Amber took a few photos, her lightsflashing.
Katie, who was helping Amber out, took a Polaroid, and I peeked over her shoulder. In the photo, Dylan was feeding beer to Santa; Ash had his eyes half-closed and a joint hanging out of his mouth. Katie handed it off to Amber. “There’s one for your Christmasalbum.”
Amber sort of half-smiled and clipped the Polaroid to one of her light stands, where a bunch of others had beenhung.
Ash then plucked it off, kissed Amber on the cheek, stuck the Polaroid in his teeth, anddisappeared.
Katie and Amber exchanged alook.
Not mybusiness.
“Be right back,” I toldKatie.
I collected Jessa and once it was our turn, we each took one of Santa’s knees, Jessa with baby Nick strapped to her front in his baby carrier. Both of us kissed Shady on the cheek and Amber took a few photos. Katie handed a Polaroid over to each ofus.
Jessa and I watched as the images developed, and I got all warm and fuzzy about it when I saw Jessa and her baby and me all snuggled up together on Santa’slap.
“I love you,” I told her, overcome with emotion. “I’m so glad you moved back. And I’m really glad you found your way back toBrody.”
“Aw, sweetie.” Jessa put her arm around my shoulders. “I love you, too.” She was looking at me and I avoided her eyes as I stared at the Polaroid in my hand. “How’re youdoing?”
“Fantastic.”
Clearly, she saw right through that. “Is this about Jude not beinghere?”
I looked at her. “I don’t know. I mean, he’s not here with me, that’s for sure. I don’t even know if he’scoming.”
“He wouldn’t miss it,Roni.”
“But it’s not like he asked me to come with him. Or to spend Christmas with him. I know we agreed our whole thing was about sex. But it’s not. For me… it never was. And now we’re both coming to your Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow, and I don’t know… I know it’s something the guys do every year. Brody and Jude and Jesse and Zane… So I don’t even know if I should be going if Jude doesn’t even inviteme—”
“Okay, stop,” Jessa interjected, and the forcefulness of her tone halted my stupid little spiral. “Listen to me right now. I love Jude, but fuck him.Iinvited you. You’recoming.”
Tears actually tingled in my eyes, and I pulled her close to cover it, giving her and Nick a hug. “Thankyou.”
“Merry Christmas. Go get drunk and have a good time, for both ofus.”
“What, are youleaving?”
“I’m not staying long. Brody will stay for a bit, but Bishop will drive me home…” She trailed off, and I turned to look at whatever had snagged herattention.
Jude was standing there, right behind me. Staring atme.
“Hey, Jude,” Jessasaid.
His dark eyes flicked to her. “Bratface.” He cracked a smile. “I mean Jessa. You lookpretty.”
“Thank you. You look…handsome.”
Hedid.
He alwaysdid.
My dark horse… Always showing up out of nowhere, to win the day—and totally fuck with my hormones and my heart. This time, in a thin, body-hugging black sweater and dark greyjeans.
Damn.
His gaze shifted back to me and drifted down my body. “That’s one hell of a sexydress.”
