Home For The Holidays - Jordan Silver Page 0,22

size of the one my sister in law and nieces live in.”

“Samantha.” Tom tried to cut me off, but as far as I’m concerned, that’s the only sensible thing he’s done since he got tangled up with this mess of a slut-bag. The fact that he hasn’t bought a home to share with her and has waited two whole years to get engaged to her speaks volumes and is maybe one of the only reasons I still acknowledge him as my brother.

“Get this through your head, I’m the only daughter in this family, and I can tell you here, and now if it comes down to him or me, you’ll both lose. My dad will never choose you over me, my mom might put up with your crap for her son’s sake, but when it comes down to it, you’ll lose there too. Now get out of my face before I break yours.”

Tom ushered her out of the room, and I was finally able to turn to mom. “What are you thinking? How could you let her behave like that towards you in your own house?” Mom looked embarrassed and torn.

“I just want us all to have a nice holiday like we used to. Last year you refused to eat with us because she was here, and your dad swore that if that happens again, he’d disown Tom, this whole thing is just tearing our family apart, and I want it to stop. Please, Samantha, for me? It’s just a few days.”

“Sure, mom, I’ll try to get along with her, but that thing you were doing just now, that’s not a good look.”

“She has problems Sam, I understand she needs help, and Tom has asked us to be kind to her. She doesn’t have any family of her own, you know.”

“Oh, really!”

“Why do you say it like that?”

“No reason, I just had no idea.” My ass. I can bite my tongue for another day or two because the end, in this case, does justify the means.

Samantha

I made a side trip on my way back upstairs to make sure that my dad was okay. He didn’t turn from the fireplace where he knelt, stoking the fire, but he sensed my presence all the same. That’s something I’ve never been able to understand and a talent only he had before I met Jared. He’s another one who can sense when I’m near without me even making a sound.

Thinking of him made me smile, but I had to put thoughts of him on hold for now. I’ve been told my face gives my thoughts away whenever I’m thinking of him, and it’s not yet time. Dad’s going to freak when he realizes that someone else has taken his place as my number one guy.

He’s already griping at the fact that I’m having company for holiday dinner, and though I’m sure he knows how serious this is due to the mere fact that I’ve invited someone home to meet him and mom, he can have no idea of the close bond Jared, and I already share.

I’ve had nightmares about the tug of war between those two with me in the middle. They’re both such strong personalities I don’t see either of them giving an inch, and Jared has already made it known with his jealous ass that no one comes before him. He sulks like a brat if he even thinks that I’ve put him aside to do something with someone else. I’ve barely seen my roommate this last semester or anyone else for that matter because of Mr. Insane’s possessive streak.

I have too much on my plate as it is dealing with Tom’s mess and haven’t had time to think of ways to navigate that particular minefield, but I’ve given Jared enough ammo to win dad over. That’s granted he puts it into use since he can be stubborn as hell in his way of thinking.

“What are you planning, daughter mine? I know that face of yours better than you think you know.” Dad had turned when I was lost in thought and was studying me like a specimen under a microscope the way he did when I was a kid. The last time I got one over on him was when I was eight, and our neighbor’s son, who was two years older, tried to cop a feel during an innocent game of hide and seek.

I’d come home bawling my eyes out but refused to tell him the truth for two reasons.