“Wait…you’re a part of Double C?”
Cassie’s smile grows. “You bet your cute ass, I am. And its technical name is Computare Caterva. Remember that, you’re going to need to know it.”
I look at Ace, and he simply grins down at me. “Julia Brooks, as the current sitting president of Computare Caterva, it is my honor to offer you an official initiation to be vice president.”
“You’re joking,” I say with big, shocked eyes.
Ace shakes his head and leans down to press a kiss to my lips. “So…what do you say, VP? Want to run the world with me?”
I grab the center of his cloak and pull him back toward me to kiss him hard. “Hell yes, I do.”
“Happy Birthday, Lia,” he says, and I kiss him with the power of every kiss we’ve missed out on until now.
Man, Ace Kelly sure knows how to make all this girl’s dreams come true.
Wednesday, December 24th
Ace
There’s something about the smell of a real Christmas tree that makes you feel like a kid again.
Pine and cinnamon. Wrapping paper and sugar cookies. Laughter and something soft playing on the speaker—probably Nat King Cole, because Wendy Winslow doesn’t allow modern Christmas music under her roof.
The lake house is glowing and packed to the fucking brim. A fire crackles from under the mantel, and everyone is bunched into the living room with blankets and fuzzy socks and Christmas-themed pajamas.
All the Winslows. All the Hayeses. Blake and Lexi. Scottie and Finn. Lexi’s parents and my parents and Julia’s parents, and of course, Jules and me. I don’t know how this lake house manages to fit all these fucking people, but it’s like Mary Poppins’s bag.
We’re all passing out presents and drinking from mugs of hot chocolate and just enjoying the ambiance that is Christmas Eve.
Blake’s wearing antlers, while Gunnar keeps trying to hang an ornament from one.
My mom is snapping photos like she’s been hired by a magazine.
Julia’s curled up near the tree, her legs tucked under her, our dog asleep across her feet.
And Scottie is in her wheelchair, grinning at something Finn whispered to her, cheeks flushed with that kind of fierce, quiet joythat makes you pause mid-sip of cocoa and remember life is big and beautiful and fragile.
I move toward Julia—let’s be real, it’s my favorite hobby—and settle in next to her and Yoko as Scottie wheels herself into the middle of the room and says, “Okay. I have one more present.”
Everyone turns to look with astonishing quickness. She’s been working so hard since her surgery with Dr. Nick, both physically and mentally, and all of us have enjoyed watching her like the gift it is.
I’m a mentally tough fucker, but Scottie outpaces me any day. She’s as tough as they fucking come.
Finn rises like he’s about to help her, but Scottie lifts a hand.
“No,” she says. “Just…watch.”
And then…
She stands.
Scottie fucking stands up!
With one hand braced on the armrest of her chair, she pushes herself upright until she’s fully standing. Silence falls like snow across the room, shock and awe and outright surprise robbing the energy we’d otherwise use for noise.
I wait with bated breath, Julia’s fingernails clawing my arm like talons, as Scottie takes two steps on slightly wobbly feet before she grabs Finn’s outstretched arms for support.
Julia’s eyes are wide and brimming with tears, and I feel a scream building in a very violently loud place in my throat. I hold it—but I know it’s going to pop out soon.
