Healready had.
43
sebastian
“This has got to bethe most elaborate scheme toget some pussyever,” Greg muttered, sidling up beside me with a glassof eggnog in hand. “And by the way, man, this eggnog is out of this freakin’world. You made this stuff?”
“Iwas upallfucking night making that shit,” I grumbled, kneeling infront of the tree. “And for the millionth time, it’s not ascheme.”
“Ifshe turns you down after all of this, I’d say you’re officially on her shitlist,” Matt chuckled against the rim of his glass.
Ishook my head as I twisted one of the burnt-out, multicolored lights. Whoeversaid putting lights on a tree was a good idea was obviously high as a fuckingkite, because it truly was a special kind of torture, trying to get them all tostay lit and all at the same time.
“Hell,if she turns you down after all of this,sheshould be onyourshit list,” Steve chimed in from the couch.
“Ohmy God,” Jen groaned, swatting at Steve’s arm. “Can you guys just leave himalone?”
“Andcan we please remember thatshe’shere?” Dinah tacked on in awhispered growl.
Formonths, my brothers-in-law had teased me for buying the old Worthington housein Hog fucking Hill. Although I’d successfully recruited them to help move mycrap, they couldn’t understand why I’d want to pack up and leave the house I’dbeen living in for sixteen years, seemingly at the drop of a hat. Theyimmediately assumed it was to win Tabby over, to show her that I was willing togo the distance to get her back, and sure, that was a big part of it.
Butit was only a bonus.
Because,even though I loved her and there was no way in Hell I was ever going to stop,I bought this house for Greyson. Apart from the time spent on the road, Ididn’t want to go another day without seeing him, and the only way to accomplishthat was to move closer to him. I wanted to keep him in his school, to keep himclose to everything he’d ever known and to bring the members ofhisfamily closer together. Because above everything else, I lovedhim, andwhen you love someone, you do what’s best for them.
Andfor Greyson, that was this: a father and a mother figure who loved him, a dogto chill with, a big fucking family to call his own. It was not only the life Iknew he wanted, but the lifehedeserved.
Thelife I would’ve given him from the very beginning, had I been given the chance.
Itwisted the light again and the entire strand went out. “Son of a bitch.”
“Youknow, we have this thing at our house that basically repairs those stupidlittle shits,” Greg commented, kneeling beside me. “I mean, I have Jen handlethese things, soInever have to worry about them, but she says it workspretty well.”
“Wow,Greg, that’s fucking awesome, man. Hey, did you happen to bring it with you?” Iturned to face him.
“Uh,”his jaw shifted uncomfortably before he met my eyes again, “let’s pretend Ididn’t say anything.”
“Yeah,that’s a great idea,” I grumbled, shaking my head.
Greysonran into the living room with Travis and Johnny on his heels. “Hey, Dad?”
“What’sup, dude?” I stood up, resigning myself to having only a partially lit tree andmaking a mental note to get one of those gadgets Greg was talking about.
“Canwe go jam in the basement? I wanna show Trav and Johnny your drums.”
Everyone of my brothers-in-law eyed each other with dread at the mention of drums. Ifelt their pain. Three teenaged boys, two of which didn’t know what the hellthey were doing, beating on the skins sounded like the worst idea on theplanet, even to me.
Iput my hands on my hips and chuckled. “Uh … Yeah, that’s not happening.”
Greythrew his head back dramatically. “Oh,come on, Dad. It’sChristmas.”
“Yeah?Is there a point you’re trying to make here, or …?” I shrugged and raised abrow.
Counteringwith an equal amount of disbelief as I was using on him, he shot me with anexhausted glare. “Jesus would’ve wanted it this way. I mean, you know thelittle drummer boy?”
Thecorners of my mouth lifted with reluctant amusement. “Yeah, I’ve heard of him.”
Johnnyand Travis flanked Greyson, their newly adopted ring leader, as he continued,“Well, the little drummer boy didn’t have a, uh, a gift to bring him, right?So, he played his drums—”
