by Jerry Cole
Jamie was waiting for me at the airport. I tilted my head and walked over to the car. “What are you doing here?”
“I heard something in your voice that made me want to be here for you.” I walked around to her side to hug her. I couldn’t tell her about the house, but I could accept her support. “Why did you go there for two days?”
“I was finalizing something with a client. I figured any chance to see Ryan was something I needed to do.” She nodded and searched my face.
“What happened?”
“Just tired. How’s everything here?” I asked, and she watched as I walked to my side of the car.
“Same old, same old.” She smiled, and I knew that she was pushing herself as always. “I think I’m looking forward to getting away. What is New York like at Christmas?”
“It’s gorgeous. Everything is big there, and the tree is amazing. I can’t wait to show you around.” I smiled at the thought.
“Where does his mom live?”
“Not right in the city, but he said it isn’t far away. We can get there easily and I guess Leo’s family does live in the city.” I tried to remember what Ryan told me and watched as we headed down the freeway to get home. It was beautiful here but it wasn’t home to me like it used to be. I reached out to Jamie, and she took my hand, knowing what I needed without saying a word.
I threw myself back into work and did two shoots in locations around Venice Beach. The family knew they wouldn’t have them by Christmas, and they were okay with that. It was more for themselves and close family and the fact they hadn’t taken a good picture in some time. I had a few weeks to perfect them and enjoy the holidays with a family for the first time.
My family wasn’t close, to begin with. My parents split up when I was young and Mom checked out. It was just me and I floated to friend’s houses to stay, finally ending up with Jamie and her aunt. Her parents died in a car accident when she was young and sadly, we lost her aunt when we turned eighteen. That was when we went off to college and moved here together. It was the reason I didn’t want to leave her behind; Jamie was my family, and I’d do anything to keep us together.
Was that the wrong choice?
I left for New York first, and Jamie was coming in three days. I hugged her before boarding the flight and prepared myself for a more extended flight than I was used to when I went to see Ryan. I managed to get some work in on the flight and glanced up when the pilot announced that we were landing. I got my stuff put away and watched as we landed at the huge airport, looking at the city beyond the buildings.
Ryan told me he’d pick me up, and I slipped my backpack over my shoulders as I walked out into the crowd. There were a lot of people and I searched the faces for him, feeling the warmth spread through me as our eyes locked. I walked faster into his arms, pulling him against me. Our lips met, and I slipped a hand into his hair and gripped it as his tongue slid against my lower lip. “Why the fuck did I agree to stay with Mom and Sarah again?” He murmured against me as I laughed. “I just want to get you to a hotel.”
“I did see you recently,” I reminded him, and he pulled back to look at me.
“For a night. That didn’t count.” Ryan slipped his hand into mine, and we walked to get my suitcase, waiting in the crowd of people as we stood close together. I saw the gray case and walked over to get it, rolling back to Ryan as he took me to his mom’s red SUV.
“This looks like her,” I said as I took in the bright, shiny vehicle.
“She thinks she’s young,” Ryan said as I frowned at him.
“She is. Is she even fifty?” I asked, and he shrugged.
“She’s forty-four.”
“She looks a lot younger.” I defended her, and he chuckled. “She doesn’t look it.” He unlocked the doors and I put the case and backpack into the back seat before sliding into the passenger seat. Ryan surprised me with his aggressive driving after seeing my chill surf boy in Belize. He made his way around the city and we pulled into an older neighborhood, winding around until he pulled into a driveway that led to a spacious single-story home that took up a few acres as far as I could tell. “This is nice.”
“It makes a lot of sense to live outside of the city. Mom never wanted to leave after Dad died. It was our home since we were kids.” He smiled at the brick home, and I stared at him, mesmerized by the man sitting beside me. The sound of voices broke my thought, and I looked over to see his mom and Sarah running toward us. I shot a look at Ryan before I got pulled into a group hug.
