An Aces Christmas

by Nicole Jacquelyn

  Callie laughed at my imitation of every kid we’d raised. “Go check,” she said. “You’ve been dragging your feet all day and I’m almost done.”

  “You still have to bake at least one more,” I argued.

  “And you still have to cut the fucking bananas and mix your pudding,” she shot back. “Which, knowing how slow you move, means I’ll probably beat you.”

  “The hell you will,” I said, spinning on my heel.

  “Grab my coffee out of the cup holder while you’re out there!” Callie called as I walked away.

  “You left one of my bags so I’d have to grab your coffee, didn’t you?” I accused over my shoulder. She chuckled but didn’t answer me.

  “This is bullshit,” I said to Brenna as I passed her in the main room of the clubhouse. “Callie’s made me her bitch.”

  Brenna laughed. “Wanna trade?”

  “Oh, hell no,” I joked, grinning. “I don’t do decorations.”

  “Bullshit,” she said as I kept walking. “I’ve seen your house! There’s Christmas lights everywhere. You can see it from a mile away.”

  “First of all,” I said, backing toward the door. “Outside lights are Cody’s domain. Take that up with him. And second of all, you’re the only one around here that can successfully make the clubhouse look festive.”

  “Flattery will get you nowhere,” she yelled as I pushed the door open with my back and stepped outside.

  I grimaced as cold air hit my face and neck and hurried over to Callie’s car.

  “Coffee,” I reminded myself, reaching into the front seat for her to-go cup. It had gone cold, probably hours ago, but she wouldn’t care. Hell, she probably wouldn’t even heat it up. Setting it on the roof, I looked in the back window for another grocery bag. I knew I’d grabbed the bananas from my house, because I’d been so damn proud that I’d bought them early and hid them long enough that they were ripe and soft.

  Just as I spotted them halfway under the passenger seat and opened the door with a sigh of relief, I heard the sound of a car coming up the driveway behind me.

  “Hey, Ma,” Charlie called after I’d grabbed the missing bananas and shut the door. “You need help?”

  “Where were you a few hours ago?” I joked. “We had like fifteen bags to unload then.”

  “I was working,” Charlie replied happily. “But now I’m off until next week.”

  “Nice,” I said, smiling as I looked her over. I couldn’t believe my baby was all grown up. I’d had the kids so far apart that I’d spent over thirty years raising them and the house seemed too quiet now. “Are you coming to dinner tonight?”

  “Nah,” she shook her head. “It’s gonna be a lot for them already, you know?”

  “Yeah,” I said as we walked side by side back toward the clubhouse.

  “You and Dad are going, though, right?”

  “We’ll be there,” I confirmed. “This is the longest day in the history of days.”

  Charlie laughed. “I hear ya. I figure the boys will come find me after the festivities are over tonight.”

  I was sure they would, too. Charlie and my oldest grandsons were only a couple months apart and they’d grown up in each others’ pockets. Almost every memory I had of my youngest included the boys, too. As pre-teens, they’d added Callie’s granddaughter Kara to the mix, and the trio had become a quartet—sometimes a quintet when her other granddaughter Rebel was around. Rebel was probably bouncing off the walls with nerves and excitement, I thought. I needed to remember to check on her later.

  “Have you seen Kara today?” I asked quietly.

  Charlie shook her head. “She was asleep when I left for work and she was gone when I stopped by the apartment to change.”

  “She showed up earlier looking for Mack,” I said as Charlie opened the door and let me walk through. “She looked like shit.”

  Charlie sighed. “Yeah, I know,” she said, reaching up to run her fingers through her hair. “I wish I could just stay out of it, but that’s pretty much impossible. She doesn’t listen to a word I say, though, so I’m not sure I’ll do much good.”

  “Just be there,” I said, remembering every time Callie ignored my advice and every time I’d ignored hers. “That’s all they need.”

  “Well, that’s easy,” Charlie replied, grinning. “I know shit is going to hit the fan soon, but I’m so fucking excited.”

  “Me, too, baby,” I said as we entered the kitchen.

  “I thought you were just getting the bananas,” Callie said, her face lighting up as she caught sight of Charlie. “This is way better.”

