Home for christmas willo.., p.1
Home For Christmas (Willow Creek Book 6), page 1
Home For Christmas
Micalea Smeltzer
Contents
Blurb
Also by Micalea Smeltzer
1. Emma
2. Remy
3. Sadie
4. Arden
5. Emma
6. Remy
7. Sadie
8. Arden
9. Emma
10. Remy
11. Sadie
12. Arden
13. Emma
14. Remy
15. Sadie
16. Arden
17. Emma
18. Remy
19. Sadie
20. Arden
Author’s Note
Also by Micalea Smeltzer
Blurb
HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
A Willow Creek Christmas Novella
Spotted:
Everyone’s favorite band, Willow Creek, was seen boarding a private jet early this morning. It looks like they’re headed home for the holidays. Any guesses on what the world’s biggest rock stars are going to be up to?
Stay tuned, we’ll be bringing you updates.
Also by Micalea Smeltzer
Check out my other books!
Fallen Series
Fallen
Forbidden
Forever
Outsider Series
Outsider
Insider
Fighter
Avenger
Second Chances Standalone Series
Unraveling
Undeniable
Trace + Olivia Series
Finding Olivia
Chasing Olivia
Tempting Rowan
Saving Tatum
Trace + Olivia Box Set
Willow Creek Series
Last To Know
Never Too Late
In Your Heart
Take A Chance
Willow Creek Box Set
Always Too Late Short Story
Willow Creek Bonus Content
Light in the Dark Series
Rae of Sunshine
When Stars Collide
Dark Hearts
When Constellations Form
Broken Hearts
Stars & Constellations Bundle
The Us Series
The Road That Leads To Us
The Lies That Define Us
The Game That Break Us
Wild Collision
The Wild Series
Wild Collision
Wild Flame
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Enchant
Covet
Standalones
Beauty in the Ashes
Bring Me Back
Temptation
A Love Like Ours
The Other Side of Tomorrow
Jump (A 90s novella)
Desperately Seeking Roommate
Desperately Seeking Landlord
Whatever Happens
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© Copyright 2019 Micalea Smeltzer
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Cover Design © Emily Wittig Designs
To every single reader who has loved the Willow Creek books as much as me.
This is for you.
1
Emma
“Maddox, we have to go,” I admonished, rocking a fussy Willow in my arms. “Shh.” I tried to soothe her but nothing was working, not even when I sang her the lullaby Maddox and I wrote for her. I stood in her nursery, overlooking the beach outside—well, normally I could see the beach. It was way too early in the morning to see much of anything considering it was pitch black outside. Rubbing my finger over her plump cheek I whispered, “Daddy is driving Mommy crazy.”
Swaying with her in my arms I made my way down the hall in our Malibu home. I never imagined I’d be someone who owned two homes, but since we had to spend so much time in Los Angeles it was nice to not have to stay in a hotel or rental. Our previous home in the L.A. area had been much smaller, but with the addition of Willow to our family we bought this place for the extra space.
This home was shiny and new, a Mediterranean masterpiece right on the ocean. It was beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but I much preferred our old Victorian back in our hometown—well, I’d prefer it when the renovations were done. Maddox bought the house as a surprise wedding gift. It was a complete gut job, but the bones of the house are everything I’d ever dreamed of and it would be beautiful when it was finished.
“Maddox?” I pushed open the door to what was supposed to be an extra guestroom but had somehow turned into a hedgehog nursery.
That’s right, my rock star, drum playing, husband had gone into the hedgehog breeding business.
Why?
Because he’s crazy.
And he just really loves hedgehogs.
He was bent over the cage, speaking to the baby hedgehogs—excuse me, hoglets—in a hushed, fatherly tone.
“We have to go.” I tilted my head to the side, waiting for some sort of indication he heard me. Of course I got nothing. “Sadie and Ezra will be here any minute to pick us up. We don’t even have all the luggage or the hedgehogs downstairs yet.”
“Babe, I’m just trying to soothe my babies for the journey. These youngins’ haven’t even been on a plane before. I don’t want them to be scared.” He looked over at me with a concerned expression—lips downturned, eyes wary. His dark hair was a mess since he hadn’t even showered yet and he was still in his boxer-briefs.
Honestly, it was like I had two kids most days. He was lucky I loved him so much.
“Maddox,” I pleaded, bouncing a fussy Willow, “the jet is scheduled to leave in two hours. We have to get everything together and leave.”
He waved a dismissive hand at me, pulling a sigh from the deepest parts of my soul with it.
“We own the jet. They’ll wait.”
