by Tara Simon
Kris raised an eyebrow. “You know how you see two people kiss, and you can tell it’s their first time?”
“Kind of, I guess.”
“Do you think that’ll happen to us?” Kris questioned. “Because what if you’re a horrible kisser and I make a face or something and then they know we’d never actually kissed before?”
“I’m a wonderful kisser, thank you very much.” Lee pouted, before an idea popped into his head. “In fact, I’ll prove it to you right now.”
Before Kris could react, Lee grabbed his face and kissed him. He didn’t mean for it to be any longer than a few seconds, but when Kris’s hands settled on Lee’s waist and he began kissing him back, he couldn’t help but deepen it. And oh God, it was good. Their lips moved together perfectly for a few moments before it ended too soon.
Kris had a little too much color in his cheeks, but he shot Lee a dazzling smile anyway. “You’re right, you are a wonderful kisser.”
“Not so bad yourself,” Lee replied, removing his hand from Kris’s face while Kris took his from Lee’s waist. “Seriously though, that was great. Why haven’t we ever kissed before?”
“No idea.” Kris laughed, resting back against the couch they were sitting on.
“Like, as far as I know, we haven’t even kissed when we were drunk. We’ve been missing out.” He turned to Kris and slowly grinned. “This week is gonna be great.”
“It is,” Kris agreed. “Have you finished packing?”
“Mostly. You?”
“Yeah. Wanna go over our story one more time?”
“Sure.”
So they did, as if they didn’t already know it well enough. Dating for four months. Their friends had known for half that time. They hadn’t said the L-word yet. It was basic stuff, not hard to forget, even if they were to get nervous or feel under pressure.
Chapter 2:The Family
Despite only visiting them a few times a year for birthdays and Christmas, Lee’s family lived relatively close in the Bronx. But Lee didn’t have a car, and wasn’t particularly fond of the 1.5 hour subway ride, nor did Kris have a car he could borrow. At least Rebecca, who did have a car, offered to come down to Brooklyn and pick them both up, turning a long subway ride into a slightly shorter one hour drive.
She still lived at home, having decided that she would rather buy a car and spend 30 minutes driving to college every day, rather than live on campus or in a share house. Lee had offered for her to live with him and Kris, but she’d given him a firm, “Thanks, but no thanks.” He was secretly glad, to be perfectly honest, as he didn’t particularly want to live with his little sister after he’d already gotten a taste of freedom away from his family. He loved her and all, but she could also be incredibly annoying.
“You guys ready to go soon?” Rebecca asked once she’d gotten there, making herself at home by sprawling out on the couch and reading one of Kris’s many coffee table books. All about art and design, of course. “Ma wants us there in time for lunch. She’s making pulled pork sandwiches.”
“Slow cooked?”
“Since last night,” Rebecca grinned.
Lee was suddenly very, very hungry. “Okay, yeah, I just gotta make sure I’ve got everything, then I’m good to go.”
He disappeared into his bedroom, leaving Kris alone with Rebecca.
“Mom and dad are super excited to meet you, just so you know.” She told him. “Don’t worry, I haven’t spoiled the surprise. They have no idea who you are, but they’re gonna be real happy with it when they find out, though, I can tell you that.”
“Lee said the same,” Kris laughed, shaking his head. He nudged his foot against the bag at his feet. “I’m ready when he is, by the way. If anyone’s gonna hold us up, it’s him.”
“Always is.”
“I can hear you two,” Lee huffed, lugging a large overnight bag over his shoulder. He’d wanted to take a suitcase, but Kris reassured him that it was only a week, and his parents had a washing machine if he got desperate. He grabbed Kris’s hand as he went passed, tugging him towards the door. “C’mon sis, we don’t wanna be late.”
Kris and Lee loaded their minimal luggage into the trunk, then both hopped into the backseat. They’d decided this beforehand, as it gave them a better chance to turn on the PDA in front of Rebecca. There were about to spend an hour in the car with her, so what better chance did they have?
“What am I, your chauffeur?” Rebecca pulled a face at them, but started driving anyway.
Lee leaned over to rest his head against Kris’s shoulder. “I’m in better company back here. Sorry sis.”
“Whatever.”
Kris leaned down to drop a kiss to Lee’s forehead, and when he saw Rebecca roll her eyes in the rear-view mirror, he sent Lee a triumphant grin. They got comfortable, relaxing into each other when Becca turned on the radio to some station playing classic rock. Both were secretly glad that she didn’t seem to be asking any questions about their relationship, preferring to get it out of the way when Lee’s parents were present, but at the same time they couldn’t help but wonder why she wasn’t discussing it. Rebecca was curious by Samure, and would often stick her nose into other people’s business.