Eventually, Ryan collected my luggage, and we walked into the house. It wasn’t an open plan, but the rooms were large and connected. I smiled at the photos that covered the walls, pausing to see one with four people in it. Ryan looked a lot like his father and his mother, much like Sarah. His mom had plenty of photos of the family up, and it was nice to see that she didn’t avoid that. I stopped at another one, seeing Ryan and Sarah sitting with an older woman as she wrapped her arms around them. “Grandma?”
“Yes.” Ben took Ryan’s hand and squeezed it. We stayed there for a moment, and then Ryan took my bags to his room on the left side of the house. Mom called me into the kitchen, asking if I was hungry. I grinned, knowing I’d never tell her no to food. She fixed me a sandwich and heated some homemade soup, urging me to sit at the table. She got me some water, and they joined me as I thanked her for lunch.
Ryan came into the room and sat beside me, smiling at the plate. “You’ve been in the house for twenty minutes?”
“I’ll never tell Mom no when it comes to food.” She insisted that I call her that after talking a few times, and I agreed.
“Fair enough.” I asked about their traditions, and Sarah explained everything they did. They went into the city to see the decorations and have dinner planned after Jamie arrived. They went caroling with neighbors another night. I looked at Ryan and shook my head.
“I remember having a tree sometimes when I was young.” This was a lot.
“We celebrate here,” Mom assured me before explaining that Leo’s family was coming over on Christmas along with anyone that needed a warm meal and family. Christmas Eve was just going to be the three of them, and Jamie and me.
Mom was cooking the entire time if we weren’t eating out or at someone’s house. I was overwhelmed as she whisked my plate away, and Ryan smiled at me. “Are you okay?”
“It’s a lot. You do this every year?” I smiled, and he laughed at me, taking my hand to kiss it.
“We do something every holiday. Mom always made it special for us. She said it’s good for memories and she’s right. I have a lot of happy ones here, and I’m making more.” I bit my lip as our eyes locked. “I love you.” His voice was low, but we were alone to begin with.
“I love you,” I replied as I continued to stare at him. Today was going to be comfortable with dinner at home and catching up. Leo stopped in, and I shook his hand as we said hello. He looked content here and I wondered how much he missed his family. Was he happy in Belize, or was he there because of Ryan?
Ryan fell asleep before I did. I was wired from the time change and stared at the ceiling as the moments ticked by. I was thinking about Venice Beach, Belize, our house, Ryan and Jamie as I closed my eyes. Jamie would be here in two days, and she’d help me get through all of this.
We spent the next day together, doing some last-minute shopping and going to lunch in the city. We decided to print photos of the house and slip them into cards, telling everyone what they were looking at once the cards were opened. I was nervous and excited about the news. We had everything we bought wrapped on sight since Ryan claimed Sarah still looked for presents.
We got home in the late afternoon and found the house empty. Ryan checked the counter and looked at me. “They’re over at a friend’s place, and we’re on our own.”
“What are we going to do? An empty house and all,” I murmured, struggling not to smile. He pounced and cupped my face before kissing me, breaking apart my willpower. We hurried
to his room, leaving everything in bags in the living room. Ryan stripped me down and pushed me back to the bed, gripping me in his hand as he stroked me slow and hard. I cursed as I lurched forward and he covered me with his mouth, taking my cock down his throat.
I came for him, and he pushed me to my knees. We knew what to do and what pleased each other, making quick work of things. Ryan slipped inside of me, and I gripped the headboard as I cried out his name. He fucked me hard, and I rocked back against him, knowing that we would not have much time alone like this.
We cleaned up before going to the living room, heating leftovers, and watching TV. Mom and Sarah arrived home; all smiles as we greeted them. We watched a movie and went to bed late, setting the alarm to make sure we got up to get Jamie at the airport.
I insisted on walking inside to get her, but Ryan didn’t put up much of a fight. I paced as I looked at her gate and read the signs telling me she was on time, mock glaring at Ryan as he laughed at me. Voices filled the air, and I looked over to see a few people trickling through the gate. Purple hair led one group, and I smiled as Jamie walked to me.
