I listen, not judging his story, believing he wouldn’t share such a memory with me for no apparent reason. I watch his partially closed lips as he continues telling his story. “After the last fight, Landon stormed out, calling her ‘bitch this,’ ‘bitch that,’ some nasty things. And I was sitting on the couch, confused as hell on what I was supposed to do. Here was this broken girl with tears streaming down her face. So I moved over to her and held her, feeling her weak body fall against mine.
“After calming down her wrecked self, I led her to the couch and we talked. About anything but Landon. I tried my best to make her smile, to make her laugh, because I’m almost certain there’s nothing more beautiful than the sound of a woman’s laughter. Then I told her she deserved more for herself and that no one should ever speak to a woman the way Landon spoke to her. I don’t know if I sent her the wrong signals or if she was just so messed up in her head, but she crawled over to me, tried to kiss me. Said I was the brother she always wanted.”
“What did you do?”
“I sent her home. I mean, yeah, my brother’s an asshole, and sometimes it’s hard for me to stomach the idea that we’re related, but there’s no way in hell I would mess around with his girl. There are supposed to be rules about this stuff. Ya know? Lines you never cross.”
“I guess my family never got the memo on those rules.”
“Mine either. I told Landon, when he got home—how Jasmine had tried to come on to me—and he called me a liar and kicked me out. Said he had a call from Jasmine saying that I hit on her and tried to have sex with her. He believed her over his own brother because ‘that’s what Kayden does.’ He screws chicks and leaves. I didn’t even try to explain the situation to him; his mind was made-up. It was right then that I realized he wasn’t my brother. He never was.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because”—he inhales deeply and exhales slowly—”genetics make you related, but loyalty makes you family. Turns out the only family I have are my mom and my aunt.”
I laugh. “And your made-up girlfriend, jerk.” He smiles and runs his fingers through his perfect hair, pleased by my comment. I feel terrible for the way I spoke to him earlier, ashamed really. “I didn’t want meaningless sex with you.”
His lips curve up. “I know, and I didn’t want you to want to have sex with Danny.”
I nod once. “I know.”
“Maybe after all of this is over, after I’m not Richard, and you’re more…emotionally stable. Maybe then I can ask you out.” He speaks with such certainty, such truth.
I laugh again. “It may take me a while to become emotionally stable.”
He looks at me, his green eyes soft and still a bit puffy from his allergies, and when he turns away to face the ceiling, I follow his gaze, staring up at the ceiling fan that remains still.
“So what happens next?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I mean, if you’re willing to wait for me, then I can figure out my life. And you can take me to a really nice restaurant maybe. And do you dance? I love to dance. My last boyfriend made me think I loved video games but I despise them. I actually have no clue how to use the damn things and—”
“Jules?” Twisting my neck in his direction, I wait for him to continue his thought. “I meant what happen
s next with this family trip.”
“Oh…” Just when I think I cannot embarrass myself any further, I one-up myself. No need to buy blush anymore. These red cheeks come with the territory. “Well, tomorrow for the girls there’s cookie making and hot cocoa—I bring Bailey’s to slip into mine. And for the guys, you go cut down the best trees—yes trees, as in more than one—and then each couple decorates one. The best tree wins a trophy, because clearly, what’s a Stone’ family get-together without awards?”
“Sounds nice.”
“It was.” I remember all of the fun years I had with Danny, doing all of those Christmas activities together. Then I think about how different it will be this year, watching him perform those tasks with my sister. But I have Kayden this year; I’ll do my best to make believe with him. “It will be nice.”
“Jules?” Kayden’s voice comes out as a question, just as it did before I embarrassed myself with my overactive imagination of a world with him in it.
“Yes?”
“I love to dance, too. The older music, the better the music. Boys II Men, Hall and Oates, Temptations.”
My hands fly over my heart, because I’m sure it’s about to zoom out of my chest. “Stop, stop! You had me at Hall and Oates. When Lisa and I were kids, we stayed at this cabin with my grandma whenever Mom and Dad were filming. Grandma would always take us girls to old record stores, and of course I bought Hall and Oates’s second album. I would play it over and over again. It’s perfection. So…okay. Favorite song at the count of three. Don’t think about it, just say. Ready?”
“Ready.”
“One…two…three…”
“She’s Gone!” we both holler, and I toss my hands up with excitement after hearing his reply. “Kayden Reece, I hate to say it, but…I think we just became best friends.”
“This is the fastest moving, all-over-the-place relationship I’ve ever had. First we are madly in love, and now we are best-friends status. All within ten hours.”
“There’s only one life to live. Might as well live it up!”