by Sable, R. J.
“She never wins, why would she think that,” Craig grinned, winking at me from the other side of the table.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I snapped, watching as Karl changed the direction of play, meaning I’d have to wait even longer before I kicked ass.
“Poor baby,” Jason mocked, pressing a kiss to the side of my head.
I scowled at him and pulled my cards close to my chest so he couldn’t see them, muttering cheater under my breath.
“I don’t need to cheat to win, Jamie,” he laughed.
“Yeah, he just needs extreme luck and for the rest of us to be drinking,” Matt scoffed, swirling his whisky tumbler in one hand.
“Sore loser?” Jason goaded him. He’d only won one round but that was still one more than Matt.
“No fighting,” I reminded them, smiling sweetly.
It didn’t matter if Ian could read right through my lack of poker face, I was going to win anyway. I had a green number two and a colour changer. All I needed to do was remember to shout “Uno” before I put my last card down and I was home free.
“Slow down on your hot chocolate, Jelly,” Karl reminded me, watching me take a long sip.
“It tastes so good,” I drooled. “I can’t believe you let me drink these when I was a kid. It’s pretty strong.”
Much to my confusion, they all laughed.
“What?” I frowned.
“Jelly, we just gave you hot chocolate with hazelnut syrup in. Why would we have given you alcohol?” Danny chortled.
“Oh,” I frowned. I guess that made sense but I felt a little sorry for the younger version of myself who’d thought she was all grown up being allowed to drink alcohol.
“Although,” Ian interrupted, changing the direction of play again. “You liked it so much that you helped yourself to more once. Only you took mine and Karl’s drinks and ended up a bit giddy.”
“I don’t remember that,” I cocked my head.
“Of course you don’t,” Karl laughed. “You ran around giggling for about half an hour and then slept for the rest of the day.”
I pursed my lips together and tried to prevent a smile at the fondness in his voice. Liqueur hot chocolates were one of our Christmas traditions and occasionally made appearances at Sunday lunches. They were also delicious and way too strong.
Jake changed the direction of play back to Ian and made him pick up two cards, to which Ian groaned and threatened to give him paper cuts on his eyeballs. Jake just grinned and watched Ian add to his growing hand.
I was anxiously awaiting my turn to play. With all the back and forth, I hadn’t had chance to make my awesome move of awesomeness yet. I wanted to win.
“You’re practically vibrating, little squirrel,” Jason whispered in my ear, his eyes smiling down at me. “Relax a little.”
Maybe the hot chocolates were affecting me a little more than I realised. Regardless, I was going to win. I grinned inwardly and concentrated on my cards.
Rick’s turn was right before mine, as long as nobody changed direction again. The closer it got to my turn, the more I fidgeted. Jason kept squeezing my thigh and chuckling as I buzzed excitedly in my seat.
“She’s acting like the first time we gave her coffee,” Ian laughed.
“Oh, that was adorable,” Elise smiled from the sofa nearby. She and Adam were playing with Elise who was dressed in her gorgeous little elf outfit and kicking her legs in a sort of jig.
Rick looked across at me when it was his turn, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinised my face. “What you holding onto there, Jellybean?”
“Cards,” I answered, trying my best to act nonchalant.
“How many?” He probed.
“More than one,” I answered quickly, hiding them under my hands.
“Can’t let them get lonely,” he said with an evil grin, dropping a plus four card onto the pile.
“Noooo!” I wailed, my shoulders slumping in disappointment. I never won at card games. “You suck, Rick.” I pouted, watching as Ian slid four extra cards towards me.
“You love me really,” Danny winked.
“Eh?” I stared at them in confusion.
“I think we’re going to have to cut you off, Jelly,” Ian grinned across at me.
“Why?” I pouted.
“Because that’s Danny,” he pointed to the twin sat next to me.
“No, his name badge says Rick,” I frowned, squinting my eyes to focus on the name badge I’d given each of them that morning as tradition dictated.
“Right,” Karl drawled. “Because they never swap name badges.”