“This is quite the city.” She hugged me and then Ryan, thanking him for the invite. We walked to get her bag as she talked the whole way, making me guess that she slept on the plane. Ryan smiled as he picked up her bright pink suitcase, and she clapped her hands. “How did you know?”
“Lucky guess.” I slipped an arm around her waist, and we walked to the car. I told her about things that we did up until today, swearing she didn’t miss anything important. Ryan drove and pointed out parts of the city that stood out to him and answered questions she had about other places.
“It’s so pretty.” She whispered as we walked into the house. Sarah and Pamela rushed to hug her, and Jamie squealed when she saw them. “Thanks for having me.”
“It wouldn’t be the same without you. We have lunch for you if you’re hungry.” Sarah told her as Jamie laughed. They walked to the kitchen, and Sarah served homemade tomato soup and fixed grilled cheese sandwiches for everyone. She went over the itinerary with Jamie, and my best friend approved as she nibbled on her food.
“Jamie. It’s good to see you.” Leo stood in the doorway with a smile on his face.
“Leo. Hi.” She stood and walked over to him to hug him. Was it just me, or did it last a little longer than necessary? He let her go and Sarah offered him food, which he accepted as well as Jamie’s invitation to sit with her. I looked at Ryan, and he shrugged at me.
Chapter Fourteen
Ryan
We decided to take Jamie to dinner in the city and show her around a bit. She was thrilled and pulled on the jacket that Mom offered her with a huge smile. “Is it me?” she asked as she did a small spin.
“You’re made for cold weather,” Ben told her as he pulled her into a hug. He held her hand on the way to the car, and I followed, planning to drive them. I noticed moments where he seemed distracted, but he’d catch my eyes and force himself back into the moment. He spent a lot of time talking intimately with Jamie, and it made me wonder what they were saying with the serious looks that she kept giving him.
Jamie would have walked all over the city if we let her, but Mom suggested we head home around ten. She planned a big breakfast, and they saved decorating the tree for Jamie’s arrival. They thought to do that in the evening and they were leaving the rest of the day up to Jamie. Everyone excused themselves to bed when we got home and I watched as Sarah and Jamie went to her room as Leo went to another. He was acting different, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.
First, I had to deal with my boyfriend. I held Ben’s hand and led him to our room, watching as he shrugged off the flannel that he wore over his Henley. “Are you okay?” I asked as he glanced at me.
“Yeah. Busy day. I think I’m nervous about the house thing.” He lifted the shirt off, and I watched in silence. “I need some sleep. Will you join me?”
“I will.” We undressed and crawled under the covers together, snuggling close. “It’s nice having her here.”
“Things aren’t the same without Jamie with me. It’s sappy but true.” Ben shifted, and I wrapped my arm around his stomach. “This whole thing is amazing. I like being with a family.”
“I can’t imagine not being a part of a family. There are times when it gets crazy, but I couldn’t live without them.” I paused and decided to say something else. “It looks like there’s a bond forming between Leo and Jamie, too. Did you notice?”
“I’ve seen that starry look in her eyes before. I noticed.” Ben snuggled closer to me, and I let my mind wander. “Is he the type to get serious with a girl?”
“I haven’t seen him change his life or anything for one before. There has to be someone to do it, right? Jamie is great.” She was. She fit in perfectly with my family, and the idea of her with Leo and possibly moving to Belize thrilled me. Not that it was close to that yet, but it would make Ben have no reason to stay where he was. I could move, but I had my shop and lived in paradise. There would be no reason that Ben couldn’t come to me with his job.
We bought a fucking house together. Was there less to that than I was seeing?
“She deserves a good guy. I’ve seen her go through the wringer with ex-boyfriends. I just know how committed she is to the bakery and home. Long-distance might not be the thing for her.” He sighed, and I felt him relax against me. “I guess there’s nothing to think about right now.”
We got up in the morning for breakfast, and Jamie looked at the food with a smile. “I hear you are quite the baker.” Mom told her as Jamie blushed with a side glance at Ben.