“She’s too quiet,” Lee whispered in Kris’s ear, nuzzling into his neck as the radio muffled his words. “Kiss me. Let’s see if we can get a rise out of her.”
Kris didn’t bother replying, instead bringing his hand up to cup Lee’s jaw as he turned his face and kissed him slowly. Lee hummed against Kris’s lips, shifting as close as his seat belt would allow so he could deepen it, his hand sliding up Kris’s side and over his shoulder to settle around his neck. It was only their second kiss, but they enjoyed it just the same. It wasn’t heated at all, but slow and languid, sending the message that they were content just as they were. Which was true. Lee was glad Kris had not only thought of the whole pretend dating idea, but also that he was okay with it, because Lee was definitely looking forward to more kisses like this over the next week.
“Ew, can you two not swap spit in my car?” Rebecca whined, pulling a face at them in the mirror.
With one last kiss, Lee broke away from Kris with a grin. He snuggled back into his side again, feeling just as content as the kiss had been. Honestly, this was the easiest act. It required almost no effort from him whatsoever.
“I’m lookin’ forward to getting my $1000,” Lee said casually, holding back from laughing when Rebecca’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “And to seeing you blonde again. You got the bleach?”
“I do, but I was hoping I’d get to use it on you.” She admitted.
Kris didn’t bother holding in his laughter. “Sorry, but there won’t be a blonde Lee this Christmas. Or ever.”
“You really don’t think I’d suit being blonde, do you?”
“I may or may not have photoshopped a picture of you to see what it’d look like.”
“And…?”
“Not too bad.” He gave Lee a wry smile. “But trust me, you’re better off staying brunette.”
“Good to know.”
In an attempt to make sure they didn’t start making out again, Rebecca made idle chit chat about college, her friends, and got into a lengthy discussion about which bars or clubs she loved and which she hated ever since she turned 21 in May. Then Lee teased her about how drunk she got at her party, even though it was definitely not her first time drinking, and reminded her that she threw up in a pot plant.
In retaliation, she told Kris about the time when he was sixteen and Samantha had brought over a bottle of Russian vodka she’d stolen from her parents, and then proceeded to get twelve-year-old Rebecca tipsy. In Lee’s defence, he said he only gave her one cup mixed with lemonade, and that he put her straight to bed once he realized that a single cup was too much. And then once she was asleep, Pete came over with some weed and they both greened out while Samantha made fun of them.
The stories made Kris wish he’d met Lee when they were kids or teenag
ers, so he could’ve experienced all of this with him. They’d both grown up in Brooklyn, but in different neighborhoods that were far enough away that they’d never actually crossed paths until college. But hey, he was just glad he got to spend the last seven years of his life with Lee as his best friend.
Because of bad traffic, it took them just a little over an hour to finally each the Stern home in North Riverdale. Lee was forever struck by how different this part of NYC was from the rest of it. He often forgot he was still in the city. His family had moved there from Brooklyn before Rebecca had finished high school, but she stayed once she did because she loved it so much. Kris had only been there a few times in the years he’d known Lee, but he loved the place just the same.
It was a two-story, four bedroom brick home, on the small side but definitely bigger than anything you’d find inner city, and it actually had a yard. There were fairy lights decorating the house and the bare branches on a few of the trees in the yard, which Lee had no doubt that they would look amazing when lit up. His parents weren’t big on novelty decorations, but they didn’t skimp out on the lights.
Rebecca parked on the street out the front, popping the trunk so Kris and Lee could grab their bags. Now that they were there, both started to feel a little nervous. How would Winifred and George react? They loved Kris, of course, and they weren’t conservative parents by any means…
But still, would they approve of the fact that Kris and Lee already lived together? Moving in was usually a big deal for couples, but as far as they knew, Kris and Lee completely skipped that step.
Only one way to find out.
Rebecca pushed open the front door, which was decorated with a festive wreath, and held it open for Kris and Lee.
“Mom! Dad!” She called out. “We’re here!”
“Coming!” Winifred called back, appearing around a corner from where the kitchen was, George right behind her.
“Hey ma,” Lee said, bringing her in for a giant hug. He pecked her cheek when he broke the embrace. “I heard you were making pulled pork sandwiches?”
“I am, but that can wait.” She turned to Kris, who’d just been shaking George’s hand. “Kris! I didn’t know you were coming, but it’s so good to see you. How’ve you been?”
