AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Merry Christmas,” I whispered and pressed my lips to the side of her head.
“Merry Christmas.” She pulled back and beamed up at me.
Fuck, I was glad she was here.
As she unzipped her coat, I circled her so I could help her out of it. Once it was hung up in the closet, we headed to the living area to join my family.
“You got a tree!”
For weeks, she’d been giving me a hard time for not having one, but until four days ago, when Hannah insisted I visit the hospital, my plan had been to go home to Long Island for Christmas. So I didn’t need one. Once I’d made plans with my family to come here instead, I’d gone on the hunt for a tree and ornaments.
“Can’t not have one.” I smirked.
She put her hands on her hips and huffed. “I’ve been telling you that for a month.”
“Turns out you were right.”
Not that mine could compare to hers. The tree in her apartment was full of history. It was loaded with ornaments she’d been collecting her whole life. It told a story. Mine? Three days ago, I picked up the last pathetic fake tree Walmart had and a couple of boxes of bulbs and threw it up.
“Come on.” I shuffled deeper into the living room and waved at her to follow.
“Pop, Gi, this is Avery.”
“You’re adorable.”My sister’s ability to make those two words sound like criticism was impeccable.
Though I hated being too hard on her. She had her own issues. I couldn’t count how many times I’d told Gi that she didn’t have to be tiny and blond for guys to like her. And then I introduced her to Avery, who was the human embodiment of everything Gi envied. It had to hurt.
But my interest in Avery went so much deeper than her looks.
“Ha! Thanks. I spend most of my time covered in stray feathers and bird droppings, so I don’t get that a lot,” Avery chirped, holding a hand out to my dad.Her eyes went comically wide as he stepped up and slid his palm against hers. “Just at work. Not today. No poop today, so no worries.” The moment the word vomit ceased, she winced, and a flush crept up her neck and spread across her cheeks.
I could watch this woman all day and never get bored. Her smiles and her frowns. Every one of her expressions was intriguing to me.
My dad chuckled. “I wasn’t worried. And I appreciate the dedication. You’re taking such good care of my grandson.”
“Oh man.” Avery laughed, slapping a hand to her chest. “Has he finally stopped complaining when you refer to Puff as his son?” she teased, elbowing me in the ribs. “He still gives me crap when I call him Puff Daddy’sdaddy.”
“Who names a bird Puff Daddy?” Gianna scowled.
“I said the same thing.” Avery giggled. “But it grew on me.”
My sister tilted her head and cocked a brow in challenge. “Kinda like my brother?”
Avery assessed me, her eyes as soft as her expression. “Chris doesn’t get enough credit. He wants most people to leave him alone, but he’s areallygood guy.”
I clenched my hands at my sides to keep from rubbing my chest, because as she gave me a sweet smile, my heart, which normally didn’t give much of a shit, exploded in my chest.
I fannedmy cards out and surveyed them again. Supposedly, aces were definite tricks, but I wasn’t sure I understood any other aspect of the game.It all seemed like a gray area.
“Um, one?”
Chris rolled his lips between his teeth, fighting a smile. That no doubt meant I was underbiddingagain.
“Spades is confusing, isn’t it?” Gianna said from where she sat beside me on the sofa.
I was glad I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Both men at the table obviously didn’t agree. They acted like the rules were as simple as Go Fish.
“Nah. And you’re getting better, Avery,” Bo encouraged.