  “Hey, Aunt Callie,” Charlie replied, walking over to give my best friend a hug.

  “I also brought coffee,” I sang snarkily to myself, setting it on the counter.

  “What are you up to today?” Callie asked. “Trying to waste time?”

  “Pretty much,” Charlie said with a laugh. “I figured I’d see if Reb wants to go with me to finish Christmas shopping.”

  “You know she will,” Callie replied. “I’ve never met anyone who loved shopping for other people as much as that one.”

  “She’s the best of us,” Charlie said lightly, hopping up to sit on the counter.

  I rolled my eyes and smiled when Callie didn’t immediately bitch at her for taking up precious workspace.

  “Have you seen Kara?” Callie asked.

  My baby girl laughed and glanced at me. “Mom just asked me the same thing.”

  “And?” Callie prodded.

  “I haven’t seen her today,” Charlie said. “But I live with her and watched her drink herself stupid last night.”

  “Did you guys go out?” I asked as I grabbed a knife out of the cupboard.

  “Of course not,” Charlie replied with a scoff. “Kara doesn’t go out. Ever. She drank herself stupid watching TV and passed out on the couch.”

  “Maybe things will be different now,” Callie said softly, reaching over to pat Charlie’s knee. “Give it a little time.”

  “If you say so.”

  “People deal with shit in the way that makes sense to them,” I reminded Charlie for the thousandth time in the past four years.

  “She hasn’t dealt with it,” Charlie argued.

  I knew that. It was why all of us worried. Nodding, I got to work on my last pie. I sure as hell wasn’t going to let Callie finish before I did.

  Chapter 4

  Kara

  Past

  “I can’t believe they flipped a coin for me,” I said, rolling my eyes at Charlie to try and hide how nervous I was. I’d amped myself up so badly that my stomach rolled with nausea as we waited for the boys to pick us up.

  “They’re assholes,” Charlie said easily. “It’s not like the four of us won’t stay together the whole time anyway, unless they find some poor, unsuspecting dateless girl to woo.”

  I laughed, but the sound was hollow.

  I was in a dress that made my boobs look awesome and my waist look tiny. My normally straight hair was a tangle of curls. I’d done my makeup flawlessly and I’d replaced my normal Chapstick with bright red lipstick. Bottom line, I’d never looked prettier in my entire life. If the boys ditched us—if Curtis ditched us—while I looked like this? I would know for sure that nothing would ever happen between us. Part of me thought that might be kind of a relief because I could finally move on, but the rest of me was wound so tight at the thought of it that I hadn’t been able to eat all day.

  “Dipshits are here,” my dad said, striding into the kitchen where we were sitting. He stopped me as I got up to leave. “You know the rules. Stay with the boys and Charlie. No ridin’ with anyone that’s been drinkin’. Don’t ever take a drink or a smoke from someone, not even if you know ’em. Men are disgustin’ and boys that age are worse.”

  “No Solo cups,” Charlie added helpfully as my dad paused long enough to take a breath.

  “That’s right,” dad said. “You didn’t open it, you don’t drink it.”


  “I don’t drink,” I replied, throwing my hands up in exasperation. “And you do this every time.”

  “Eventually, you will,” he said gruffly, looking slightly green. “Don’t be stupid about it.”

  “The boys are here,” my stepmom Rose called from the living room. “Oh, they look good, too. Daaaaang.”

  “You look especially gross saying that with your huge belly,” Charlie pointed out as we hurried to the living room.

  “You never look gross, baby,” my dad said, making me snort. “But it is kinda creepy.”

  “They’re practically my nephews,” Rose said, waving him off.

  “We’re not related to them,” I argued, occupying myself by grabbing my small purse off the back of the couch.

  “Fine,” Rose said, wrapping an arm around my waist. “I’ve known them since they were babies, and even if I didn’t, I don’t go for high school boys.” She gave me a squeeze. “Better?”

  “Can we just drop it?” I hissed.

  “Consider it dropped—hey, guys,” she called out as my dad answered the door and stood in it, his arms crossed over his chest.

