looking up. I can hear Mark sitting up so I do, too. I look down at the faces staring up at us. “It’s about damn time you five looked up,” Mark says, with a smirk.
“Um, aren’t you two coming down?” Jade asks. Mark and I both look at each other, then back at them.
“Give us a minute. Our butts are numb. We’ve been up here forever,” I grumble and they all laugh.
We start to climb down and I slip. Everyone gasps, and Mark grabs my arm, steadying me. “Shit, Maggie. Are you okay?” Mark asks and I nod.
When I get down far enough , Creed reaches up for me. “There ya’ go, baby girl,” he says.
As we’re walking back to the house, Mark laughs. “We thought it would take all night for you guys to find us,” he said and everybody laughs.
We walk through the door to the kitchen, still laughing. Mom and Dad turn to look at us. “What’s so funny?” Dad asks, smiling.
“We decided to play hide-and-seek. Maggie and I were hiding in the tree so long that our butts were numb. We thought it would take them all night to find us. At one point, they were standing right under the tree that we were in, but they never even thought about looking up,” Mark says.
Mom and Dad both started laughing, too. “Seriously? None of you boys remembered that hiding spot”? Mom said. They all shake their heads.
“I made cookies and hot chocolate for you all. All you have to do is heat up the water,” Mom says.
I put on the water , then went and stood by Jase. “Did you have fun tonight?” I ask.
He looks at me for a minute , then smiles. “I had a blast. I can’t remember the last time I played that game.” I smile back, nudging him with my shoulder. The kettle starts whistling so I walk over and turn it off, then start making everyone’s hot chocolate. Once everybody has theirs, we all sit around the table, talking about Christmas and joking with each other.
After a little while, Jase stands up, saying he should get home. He said his thank-yous and goodbyes, looked at me one last time, then left. The rest of us started heading to bed.
****
The next morning, Mom and I start baking and cooking for the party tonight. We heard a knock on the door and, because he was coming down the stairs anyway, Jade said, “I’ll get it.”
We heard him talking, then he came into the kitchen. “Maggie, it’s for you.”
I wiped my hands off , then went to see who it was. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed. I plastered on a fake smile. “Hey, Christian. When did you get back?” I looked over at Jade, who was glaring at him. Neither my brothers, nor my parents like Christian. They think he’s bad news.
He walked over and wrapped his arms around me, giving me a kiss. I tried not to cringe. I can’t do this anymore. I just don’t like him that way, and it feels all wrong. Did I just hear Jade growl? I look over at him. He looks pissed. I look back at Christian. “How’s my gorgeous girl?” he asks. Did I just hear Jade snort? Why is he even still standing there? I glare at him, and he just smirks back at me.
I roll my eyes, turning back to Christian. “I’m great. I’m helping my mom with cooking and getting ready for the party so I can’t go anywhere with you right now, but we should talk later.”
Jade starts laughing so I look over at him. What the hell? Now the rest of my brothers are standing there, glaring at Christian. I give them a warning look, but they all just wink at me. I grab his hand, leading him outside. I ask, “Do you want to meet up somewhere later?”
“How about I just come back here so we can talk?” I nod and he gives me another kiss before walking to his car.
I hear another car pull up. Oh, shit. What are Heather and Jase doing here? Jase glares at Christian before he and Heather start walking towards the porch. I can hear Jade and the rest of my brothers still laughing when they come outside. “What’s so funny?” Jase asks, which makes the
“Um, aren’t you two coming down?” Jade asks. Mark and I both look at each other, then back at them.
“Give us a minute. Our butts are numb. We’ve been up here forever,” I grumble and they all laugh.
We start to climb down and I slip. Everyone gasps, and Mark grabs my arm, steadying me. “Shit, Maggie. Are you okay?” Mark asks and I nod.
When I get down far enough , Creed reaches up for me. “There ya’ go, baby girl,” he says.
As we’re walking back to the house, Mark laughs. “We thought it would take all night for you guys to find us,” he said and everybody laughs.
We walk through the door to the kitchen, still laughing. Mom and Dad turn to look at us. “What’s so funny?” Dad asks, smiling.
“We decided to play hide-and-seek. Maggie and I were hiding in the tree so long that our butts were numb. We thought it would take them all night to find us. At one point, they were standing right under the tree that we were in, but they never even thought about looking up,” Mark says.
Mom and Dad both started laughing, too. “Seriously? None of you boys remembered that hiding spot”? Mom said. They all shake their heads.
“I made cookies and hot chocolate for you all. All you have to do is heat up the water,” Mom says.
I put on the water , then went and stood by Jase. “Did you have fun tonight?” I ask.
He looks at me for a minute , then smiles. “I had a blast. I can’t remember the last time I played that game.” I smile back, nudging him with my shoulder. The kettle starts whistling so I walk over and turn it off, then start making everyone’s hot chocolate. Once everybody has theirs, we all sit around the table, talking about Christmas and joking with each other.
After a little while, Jase stands up, saying he should get home. He said his thank-yous and goodbyes, looked at me one last time, then left. The rest of us started heading to bed.
****
The next morning, Mom and I start baking and cooking for the party tonight. We heard a knock on the door and, because he was coming down the stairs anyway, Jade said, “I’ll get it.”
We heard him talking, then he came into the kitchen. “Maggie, it’s for you.”
I wiped my hands off , then went to see who it was. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed. I plastered on a fake smile. “Hey, Christian. When did you get back?” I looked over at Jade, who was glaring at him. Neither my brothers, nor my parents like Christian. They think he’s bad news.
He walked over and wrapped his arms around me, giving me a kiss. I tried not to cringe. I can’t do this anymore. I just don’t like him that way, and it feels all wrong. Did I just hear Jade growl? I look over at him. He looks pissed. I look back at Christian. “How’s my gorgeous girl?” he asks. Did I just hear Jade snort? Why is he even still standing there? I glare at him, and he just smirks back at me.
I roll my eyes, turning back to Christian. “I’m great. I’m helping my mom with cooking and getting ready for the party so I can’t go anywhere with you right now, but we should talk later.”
Jade starts laughing so I look over at him. What the hell? Now the rest of my brothers are standing there, glaring at Christian. I give them a warning look, but they all just wink at me. I grab his hand, leading him outside. I ask, “Do you want to meet up somewhere later?”
“How about I just come back here so we can talk?” I nod and he gives me another kiss before walking to his car.
I hear another car pull up. Oh, shit. What are Heather and Jase doing here? Jase glares at Christian before he and Heather start walking towards the porch. I can hear Jade and the rest of my brothers still laughing when they come outside. “What’s so funny?” Jase asks, which makes the
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