“Seth’s joining?” Noel interrupted as he dragged Wyatt in behind him. I bit my tongue and let them be.
“I think that’s a great idea.” Matthias leaned against the doorway.
Seth looked around at us with worry written in his blue eyes. “You wouldn’t mind?”
Wyatt shook his head. “I know I wouldn’t. I’m still new to the group. Sometimes I have no clue what’s going on.”
“I’m in.” Seth smirked.
I clapped my hands, trying to alleviate some of the tension in the room. “Awesome. I’ll add you to the chat, boo. It’s going to be so much fun.”
“Not just the chat. Maverick, how soon can I move in?” Seth’s smirk spread into a wide grin, and I saw relief flood his face.
He had confided in me once how hard it was for him to make friends. That he had a rough childhood, but he never got into the details.
A strange noise escaped Noel’s throat. “Wait, what? Maverick, was that your idea?”
“Maybe.” He picked at a string on his sweater. “What? Stop staring at me. He’s Ezra’s friend, and I told him he should move in with us until he found his own place. What’s the big deal? It’s a big state.”
“Relax, Noel, I’m not after your man,” Seth assured him with a wink.
Wyatt blushed. “He’s not... Noel and I are just friends.”
“Are you sure you two aren’t sleeping together?” Holt asked before I had the chance. “We’re all thinking it, Noel. Don’t look at me like that.” He rested his chin on Seth’s head. “You smell nice,” he murmured, and Seth giggled.
Noel let out a long sigh before he let go of Wyatt’s hand. “No.” He grabbed one of the kitchen chairs and swung it around to sit down backwards.
“No? That’s all you’re going to give us?” Maverick gasped. “You suck. Like really fucking hard. I hope you know that.”
“Apparently not,” I muttered.
Holt started to giggle. I joined him, followed by Maverick. Seth covered his mouth and shook his head, and that’s when CC, Jackson, Killian, and Watts appeared in the doorway.
CC nudged Watts. “Look at them,” he murmured. “Just having their own party in here like we don’t even exist.”
“On Christmas, no less,” Jackson added. “Kind of rude.”
Killian leaned into his husband. “Merry Christmas, Daddy. Let’s go to bed.”
I glanced over at CC, who winked at me. I wiggled my fingers at him, and he moved into the room.
“Having fun, princess?” His amber eyes sparkled as they met mine.
“Yes,” I assured him. “So much.”
Watts leaned against the kitchen table. “I don’t suppose you want to go to bed now, H? I mean, I would hate to break up the WAGs.”
“I think I could handle that,” Holt teased as he slipped off the counter.
“How about you, sweetheart?” Jackson held out his hand for his husband, and Maverick moved to take it. “Miss me?”
Maverick leaned into him. “I always miss you when we’re not together, Goose,” he murmured.
Everyone slipped out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with CC. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me flush against his body. I rested my chin against his chest and smiled up at him as I hugged him tightly.
“Merry Christmas, Carson,” I whispered.
He leaned down to brush his lips against mine. “Merry Christmas, Ezra.”
