“Nah,” I said, pulling him tighter into my body.
“But it’s Christmas.”
I let out a long sigh, releasing him when he squirmed and tried to get up. The next fuckin’ thing I knew, I had a phone in my face and my brother staring right back at me. I sure as hell didn’t want to talk to anyone, and now Danny was makin’ me do a video call. It was a good thing I liked him so much.
“You answered!” Crawler said. His rumbly laugh filtered through the phone, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Oh shit! Keys wasn’t kidding when he said you met someone. Carol! Come here. You’re never gonna believe this. Our big bro is fuckin’ smiling!!”
Then my oldest sister’s face filled the screen, her eyes bright with amusement.
“I’d always hoped I’d see it one day,” she said wistfully.
“See what?” I asked, brow twisted up in confusion.
“The day you finally let go and found your happiness. I wanna meet him. Is he there?” She looked around as if she could actually see beyond my screen. I rolled my eyes at her.
My gaze met Danny’s, who was still holding the phone. His face said he was damn happy to be witnessing this exchange.
“Go on,” I told him, pulling him back down. I grabbed the phone so my family could see both of us.
The image looking back at us was now full of faces. All of my siblings were there, and a little ache pinched in my chest. I knew I didn’t have anyone but myself to blame, but damn, it still hurt.
My nieces and nephews were growing up so fast. My sisters and brothers looked settled in their lives and happy. That was all I’d ever wanted for them.
So, then, maybe it was my turn.
“This is Danny,” I told my family, then proceeded to introduce him to everyone who was trying to crowd into the frame.
Danny laughed, told them “Merry Christmas” and chatted a bit. He basically charmed them like he’d charmed me, and I could tell they all loved him instantly.
Maybe one day, we could all get together in person.
But, wait, I was getting ahead of myself.
“Alright,” I said, feeling a bit emotionally overwhelmed. “Have the kids send me pics of what they got for Christmas. We’re gonna go. Love y’all.”
I let them get out their goodbyes before I ended the video.
“That was nice,” Danny said, placing a kiss on my shirt right over my heart.
“It was,” I easily agreed.
Well, here went nothin’.
Either I opened myself up, or I’d regret it for the rest of my life.
I couldn’t let him go tomorrow, I just fuckin’ couldn’t.
Clearing my throat, I stared real hard at the dancing flame sittin’ in the middle of the candle.
“So, uh, what’s next for you?” I asked, and hated myself when I felt him go stiff at my side.
“Oh, well, I need to find a place to live. I think I should have enough money for a down payment with the last few weeks’ income, which should drop into my account in two days, and the money you got back for me. Jayden said I could crash with him and his boyfriend for a bit while I figure out where I actually want to move to. Might do that.” He paused. “Thank you for getting my money back, by the way. And for letting me stay.”
“Well, what if…”
“What if…?” He turned to face me, blinking at me as he waited for me to spit it out.
Rejection was a scary thing. I really hoped he wouldn’t think I was off my rocker. We’d barely known each other for a week, and the circumstances surrounding how we met were… well, to put it frankly, really fuckin’ weird. Was it fate? Or was I just wishing that there was more between us than there was?
