Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 188

Misty

My friend still held my daughter, who was attached to her like a monkey. I watched her inhale deeply, her eyes shot open, and she stared right back at me, an unspoken question in her eyes. I just nodded. Her eyes panned to Beck. He nodded also. Her beautiful face faltered for a moment as Carter stepped next to her. They shared a look, something passing between them before she plastered a smile on her face, covering up her shock.

“Misty! Oh, how I’ve missed you!” she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hold with Cricket sandwiched between us. “I’m so happy you are here!” She said, kissing each of our cheeks. I pulled her as close as Cricket would allow. Adelaide was home to me. I had realized it while watching her on the cameras on my computer, I would never be happy with her so far away. I let a deep breath out, damn, how I missed this woman. We stayed that way for a long moment. When we pulled apart I dragged Cricket off Briar. I looked up just as her eyes met Becks. She threw her arms around him in a hug, he lifted her off her feet in a bear hug.

“It’s good to see you, you old fart,” she teased and I about choked on my own saliva. I had a lot to tell her. 

“Thank you so much, for taking care of my girls,” she said as he set her down. I glanced over at Carter who eyed the exchange carefully, as if studying the dynamic. He seemed amused by her comment and relaxed instantly.

“Come on everyone is inside, we are getting the snacks ready for the movie.”

“Movie?” Cricket asked as she took Briar’s hand.

“Of course Peanut, it’s tradition. Come on, I got your PJs ready kiddo,” she said, as she led Cricket up stairs. I gave Beck a look as he followed Carter past a gaggle of kids and adults into the kitchen while I jogged up the stairs to catch up to Ads and Cricket. Christmas movie night had been a tradition with us since before Cricket could walk. Ads always stayed over Christmas Eve and helped me entertain her and wrap up the last gifts. Not to mention the mess of cookie crumbs and half drank hot chocolate. Last year when her mom was sick she spiked the eggnog and passed out on the couch after one too many and us dancing and singing christmas songs till well after midnight. She had left right after Cricket opened her presents to head home to her mom and Jake who was visiting. I should have realized then how bad she was hurting. It was also the last time she saw Jake.

I followed the sounds of crinkling paper into a guest room, to see Cricket holding up a pair of My Little Pony Christmas PJs. 

“OMG! Auntie Ads I love them!” Cricket exclaimed and Briar smiled big at her. Cricket went quiet for a moment as I stood in the doorway.

“I don’t know what to call you anymore, you changed your name,” she admitted.

“I see the dilemma,” Adelaide said. “How about this, you decide, only you, your mom and Beck can call me Adelaide but it might confuse some people, so you can decide to call me Auntie Briar, Auntie B, whatever is comfortable. Just know others will be confused if you use Adelaide, for you I will answer to all of them,” she promised.

“Auntie B…” Cricket tested the name.

“It might take some getting used to, how about you play around with it and decide for sure later?” Briar offered to take the strain of deciding in the moment off her little shoulders.

“Ok! Auntie B,” Cricket said.

“How about you get in those jammies so we can get this party started,” Briar suggested. I suppose I needed to get used to this too. Adaleide was such a pretty name, but pretty didn’t define my friend in the same sense it used too. I suppose it never really did, how she appeared on the outside was an artfully created mask of all that she was on the inside. She had murdered for me, and now she had fangs and claws and two packs of wolves beneath her. She had the biggest heart but god couldn’t save anyone who had done her loved ones wrong. She sat on the bed and patted it so I took the spot beside her. She looped an arm around my waist and I rested my head on her shoulder.

“It’ll all work out Misty,” she promised. 

“You’re not mad I kept it from you?”

“No, I wouldn’t have believed Carter had he not shifted in front of me. I wasn’t ready to know back then. Life is funny that way,” she said simply.

It was a shame she had had to go through so much to find out who she was. Cricket took that moment to rush in.

“Give us a spin.” Briar insisted. Cricket spun with a big ass grin on her face.

Briar stood. “Let’s go see what the guys are up to and introduce you two to everyone,” she said, taking our hands and leading us downstairs. She introduced Cricket to the kids who looked at her curiously but in a few moments they were all coloring at the coffee table, supervised by a brunette and a tiny blonde with rainbow highlights.  Once the kids were settled, we made our way to the kitchen. Carter was at the stove popping an ungodly amount of popcorn, and I caught Beck with his hand in a plate of cookies. I giggled inwardly. The man was a sugar junkie. I siddled up to him as the three women and their men turned to Briar and me. 

“This is Amber, Cloe, and Tessa. Blaze, Rodrick, and Cline. She motioned to the three couples milling about. “You’ve met Carter, guys, this is my bestie Misty, the brains behind the scenes, and this is Beck, the brawn,” she said. Everyone was looking at him, and he was caught with a cookie in his mouth. He blushed, and I suppressed a snort. For such an oppressive-looking man, he was just a big teddy bear under it all, unless you crossed him or someone he decided to place under his protection. Those damn butterflies fluttered in my stomach along with the need to come clean to him.

“Popcorn is done!” Carter announced, holding up a stock pot full of the stuff. 

Briar grinned.

“That’s your cue,” she told the parents. Amber passed the baby on her hip to Briar giving her a kiss on her soft, dark hair. The baby cuddled into Briar contentedly. She was a natural with kids. She would be a great mom.

“Thank you guys so much,” Cleo said before whispering. “I haven’t wrapped a damn thing,” before she, along with the others, went to kiss and hug their kids goodbye.