by Maine, Miley
He just ruffled my hair. “Come on, you know I have to tease. What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t?”
“The good kind,” I muttered under my breath.
“What was that?”
“Nothing!” I looked up at him with a shining smile and winked.
He laughed. “Okay. Besides, can you imagine? You and Grayson together? That would be way too strange. You’ve known him since you were a little kid!”
“Right.” I let out a laugh like his, but it felt faker than anything. I wanted to imagine it, needed to, if only because I was so heartbroken at the moment and needed the distraction. I wished suddenly that Ethan and I were still together so that Grayson wouldn’t bring about all these strange feelings. Oh, who was I kidding? I would be feeling them whether or not I was with Ethan. Things had certainly fallen apart enough already to allow something else to start growing in the cracks between the two of us.
“Well, he’ll be coming in tomorrow, a little before our early dinner.”
“It’ll be good to see him again,” I said.
He grinned. “I bet. What has it been for you? About ten years?”
“Thirteen,” I said, without even thinking and pretending like I couldn’t see Sebastian’s smile widen. It was easy math and I’d just been thinking about it. I had spent more than half my life not seeing Grayson. What would it be like for the two of us to meet again?
“That’s a while,” Sebastian said, scratching his head. “I forgot it’s been that long, but then again, you didn’t see him at all after he moved.”
“I was always a little jealous,” I admitted begrudgingly, “that you got to see him and I didn’t. I wanted to be better friends with him, too.”
“Well, now’s your chance,” Sebastian said, a large smile on his face. “Let him cheer you up. He should be pretty good at that.”
“I hope so,” I said, flopping back down on my bed. “I really could use some holiday cheer.”
“Am I not enough for you?” Sebastian said in half-shock, dramatically pressing his hand to chest before bending down to pick the book I had been reading off my bed. “What is this? Dragons Before Midnight?”
“Give it back!” I said, sitting up and trying to snatch the book from his hands. I had been reading dragon-shifter romance recently, and I knew Sebastian would find it really weird, especially since the spot I had left off on had been right before a sex scene.
“No, I wanna know what this is,” he insisted, taking another few steps back. “Let’s see…”
“Don’t you dare read that,” I threatened, still trying to grab the book from his hands, but he wasn’t letting me have it back.
“Why? What’s so interesting about it?”
“Nothing!” I insisted, finally catching hold of the book and yanking it to my chest. “You just wouldn’t like it, that’s all.”
Sebastian got a mischievous little grin on his face. “Oh? And why is that? Is it...explicit?”
My face warmed instantly, giving me away. “I knew it!” he shouted, pointing a finger at me. “What, is it dragons having sex? Are you into lizards?”
“No!” I insisted. “It’s about dragon-shifters. They’re like werewolves, but they can change between dragon and human on command. They’re human when they have sex.”
“Or maybe that’s just what you want me to think.”
I shrugged. “I mean, at this point if you read it you’re implicated, too, you know?”
“How so?”
“Well, you already know what it’s about, so if you read it then you’re clearly interested.” I raised my eyebrows suggestively.
“I’m not.”
“You’re, too!” I stuck my tongue out at him, earning me a hearty laugh. He ruffled my hair, then stepped back.
“Alright, I think I’m gonna head downstairs for now. Call me if you need anything.”
“I will,” I replied, shutting the door behind him as he left before sinking back into the warm depths of my bed.
I had so much to do to get ready for tomorrow now. Crush or no crush, I couldn’t ignore the fact that I wanted to make a good impression on Grayson. It was going to be his first time seeing me in thirteen years, after all. I wanted to show him that I had matured into a woman, that I wasn’t still some kid. And I wanted him to think that was a good thing, too. So, I decided that now was as good a time as any to pick out something nice to wear for our Thanksgiving dinner.
I didn’t really go to many parties, so the few party outfits I had were all for the warmer months. In the winter, I tended to hole up in my blankets and read the day away, so the clothes that I did have for the cold nights were based around comfort and warmth, not cuteness.
I tried to reason with myself and say that I could just show up in a sweater, jeans, and a ponytail and be absolutely fine—Grayson might even think I looked cute—but that wasn’t enough for me. I didn’t want to risk his first impression of the older me on something that didn’t make me feel like my most confident self. So, finally, I ended up settling on an ensemble that was both cute and comfortable: a pair of white, sweater-knit fleece-lined tights paired with a dark gray cashmere sweater dress and a cute gold belt. I would put on some dainty gold jewelry, wear my hair in a bun, and put on some gold-colored flats. I would look like a real, honest-to-God adult.
It definitely wasn’t very practical for going outside, as I would need at least another sweater, a coat, and a different pair of shoes for that. It was already cold enough to snow, even though it was only Thanksgiving. I didn’t mind since I only had to leave the house occasionally, but it did mean the bundling up was very important unless I wanted to become an icicle. But this was Thanksgiving dinner, which meant we would be inside our warm, cozy house, eating yummy, warm food, and there would be no need to go outside for more than a couple of minutes, maybe just to greet Grayson.