“You two are sneaky!” I accused, poking my finger in their general direction.
“How many has she had?” Craig asked, raising an amused eyebrow at me.
“Three,” Ian and Jason answered at the same time.
“Lightweight,” Jake slurred.
“Looks like both of them need cutting off,” Elise chuckled.
“You’re doing an appalling job as legal guardian,” Karl smirked at Ian.
“Hey, they’re both adults now. I am officially relieved of my duty,” Ian raised his hands and smirked.
“That never stopped you before,” Jake mumbled.
“You can’t cut me off!” I blurted, intervening before Jake said something to piss Ian off.
“Oh yeah?” Ian smirked. “And why’s that?”
“Because it tastes so good,” I hummed appreciatively, tipping up my glass and then sulking when I realised it was empty.
“You can have the child friendly version,” Ian laughed, putting his penultimate card down – a colour changer. “Uno!” He declared with a smug grin before he placed his last card.
“No fair!” I pouted whilst the others groaned. I had a sneaking suspicion he was counting cards or cheating because he won far too often when we played card games. Not that I would call him on it.
“Right,” Ian called us all to attention. “Craig clear up the cards. Karl, whiskey refills to anyone who isn’t already sloshed. Mini-Carters, go drink two glasses of water and then we’re going to play a new game.”
“Mini-Carters?” I fake-scowled. “That would be Grace.”
“True,” Ian smirked. “But you’re also quite tiny.” He dropped a kiss onto my forehead and pulled me up from my chair, handing me off to Jason.
“I’m not tiny,” I scowled for real this time. “And Jake’s not either, look he’s huge,” I stressed, standing next to Jake for emphasis.
Jake nodded approvingly and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, probably more for vertical support than to show solidarity.
“Alright,” Ian laughed happily. “Either way, the two of you need to go drink some water, and Jake?” He prompted. “Would you check your blood sugar?”
I looked at Ian wide-eyed because I’d never heard him ask Jake to check before. I knew he was working really hard at cutting us all some slack.
“Alright,” Jake nodded, continuing the movement for a little too long.
Ian smiled and Jason guided the two of us into the kitchen, one arm round my waist and the other over Jake’s shoulder. I suspected Jake needed the support more than I did. Honestly, I wasn’t that drunk. I was just happily buzzed and enjoying a perfect Christmas.
To be fair, it was hard to tell the twins apart when they weren’t purposely trying to confuse us. Although, I’d admit the alcohol wasn’t helping.
“You’re a very cute drunk, little squirrel,” Jason grinned, pulling me into his safe, warm arms.
“I’m not cute normally?” I blinked up at him through my mascara-lengthened lashes.
“Always,” he grinned. “But the little Miss Santa outfit is definitely helping.”
I blushed and smiled, drinking in the appreciative look he was giving me. I was wearing Alex and Rab’s Christmas present: an adorable little velvet red skirt and corset with white fur trimmings. It came complete with red and white striped tights and a little Santa hat.
“Yo
u like?” I grinned, doing a twirl.
“I like a little too much,” he nodded, checking over my shoulder to make sure we were alone before lifting me up onto the worktop and sliding his hands up the sides of my skirt. “These tights are in the way though,” he grumbled, settling himself between my legs and pulling me right up against him.
“Honestly,” I sighed with a grin. “You need to make your mind up about tights. One minute you insist I wear them, the next you hate them.”
“I hate them when they’re in my way,” he mumbled, his lips exploring the crevice of my neck.
“Hands off, Reed,” Ian’s deep voice boomed as Jason’s weight was wrenched away from me and I slipped onto the floor with a squeak.
“Sorry, Ian,” Jason grunted with a smirk. “Didn’t hear you come in.”
“I gathered,” Ian answered dryly.
“It’s because he’s a ninja,” I explained in my slightly tipsy wisdom.
“Don’t you forget it,” Ian winked. “Now stop groping each other so we can play.”
