“What?” Drew asks.
I look up at him with wide eyes. “I didn’t say anything,” I reply defensively.
“You just turned bright red.” He gives me a knowing look.
“God, I hate that I’m so transparent sometimes,” I say. Then I sigh, resigned to voicing what I’d thought. “Fine. I was thinking … why don’t you come with me when I leave Thursday afternoon?”
“You mean, meet your family?” he asks, his eyebrows arched.
“I know, it’s a big step —”
Drew leans into me and puts a finger over my lips.
“Baby, I’d love to meet the rest of your family.”
I grin under his finger, not having expected him to be quite so enthusiastic about it. I kiss it lightly and reach up to lace my fingers with his.
“Good. Because I want them to meet you,” I admit. “I’ve just … I’ve never brought anyone home before.”
“Me neither. But maybe we can visit my parents for New Year’s.”
I close my eyes against the tears that form at his words until I get ahold of myself. Then I open them to find him gazing tenderly at me.
“I can’t wait.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
DREW
Awkward silence. Lots and lots of awkward silence. Merry Christmas Eve to me.
I sit in the back of the car that Matt’s driving, with CJ in the passenger seat, hoping the next few days aren’t going to be like this. Or, you know, every time I see her brother. Which, if I get to be with CJ for as long as I hope I do, would be pretty fucking aggravating.
“So, do you guys go home a lot?” I offer.
Matt glances at me in the rearview mirror.
“Most Sundays for dinner,” he says shortly, then looks at CJ. “You didn’t tell him that?”
She shrugs. “I may have mentioned it way back. But we’ve had a lot going on lately,” she reminds him with a glare.
Now Matt finally looks interested. “I’m glad you brought that up, actually.”
CJ shoots him a warning look. “Matt …”
“I’m not going to pry,” he promises her. “But I meant to tell you that my bosses know you were involved. They want in on the advertising when he decides to talk.”
My hackles rise instantly. “He is sitting right here,” I remind Matt. “And I’m not doing any interviews.”
Matt’s eyes catch mine in the mirror again. “I get it, man. The press are ruthless. But if you don’t take control of your narrative, it could affect your career.”
I sigh heavily. “You think I don’t know that?”
CJ turns and looks at me, and I can tell she heard the battle I’ve been fighting in those words. “Drew?”
My eyes meet hers and I can’t hide it anymore. “I want to. I really do. I was going to pick one of the major networks, do a real, legit piece so I could have my say. But the Fishers have other plans.”
“That include what, exactly?” CJ asks sharply.
I shrug. “When they couldn’t buy my silence, they switched to threats. Well, veiled threats. The kind they could deny later. Either way, the message was pretty clear: Keep your mouth shut or we ruin you.”
“No,” CJ gasps. “Those … those …”
“Entitled fucking assholes?” Matt offers, glowering.
“That doesn’t even begin to cover it,” she seethes. “After everything you’ve been through.” I can feel the rage rolling off of her. I reach out and rest a hand on her shoulder.
“And this is exactly why I didn’t tell you. Let me worry about it, okay?” I assure her.
Matt is silent. CJ doesn’t respond.
I roll my eyes after a minute of silence and lean back into the seat.
We arrive a few minutes later. When I look out the window at the cottage-style house, my jaw drops.
“You weren’t kidding about that holiday spirit, were you?” I ask in awe.
CJ looks back at me with a smirk.
“Wait until you see the inside.”
She climbs out, and I follow suit, getting the full effect of the seemingly millions of lights strung on every inch of the roof, around the windows, and over all of the bushes and trees in the yard. And the inflatable Santa, sleigh, and reindeer on the roof. And the inflatable army of snowmen in the yard.
And …
“Is that … Christmas music?” I ask incredulously.
Matt chuckles and points at a few speakers located around the front of the house under the eaves. “Welcome to the North Pole, dude.”
CJ opens the trunk and we unload the bags of presents and goodies we brought, and I follow her in warily.
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing you insisted I dress for the occasion,” I murmur, glancing down at the crazy Christmas sweater CJ gave me, with a sequined cheeseburger over a green, red, and gold poinsettia-patterned background. As awful as it is, the color scheme and Christmas spirit level definitely match the inside of the house.
Because she wasn’t kidding about that either. Green and gold garlands drape along every available flat space, every piece of furniture. Tinsel and stars hang from doorways. The Christmas tree is just visible on the far side of the living room, and it’s surprisingly modest. Unlike the fireplace mantle to the right of it, which is loaded with Christmas decorations and cards. A huge bunch of mistletoe hangs between the two. The music permeates the whole inside of the house too. Just … wow.
As I follow CJ into the kitchen to drop off our bags, I see more decorations everywhere.
“It’s like a Hallmark store at Christmas exploded in here,” I murmur as we set the bags down.
Wearing her own “Piece on earth” pizza-themed Christmas monstrosity, she turns and looks up at me with a smirk, but is stopped from responding by a middle-aged couple descending the stairs at the back of the house. I notice that they’re also wearing gaudy sweaters, but nothing like what CJ outfitted us in.
“Oh, we thought we heard a car,” the woman gushes, rushing over to embrace CJ. “Welcome home, baby girl.”
Matt and his uncle stand at the back of the kitchen, talking.
When CJ and her aunt break apart, she introduces us.
“Aunt Meg, this is Drew,” she says, blushing.
The older woman extends a hand and a warm smile, and she instantly reminds me of my own mother.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” she says as I take her hand.
“You too, Mrs. Roberts,” I reply.
“I hear you’re a chef,” she comments as she lets go of my hand, glancing down with a smirk at the cheeseburger on my chest. “Maybe between the two of us, we can teach our girl a thing or two about cooking.”
I can’t help chuckling, and when it makes CJ scowl it turns into a full laugh.
“I think she’s content to just eat, which is fine by me,” I say.
Matt and his uncle approach, and we’re introduced as well. They seem like such a nice couple, and they’re far more talkative than Matt and CJ, so I’m guessing awkwardness won’t be a problem.
“Oh, Drew brought a few things,” CJ pipes up. “We should probably get them in the fridge?”