He sets down his sandwich, looking out the window before meeting my eyes again. “If you want me there, I can be there.”
“I mean, yeah,” I say, trying to keep it casual, like it’s no big deal. “No pressure or anything. You can totally stay home and enjoy… whatever sad meal you’d have by yourself.”
He raises a brow, his lips twitching with amusement. “Sad meal?”
I shrug. “You just give off frozen pizza energy.”
He smirks but doesn’t answer right away. And I start to worry I’ve pushed too hard. Serena’s told me before that Thanksgiving isn’t exactly his favorite holiday. Something about it always seems to pull him back into himself, making him a little more distant than usual. Not in a bad way, just in that ‘I need space but don’t know how to ask for it’ kind of way. And the last thing I want is to make things weird or add more pressure to whatever he’s already dealing with.
But after what feels like forever, he finally nods. “I’d love to join you. Plus, I could go fortamales.”
I laugh, crossing my arms. “Oh, I see how it is. You’re just in it for the food.”
He shrugs, all cocky now. And I recognize the faint gleam in his eyes. “If thetamalesare as good as they were at Victoria’s party, maybe.”
“Just don’t tell my mom that. She’ll never let you leave without taking it to go.”
His smile eases as he leans back onto the blanket. “Could be worse.”
The conversation drifts back into safer territory after that; we talk about school, make jokes about the rain, anything except the heavier stuff. I can tell he’s trying to keep things lighthearted, and I’m okay with that.
By the time we finish eating, the rain paces down to a slow drizzle, and I’m packing up the leftovers when Jared turns to me, his expression serious.
“Alli, about Thanksgiving… I really appreciate you inviting me.”
“Of course,” I say, giving him a small smile.
He stutters and mumbles, almost like he’s choosing his words carefully. “Do you know why I hate Thanksgiving?”
I shake my head, letting him continue.
“When I was younger…” He pauses, like he’s debating whether or not to continue. I wait, giving him the space he needs. “My first visit to the family center was on Thanksgiving morning. My dad dropped me off because he forgot to… pick me up from a friend’s house the night before. I didn’t even know about my mom’s addiction back then, not really. But that day, it hit me like a brick. The rehab, the broken promises. The whole day just… ruined.”
I don’t know what to say at first, so I don’t rush to fill the silence. I just let it be, let him process.
“I’m sorry, Jared,” I say finally, my voice careful as my heart aches. “That’s… that’s a lot.”
He shrugs, but it’s a half-hearted attempt at brushing it off. “Yeah, well, it’s in the past. But it’s why I’ve always hated the holiday. Everyone’s gathered around their perfect tables, with their perfect families, and I… never had that. At least not until Lina and Serena came into our lives. Even with them trying so hard, I still feel like an outsider. Like I’m just borrowing a seat at someone else’s table. It helps—don’t get me wrong—but it doesn’t erase all the years I spent hating this time of year.
I take a step closer, my hand resting lightly on his arm. “You’re not alone. Maybe it’s not the kind of family you imagined, but you’ve got people. Your dad, Lina, the twins, Serena, and your team. And if you come to Thanksgiving with me, I promise we’ll make sure you feel like you belong.”
He meets my eyes, and for a second, his mask slips. Something in his blue eyes shifts, drawing me in despite the warning bells going off in my head.
“Alli…” His voice is rough, like he’s struggling to keep it together. “I don’t know if that’s possible. The holidays are hard for me.”
I shake my head, standing firm. “I know. But you deserve something nice, Jared.”
He presses his lips together and nods, silence taking over the room again. His eyes travel down to my lips, and I feel that familiar thrill on my chest. And then, as quickly as it came, the moment passes. Jared swallows hard, stepping back slightly, like he’s regaining control of himself.
“Thanks, Alli. For being… you.”
I offer him a smile, though my heart’s still racing. “Don’t mention it.”
As we clean up, I feel his eyes on me, and when I look up, there's something unreadable in his expression, like he’s still holding back. I step closer, brushing my hand against his arm.
“You know I’m here, right? For whatever you need.”
“Yeah, I know.” He kisses my forehead.
