I sneak into the dining room where a man as tall as Tate, with tattoos on his neck stands near the window talking on the phone. He doesn’t notice me though, so I make my way around the table trying to read the little names. Some of them have letters in weird places.
I swap the name plates so that mom sits in between Tate and someone named Randall King. Mr Liam will have to sit on the other end by Dad instead.
There. Perfect.
“Hudson, what are you doing?” Dad asks as he follows Uncle Ronan in the room.
Crap.
Dad makes me switch the name plates back and Uncle Ronan mouths ‘Sorry’.
Later, the grownups start to laugh and talk loudly and we make our way into the dining room. Me and Matty have to sit at the kids tableeven though we are the oldest. The same girl who wanted me to dance tries to sit next to me and hold my hand, but I snatch it away.
I lean forward and back trying to see where mom sits.
I gasp when Tate pulls her chair out for her and she sits where I moved her name to.
By Tate!
I nudge Matty.
“Did you switch them back?” I whisper- shout. He shakes his head leaning to see too.
The man that was on the phone sits next to mom. Randall King.
He gives me a nod and lifts his coffee to me.
Ithadto be him.
Tate pours Mom her drink and fills her plate with food.
I shoot Aunt Emalyn a thumbs up.
Our plan issogoing to work.
Chapter 12 Tate
Ronan is on drugs and no one can convince me otherwise. He has been a flighty motherfucker this whole day.
Every time Allison tries to talk to him, he puts me in his place and runs off. I understand weird sibling disputes, but I don’t like grown men trying to hide behind me.
I'm also trying to keep some semblance of distance between Alli and I out of respect for Hudson. His parents just got divorced and I doubt he would appreciate anyone making a blatant move on his mom like that. Especially after the way he was glaring at me the first day.
I can't say I blame him. My brother and I were the same way before my mom got remarried to Dad. He wore us down way before they had Presley and Parker though.
My chest pangs painfully at the thought of my family having Christmas eve tomorrow. The first one without him. Presley all alone at college and Matty and I here. I run a hand through my hair.
I should call and check in on her.
I'm greeted with the bite of the cold air as I slip out of the sliding doors. I cup a hand around the end of my cigarette as I light it up. The phone rings twice before she picks up.
“Hey, T.” She always sounds genuinely happy to hear from me.
“How are you settling in?”
“Yeah, you know... it's good. It's a little crowded in the apartment since none of us can make it back home for Christmas and Cristi's boyfriend is spending it here too.” She says before blowing out a breath like she's smoking too.
“You know, you could come here. See the new house. Matty and I would love to see you.” I offer. I should've done it sooner.