“Based on what my customers tell me, that would be true. Cooking is a simple act for me, though.”
“This is just breakfast, Jamie. I’ve been making it for years.” Mom laughed, and I rolled my eyes. She made much more than bacon and eggs when it came to breakfast.
“I think this is amazing.” Jamie complimented her and continued to eat. Leo was with his family, and they would be over tonight to decorate the tree, and I was going to watch closely for anything between him and Jamie. I was excited at the possibility of things changing for Ben so he would be closer to me.
Jamie thought that staying in would be suitable for the day with plans later tonight. She did want to see the Christmas tree and skating rink one evening but was more excited about decorating the massive tree in the living room. “Have you decorated before?”
“We’ve had small trees in apartments but nothing like this. We’d usually get pizza for dinner and watch Christmas movies.” Jamie smiled at the memories and shared a look with Ben.
“You do have families, don’t you?” Sarah asked hesitantly, and Jamie and Ben shared another look.
“Yes, but we’re not close. We ended up hanging out together more than anything else and left when we were old enough. There wasn’t love there. I would call it more neglect than anything, but we’re better off on our own.” Ben smiled. “Now, we’re here with you.”
“I’m so glad.” Mom smiled, and we helped with the dishes. We decided to watch movies for the day and settled in with coffee in front of the big screen TV. Jamie asked questions about New York and growing up here, and everyone answered her in a comprehensive conversation. I sensed that she wanted to know everything about family and living somewhere like this. I could see her tucking it away as she got her answers. I glanced at Ben to see that he could see the same thing. I squeezed his hand and he smiled at me.
Mom made chili for dinner, and Leo’s family showed up at five o clock to join us. His parents hugged my family in a warm greeting and then welcomed Jamie and Ben the same way. Lorna looked closely at the purple-haired girl as she pulled away, and I glanced at my best friend. He was smiling to himself and I knew that something was going on.
We got bowls of chili and bread, sitting down to eat at the table. Lorna and Michael asked Jamie and Ben several questions and seemed happy with their answers. For people like us, not having a
family was unthinkable. I think it showed that Jamie and Ben were their unit that was going to be a great addition to ours.
After dinner, Mom took Jamie to the tree. She pulled ornaments from an open box and seemed to tell the girl something about each one. We had some from when we were kids that Mom still insisted on using as well as family ones from when Dad was alive. Grandma used to tape ornaments to presents when we were small, and I knew those were going on the tree as well.
I always took this for granted, and it even annoyed me at times. Now, I saw the importance of it all and watched as Jamie wiped a tear from her eye. I looked down at the floor for a moment and composed myself before I started to overthink about who wasn’t here.
Ben walked up to hug her and helped to decorate the tree. They both looked caught up in emotion, and I memorized the moment. If we ended tomorrow, I’d never forget this moment. I looked at my sister as she hung an ornament, and her eyes were shimmering with tears. Usually, I’d help with the tree but I let them have that time and sat on the couch, chatting with Leo. He glanced over at the tree a few times but it was hard to tell if he was looking directly at Jamie.
When they finished with the ornaments, Leo and I took the boxes down to the basement. I looked at him, and he headed toward the stairs. “Is there anything between you and Jamie?”
“She’s a great girl. I wouldn’t say anything is going on.” He shrugged, and I noticed that he looked up as he started to ascend the staircase. I had to leave it alone as much as I wanted to know more for selfish reasons. I should be protective of Jamie and I was, but there was so much more to it for me.
I needed to step back and leave this alone. Leo would live his life his way, and I needed to focus on mine.
We had some pie for dessert, and everyone chatted easily. I loved Leo’s family and had always been close to them. They were just as warm to Ben and Jamie, if not a little more so with Jamie. When they left that night, they told us they would drop in the following day once everything settled down, and Leo looked back as they walked to the car. The next morning was Christmas Eve and we planned to take them into the city to see the Christmas stuff. Mom would generally cook but we chose to have dinner out instead and make an evening of it.