And this outfit would give me that extra boost of confidence I needed to see Grayson again. I just hoped it would be enough to keep me from turning into a mess right in front of him. That would be more embarrassing than I could bear. Sebastian would never let me forget it, and I would never forgive myself.
So, now with an outfit chosen and daydreams proliferating in my mind, there was nothing I could do but wait.
2
Grayson
The day had finally arrived.
I was travelling back to the small town in Northern California where I had grown up, ready to see the friend I had missed so much and his family, of course. My parents were busy in New York this time of the year, so it felt good to know that I would at least have someone to celebrate the holidays with, even if it wasn’t them. I had no siblings, but growing up, Sebastian was like the brother I never had, and still was. We checked up on each other at least once a week and I had been excited to move back to California, even though I was six hours away from him by car. We were much closer by private jet, at the very least.
Still, we didn’t see each other nearly enough for my liking, which was why I had suggested that we spend the holidays together. I missed him and my hometown, and with my parents out of commission for the holidays, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. It had been planned incredibly at the last minute, but that’s just how I was these days. As the young CEO of a multi-billion-dollar tech company, I didn’t have as much control over my schedule as others might think I would. I was a slave to my company, modifying my waking and sleeping hours to fit the company needs above my own. Circadian rhythm who? But I had something figure out for the holidays, so as long as it didn’t fall through I would be free to go and hang out with Sebastian to make up as much time as possible for the past few years we’d missed with each other.
I hadn’t given him the exact time of my arrival, as I didn’t know how long my last-minute preparations would take, so I figured that I should probably call him now to let him know that I was nearly there. Since it was a private jet and it was only me onboard, I could call Sebastian using the plane’s wifi without a
ny worries about it messing with the plane’s communications system.
So, I hit his number and leaned back in my seat, relaxing into the leather cushions.
“Hello?” Sebastian said, picking up on the second ring.
“Did you not look at the caller ID, Grandpa?” I teased. “It’s me.”
“Grayson! Are you leaving soon? We’re expecting you.”
“I’m on my way over now,” I said. “We should be landing in another fifteen minutes, then maybe another half an hour to drive to your house. Will you be ready for me?”
“Oh, you know I’m always ready for you,” Sebastian said with a laugh. “Seriously, though, if you have a private jet, why don’t you come down more often?”
“Oh, you know, jet fuel is expensive.” It was, but I could certainly afford enough of it to visit Sebastian every day and still live my lavish lifestyle.
“‘Jet fuel is expensive’,” he said in a mocking tone of voice. “Oh, sure, Mr. Tech Billionaire. It’s not that you’re too big now to come back and visit your sleepy, small hometown.”
“Excuse me, that’s to you Mr. Grayson Davis. Seriously, though, I would but you know what it’s like running a company.”
Sebastian scoffed. “Like I’ll ever know about that. I’m perfectly fine with my career as a dentist, thank you very much.”
“Who knows—maybe you’ll take over the dentistry you’re currently working at.”
Sebastian laughed. “No thanks; too many worries and not enough vacation time. Do you know how mad my girlfriend would be if I sacrificed our time together like that?”
“Oh, you could carve out time for her.”
I could practically hear him roll his eyes. “Not enough. You know the two of us are practically attached at the hip.”
“Now, I haven’t met this one yet, right?”
“No, you haven’t, but maybe you will soon.”
“Maybe. We’ll see how I’m feeling.”
“Awwww, come on, Grayson.”
“I said we’ll see how I’m feeling!”
Sebastian huffed. “But I really do think this one could be the one!”
“So? I won’t know if she is until I’m watching her walk down the aisle towards you. What’s the point in meeting her now?”
I did want to meet her, though. I cared about the things that were important to Sebastian, this was just our way of teasing each other; he knew that well enough and would never dream of taking me seriously.
“You’re a cold, cold man, Grayson.”
“The absolute coldest.”
“Speaking of which, you made sure to pack warm, right?” Sebastian’s voice sounded genuinely concerned, bless his little heart.
I laughed. “Sebastian, do you think I could ever forget how cold the winters of my childhood were? Of course I packed warm clothes. I’m currently wearing cashmere and a down jacket as we speak. There’s no need to get your mother hen feathers in a twist.”
Sebastian’s laughter ended in an audible pout. “I am not a mother hen and you know it!”
“But you act like one.”
“I do not.”
“You’re concerned about me, aren’t you?”
“Only because you’re my friend and you’ve been relaxing on the sunny beaches of southern California for too long. I’m sure you can take care of yourself if need be. We probably won’t leave you out in the snow.”
“Oh, sure,” I said, letting out my own laugh. “So I’m guessing it’s been particularly cold this year, then?”
“Only the coldest! Serenity’s been spending her days locked up in her room buried under a pile of blankets because of it. Speaking of which, she’s excited to see you!”
“It has been a while,” I said. “God, how old is she now?”
“Twenty-four, actually. Isn’t that kind of crazy?”
“Time flies,” I agreed.