“What are we playing?” I asked, beaming with happiness because Ian hadn’t reprimanded us or taken a swing at Jason.
“We’re going to place bets on which mini-Carter can stay stood on one leg for longest,” Ian grinned, bending down so he could lift me up over his shoulder and carry me like a sack of potatoes.
I was too busy giggling to beg him to put me down but he did so once he’d carried me down the stairs to the gym.
“I am so going to win this,” I declared once Ian set me down on my feet.
“You reckon?” Craig smiled his lop-sided smile.
I was so happy to see him relaxed and at ease that I jumped up to give him a hug, almost knocking us both over.
“Woah, easy there, Jellybean,” he laughed. “What’s gotten into you?”
“It’s Christmas,” I sung happily.
I did win the competition, mainly because Jake was definitely more wasted than I was and Grace couldn’t actually stand in order to compete in the first place. Still, a victory was a victory and I made sure I was appropriately celebrated with hugs.
Although the Christmas before had been one of the best by a long shot, it had nothing on this year. 2012’s Christmas involved no fighting, no bickering, and no major hostility but it felt like everybody was going out of their way to keep it that way, making a physical effort to keep the peace after Jason and Ian’s fight.
This year, nobody was making an effort because they didn’t need to. There was a good deal of bickering and banter but it was all good-natured. This was what a family was meant to feel like. Effortlessly fun and without fear.
As I watched Ian and Jason playing with the brainteasers Granddad had sent, it struck me how similar they were. I chuckled inwardly at how gross that should have been. The first time I met Jason, I’d recognised the aura of control they shared. It had made me feel both safe and uncomfortable at the time. There was more to it than that though. They were both protectors, both alphas, both extremely clever. I loved and admired Ian more than anything and I couldn’t help but wonder if some of those similarities had been what drew me to Jason in the first place.
If they had been, they weren’t what kept me interested. For all that they had in common, they were still very different. Whereas Ian was rough, stern, and disciplined, Jason was gentle, even though he didn’t share that side with everyone. Only me.
Don’t get me wrong, Ian could be gentle too, but it wasn’t the same kind of gentle Jason was. Jason was gentle in the reverent touches, the way his eyes held mine when he was talking, the way he noticed every single thing about me and cherished the details.
He was the kind of gentle that brought goosebumps out on my skin and still warmed me to the very core. The perfect kind of gentle. And he maintained that gentleness at the same time as being a delicious mass of sexy as hell male deliciousness. Mine, I grinned at the thought.
“What are you grinning about?” Craig asked, dropping down on the sofa next to me.
“Nothing in particular. I’m just happy,” I sighed contentedly.
“I like seeing you happy,” he smiled.
“You’re happy too, right?” I prompted.
“Happier than I’ve been in years,” he nodded.
“Jelly!” Elise interrupted. “Grace finally woke up.”
“Okay?” I raised an eyebrow, not sure why she was telling me this.
“I need a picture of you holding her because you both look so cute in your outfits,” she explained excitedly.
“Why does everyone keep calling me cute?” I grumbled half-heartedly. “Puppies and babies are cute.”
“And squirrels,” Jason shouted across at me.
“Quit your whining and hold your niece,” Karl grinned.
“Yes, boss,” I smirked, accepting a slightly grumpy looking six month old. “Oh, dear. She doesn’t look happy to see me.”
“Would you be happy if you were dressed up like an elf?” Karl grinned, prompting Elise to slap his arm and order him to shut his trap.
“But you’re a beautiful elf, aren’t you Gracey?” I asked, making stupid faces at her in the hope of coaxing a smile.
“You’ll make her scream with a mug like that,” Craig teased.
“Says the scary bald man covered in tattoos,” I quipped, prompting Karl to guffaw like a hyena.
“Feel safe with a baby on your lap, do you?” Craig smirked, raising an eyebrow at me.
“I feel safe, full stop,” I answered honestly, smiling at the not-so-scary bald man.