  I resisted the urge to stomp my foot as he continued standing there, staring them down, like I hadn’t spent every weekend in their company since I was eleven years old.

  “I know where you sleep,” he said ominously before taking a step to the side.

  “Very well done,” Curtis said, nodding as he stepped past my dad.

  “Agreed,” Draco mumbled, patting my dad on the shoulder. “Very scary. Intimidating, for sure.”

  My dad laughed, but I was barely paying attention.

  I knew that none of the boys could get into the dance without a coat and tie, but I hadn’t even been able to imagine the boys I’d grown up with fully decked out. Struggling to keep my mouth from dropping open, I took them in. They were in tuxes, and not the dorky kind that were all boxy and uncomfortable looking. These tuxes looked made for them. Slim fit and dear God, were they wearing cufflinks? Draco was wearing a black shirt and black tie under his black suit, and I’d normally think that it was a little overkill, but it wasn’t. It definitely wasn’t.

  Curtis was wearing a white shirt under his matching black suit, but instead of a tie, he had an untied bowtie dangling around his neck and the top button of his shirt undone. I gulped.

  “They said I had to wear a tie,” he said to me when he caught me staring. “They didn’t say how I had to wear it.”

  He shot me a small grin and I cleared my throat, trying to find a single thing to say.

  “You guys clean up good,” Charlie said. Even she was impressed. “Your mom shop for you?”

  “Your mom did,” Draco shot back.

  “That comeback would work if you weren’t talking about your grandma, idiot,” Charlie said, laughing at him.

  “No, really,” Curtis said. “Gram took us. Mom said she wouldn’t go in a tux shop because they all smell like feet.”

  “No curfew,” my dad said. “But you better check in every couple of hours and if I text you and don’t hear back within twenty minutes, I’m comin’ to find you and it won’t be pretty.”

  “Got it,” I said.

  “Ready, date?” Draco asked, bending his arm so I could take his elbow.

  “Yep.”

  “Wait, let me take a picture!” Rose said hurriedly. “Where’d I put my phone?”

  “Here, baby,” my dad said, handing her his phone.

  We posed for pictures in a line, with me and Charlie in the middle. and by the time we were finished, my cheeks hurt from all the smiling.

  “Give Brody a kiss for me,” I said as we moved toward the front door.

  “I will,” Rose replied.

  “He’s takin’ his nap so late, he’ll probably still be awake when you get home,” my dad said dryly. “Be careful.”

  “Always.” I smiled at him over my shoulder as I followed the group out of the house.

  “Your chariot awaits,” Draco said dramatically as we reached the sidewalk outside.

  “What the fuck?” Charlie asked, stopping abruptly as she caught sight of the souped-up muscle car.

  “Finally finished it,” Curtis said excitedly. “It only took four years.”

  “When?” I asked, pushing past Charlie so I could get a good look at it. The last time I’d seen the Chevelle in the boys’ garage, it had been in pieces. I had no idea how they’d kept it a secret that they’d finally finished it.

  “Last week,” Draco said, running his hand over the hood. “Curt wanted to surprise you guys.”

  “Nice surprise,” Charlie said, looking into the back seat. “You even got the upholstery done?”

  “Yep. Found a guy willing to do it on trade,” Curtis answered, opening the passenger door.

  “Shotgun,” I called first.

  “Dammit,” Charlie griped. She huffed and puffed with annoyance as she climbed into the back seat.

  “You know my legs are longer than yours,” Draco said, staring at me.

  “You’ll survive,” I replied dryly, waving him toward the car.

  Curtis continued holding the door open until I’d climbed in the front seat, then shut the door gently.

  “I bet you’re wishing you guys worked on your bike first, huh?” Charlie joked to Draco.

  “Nah,” he replied. “I don’t mind ridin’ around in this. Curt’s not ridin’ bitch on the back of my bike.”

  We laughed as Curtis rounded the hood and climbed inside.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked, glancing at me as he started the car.

  “I said we’re not ridin’ double on my bike,” Draco said, leaning up to pat Curtis’s shoulder. “No matter how much I love ya.”

  “I mean, if you got a sidecar, I’d be all over that shit,” Curtis joked.

  “The idea has some merit,” Draco said, leaning back in his seat.

