Lucy protests my words, but I just give her a tighter squeeze.
“Mack.” Britt’s smooth voice is full of mischief. I’m sure I’ll hear about this for years to come, and no doubt she’ll try to pry the details from me later.
“Britt.” He clears his throat. “Nice to see you.”
She smiles brightly, holding up the newest addition to the family. “And this little peanut is Bentley.”
For a moment, I think Jordan’s going to hightail it out of here. He looks like a deer in headlights. But he shakes it off just as Austen rounds the bend.
“Mack! Hey!”
Jordan relaxes, and I breathe easier as they hug and Austendragshim over to the couch to sit with Christian.
“Very good friend, huh?” Britt says with humor.
“Don’t start with me; it’s Christmas,” I huff out as I set Lucy down and head for the kitchen.
Britt says nothing, but I feel her grinning gaze on me like a fire.
I’m starting to get overwhelmed with all the pots and pans, and I can’t remember what the timer that just went off was for. I start to panic when I see Austen standing at the island with a sympathetic look on his face.
“Need some help?” he asks carefully.
“Physically or mentally?” I ask.
He laughs, and I can’t help but feel like things are different with us, too. Since he filed for divorce, he’s been a whole different person.
It hits me all over again, and I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. My brother being in love with his best friend. My brother beingnot straight.My brotherupendinghis life. Divorce isn’t easy no matter the circumstance, but I can’t say I’m not happy to see him leave Savannah. I never could stand her, and she treated him like shit. I know, that’s the pot calling the kettle fucking black over here, but I digress.
“You can, uh… start the gravy?” I ask.
He nods and without question, heads for the stove to whisk it.
We chat about his move, about the progress of the building he bought. About hisshitty little apartment,and I can’t deny he sounds happy. The sounds of the game and hollers echo from the living room. When I look up, I see Jordan and Christian tearing their hair out as Britt rolls her eyes, Bentley in her arms. Lucy and Sarah are giggling as they chase one another up and down the hall. My heart thumps, and I feel the strangest swell of tears prickling the edges of my eyes.
This is what this house was supposed to be. Full of life. Love. Family.
“You okay?” Austen asks as he grabs the bowl of mashed potatoes.
“Yeah,” I say, my voice shaking. I shove off the emotion, not wanting weepy Alex to ruin the mood. When I look up, Austen is looking at me with a knowing gaze.
“Okay.”
When I turn my head, I see Jordan is watching me with an equally odd gaze.
I shove the vicious hope aside and announce with a smile that dinner is ready.
It’s an absolute frenzy getting the girls seated and still. I offer to watch Bentley so Britt can eat, but she tells me to go pound salt, and I know better than to argue with her. Once she gets Bentley down in the pack ‘n play, she joins us.
The sun shines through the window, catching the chandelier and everything shines brighter.
Kearstin shows up for dessert. The girls open their presents after dinner, and I get dirty looks from both Britt and Christian because I went overboard. I always do, and that’s not going to change.
Austen is the first to leave, since he wants to drive through the night to get back to New York. I told him he could stay here, but he likes his alone time. He’s always been like that.
It’s nearing eight when Britt and Christian are ready to go. Lucy is passed out on me while Christian carries Sarah out to the car. I carefully get Lucy into her seat while he does the same with Sarah.
“Thanks for having us, Alex,” Christian says awkwardly.