He was right, of course, but the idea of being anything but punctual made me want to break out in hives. Even with an infant I was excellent at time management. My husband, not so much. It wasn’t even because of the fame, that was just Maddox. Laidback and chill, with barely a care in the world. Except when it came to me, our daughter, and his beloved hedgehogs.
“All I’m saying,” I began in a warning tone, “is if Ezra and Sadie get here and you’re not ready, I’m leaving.”
He pretended to gasp, standing up straight with a hand pressed to his chest as if he was absolutely scandalized. “You would leave without me?”
“It’s a high-possibility.”
A grin tugged at his lips that he couldn’t wipe away. “I’ll be ready, babe. Don’t worry.”
“Mhmm,” I hummed.
I carried Willow downstairs, placing her in her baby swing. I made sure to turn it to her favorite setting and put the Willow Creek playlist on the TV. Our baby was already a huge fan of her daddy’s band.
I brought up the baby monitor app on my phone so I could keep an eye on her as I went upstairs to start bringing everything down.
Thankfully, by my second trip up to get stuff Maddox had hopped in the shower.
Anything that’s too heavy for me to carry I leave at the top of the stairs for Maddox to get when he’s ready.
Willow, finally happy, begins to coo in her bouncer. I bend down in front of her, tickling the bottoms of her little feet. She gives me a gummy smile and my heart melts.
Willow wasn’t planned. She was a big surprise for both Maddox and I, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. She completes our world, and seeing Maddox as a dad was the best thing ever. I always knew he’d be an amazing dad, but knowing it and witnessing it were two different things.
With damp hair and wearing a simple black sweatshirt and jeans he looked way too delectable carrying the hedgehog cage down the stairs.
“I hope my babies will be okay during the plane ride,” he mused, setting the cage down on the coffee table. Placing his hands on his hips he cocked his head to the side, studying the naked spiky things.
“I’m glad to know you’re real worried about your wife and daughter.”
Not looking at me he waved a dismissive hand. “Y’all will be fine.”
I threw my hands up in the air, shaking my head.
My phone chimed with a security alert and I pulled it out to find Sadie and Ezra at the gate in the black Escalade that was a twin to the one he owned back in Virginia. I pushed the button on my phone that opened the wrought iron gates so they could drive through.
“They’re here,” I told Maddox.
“I’ll move this stuff to the garage door.” He picked up some of the bags, bending to kiss me on the cheek as he passed. “Don’t worry, Em, you two are still my number one girls.”
I cracked a smile.
I picked Willow up out of her swing and carried her over to the kitchen where her car seat had been left.
“Wait!” I turned around at Sadie’s plea. Holding her hands out in a grabby motion she reached for Willow. “Let me get some baby snuggles before you lock her away.”
I gladly handed my daughter over to my best friend. She kissed Willow’s chubby cheeks, inhaling her sweet baby scent. Leaning my hip against the counter, I smiled. Through the open kitchen I could see Maddox and Ezra carrying everything out to the garage to load up.
“I love babies,” Sadie murmured, gliding the back of her index finger over Willow’s cheek.
I laughed lightly. “When are you going to have your own?”
She stuck her tongue out, glancing briefly over her shoulder at Ezra. “A few years probably. I’m enjoying it just being us for now.”
“You’ll be great parents when the time comes.”
She laid Willow in her car seat and buckled her in. “We got everything loaded,” Maddox announced, walking into the kitchen. “Right, Ezzie-poo?”
Ezra rolled his eyes, wrapping his arms around Sadie from behind. “Yep, sure did.”
“Let’s go, we don’t want to miss our flight.” Maddox winked at me as I tossed my hands up in exasperation. He grabbed Willow’s car seat and carried her out.
Sadie and Ezra started to follow but I shook my head. “Just wait, it’ll take him ten minutes to be convinced she’s strapped in safely and not going to go flying around the car like a sack of potatoes. His description, not mine.”
Maddox was more than a little OCD when it came to our daughter’s safety. I feared for her teenage years and whatever poor soul she fell in love with.
Ezra shook his head, but didn’t say anything.
Sadie, however, blurted, “How do you put up with his level of crazy?”
I shrugged. It was a very simple answer. “I love him.”
2
Remy
“I’m going to kill my fucking brother,” my husband sulked beside me, hands buried in the pockets of his jeans. “I need a cigarette.”
“You quit, remember?”
“Don’t fucking remind me,” he grumbled.
Liam stirred restlessly in his stroller. “Dada! Dada!” He held out his chubby hands to his father and Mathias instantly softened. He bent down, scooping up our one year old.
