“He did say that.”
“See? Perfect solution. You get home-cooked food and a vacation, I get to play Scythe and ignore the drama because I’m being a hostess. And we can get some work done. Real work. Not like earlier work.”
Declan rolled the idea around.
He wanted to spend time with Rashae, for completely selfish reasons. But then there was the game...
What if it didn’t work out?
What if Ayan and John drove it into the ground?
What if he had to finally tell her the guys didn’t want to work with her?
God, that would be awful.
But...Christmas. A home. The food and atmosphere. It’d been a long time since he’d been around that. Not that he’d ever had what could count as a normal holiday. Still, there’d been family and love then. These days, it was the kin he chose. Games might bring them together, but they had a lot more in common than a roll of the dice.
“What about getting there? And...presents and...”
“None of that matters. We do a white elephant exchange with the extended family anyway. And Christmas morning is limited to one present per person, we draw names. You and Sebastian could just exchange a bottle of wine or something, since it’s so last minute. Seriously, say yes. It’ll be great. I swear.”
Then why did she sound so tense?
“Come on. Just say yes. You’ll like it. I swear. And it’s not a weird, come be my fake holiday date thing. We’re just friends. Dad likes you. Don’t make me go through this holiday without a friend. You can just do what I do. Hold tight and pretend there’s a plan. So, what do you say?”
“All right. Bloody hell. Fine, yes, I’ll go.”
It might be a bad idea, and it might be the best holiday ever. He wouldn’t know unless he took a chance.
11.
D
eclan fastened the seatbelt across his hips and eyed the tiny window.
He’d only flown twice before, and they hadn’t been the greatest experiences. Though he might resist his Traveler heritage, there was no denying the fact that his feet belonged firmly on the ground.
It’d been nearly a lifetime since he’d seen his father, but Declan could still hear the old man’s grizzled voice, If man were ta’ fly he’d have ‘ad wings.
The last Christmas the whole family had been alive, Declan and his father had scraped together some cash to buy strings of used lights. They’d crept outside and wrapped the caravan in them to surprise the littles. Even his older sisters had liked them.
“You okay?” Rashae touched his hand, bringing Declan into the present.
Such a different world from the one he’d been born into.
“Yeah, fine.” He eased back in his seat and stared straight ahead of him.
“You don’t like to fly, do you?”
“Not used to it.”
“Not...how do you go to Gen Con and BGG, if you don’t fly?”
“I drive.”
“To Texas?”
“It’s not that bad.”
“Good lord.” Rashae shook her head and rolled her eyes.
“Your family make it home yet?”
“Yup. Right before we boarded. They’ll have the whole place decorated before we get there, and all we’ll have to do is walk in and unpack.” She grinned.
Since Rashae had convinced him to go so late, they’d had trouble finding available seats on the same flight as the rest of her family. Switching them to a later trip down was the best solution so as not to leave one person stranded. Truth be told, Declan was thankful for some space. He wasn’t used to large families anymore, and he had no way to mentally prepare himself for such a...normal person’s holiday.
He didn’t even know what to expect.
“So, quick rundown of everyone.” She grasped his hand, running her fingers over his knuckles in a soothing manner. “It’s actually just us in the house. Usually my dad’s sister and her family stay at our place, but they aren’t coming. We will get mom’s relatives coming over, but they’re...way more calm than dad’s family. Dad likes to say all the manners come from her side of things.”
“How...many people will be there?”
“In the house? Or...around?”
“Both?”
“In the house, eight. Around...a lot. See, we sort of assign everyone an afternoon or an evening so each family has their hosting time, and then we migrate from place to place. This way no one’s extended family is left out and everyone gets to show off their place. We do Christmas Eve, which is kind of unfair, because it ends up being just adults and smaller since everyone with kids do their own thing.”
“I see.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s mostly just eating and laughing.”
The captain interrupted, announcing the immediate take-off. The flight attendants ran through the safety instructions while Declan flipped through the emergency manual. Before he was ready, the plane was off the ground and in the sky.
“You look a little green. Need a bag?” Rashae laid her cheek on his shoulder.
“I think my stomach is still on the ground.”
“Relax a little. It’ll be over before you know it.”
“Distract me.”
“How?” She chuckled.
“How’d you get into cosplay and costumin’?”
“Oh, that’s easy. I wanted Halloween costumes that you couldn’t buy, so I started making them for myself. Slutty Disney princess has never looked good on me, and it wasn’t like they made costumes for curvy girls. Or that my parents were going to let me wear that stuff.”
“What was the first one?”
“I made my own Storm costume. The movie was going to come out the next year, and I’d gotten really into the comics. After that I helped making costumes for the school theater.”
“And cosplay?” The sound of her voice was soothing, calming. Besides, he liked knowing about her.
“I was a Sophomore and wanted to go to the big, DragonCon thing in Atlanta. I went the first day with my dad, because I wasn’t allowed to go alone, and...I don’t know. I saw all those people in costumes and I was like...these are my people. The next day I wore that same Storm costume and ...people were wanting to take pictures of me, meet up with other X-men cosplayers to do group shoots. It’s like...I went from being the nerdy, weird girl in the back of the classroom to the cool girl. I’d found my people.”
