Something pinched in my chest. Why did he have to act like he cared?
“It sucks when someone disappoints you, doesn’t it?” I was attempting to sound tough, but it just came out pathetic.
Jackson shoved his hands in his pockets, unable to meet my eyes as he kicked his toes against the layer of snow on the sidewalk. “Addie, I’m—”
A car honked behind me, and I turned around to find Julie’s truck.
“I called her to come get us. The party was stupid,” Jackson said. What was he going to say before that?
I didn’t turn back around to look at him as I opened the passenger door, letting him get in the truck first. I reluctantly jumped in after him, keeping myself as close to the door as I could so that our thighs didn’t have to touch.
Julie was asking about the party on our way home, but I kept my mouth shut. She kept saying she was happy we weren’t drunk; that we were too young to start drinking, and she was proud that we were being responsible. I zoned out for most of it, trying not to think of Jackson holding me in the closet.
Peter’s car was in the driveway when we pulled up. The light from his room in the basement was turned on, which was a relief because that meant I didn’t have to walk past him to get to my room. The Delvecchios knew I lived with just my brother now—Jackson had shared the information with them after I explained my situation to him. I pretended not to notice that they started giving me free food from work after they found out.
“Thanks, guys,” I said before hopping out of the truck.
“Have a good Christmas,” Jackson called out from the window. I didn’t turn around to respond, and instead just raised my arm in a goodbye.
Chapter 7
BEFORE
December, Fourteen Years Ago
Christmas morning fell on a Sunday this year, and I was sitting on the couch reading a book when I heard a loud knock on the door. I sighed and closed my book. Peter left yesterday morning to drive out to our mom’s house, and he wouldn’t be back until tomorrow morning. I’d expected to have a quiet weekend alone. Would I never have a single moment of peace in this house?
I walked to the front door, peering behind the curtain and gasping when I saw Marie and Jackson standing on the porch. I pulled down the hem of my sleep shorts, making sure they weren’t scrunched up on my thighs, and ran my fingers through my greasy hair before pulling open the front door.
I hadn’t talked to Jackson since he and Julie dropped me off after the party, yet he was standing on the porch, smiling at me like nothing had happened. I was actually happy to see Jackson, regardless; the restaurant was closed for the holidays, and this was the first weekendI hadn’t worked. I hadn’t expected to see any of the Delvecchios until the following weekend.
“Merry Christmas,” Jackson said as he held out a present. It was wrapped in green paper with holly leaves printed all over it. My name was written in Sharpie across the top—I could tell by the cursive that Julie had written it.
“Oh, thank you,” I said as I took it from him. “I didn’t get you anything.”
“It’s from my entire family, we didn’t expect anything in return,” Jackson said with an adorable smile. He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his winter jacket, his deep-brown eyes twinkling with the reflection of the snow outside. I looked at both of them, letting myself smile.
“Go ahead and open it, sweetheart,” Marie said with a laugh. I ignored the bite of cold wind and the goose bumps rising on my bare legs as I unwrapped the paper, letting it fall to the floor behind me.
I raised an eyebrow when I held the unwrapped package in my hands. It was a cellphone. Nothing extravagant by any means, but a cellphone—my first cellphone. I looked up at them, my mouth hanging open, and they both smiled at me.
“You guys got me a cellphone? This is incredible, thank you,” I said in amazement.
Jackson chuckled at me, reaching forward to rip off the plastic for me. “It’s just a prepaid phone, nothing crazy. But now we can call and text.” He was acting like it was no big deal, but he didn’t understand how much this meant to me. Jackson wanted to be able to call and text me? My heart felt like it went into an arrhythmia.
Marie shivered from the next gust of wind, and I watched as she peeked behind me, trying to look around. They were both standingon the porch in the December air, but I didn’t want to invite them inside. “Where’s your brother, honey?”
I awkwardly clasped my hands behind my back, focusing on Jackson as he opened my new phone. “He went up north to visit our mom.”
Both Marie’s eyes and Jackson’s came to meet mine, and I tried to plaster on a smile. Jackson looked at his mom, then back to me. “You’ve been by yourself all weekend?” he asked.
I nodded, feeling like Kevin McCallister, minus the family that actually loved him.
“How about you come over? We just finished presents at our house, and Phil is whipping up breakfast as we speak,” Marie said as she placed an arm on Jackson’s shoulder.
Christmas with the Delvecchios? Nowthatsounded like the perfect Christmas present. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to intrude,” I said, trying not to sound too eager over their offer. “And I don’t even have anything nice to wear.”
Jackson reached down and pinched at the fabric of the plaid pajama pants he was wearing. “We stay in our pajamas all day on Christmas.”
