I shoot him one back of my own, letting him know I’m one step ahead of him. Drama session is already scheduled in my brain.
“Okay,” Austin says. “Are we ready to put stuff on the tree?”
Jasper turns away from Arlo to look at Austin. “Yeah. Still can’t believe you all tricked me into coming to decorate a Christmas tree. I thought I was getting dinner.”
I glare at him for a second, then look at the empty bowl sitting to his left. “Is that not dinner?”
“Okay,” he concedes. “I didn’t know it wasn’tjustdinner.”
“I think decorating is fun,” Arlo says, putting the finishing touches on his snowman before picking up a marker and writing his initials on the bottom.
“It is for sure,” Jasper rushes to assure him.
Austin and I share another look, and I almost burst into laughter when he raises an eyebrow.What the fuck is that about?
I lift my shoulder just enough for him to notice and no one else.I have no idea.
“Okay.” I clap, getting everyone’s attention. “Let’s get this shit on the tree.”
It’s really not as big as what I’m used to, but it’smine.I boughtit with my own money, and I’m so incredibly proud of that.
Arlo jumps up, a huge smile on his face. Jasper, still staring at him like a damn weirdo, joins him, carrying his small stack of decorations.
We take turns putting them on the tree. Arlo and I have the best placement, but Austin and Jasper do about as well as I expected them to. By the time we’re done, it’s pretty well covered.
“Lights now,” I say.
Austin shuts off the living room light, then plugs in the multi-colored string lights I bought to put on the tree. The pretty lights do exactly what I hoped they would—bathe the living room in soft, colorful lighting. It feels nostalgic and homey, and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face if I tried.
“Wow,” Arlo says, bumping his shoulder against mine. “We did hella good.”
“We really did.” I glance at him. “Do you have plans for Christmas?”
I used to do a massive dinner for Damien’s work friends. It was always so strange. I spent the entire day cooking and cleaning and getting the house presentable, and when they all arrived, I was to be seen and not heard.
I’m so fucking tired of Damien’s bullshit being so many of my memories. It’s time for new ones. Period.
“No, I don’t have any family here.”
“What about you, Jasper?” I ask, eyeing him.
Something flashes across his face, but I don’t know him well enough to know what it was. “Nope. Just my mom, and we don’t talk much. At all, really.”
A pang hits my heart. God, I’d give anything to spend the holidays with my parents again. “Do you guys wanna come for Christmas?I’ll make dinner, and we can exchange gifts.”
“I’d love to,” Jasper says quickly as Arlo mumbles his agreement as well.
“Okay. Perfect.”
Austin wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me to him. “I’m excited to spend Christmas with you, baby.”
I raise on my tiptoes and plant my lips on his cheek. “Same.”
“Anyone down for a movie?” Austin asks.
I’m expecting the two of them to turn it down, but they don’t, and we all settle on the couch to watch something.
We really need to at least get an armchair if we’re planning on hosting more get-togethers like this.
