before and sort of with the guys but, it was always the stuff at their houses or at mine. Never ours. This one…this is ours.”
“Are you excited about Christmas?”
I kind of was, but I didn’t want to admit it. Maybe if I didn’t get my hopes up, they couldn’t be dashed. “I still have to figure out presents, that’s going to be hard.” And kind of exciting. Of all of us, Archie and I were most likely to get Christmas together. The other guys would have to be with their families. Then again, Archie might want to see his grandfather.
We’d figure it out. Though I had a feeling they’d want me to rotate between the houses. That was kind of a headache, but I wanted to see them, too. We could make it work.
“How are you balancing your time between them?”
I stared at Erin. “It’s difficult, and at the same time, the easiest thing ever.”
“How so?”
Why did I know she was going to ask that? So far, we hadn’t delved too much into my relationships. I guess that was where this was headed.
Yay?
Chapter Thirteen
Making Arrangements
Jake
“I can’t believe you intend to go out of town for two whole weeks, including your birthday, much less for Christmas itself.” Mom stared at me. I hadn’t expected her to be thrilled, but the flicker of hurt in her eyes crushed me. At the same time, the thought of staying here while they were all gone?
No, I couldn’t do it.
“I knew you probably wouldn’t be a fan,” I told her. “Normally, Christmas with you and the girls? That’s awesome. But I want to spend this one with Frankie.”
Her expression troubled me. I couldn’t read it. “Frankie is more than welcome to join us, I think I made that clear over Thanksgiving. I would never turn that girl away.”
“And I love you for it,” I assured Mom. “But Archie is right, Frankie deserves something special. To be away from all of this, from that apartment, from the shadow of her mother, and from where everything has gone bad. Senior year was supposed to be a blast, and it’s like she just takes knock after knock. We want to do this for her.”
Arms folded, Mom leaned back in her chair. “Where are you planning on going? Can you just come back for Christmas Day?”
“Mom.” I sat forward and held my hands out to her and waited. I’d picked a time when the girls would all be at their activities and it could be just the two of us. Coop and Bubba had to talk to their parents, but they were both eighteen. Even if their parents weren’t thrilled, they could just go.
I wasn’t quite there yet.
Relenting, she took my hands. “Jake, Christmas is for family.”
“Frankie is my family. The guys are my family.” How did I explain this without upsetting her more? “Mom, in a few months, I graduate and I’m going to college. You know I’m going out of state.”
She frowned. “I know, and that’s coming way too soon as it is.”
“You’re going to be fine. You’ve got the girls. Becca starts high school next year, another year after that, and she’ll be driving. If she picks up any boys you don’t like, just tell me, I’ll hot foot it home and knock them out.”
That got me a smile.
“This is our last Christmas though, baby,” she said. “The last one before you really start moving out and on.”
Okay, that was a little melodramatic. “It’s not like I’ll never come home for Christmas again. But this is what I want for me. I don’t want to make this a fight with you.” If I had to wait until my actual birthday to pack and go, I would. I’d fucking hate it, but I would.
“You’re going to go regardless, aren’t you?”
Maybe I’d failed to keep the obstinance off my face. Or maybe Mom just knew me. “It’s Frankie,” I told her. “I want to be where she is.”
Mom sighed. “Have you considered talking to her? Maybe adjusting the plans a little?” That was a reach, and we both knew it.
“We haven’t told her yet,” I cautioned. “It’s a surprise. Largely ‘cause Archie is funding the whole thing and she’d say no in a heartbeat. She hates when we spend money on her.”
“But you plan to do it anyway,” Mom said, her tone wry and a hint of amusement on her face as she squeezed my hands.
“If I had the money? Hell yes, I would pay for it myself.”