Holidays With the Walker Brothers by Nicole Edwards

out of the parking spot.
    “It’s
been a while,” Jessie added from the backseat with V.
    “Wouldn’t
that be awesome? For it to snow on Christmas?” Zoey asked, staring out the
window as they accelerated onto the interstate and into Austin.
    “I’m
all for the snow, but I could do without the cold,” Jessie explained.
    “Not
sure you can have one without the other,” V added with a chuckle.
    “Sure
you can,” Zoey told them, turning to peer over the seat at the two women in the
back.
    Kylie
glanced over quickly but then focused on the road. “How’s that possible?”
    “Remember
that one year when the twins rented that snow machine?”
    V
barked out a laugh, which in turn, made Kylie laugh.
    “Oh,
Lord. Let’s hear it,” Jessie instructed the two women.
    Stories
about the twins and their mischief never ceased to amaze Kylie. And every time
she turned around, it seemed as though there was another one ready to be told.
And now that Jessie was dating Brendon – although she claimed it wasn’t
anything as serious as dating – there were tons more to be heard.
    “I’m
pretty sure their parents had no idea they’d rented it,” V began.
    “Not
that it would’ve mattered one way or another,” Zoey added.
    “So,
they took the ice machine up to the high school. Keep in mind, they had
graduated years before.”
    Zoey
laughed. “But Zane was a senior that year.”
    Kylie
could actually imagine how this would’ve played out.
    “I’m
not sure how they managed to get into the school, but they did. And they set up
this snow machine in the cafeteria of all places,” V explained.
    “It
was the day before winter break,” Zoey continued. “I’m sure they had someone on
the inside helping them, although that person never did come forward.”
    “Needless
to say, it took a while to get all of that cleaned up. And yes, it must’ve had
the twins’ signature all over it because Zane was called out on it.”
    “Did
they suspend him?” Jessie asked, sounding eager to hear more.
    “Oh,
no. Zane, despite the fact that he was a wild one, was a straight A student. He
never did get in trouble for it.”
    “Did
their parents find out?” Jessie questioned.
    “Of
course,” Zoey said with a giggle. “Curtis gave them props for being creative.”
    The
four of them were still laughing when Kylie pulled the truck into the parking
lot of the mall.
    Based
on how their morning had gone so far, she had high hopes for what the rest of
the day would bring. But she wasn’t all that convinced she’d find a gift that
would stun Travis or Gage.

Chapter Ten
    ♂♀♂
    Gage
     
    How
in the world did he not know that Kylie was planning to come to the mall?
    Gage
disappeared into one of the stores and watched as Kylie walked past with Zoey,
Jessie and V all in tow. Keeping his eyes on the women, Gage snagged his phone
out of his pocket and shot a short text to Travis: Did you know K was
coming to the mall today?
    Figuring
he wouldn’t hear back from Travis right away because he was meeting with his
brothers, Gage slipped his phone into his pocket and then headed back out into
the crowded mall, smiling at the confused saleswoman in the store he just
vacated.
    His
phone buzzed in his pocket, and he grabbed it, making sure to stay camouflaged
in the horde of shoppers who were moving from one window to the next, probably
in search of that perfect gift for their loved one.
    No
    His
fingers flying over the letters, Gage responded: Remember that fantasy of hers?
    Gage
slipped behind an older man and his wife when Kylie and her crew stopped to
peer into one of the stores just a few yards in front of him.
    Fuck.
I’ll be there in ten.
    Gage
grinned to himself. Apparently Travis’ priorities were slightly different from
his brothers. He could imagine the scene now, Travis rushing out the door and
leaving all of his brothers behind in their kitchen. And if Gage knew Travis,
he didn’t take the time for pleasantries.
    Ten
minutes