“What’d your da think of it?”
“Oh, he about had a cow the first few times someone asked to take a picture, until he realized they weren’t creeps. Then he got into talking old school comics with people and he was happy. He never really got it, but he’d go along with me. And then Sam got old enough to go. She doesn’t like to dress up, and it’s not really her thing, but she has fun with us.”
“And Lily and your mom?”
“Will never go. I invite them, especially when I am the emcee at a con near them, but they don’t care to go. It’s too weird for them.”
“How’d you go from there to here?”
“Blood, sweat and a lot of tears. Mom and dad nearly lost their minds when I told them I didn’t want to go to a regular college. I wanted to go to Parsons School of Design, where they do Project Runway now, and study there. They threw a fit and said they wouldn’t contribute to my tuition like they did Lily’s and Sam’s, but I went anyway.”
Declan could see her doing just that. Rashae didn’t strike him as the kind of person who would bend under a little pressure. It showed in her designs, how she tackled their project and who she was.
“Must have been hard?”
“Yeah, but it was worth it. I learned in that six months what it’s like not having a lot of things. Who my friends were. What I’m capable of. I always knew growing up we had it good, but living that way? It made me really appreciate what we have and how far my family has come.”
“Did your parents change their mind?”
Rashae chuckled. “The first time mom and dad came to
New York, they swung by this...it was basically a hostel. I had a locker where I put everything I couldn’t keep at school, and that was it. Mom barely made it through the front door before she had a fit. Dad at least walked in, met some of the people I shared a room with. They wanted to put me up in a crazy expensive place, but I turned that down. I just...I felt like I couldn’t accept that much help and still be me. I took some of what they offered, it’s nice to not have to limit your worldly possessions to a few bags and be able to work whenever you can, but I needed to go through those hard times to find myself. To really appreciate what I have now, you know?”
“I do.” Declan nodded. “Every mornin’ I’m thankful for four walls and a roof. Even if they are a bit drafty.”
“I like your place. It has character.” She reached for his hand and squeezed. “How’d you start marketing games?”
“Friend of a friend. They’d made one, didn’t want to sign with a publisher for it, and we got to talkin’ one night. We looked at successful campaigns, and because I’d worked in enough game stores, I sort of knew people to talk to, ask questions, so I did. As a favor. Told these guys what they needed to do and they did nothin’. So, I asked them, when ya’ goin’ to make that game? They couldn’t get their heads out of their asses to go from concept to final product and asked me if I’d be their task master for a flat rate. I figured, it’s money to tell these guys what to do. Why not? We ran it. It was successful. Everythin’ went out smoothly. And then someone else asked me to do theirs, but that time I got a cut of the crowd fundin’ profits and that’s how I started. Happy accident.”
“What do you think the market is going to be like? Is this a kind of business you can stay in?”
“Mm.” He tilted his head to the side. “Maybe? The market is getting’ pretty glutted right now. The last few years were the heyday of crowd sourcin’ games, now there’s just so many out there, almost too many options. I mean, you used to get a dozen, maybe two dozen new games to market every year. Now, there’s a dozen hitting shelves every month. The hobby is growin’, but I’m not sure managin’ campaigns is goin’ to be a good path, goin’ forward. I’d like to move into designin’ games, but that...that’s hard.”
“What about your game? It seems really solid.”
“I like it, but it’s not finished.”
“Want to walk through it with me? Maybe we can bounce some ideas around and you can figure out what you want to do?”
Declan rolled the idea around. He’d like that. Spending more time with Rashae. Working with her. But her life was up north. And once the holidays were over, how would they make this work? Was there a this to make work?
They chatted the remainder of the flight about conferences, shows Rashae had worked on, the magic she worked with her hair and wigs, and their favorite games. Conversation with her was easy. Yes, they were from two different worlds, but they were cut from the same cloth. They followed their dreams.
The plane landed and Rashae switched on her phone. He followed suit, not expecting anything or anyone to have messaged him during the short time spent in the air. The email notifications were a surprise.
He glanced at Rashae on the phone already with someone and then clicked into the email.
There was one from Ayan and one from John. Fuck.
John would pussyfoot around what they were saying, while Ayan was blunt to the point of rudeness, but at least he said it plainly.
Declan-
We want to use our original design.
Ayan
A sick sensation coiled in Declan’s belly.
He’d feared this might happen.
The market was so full right now that unless they had something new, out of the box and different, the campaign could very likely drown. Mechanics didn’t build buzz. They wouldn’t pull in the casual, one-click backers. The artwork did.
Fuck.
He scrubbed a hand over his face.
“Oh my God.” Rashae squealed.
“Hm?”
“My cousin’s home from the Navy!” She whirled to face him, smiling from ear to ear.
“That’s great.”
He had to tell her, there was no holding out on this anymore...but not now. Not before Christmas.
