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“And I’ll shower after.”
“No.” He shook his head, and all the teasing and playfulness vanished.
“She’s worried,” my brother announced, and I stilled. He was talking about my mom. My brows bunched as I looked at my older brother. “Now"—he put a hand up— “I get it. You’ve been gone a bit, jet lag and all that, but she said Gem hasn’t come by. Not to mention the fact you haven’t left the apartment, aside to help her downstairs, and you haven’t showered.”
“Jay—"
“Just.” He sighed. “She’s Mom. Okay? She worried while you were gone because again, it’s Mom. I get it. You’re tired, and I’m not sure what’s happened, but?—"
“What do you mean?” I cut him off knowing I was putting myself into a corner. And maybe that’s what I needed to do to get myself to talk to someone.
“I just… come on, man. I’m not stupid. Gem not being over here?” He shot me a knowing look. I scowled at him.
“She went to visit Sara.”
“And?” he cut in. “Look, you guys have known one another since she moved into town. And I get you think you guys know everything about each other and shit, but we know you guys, too.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means that you two are fucking inseparable. If you’re in town, you two are together. So, if she left for Sara’s, the shocker here is the fact you didn’t go with her.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I muttered under my breath. He rolled his light blue eyes.
“Whatever. Look, something happened on your trip. I’m not stupid, and neither is Mom. Whatever little spat?—"
“We’re not having a spat, and how old are you to be saying spat?”
“Spatis a word, okay?” He shrugged. “Anyways, what I’m saying is, you’re gonna go shower, because honestly, bro, you smell like ass. Then we’re going to set up Christmas decorations inside and outside. And you’re going to put a fucking smile on your face for Mom and whoever else is fucking down there,” he laid out like his word was law. Knowing Jayden, he believed it to be.
He wasn’t only my older brother by three years, but he was like a fatherly figure in his own way. We had two different shit dads, neither of which chose to stick around, much less be the kind of Pop who played catch with his kid, even though it didn’t work out with his baby mama. Jayden had always had my back and my best interest at heart. I loved him for it.
Even when he was being a pain in the ass.
“Fine,” I groaned as I stood up. “There’s cereal in the pantry.” I pointed toward the kitchen, and his eyes shined brightly at the mention.
“Lucky Charms?” I rolled my eyes because the guy was way too damn predictable.
“Of course,” I muttered, biting away the shit-eating grin that threatened to appear. It was our favorite.
“Thanks.” He got up and moved toward the kitchen, and I nodded. I turned, and when my back was to him, he called myname for some reason. I didn’t turn. I knew what he was going to say.
“It’ll be okay, Aiden. You know that, right? Whatever is going on with you and your girl?—”
“What makes you think she’s mine?” I glanced over my shoulder, and he shot me a look that said ‘really?’
“You know that you’ve been in love with Gemma Martinez practically for freaking ever, right? Yeah, man, I know how you feel about Gem.”
“How?”
“How?” He chuckled and shook his head after reaching for the box of cereal. “Because I know you, bro. Mom thinks you guys got in a fight or she hooked up with some stranger and you’re all heartbroken up here.”
“She knows, too?” I asked. Again, Jayden tossed me another look, and I had no idea why I was shocked. It was only three of us because my mom never dated, and my brother’s bedroom had a revolving door. We were tight. And no matter how many times I told each off them Gem and I were nothing but friends, they would have seen right through me.
“So…” he drawled out slowly. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” I muttered, and he frowned.
“You guys sleep together.” My face didn’t change, but a Cheshire grin appeared on my big brother’s face. “Holy shit, you did! Oh my god. Wait, that means that was both your first?—"
