His laugh boomed through the speaker. “Man, it’s about time. I knew you’d finally give in one day.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Merry Christmas.” Zeke’s voice was warm and familiar, the kind of call I used to dread on Christmas—only now, I realized I was actually glad to hear it. “Are you surviving meeting the fam?”
I laughed, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah, I’m good. They’re all great. Definitely not the Christmas I’m used to, but in a good way.”
“Yeah, you and me both,” he said, his voice growing serious, and I realized this was also his first Christmas not alone. “I’m in a house full of people who care about me, and it’s weird but also in a good way. You know what I mean?”
I glanced over at the doorway, catching Belle’s eye through the open crack. She gave me a little smile, and I felt the weight of everything—my past, my present, and the future I was starting to see with her.
“I think I’m starting to,” I said softly.
“I’m really happy for you, Holden,” he said. “When you first told me about Belle, I hoped she would be the one to change things for you, to be the person Piper was for me.”
After the ski day with Belle, I’d called Zeke and told him everything, from meeting Belle, to finding out she was my cousin’s girlfriend, to spending time with her, to not being able to stop thinking about her. He’d been a little too excited and wanted to prove the whole “there’s something about her that’s different” theory—the one I’d tried to disagree with when he had wanted to pursue something with Piper—and I’d tried to discourage it. As much as I hated to be wrong, he had definitely been right. I’d just had to meet the right woman for me.
“Well, I just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing,” he said. “We miss you around here.”
“I miss you guys too,” I replied, feeling a warmth settle in my chest. “Thanks for being there, Zeke.”
It wasn’t like us to get all mushy with each other, butmaybe it was the newfound feeling of belonging, or maybe it was the Christmas spirit in the air, but it felt right to share what I was feeling.
“Anytime, my friend. Enjoy the day, okay? And don’t forget to take a picture with Belle’s family and send it to me. I have a feeling this will be a Christmas we talk about for years.”
“Will do. Merry Christmas, Zeke.”
“Merry Christmas, Holden. Talk soon.”
I hung up, feeling a little lighter after the call. It felt good knowing that even though I was starting something new with Belle, I was still connected to people like Zeke and Piper. And more recently Ryder and Quinn. That my circle of family was now growing.
Which made me think I should make a phone call. I pulled up the number and pressed the call button before I could talk myself out of it.
The line rang twice before I heard Maggie’s voice.
“Holden?” she answered, surprise threading through her voice. “Is everything all right?”
“Yeah,” I said quickly. “Yeah, everything’s good. I just…I wanted to call and wish you a Merry Christmas.”
“Oh.” Her voice softened. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”
I swallowed, suddenly unsure how to say what had been sitting in my chest for far too long. “I know I should’ve called earlier. And more often. I’ve been a crappy nephew.”
“Holden—”
“No, let me say this,” I interrupted gently. “I was so caught up in trying to stay distant, in protecting myself from getting too close to anyone, I think I forgot that you were always there. Even when no one else was.”
There was a quiet pause on the other end. Then she spoke, voice thick with emotion. “I never needed you to be anything more than yourself. I knew you were hurting, and I never stopped being proud of you.”
“Thank you,” I said, my throat tight. “For everything. For showing up when I needed someone—even when I didn’t know I did. I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.”
“You just did,” she said softly. “That’s more than enough.”
Tears stung my eyes at her constant kindness, and I hurried to blink them away.
“I’m glad you called,” she said. “Truly. You don’t know how much it means.”
It was the first time I’d ever called her on Christmas, and she didn’t hold it against me.
