Worth the Fall (Sugar Mountain #1)

THANKFUL FOR THIS FAMILY

brOOKLYN

I walked into Mr. O’Grady’s home and instantly felt like I was part of the family. The last time I’d been here was a bit chaotic, to say the least. Thomas and I had made a scene, storming out, making out, and then declaring that we were a couple before leaving for the night.

This was different. All the O’Grady men were already in the house, split between the kitchen and the living room, which was blasting a traditional Thanksgiving Day football game, each one with a beer close by.

“Mr. O’Grady, can I help?” I offered as I slid into his kitchen and put the pies in the refrigerator.

“What’d you bring?” he turned and asked, his blue eyes shining. He’d gifted all of his sons with those eyes.

“Sweet Life pies. Pumpkin and apple crisp.”

“They do make the best desserts.” He winked before focusing back on the task in front of him, which included a hand mixer and the biggest pot I’d ever seen in my life.

“What are you making?” I tried to peek over his shoulder, but he stood on his toes and blocked my view, moving his shoulders every time I tried to maneuver around him.

I’d seen Mr. O’Grady at the resort a hundred times, but he’d never been playful. I liked this side of him. It was sweet and unexpected.

“These are my secret mashed potatoes, woman. Out before you steal my recipe.” He pointed toward the other room.

“Don’t let him fool you.” Matthew suddenly appeared and pulled me in for a hug. “He stole the recipe from Addison, and now, he claims it as his own.”

At the mention of her name, I heard a chair squeak against the wood floor. Looking toward the sound, I saw Patrick trying to hide what looked like hurt. I tried to change the subject because just seeing the expression on his face made me ache for him.

“I forgot to ask, what does Mrs. Green do for Thanksgiving?” I was suddenly feeling horribly rude that we hadn’t asked her to come with us.

“She has a group of friends that she eats with every year,” Thomas said from the couch.

I was grateful that she wasn’t alone. I liked her. Even though it had taken me two weeks to convince her to stop making dinner for us each night.

I didn’t technically live with Thomas and Clara yet, but I was there so much that the majority of my clothes were in the her part of Thomas’ his and her closets. And whenever I did go back to my rented condo, I basically had nothing to wear.

Anyway, I wanted dinnertime at the house to be something that the three of us did together. Either we failed spectacularly at trying to make something edible or succeeded with gusto. Mrs. Green had finally agreed to make only two meals a week. I had taken it as a win, especially since my capacity for cooking was limited to about four things. The rest was a crapshoot.

The O’Grady house was bursting with love. You could quite literally feel it in the air. It was a beautiful thing to be surrounded by such masculinity and softness at the same time. Here were all these men, racing around the house, trying to make the day special for not only Clara, but also for each other. I would have envied their familial bond if I wasn’t now a part of it.

“I’m going to step outside and call my parents real quick. Wish them a happy Thanksgiving and see what Florida thing they’re doing this year,” I announced before Thomas crooked his finger at me.

Walking over to the couch where he was seated, I bent down and gave him a kiss before he whispered, “Tell them I said hello and happy Thanksgiving and that they should come out next year.”

Next year.

My heart pounded with the declaration.

“I will,” I said before pushing open the door and walking into the brisk air, Jasper hot on my heels. He ran off and then promptly returned to my side.

The seasons were changing, and I knew the first snow was going to fall soon. That was something that Sugar Mountain taught you when you grew up here. It let you know when it was going to snow, giving you at least a little bit of warning before it did. The air took on a completely different feeling, and I swore that you could almost smell it before it started falling. I gave it less than a week.

After chatting with my parents, who were driving down to some tiny Florida island for fish instead of turkey, I headed back inside. The kitchen table had been transformed in my short absence. There were holiday place mats and a vase of fall flowers I hadn’t seen before in the center. Each place setting had a glass of wine or a beer in front of it with the exception of what I assumed was Clara’s seat. There was a fancy wine goblet, filled with what looked to be apple cider. I’d seen the bottle in the kitchen earlier.

“I hurried while you were outside.” Clara beamed up at me, and I realized that she had most likely been the one to set the table.

“You really do have a good eye for decorating,” I complimented.

She clapped her hands. “I knew you’d like it.”

Mr. O’Grady placed some bowls and dishes on top of the table before announcing, “It’s ready. Grab your seats, scoundrels.”

I giggled right along with Clara as she reached for my hand and pulled me toward the seats that she had decided were ours. She was on my left, and Thomas sat down on my right, instantly putting his hand on my thigh and giving it a squeeze. Matthew and Patrick sat across from us, and Mr. O’Grady would eventually be sitting at the head of the table, if he ever stopped moving.

“Should we help your dad?” I asked.

Thomas rolled his eyes. “He doesn’t let us.”

“Calls us lazy, but then tells us to sit down. It’s very confusing.” Matthew pretended to be offended.

“I’m old, not deaf,” Mr. O’Grady said as he carried a giant platter of freshly carved turkey with both hands. Once he put it on the table, he pulled out his chair and sat, reaching for his glass of wine and taking a small sip.

Clara cupped her mouth and leaned toward me. “This is my favorite part,” she whispered, and I found myself getting just as excited as she was, even though I didn’t know what was coming.

Mr. O’Grady cleared his throat. “Welcome to the family, Brooklyn. We’re happy to have you here,” he said, and I felt my eyes start to mist over for no good reason. “We have a tradition in our family where we go around the table and say what we’re thankful for. And since you’re new, we’re putting you on the spot and making you go first.”

Damn.

