winked at Jackson.

Dean, who was famous for his green hair, must have died it recently, because it was now striking pink. It wasn’t bad, just different. He was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and an oversized sweatshirt, and as he dragged a hand through his long hair, he smiled. He was an exact carbon copy of his older brother, just a little taller.

“Hey.”

“Hey? Okay, we don’t just do hey here.” Ezra giggled before he nearly tackled the guitar player in a hug.

Maverick laughed. “I warned you, Dean.”

“God, you’re like a koala bear,” he joked. “Wow, you’re small, but you’re strong.”

Ezra beamed up at him. “Thank you. It’s my special power. Come on, come on. It’s cold out here. Tell me about your boyfriend, the hockey player.” He grabbed Dean’s hand as they walked inside the house.

“He has no idea?” Jackson asked me as we followed them inside the house. I heard Maverick’s voice go up when he asked about the engagement ring, and when I turned to look, Ezra was showing it to him.

I shrugged. “He’s going to lose his mind,” I murmured as the doorbell rang again.

“CC, no,” Ezra whispered as the sound of my mother greeting Killian and Matthias filled the air.

He rushed right back into the foyer, and I leaned around the corner of the living room to watch as he hugged Matthias first, then Killian, before he dragged Matthias back to where Maverick and Jackson were. His brows dipped.

“Where’s Andy?”

Jackson grinned. “He’s coming.”

“What?” Ezra asked. “Does that mean Noel is on his way here with Leo? Carson, what did you do?”

I winked. “Princess, just go with it. This is my gift to you.”

Maverick wrapped an arm around Ezra’s waist. “This is the best Christmas ever.”

“Is it?” Jackson grunted. “What about the one where I ate your—”

“That’s enough, Goose.” Maverick cut him off as his face burned bright red. “No one needs to hear about that.”

“That’s for sure,” Dean muttered. “Hey, Kill, nice to see you.” They knocked fists before they laughed and moved in for a hug.

Ezra giggled as he glanced out at the front bay window as a car started to slow down in front of the house. “Who is...that’s Holt.”

He dragged Maverick along with him as he rushed outside, and I grinned as I watched the three of them hug like they hadn’t seen one another in years.

“I don’t think I’ve seen Maverick so happy before. Well, that’s not true. When I proposed to him, he was pretty over the moon. On our wedding day, he couldn’t stop smiling. When we officially adopted Andy. This might be the fourth happiest day of his life.” Jackson clapped a palm against my shoulder. “They really like one another.”

I nodded. “They do.”

“That doesn’t bother you?” Jackson’s question surprised me. “I mean, I’m not worried. Maverick’s figured himself out, and he’s close with everyone else, but he and Ezra seem to have a different connection.”

“I’m not worried,” I assured him as Noel, Leo, and Andy pulled up.

I was more than surprised to see Wyatt with them, but my mother would be more than excited to have another mouth to feed. She would let everyone stay here if we had the room.

Jackson jutted his chin at Seth as he climbed from his car. “Who’s that?”

“Seth,” I answered.

“Oh, the elusive Seth. Wait, didn’t Ezra want to set Noel and Seth up? How is that going to work with Wyatt here?”