  “If you put a sidecar on your bike, I’ll pay you a hundred dollars,” Charlie said seriously. “No joke. I’ll pay you.”

  “Can you even find those anymore?” Curtis asked.

  The conversation flowed around me and I sighed happily. We always had a good time when we were together, but it felt different somehow all dressed up in Curtis’ new car. Special or something.

  “Where are we going for dinner?” Charlie asked as we made our way through town.

  “McDonalds,” Draco answered.

  At the same time Curtis said, “Taco Bell.”

  “You better be freaking joking,” Charlie replied, leaning forward. “I’ll kill you.”

  “We are,” Curtis said, glancing at her in the mirror. “We’re goin’ to that Italian place Kara loves.”

  “We are?” I asked, my eyes widening. “Seriously?”

  Curtis smiled at me. “Charlie’s a raccoon, she’ll eat anything—”

  “Hey,” Charlie complained.

  “But we knew you love this place.”

  “Awesome,” I said, smiling happily. I turned to Charlie. “You kind of are like a trash panda.”

  “Just because I’m not picky doesn’t mean I’m a damn raccoon,” she argued. “I work out a lot and I need the calories.”

  “Me and Curt work out just as much,” Draco pointed out. “And we don’t eat like it’s our last meal.”

  “That’s just a boldfaced lie,” Charlie gasped. She swatted at him, making him grumble. “You two eat twice as much as I do.”

  “We’re twice your size,” Draco said, blocking her swings. “Knock it off, you’re gonna mess up your hair.”

  Charlie laughed as she continued smacking at him. “Wrong way to deter me, asshole!”

  I laughed as I watched the two of them argue, then looked over at Curt, whose eyes were still on the road. He was grinning.

  “Having a good time yet?” he asked me, meeting my eyes briefly.

  “The best.”

  “You’re easy to please,” he joked.

  “I’m not easy in any sense of the word,
” I replied primly. It was the closest I’d ever come to flirting with him. I’d always let myself be treated like one of the guys, like one of the group. Charlie and I didn’t discuss boys or dating with Curt and Draco.

  “Good to know,” Curtis said, looking at me again.

  My stomach twisted. Was he flirting, too?

  “Just for that raccoon comment,” Charlie said, leaning toward the front seat. “I’m getting two entrees and I’m going to eat them both.”

  “Come on, now,” Curtis complained. “I just spent all my money finishing up Roxanne so you guys would have a sweet ride.”

  “Roxanne?” Charlie asked.

  “Roxanne,” Draco sang loudly.

  I choked on a laugh.

  “She seems like a Roxanne,” Curtis said with a nod, reaching forward to run his hand over the dash.

  “Wasn’t Roxanne a prostitute?” Charlie asked dryly.

  “Don’t talk about her that way,” Curtis admonished. “She can hear you.”

  “All of you are weird,” I said. “Every single one of you.”

  “And you’re the weirdest of all of us,” Charlie said, wrapping her arm around my neck from behind. “The queen of weirdos.”

  “Roxanne,” Draco sang again.

  “Is that the only part of the song you know?” Charlie asked, letting go of my neck as we pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant.

  “Something about a red light,” Draco sang back at her.

  I giggled as Curtis pulled into a parking spot.

  “I’ll get your door,” he said, turning to smile at me. “Wait just a second.”

  “Well, isn’t he chivalrous?” Charlie said drolly as Curtis climbed out of the car.

  “He could’ve at least let me out on his side,” Draco said in exasperation. “I’m bent like a pretzel back here.”

  I ignored them both, watching Curtis round the hood and come over to open my door.

  Then, with a deep breath, I got out of the car. He hadn’t moved from where he was standing, so I had to slide past him. I was pretty sure I heard him suck in a sharp breath as I did so.

  Straightening my shoulders, I waited for Charlie and Draco to tumble out of the back seat. It was hard being patient when they were being such goofballs, and I had to remember that it wasn’t like they were crashing my date or something. I’d built everything up in my head. It wasn’t a date. It was the same group I hung out with every day, just dressed up and doing something fancy. If anything, technically I was on a date with Draco.