Thomas could have at least warned me so that I could have prepared a little speech or something. I gave him a dirty look before glancing down at Clara softly, who was looking up at me with those big brown eyes.

“I wasn’t expecting this, but it’s a nice tradition. Without sounding cheesy, I’m thankful for every one of you,” I said before sucking in a quick breath. “A year ago, I would have never thought that this was where I’d be. I’m so thankful for my job at the resort. For my boyfriend.” I gave Thomas’s hand a squeeze under the table. “For my best friend.” I looked right at Clara as I said it, and she grinned so big that it made my heart swell. “Thank you for making me feel like part of the family.”

“Cheers,” everyone said as soon as I finished, and we each took a sip from our respective drinks.

“Me next!” Clara raised her hand, and everyone suddenly grew quiet. “I’m thankful for my Pops,” she said, looking at him and smiling. “And my uncle Matthew.” She gave him a silly look, and he grinned like she’d just told him that he was her favorite. “I’m thankful for Uncle Patrick, my room at his house, and our new doggy, Jasper. I really do love him,” she said with a smile, and I noticed Jasper lying under the table, completely unbothered, even though his ears perked at the mention of his name. “I’m thankful for my daddy ’cause he’s the best daddy in the whole world.” She leaned forward so that she could see him before she focused her attention on me. “And I’m thankful for Miss Brooklyn the Waffle Princess, who I want to be my mama someday.”

There were a couple of audible inhales at the table, but I had no idea who they had come from. I could barely hear anything over the sound of my heart beating.

“I already have a mom. My real mom. But I thought that you could be my mama, and that would make me real thankful,” she continued explaining. She’d clearly given this a lot of thought.

I bent down toward her. “I’d like that,” I said to her like it was a secret between us two, even though the entire table was watching us.

A tear fell, and I quickly wiped it away. I felt Thomas squeeze my thigh once more, but I couldn’t bear to look at him. I knew I’d never stop crying if I did.

“Did I make you sad?” Clara asked as she wiped at another tear falling down my cheek with her little finger.

“No. You made me real happy.”

Mr. O’Grady cleared his throat to either get out the emotion clogging his throat or our attention. I wasn’t sure which. “I’ll go next,” he announced. “I’m thankful for this family. For how it’s growing and how strong it is. I’m thankful that you boys stand up for what’s right and that you have each other. I’m thankful that little Clarabel has the biggest heart out of all of us. And, Brooklyn, I’m thankful that you’ve come into our lives. It was getting a little too masculine in here,” he said with a gruff laugh before raising his glass.

“I’m thankful for my good looks,” Matthew started without being asked, and we all laughed. I almost choked on the liquid as it went down my throat. “You laugh, but I mean it. I am thankful that I’m so damn handsome. And that I have the best brothers any guy could ever ask for. I’m thankful that I have the coolest niece on the planet. The best dad in the world.” His voice cracked a little, and he stopped for a second. “I’m thankful that Brooklyn came around and got this guy to stop being so grumpy all the time. I’m not sure I can even call him Grumps anymore, but I probably still will.” He smiled as he looked at Thomas, and he reached for his beer. “Happy for you, brother.”

“And you’re thankful for beer, Uncle Matthew,” Clara added with a giggle, just like she’d said this morning at the house.

“I’m definitely thankful for beer,” he agreed as he took a giant gulp and gave Patrick a nod that told him it was his turn to go.

“I’m thankful for Jasper,” Patrick said. “I didn’t know how much I needed him, but I feel like he saved my life.”

“Damn, bro.” Matthew clapped his back.

“It’s true. I don’t know what I’d do without that dog.” He swallowed hard. “And I’m thankful for all of you. I love you guys.” He reached for his beer and took a sip.

It suited Patrick to make his list short and to the point. Plus, I could tell he was hurting without Addison. I thought we all could. No one pushed him to say more though, and I was grateful that they didn’t.

“Daddy’s turn!” Clara shouted, and we all focused on Thomas.

His blue eyes swung to mine briefly, and I realized how deeply gone I was for this man.

“I’m thankful for everyone at this table. I would have never survived the last eight years without any of you. I’m thankful for my daughter, who is quite literally the light of my life. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Clarabel.”

Hearing this man talk about his daughter melted my heart. Every daughter wanted to be loved and adored by their dad, but it didn’t always happen that way. Thomas was a standard I felt like few men reached. It was a beautiful thing to witness.

“I’m thankful for you, Brooklyn. I never knew what I was missing. Honestly, I didn’t think I was missing anything really. Thought we were fine. But then you stepped into my office with a mouth full of as much fire as your hair, and my world was never the same again. I’m so damn thankful you took a chance on us, and I hope you never leave. I love you.” He said the words that made my heart leap in front of everyone before leaning over in his seat and planting a kiss right on my lips.

This man was always making a scene in front of his family. I melted into him, making my own scene as well.

“Okay, okay,” Mr. O’Grady gruffed as Clara clapped in her excited way, and Thomas and I broke apart. “Let’s eat, lovebirds. I’m starving.”

“Lovebirds,” Clara repeated with a giggle.

We ate until I felt like I couldn’t eat a single thing more. The food was delicious, the conversation loud and happy. I’d been hit with a realization that was so strong that it nearly bowled me over in my seat.

I wanted to be a part of this family forever.

I didn’t care if it was deemed too soon , or too fast , or too anything by people outside of this circle. This was where I belonged. The O’Gradys were perfectly chaotic, but they were mine. And I planned on keeping them for as long as they let me.