Serenity Allen was Sebastian’s younger sister and kind of like mine, too. I remembered her watching us and barging in whenever the two of us were hanging out, demanding to be included. I had always humored her because, as an only child, I found her behavior hilarious. It was like she was a little duckling that had imprinted on me and now trailed behind me like a shadow. What I hadn’t realized at the time was that I was only encouraging her crush on me by allowing her to follow us around, but perhaps there was no way to prevent that. After all, at the time of her crush, she had been in the prepubescent years at the start of middle school and had only just begun to realize what dating actually was. She must have projected her feelings and curiosities onto me then, which was understandable.
But obviously, she had been eleven and I was seventeen, let alone the fact that I had never seen her as anything but a little sister. Of course I rejected her—as gently as I could—and my family moved away soon after that. I hadn’t seen her since, or thought about her much either, but I always remembered her as quite a fun little girl to hang out around.
Now she was a fully-grown woman, by society’s standards at least. I tried to imagine her now, but the two images that bounced in my mind were of her as an eleven-year-old child and Sebastian in a wig.
What would she be like now? Would I even recognize her? These were questions I had not even stopped to consider before now and I almost felt bad about it. Why hadn’t I thought more about her before now? She’d been such a big part of my life before my family moved to New York.
“She’s excited to see you,” Sebastian repeated. “She’s been a little down lately, and I knew that you coming over would cheer her up. It’ll be just like old times.”
“Like old times,” I agreed, but my mind was still on Serenity. Sometimes when we were younger and Serenity was sick or feeling sad, Sebastian would invite me over just because he knew that seeing me would make her happy. He was such a caring brother in that way and I knew he loved her deeply, even though he never would have admitted it when he was younger.
“I’ve gotta go now,” Sebastian said. “My mom is calling me.”
“Tell Mrs. Allen hi from my side and inform her that I’ll be there soon,” I said instinctively.
“I will, don’t worry.”
He hung up, and I set my phone down, taking a deep breath. I hadn’t even thought to think of Serenity or seeing her until Sebastian brought her up. What new layer would this add to my visit? And did she still have that childish little crush on me?
I smiled at just the thought of it. Her chubby little face had gotten so red and she’d stumbled over her words when she confessed it to me. It had taken a great effort not to laugh at how cute and small she was, but I knew that she would have taken that completely the wrong way. At her age, I would have been devastated if my crush laughed in my face and I did my best to let her down gently and carefully. After all, she was the little sister I’d never had.
It wasn’t much longer before the plane landed, and then I was walking the short distance from the runway to the luxury car that I had rented for the trip. I got into the passenger seat, breathing in the scent of leather. I never got tired of driving these types of cars. There was just something about them, in the way that they smelled and the way that the interior felt against your skin. They were on a whole different level of luxury and speed.
I’d always wanted to drive sports cars or something fancy like that when I was younger. And now here I was, behind the wheel of the newest model of Porsche, ready to be outfitted with snow tires should the need for them arise.
I took a deep breath and turned the key, waving goodbye to my pilot and co-pilot as I pulled out of the private airport that we’d been given clearance to land in. My prediction had been exactly right. With the weather, the danger of ice, and the small curving roads, it took me a full half hour to get to the house that I remembered so vividly from my childhood. On the way, I took in the trees, the small town, and all the landmarks that I remembered from when I was younger.
I should have come back earlier, I knew that in my heart now. There was so muc
h that I missed about this place, and it was hard to imagine that I’d been able to leave it behind for so long.
Finally, I pulled into the long driveway of the Allens’ house and turned off my car. It turned to a low hum and then to quiet beneath me, and I took a deep breath. It had been too long. I almost felt frightened to see what had changed about the place. I knew that it couldn’t all be the same and I would never ask for it to be. But any change would also feel like admitting that too much time had passed, and the realization made me feel guilty. Why had I never come back?
I exited the car, shutting and locking the door behind me and climbed up the wooden steps to the front deck of the house. I knocked. Once. Twice. Then waited for an answer.
I didn’t have to wait long.
There was a flurry of footsteps from inside, then Mrs. Allen opened the door, her face bright and flushed.
“Grayson!" She embraced me, pulling me tight to her chest. She smelled of baking, of Thanksgiving, of holiday cheer, of childhood. Besides looking a bit older, it didn’t seem like she’d changed much.
“Oh! I’m so glad to see you,” she said, stepping back and holding me by the shoulders so she could get a better look at me. “You’ve grown so much! Oh my, I remember you when you were this small.” She held her hand to her shin, miming the height of a toddler, and I laughed.
“Well, I couldn’t stay that way forever, now could I? At some point, I needed to reach that high shelf.”
“Yes, I suppose so.” She gave me a wide smile. “You are the same age as our Sebastian, after all. I should have expected you to change more, especially after so long, but it still shocked me just how much. Serenity!” she called, turning back into the house. “Serenity! Grayson is here. Oh, do come in, dear.” She ushered me into the house, closing the door behind me.
There was a voice from upstairs. “Just a minute, Mom!” Then, several seconds later, there was a pattering of feet and Serenity appeared at the top of the stairs. In white tights and a gray dress, she was more beautiful than I could have imagined. And as she looked at me with her soft smile, her cheeks flushed with pink from excitement, I knew that I was in trouble.