“I’m aware, I’m aware. I just don’t know if they’re going to let us back into Caroline’s, ever, and that’s the nicest place that’s close.”
“You don’t have to take me to the nicest place. Just a place with food and a decent atmosphere.”
“But I want to give you fancy,” he said, pouting a little. Damn, that was sexy.
I set the timer and turned around.
“I don’t need fancy. I just need you.”
He leaned in to kiss me just as the door burst open, bringing with it arctic air and the rest of our snow-covered crew.
“Son of a bitch, it’s cold out there,” Trish said, blowing on her non-gloved hands.
“Hon, you should wear gloves,” Max said, taking her hands in his and rubbing them.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Stryker had almost gotten over the fact that his sister was dating Max, but every now and then I caught him giving Max a look like he wanted to disembowel him for touching Trish.
“Be nice,” I said, brushing my fingers across his chest. “He could be your future brother-in-law.”
Stryker shuddered.
“There’s something I don’t want to think about for at least twenty years.”
“Good luck with that,” I said, watching Trish and Max giving each other googly eyes.
I still hadn’t asked him about Christmas. I wasn’t sure why, exactly. Maybe I was afraid that he’d feel obligated to come, and I really didn’t know how things were going to go, with Dad gone. There was a very good chance Mom was going to go to a really dark place and it would be one giant disaster. He’d seen enough of my family disasters to last a lifetime.
Stryker beat me to the punch.
“How do you think your mom’s going to do? With Christmas and everything?”
He handed me a beer from the fridge, grabbing one for himself.
“Results are inconclusive. It could go either way.” I popped the top and took a sip as everyone else piled in, bringing bags of groceries. “But, um, you are invited to come. You know, only if you want.”
He paused with the bottle halfway to his lips.
“Really? I don’t want to impose or anything. I know this is a hard time—” I interrupted him.
“No, no, not at all. I’d love to have you there. You were so good before, and…it would suck a lot less with you around.”
He smiled at me. “Good.”
“Good.” I raised my beer and he clinked it with his.
Chapter Thirty-two
Stryker
I’d been nervous for Thanksgiving with Katie’s family, but that was nothing to how I felt about Christmas.
“Should I bring a tie? Do you think I should bring a tie?” I said to Katie as I packed a bag. I was only planning on staying for a week or so, to feel things out, even though our winter break was nearly a month long. I didn’t want to overstay my welcome.
“You are being way too neurotic,” Katie said, leaning on my suitcase so I couldn’t put anything more in it. “No one is going to care if you wear a tie, although, I like that black thin one you have in your closet.”
I went and grabbed the only black skinny tie I owned.
“This one?”
“That’s the one.” She took it from me, folded it and placed it in the suitcase. “I think you need to be done now.” She zipped it shut and lay on top of it so I couldn’t access it, even if I wanted to.
“Why are you so nervous? You’ve been to my house a bunch of times. You’ve seen us at our worst and still came out alive.”
“That was…different. I was there because I had a place to fill. You were so sad and I wanted to be there for you. But you don’t need me like that anymore. You’re strong enough.”
I shrugged.
Katie got up from our bed and stood in front of me, a little smile on her face.
“You’re an idiot. You’re. An. Idiot.” I’d said the exact same thing to her once. “I do need you. I need you because sometimes I feel like you’re the one thing that holds me together. I start thinking about all the bad things in my life and then I think of you, and all the bad things don’t seem so bad anymore.”
I put my arms around her.
“But the real question is, should I bring another tie?”
***
This time, Katie drove, and we didn’t need a GPS. I also had her hand in mine. She had to take it slow as a few snowflakes drifted down and melted