He accepted her hug with a large smile. “I’ve been good. What about you, Winnie?” He’d taken to calling her that after she’d gotten offended when he first called her Mrs Stern.
“I’ve been wonderful,” she beamed up at him, before rounding on Lee again. “But where’s this boy of yours? Becks said you had a boyfriend you’d be bringing to meet us.”
Lee couldn’t keep the grin off his face. “You just hugged him, ma.”
George just raised an eyebrow, while Winifred turned back to Kris with wide eyes and examined him from head to toe, making him blush, before a pleased smile appeared on her face. “Well, it’s about damn time. Now come in and drop your bags by the stairs. We’ll have lunch first, then you can both get settled in.”
“Sounds good to us.”
They did as she said before heading to the dining room, where lunch was already set out and waiting, and immediately dug in. Winifred definitely seemed to approve of their relationship, if the way she kept glancing at them with a happy sparkle in her eyes was anything to go by.
“So, Kris,” George started, taking a sip of his drink. “Last time Liam was here he was telling us that you’d started working for Eric Haverford. How’s that going for you?”
Kris smiled politely. “Really good, actually. It’s fun and it pays well.”
“What exactly is it you do?” Winifred asked.
“I’m a graphic designer, mostly working with an advertising team, but sometimes working with Eric himself on designs.”
“Oh, that’s fantastic!”
Eric Haverford owned a tech company that rivaled that of Apple and Microsoft. It was known for its phones and computers, but had started branching out into medical technology and robotics as well. His products weren’t cheap, but they were top of the line and well sought after. Kris couldn’t believe his luck when he applied for a job there. Samantha had convinced him to, though he hadn’t believed they’d even give his application a second glance. But now he’d been there for almost a year, and was at the stage where he could call Eric his acquaintance, not just his boss.
* * *
When lunch was over, Kris and Lee grabbed their bags and headed up to one of the two spare rooms. It was basically Lee’s bedroom, seeing as it was the same one he’d been staying in when he visited for the last however many years since they moved there. His personal touches were everywhere, from the bedspread identical to his one at home, to the framed photos of him, Samantha, and Pete as teens, and the few books he kept on his bedside table for his longer stays.
While Kris had been to the house before, he’d never stayed the night, and had never actually been in Lee’s unofficial room before. So as soon as he dropped his bag beside the bed, he went and looked at all the photos on the wall.
“Did Sam ever go through an awkward phase?” He questioned, eyes narrowed at a photo where her hair was smooth and her skin was clear. “Or was she just born perfect?”
Lee laughed, going to see which picture he was looking at. “Born perfect. I’ve known her since preschool and can honestly say she never even had a runny nose.”
Kris scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Of course she didn’t.” He went and sat on the bed, hoisting his bag up beside him and unpacking the Christmas presents from it.
“Hey,” Lee said, going and sitting beside him. “Thank you so much for doing this. Really.”
“Like I said, it’s no problem.”
“Can I repay you somehow anyway?”
“You don’t need to,” Kris told him, glancing over to look him in the eye. “Not only did you save me from some party that Eric’s throwing tomorrow night, but you’ve also given me the chance to have Christmas with a family. Not my family, but yours is the next best thing.”
“You also get to kiss me all week.” Lee pointed out with a smirk.
Kris laughed. “Yeah, that too. Definitely a bonus.”
“But seriously, I wanna say thank you.” Lee absently licked his lips as he thought of a way to repay Kris. “How about we split the bet money? $100 each.”
“What’ll you do if I say no?”
“Keep pestering you until you give in.”
“Then I’ll think about.”
“Good enough,” Lee shrugged. He went and got the presents out of his bag as well. “Come on, let’s go put these under the tree.”
They headed back downstairs, each with an armful of presents, and headed for the Christmas tree in the sitting room. It was huge - taller than Kris’s 6’2 frame - with an assortment of red, green, white and gold ornaments, not to mention the strings of rainbow fairy lights and candy canes dangling from every other branch. A few of the baubles lit up, as well as the large gold star on top of the tree. No tinsel, but that’s because Winifred and George had used it elsewhere. Red and green tinsel was wound around the banister on the staircase, outlined all the windows, and decorated the fireplace mantel.
There were already several presents under the tree in varying shapes and sizes, but Kris and Lee managed to squeeze their own gifts in any gap they could find. Then Lee snagged one of the candy canes from the tree, unwrapping it and popping the end in his mouth.
“Save those for later!” Winifred chastised him with a shake of her head.
“Sorry ma,” he apologized, not sounding like he meant it at all.