Rashae watched Declan’s feet disappear up the stairs. For the last hour, he’d looked pretty close to bolting from the crowd. She was surprised he’d lasted that long.
“I think he’s a bit overwhelmed.” Sam slid onto the stool next to Rashae, a cup of hot chocolate in hand. The house was emptying of guests and the only ones left now were close family.
“Yeah, I think I should have warned him about the welcome home party.” She glanced around the impromptu banners, balloons and streamers that had decked out the house upon their arrival. Plastic cups and plates littered almost every available surface. All the food was gone and the trashcans full.
“He didn’t know about it?”
“Well, he knew when I did, but I didn’t really think to...warn him.” Her cousin’s surprise arrival was a full-on event that’d resulted in just about everyone remotely connected to the family descending for an evening of joyful hugs and baked potatoes, at the request of the guest of honor.
“The look on his face...”
“Right?” Rashae chuckled.
A loud round of Spanish curses from the front living room made both girls glance toward that part of the house. Oliver and their dad were engaged in a mean game of Chinese Checkers, which had become something of a holiday staple between the two.
Oliver had been part of their family for years. Now...he’d be family by contract. She couldn’t wait to give him shit about going after her baby sister. To think, the smooth jock from high school was hooking up with the nerdiest nerd in their family.
“How’s it feel to be engaged?” Rashae asked.
“Strangely, relieving.”
“I believe it. How many people hassled you for a date and babies?” Rashae had avoided a few people pestering her about settling down, getting a real job.
“Oh God.” Sam covered her face.
“Well, I’m guessing no discussion on either, since you haven’t told me anything.” Rashae gave Sam a pointed look. They were sisters. If anyone got to know first, Rashae had dibs.
“I think...can this stay between us?” Sam moved her mug around.
“Pinky swear.”
Sam glanced over her shoulder, then leaned closer.
“We want to elope,” she whispered.
“Smart.”
“You aren’t...upset?” Sam blinked.
“Hell, no. After everything you guys went through, you deserve something that’s just for you. Now, I’d say to expect a shit storm when you get back, and someone will haul you to a chapel to relive the vows, but whatever. It’s your life. You’ve lived so much of it for this family and other people, it’s about time you did something selfish.”
Sam wrapped her arms around Rashae’s shoulders.
“Thanks, Shae.”
The front door opened and closed, signaling the return of Lily and her Christmas boyfriend. Without an audience to preen for, Lily would be looking to pick a fight.
Both Sam and Rashae slid off their stools in unison. At least there they were on the same page. The sisters tip-toed toward the back stair and crept up to the second floor. They whispered goodnights and ducked into their respective bedrooms before Lily could come in search of one or the other.
It wasn’t quite late, but neither was it early. Rashae wasn’t yet tired, and she’d sent the files to the printer as soon as she’d gotten to the house so she couldn’t tinker with that.
Awake?
She hit send and bit her lip.
Her phone flashed a reply since she’d set it to silence.
Yes.
Rashae slipped out of her room and listened. The voices from downstairs were at the front of the house. Likely, Lily had set upon the checkers game and wouldn’t move until Oliver and Dad excused themselves. Poor
Sebastian, she pitied the guy, but for the moment, the coast was clear.
She shuffled down to the last door on the end and tapped twice. She didn’t wait for permission to enter, either.
Declan’s room was the smallest bedroom on the hall, but it had two sets of windows and an adjoining bathroom. It’d been reserved for visiting family because it preserved privacy more than the others.
He sat up in the queen bed, shirtless, the covers up to his waist and a laptop perched on his thighs.
“Are you really going to bed this early?” Rashae circled to the other side and sat on top of the comforter.
“I was watching a play through.” He tipped the screen her way.
“Ooh, what game?”
“Scythe. I’ve played, I just haven’t taught anyone to play. Figured I’d brush up before we settled in for a game.”
“Smart.” She leaned over and let her head rest on his shoulder. If her parents found her in here, they’d freak out. So, she’d have to be very, very quiet.
“Everythin’ okay?”
“Yeah, I just wanted to check on you. You seemed...overwhelmed.”
“I thought Travelers were a crazy bunch.” He chuckled. “Your family sure knows how to throw a party.”
“Welcome to the holidays in the Grant family. And I’m sorry my aunt hassled you earlier. I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal bringing you home with us.”
Declan was quiet for a moment. Had her family gone too far? Said something that ticked him off?
“Can I ask you a question?” Declan sounded so nonchalant...disarming.
What the hell had happened tonight?
12.
D
eclan closed the laptop and set it on the nightstand. In hindsight, he should have said no to this trip. Her family was...chaos, noise, laughter, love and drama. They were out of control, in a good way. But he wasn’t...prepared to deal with them. Not when he was already so jumbled in his head. Both on an individual level, and fielding their numerous questions about his not-relationship with Rashae.
He simply hadn’t had a moment to consider the prying people would do when he showed up with her. He’d been part of the background, a wallflower, for so long that being thrust into the spotlight of such a big, boisterous family, was too much.
The Gamer and the Geek (Gone Geek, #4) Page 10