“Sir?” The pilot poked his head out. “You can board if you’d like. Mr. Hayes and family are already settled.”
I tossed a smile at Jeffrey, the pilot that had been with Willow Creek for years now. “Mathias prefers to sulk in public.”
My husband shot me a glare, patting our son on the back. “We’ll board.”
I suppressed a snicker. I loved riling him up.
Mathias passed me the baby and folded up the stroller, carrying it onto the plane with us to stow away. Someone, I didn’t know who, had already loaded our luggage.
“Hey, guys.” I shot a smile at Hayes, Arden, and little Mia who sat on her knees looking out the window.
Hayes barely wiggled his fingers at me, his tongue stuck out in concentration. He gripped a crayon that seemed too small in his big grasp, adding color to a princess in one of Mia’s coloring books. Across from him Arden gave me a sleepy, “Hello.”
Mathias and I took the area in the back, with me by the window and him beside me. During the nearly six-hour flight we’d be passing Liam back and forth.
For the most part, Liam was an excellent baby, but flights weren’t his favorite. I was convinced the pressure hurt his ears and I didn’t know whether it was still hormones, or what, but every time he cried then I cried which made Mathias look on helplessly.
After a few minutes Hayes turned around and looked at us. “Any idea when the others are getting here?”
Mathias shook his head. “Knowing Maddox we’ll be lucky if this flight takes off tomorrow morning.”
I elbowed him. “Your brother isn’t that bad.”
He narrowed that silvery gaze on me. “Are we talking about the same person? Maddox can’t be on time to save himself. If he had a rap name it would be Sir-Late-A-Lot.”
Up front Hayes snorted. “Good one.”
All of a sudden a noise erupted from Liam that no person should ever make. The toxic smell permeated the air seconds later. I passed Liam over to Mathias before he could blink. With a wide smile I batted my eyes. “Change his diaper. That’ll help you pass the time.”
His lips pinched with the threat of a smile. Grabbing the diaper bag, he headed to the private bathroom to change the baby. I heard him singing to Liam as he changed him, something he did often because Liam loved when his daddy sang to him.
By the time Mathias returned with Liam, sitting down once more, a black Escalade pulled up by the plane. Workers hurried to load everything onto the plane, and finally, Maddox, Emma, baby Willow, Ezra and Sadie walked on.
The plane became chaotically loud with the new arrivals. Maddox, Emma, and the baby took the seats beside us on the opposite side of the plane, with Sadie and Ezra in front of them.
Twenty minutes later we finally had the all clear to take off.
Mathias took my hand, squeezing it, Liam already passed out asleep in his arms.
Leaning my head on my husband’s shoulder, I let out a breath.
Home. We were going home.
3
Sadie
The plane touched down at the local Winchester airport.
“W-What’s happening?” Maddox shouted, jolting awake behind me.
Emma said something to him, but I couldn’t hear what.
Beside me, Ezra flashed me a sleepy smile. His dark curls tumbling over his forehead. I reached over, pushing them back to look into his warm eyes. “Hi.”
He grinned. “Hi, beautiful.”
“Did you have a good nap?”
He chuckled, stretching his arms above his head. “Yeah, sorry I fell asleep.”
I waved a dismissive hand. “I don’t care. I was busy researching.” He eyed the stack of fashion magazines. “Research,” I reiterated.
His laugh was warm and husky. He gave my knee a squeeze. “Whatever you want to call it.”
Okay, so maybe I did have a tad bit of a shopping addiction, but I also owned a clothing boutique. Research was necessary.
I stood up, moving around Ezra to grab my coat. Shrugging it on, I looked out the window at the light dusting of snow and more flakes falling from the night sky. I wrinkled my nose. I wasn’t looking forward to the cold. The warmth of California was definitely far more appealing. Still, this was home.
Ezra and I deplaned first. Not having kids helped us do things a lot faster than the others.
Ezra took my hand, his warm palm enveloping mine since I hadn’t bothered with gloves.
We hopped in his waiting Escalade, already warmed, courtesy of someone who worked at the airport. I’m sure this wasn’t something done for most people, but the members of Willow Creek weren’t most people.
We didn’t say much as he drove us home to his little cottage. I knew he was still tired and I was more than ready to go to bed myself. Traveling always wore me out.
He took his time driving though on the snowy roads, more specks falling so blindingly fast now that I was certain we were watching the opening credits of Star Wars.
When he turned onto the back road that led back to his house—our house, I corrected myself—I let out a breath of relief.
Somehow, despite the two years we’d been together now, and our engagement I had a hard time referring to it as mine too.
