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I didn’t even know what I wanted from Patrick…or what he would ever be willing to give, but I couldn’t pretend I didn’t want something. Once I figured it out, I damn sure planned to get it.
“Come on. Let’s make breakfast, and then we’ll wake the girls up.”
We still acted like we were kids on Christmas morning, getting up early to open our gifts.
Mom and I went into the kitchen and started the bacon, eggs, hash browns, and grits. As if they smelled the food, Savanna, Kayla, and Zuri woke up, making their way into the room with us.
“Merry Christmas.” Kayla hugged me.
“You too, sis.” I hugged her back, then did the same with my other two sisters.
The five of us ate breakfast together, laughing and just enjoying each other. Afterward, we made our way into the living room, all of us sitting on the carpet, opening presents together.
“I love having my boy here so much.”
“I swear Malik is your favorite,” Kayla teased.
“Right?” Zuri added.
“Stop being a hater. Mama can’t help it that I’m that good,” I replied just before I was tackled by my sisters and my mom, the four of them laughing and trying to get the best of me. This was what life was all about right here. I couldn’t help but wonder what Patrick was doing with his family. Did they laugh together and play around together the way we did? Unfortunately, I knew the answer to that, which just made my muscles tense up.
“What’s up with you? You seem like you have a lot on your mind.” Savanna nudged me while we cleaned up the mess from all of the packages.
“Nothin’. I’m good. Just glad to be home with y’all.”
“Aww, we love you, brother.”
I’d told Kayla that I was bi last Christmas and my mom today, so when Zuri stepped up, too, I said, “It was a guy…yesterday. That’s where I went.”
They smiled at me, not even missing a beat. “Is he hot?” Zuri asked.
“So fucking hot.” I wanted to tell them who he was, tell all of them, but I couldn’t do that without Patrick’s permission. And let’s not forget my ass was getting way ahead of myself. But if this turned into something, at least I’d laid the groundwork.
Savanna added, “Good for you. I’m pretty sexually fluid, too. I once had this threesome—”
“Oh my god! Stop!” I put a hand over her mouth. “You’re my little sister. I don’t want to hear that shit from you.”
Zuri laughed, and it was just another part of a perfect day.
Still, I couldn’t stop thinking about Patrick the whole time and hoping he wasn’t pissed at me for what I’d done.
15
WHITT
As I pulled into my driveway after spending Christmas Day with my parents in Brentwood,I was looking forward to popping a couple of Advil and crashing into my bed. The massages my mom and I had gotten together had involved cupping, and it’d felt like the lady was trying to suck my organs out through my back.
Instead, I nearly crashed my Audi, slamming on the brakes as the gate to my property shut behind me. There were lights fucking everywhere. Hundreds of them strung from what seemed like every bit of manicured foliage on my property, like a team of elves had collectively vomited Christmas all over my yard.
It was ridiculous; it was gorgeous.
I stepped out of the car, then leaned back inside to turn it off before approaching the sidewalk and standing there, taking it all in.
The colorful lights danced over the leaves and lawn, painting them in splashes of color that shifted every second. My folks and I had spent Christmas once at Disneyland when I was a kid, and I’d never thought something could rival the sheer volume of Christmas spirit per square inch, but this did. The twinkling lights had a hypnotic effect, and I watched them for a while before my brain caught up and started asking questions. Who? Why? Even as the questions arose, a sneaking suspicion bloomed in my stomach, solidifying when I spotted the stockings on the door. I shook my head, trying to bite back a grin as I approached, noting the cheesy Santa’s mailbox next to the front door.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” I muttered, examining the initials on the stockings—where the hell had he gotten all of this stuff? And when?
I flipped the mailbox open out of curiosity, thinking it was just a prop. But no, there inside was a folded note, Malik’s scrawled words in dark ink.
