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“Why not? My board’s always frustrated that I refuse to go to social functions.”
“I go; I just don’t drink,” she said. “Once you allow it, people will always get you to drink. I don’t want to be pressured, so I always use religion as an excuse.”
Seth laughed softly, his chest vibrating with the deep sound. “So you just say Jesus doesn’t let you drink?”
“Something along that line. It always works, and there are additional perks.”
Seth played with the ends of her hair. “And what are they?”
“Everyone who knows me through work treats me like a super holy or good church girl, so they’re always on their best behavior. No one has ever bothered me with offensive propositions—until I came to EB Co.” She smirked. “Isn’t Jesus a good shield?”
Seth’s head bobbed up and down. “Do you need to go to church tomorrow?”
“Need?”
“Don’t you need to attend a Christmas service?”
“I thought you were baptized.”
“Holly only dragged us to church when she wanted the priest to tell us what horrible creatures we were. We rarely made it on Sundays since she rarely ever wakes up before noon.”
She nodded once. “Christmas services are usually held on Christmas Eve.”
His brows rose. “Oh. I’m sorry.”
Clary chuckled. “Don’t worry. Jesus won’t send me to hell for missing church. We’re pretty tight.” She grinned when Seth smiled. “Did you have fun tonight? I’m done, though. We’re not drinking on New Year’s Eve.”
His gaze roamed across her face. “Thank you.”
She frowned.
“Tonight and the night before, the night we set up the Christmas tree, were the happiest I’ve seen my brothers. Besides Aldric, I’ve never seen any of them have fun like that.”
“Did you have fun?” Which was honestly all she cared about.
Hearing Seth laugh and seeing him smile—knowing she played a part in that—was incredibly satisfying. Knowing how hard he’d worked and how much he’d sacrificed for his brothers, it pleased her to see him relax and have fun.
“It was more than fun.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t do much. I only cooked. Aldric gets the credit for making things fun.”
Aldric made a game out of everything and was super competitive, which made Andrea and Elton competitive too.
“He’s kind of crazy,” Clary said while staring at Aldric, who was sprawled out on the floor.
While everyone else had drunk from glasses, Aldric swigged from the bottle.
“If this is going to be routine, we should carpet the floor for him.” Instead of the smile she expected when she turned to Seth, he was frowning. “Is someone allergic to carpets?”
Seth shook his head and cracked a smile.
“You’re worried about Aldric.”
“A little.” He shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t mind him passing out at home, where I can see him.”
“So he was serious when he said he’s been to seedy places?”
“I’ve lost count of the number of times Zane and I have had to go bail him out or received a call from someone at a bar or strip club …” Seth kneaded his neck.