His smirk dropped and he smiled back without the teasing look in his eye. He kissed my forehead, then Grace’s cheek, before moving out of the way so we could take the picture. Adam stood behind Karl and his camera and made ridiculous noises. He successfully got Grace to shake off her disgruntled pout and gurgle happily as she babbled in response.
“A man making noises like that is definitely in need of another beer,” Danny chuckled, handing one over to Adam.
“Cheers,” Adam grinned accepting the cold drink with a happy smile.
Chapter 40
Wednesday, 27th December 2013
The Christmas hangover hit hard. Not the after effects of alcohol, but the dwindling headache caused by the sense of loss you get when Christmas is pretty much over. The lull between Christmas and New Year was never fun but it hit me harder this year because Christmas had been so amazing.
I found myself in the kitchen far earlier than everyone else. Well, everyone but Ian. As usual, he was awake at an ungodly hour.
“Morning, Jellybean,” he smiled past his mug off coffee. Probably at least his second one that day.
“Morning,” I shuffled over to him to get a hug. “You off to work?” I asked, taking in his neatly pressed suit.
“Yup,” he sighed. “Figure the traffic shouldn’t be too bad and I don’t need to be there until nine so I’ve got a while yet.”
“Okay,” I yawned. “Want me to make you breakfast?”
“That’s what I was waiting for,” he winked.
I just shook my head at him and rolled my eyes. I blinked rapidly, shocked at the fact that he didn’t pinch or flick my arm. I eyed him cautiously but he just smiled and pointed to the toaster.
I nodded dutifully and bent down to get the bread out of the cupboard.
“Actually, on second thoughts,” Ian interrupted me. “Want to go for a run before the mob wakes up?”
“I’d love that,” I beamed. I rarely got to go running with just Ian. “I don’t want to wake Jason up getting my stuff though.” I frowned.
“I put a load of your washing in last night. Use that if you don’t mind being a bit wrinkly.”
“Workout clothes don’t get wrinkly,” I grinned. “Thank you.” I darted out the room to fetch my clothes from the utility room. In typical Ian style, everything lay neatly folded in piles. I laughed inwardly at Ian’s definition of wrinkly.
“What took you so long?” Ian smirked when I
met him by the door to put my running shoes on.
I pursed my lips and bit back a retort because I’d been fairly quick and, even though Ian had been easing up in recent days, I wouldn’t have put it past him to set the pace too high just too torture me.
“Come on,” he chuckled at my expression. “I need to be back by quarter to seven if I’m going to make it in time.”
He was obviously feeling generous because he let me decide the tempo. I kept it pretty high because he still would have teased me relentlessly if he thought I was slacking, but I could still talk as long as we were running on the flat.
“Everything good at uni?” He quizzed me.
“Yeah, I love it,” I smiled happily. “Can’t believe I’m already half-way through.”
“Don’t get complacent,” he warned. “The hard stuff is yet to come.” He couldn’t resist bossing me around a little bit, it was in his nature.
“I won’t,” I promised.
“You’re still seeing Dr Flemming?”
“Yeah, once a week during term time,” I nodded, blushing slightly because I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk about my meetings with my therapist.
“Good,” he nodded. “Does it help?”
“I think so,” I frowned. “It’s nice to have somebody neutral to talk to about it, I guess.”
He nodded once more, keeping his eyes on the road. It was sweet that he cared. I really don’t think he realised how bad I felt about our Mum’s passing. I hadn’t realised quite how much I’d let her death define me either.
“And Jason’s treating you right?”
I breathed out a sigh of relief, glad to be on slightly safer topics. “Always,” I smiled happily.
“That changes, you let us know,” Ian said sternly.
“I can kick his ass myself if need be,” I grinned.
“Jelly,” Ian growled in warning.
“If I want him dismembered, I promise I’ll let you know,” I offered with a grin.
“Good enough,” he grunted, the corner of his mouth tugging up in a wry smile.
“Ian?” I prompted, already mentally kicking myself because I really shouldn’t have been asking what I was about to ask.