Miss Nancy threatens me with the wooden end of her spoon as she chases me out of her kitchen. My hindquarters already got a few swats, not hurtful, of course. I don't think that woman would raise a hand to me in a mean or painful way.
"Out." She points the end of her spoon over to the couch where Dameon is sitting with his feet up in the air and his head hanging just inches above the floor.
"Just let me help," I beg Miss Nancy. She's fixing a feast and helping with a few sides, but I get another gentle swat on the butt that sends me hopping out of the kitchen and trudging into the living room. I flop down on the couch next to Dameon and start playing with the bottom hem of my reverse tie-dye sweater dress.
Dameon's attention shifts from his phone to me before he rolls and twists to right himself on the couch. "Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Maybe." I chuckle and wait for whatever wild question might come falling out of Dameon's mouth. Over the last couple of months, Dameon's become a really good friend. Someone I can hang out with and talk to. Without having Zane around as much, it's felt like a huge loss, but Dameon's helped me through it.
"What is Wednesday Thornhill's phone number?" He leans in, eagerly waiting for my answer.
"No!" I giggle. This is probably the hundredth time he's asked since he followed Zane and me to Becca's and Wednesday's house. If Wednesday wants him to have her number, the girl will give it to him.
Dameon grunts and flops back on the couch. "Fine. Well, then tell me what she's into."
I laugh at yet another question about her. Since he found out that Wednesday and I used to hang out at her house, the questions have been nonstop. At first, I thought he was asking because he had a crush on her, but now I'm starting to wonder if it's just that he gets a kick out of irritating the shit out of her.
"She likes books," I tell him. It might be cruel because he seems to use this information to show her how well he 'knows' her, and it makes her turn a few shades of red, but it's harmless. Wednesday might look like she hates it, but I've noticed she seems to pass by my and Dameon's lockers more often than she used to.
Dameon looks at me a bit confused for a moment before he asks, "What?"
"Books," I giggle. "You know, the things that are made of paper and have words printed on them. She loves to read, and even works at the public library."
Dameon's eyes go wide, and I realize I might have given too much away.
"Do not go and bug her at work. You could get her into trouble." I point a warning finger at him.
"Me?" He lays a hand on his chest, acting as if he's offended. "I'd never cause problems."
I snort and shake my head. Right. Pretty sure that's Dameon's life goal. Not that I blame him, it's always more fun to stir up trouble, but he is able to take it to an all new level.
"Mmhmm, you get her in trouble and she finds out that I clued you in, I'm going to kill you before she comes for me." I poke him in the ribs.
"I won't! I don't even know where it is." His sky-blue eyes flick up to me.
I know the thought that's going through his head before he even says it. "I'm not telling you where it's at."
"Ooolie," he groans out as his gaze shifts to the large bay window that faces Miss Nancy's porch. I follow his gaze just as he slides to the floor, getting down on one knee as I see Zane walking up the steps. My heart leaps into my throat, but I force myself to stay calm.
My attention drops to Dameon when he grabs my hands in his. "What are you doing?"
"Just roll with it," Dameon whispers just before the front door opens. "Ollie, I'm mad for you and I just can't be without you anymore."
His confession stops Zane dead in his tracks as I struggle to hold back a giggle.
"I have a plan that'll keep us together forever. In some states, they let sixteen-year-olds marry if they get knocked up so-" Dameon scoots closer, making the situation look even more intimate. "What do you say, we go back to my room. I put a baby in you and we get hitched?"
My eyes go wide. Even though I know his offer isn't genuine, Dameon and I have no interest in each other. It still takes me off guard. Before I can say anything to Dameon, Zane takes several long strides across the room and jerks Dameon back and to his feet.
"Oh, hey, cuz!" Dameon grins up at Zane, utterly unfazed by the death glare that Zane is giving him. "How's it going?" Dameon leans in closer to whisper to Zane. "Ollie and I are about to go shake and bake in my room, mind distracting Nan for a bit?" He nods toward the kitchen where Miss Nancy is working away, paying us no mind.
I see Zane's jaw tick as his eyes narrow on him. When I see his fist tighten, I know I gotta intervene before he kills Dameon. I jump up from the couch, pry Zane's grip off Dameon, and place myself in between. "I appreciate the offer, Dame, but I think I'm going to pass for now. With your Nan in the kitchen and my dad and your Uncle in the backyard, just seems like bad timing, ya know?"
"It's always bad timing with him." Zane takes a step forward. To stop him, I push back against him. It's like trying to hold up a falling brick wall. A very hard brick wall. Damn his muscles.
"Why don't you fuck off, Demon." Zane growls out.
Dameon's grin curls into a wicked smirk. "Well, I was trying." Dameon reaches out and touches my stomach. "Soon I'll get my jam in there."
"The fuck you will!" Zane smacks his hand away.
"Presents!" I raise my voice, hoping to quickly change the subject. "I have presents in the car. Help me bring them in." I start shoving Zane toward the door. Dameon might be completely ridiculous, but I appreciate his efforts of trying to make his cousin jealous. Not long after Dameon moved here, he picked up on my crush. He thought he could help by making Zane jealous.
Thankfully, it didn't work. Though Zane seems jealous, he's never acted more on it, and that's not the way I wanted to win him.
When Zane turns around and heads for the front door, I glance back over my shoulder at Dameon. His smile has turned to a friendly one as he gives me an encouraging two thumbs up.
'You're so bad,' I mouth as I push Zane out the door.
Once we are out the door and down the step, I stop shoving him. He doesn't seem like he will turn around and hunt his cousin down.
"God, he irritates the shit out of me." Zane grumbles as he stuffs his hands into his pockets.
"Gee, I didn't notice." I smirk when he glares at me and nudge him with my elbow while we walk toward my car.
Zane's eyes narrow on me. "You enjoy watching him annoy the shit out of me?"
"Absolutly. Yes. One-hundred percent." I nod and grin madly at him until a look I know all too well crosses his face. Butterflies flutter around my stomach as my muscles tense, knowing I'm going to have to run. "Zany." I warn as I slowly back away, watching his every move.
"What?" A coy smile spreads across his face that looks a lot like his cousin's mischievous grin. Then, in a flash, Zane's arm jerks out and grabs my wrist. He pulls me toward him and starts tickling my ribs mercilessly.
I scream and wiggle as his fingers dance across my skin, trying desperately to get away from the tickle monster. "Stop!" I gasp for air through fits of laughter.
Thankfully, Zane's fingers stop, but his arms wrap around me, and he pulls me into a tight hug. His front presses hard against my back, taking my breath away.
"We should get the gifts before Dameon comes out here," I warn. Though the real reason is to keep a clear head. No more pushing and pulling. It's too painful to endure, but the last time I said that was Thanksgiving, and somehow I still ended up letting myself get pinned against a wall.
Zane makes all my logic fly out the window.
Zane gives me one last squeeze before his arms lax, and I'm able to slip out. The December Flordia air isn't nearly cool enough to soothe my burning skin, and my heart still raps violently against my chest as I walk the last few steps to my car.
"So." Zane clears his throat while I pop the trunk, revealing a small stack of gifts for everyone. "How was Christmas at your Uncle's?"
"Good." I smile, remembering the family-filled Christmas with Uncle Colt, Grandma, and a new cousin we were surprised with. "I got a cousin for Christmas."
Zane stops mid-reach for a shirt box with Dameon's name on it. "What?"
I chuckle and pick the box up. "A cousin. I got a real one now."
"Colt had a kid?" His brows pinch together as I stack gifts up to lay in his arms.
"Well, he didn't personally, but a lady did about eighteen years ago." I glance up when Zane doesn't automatically reply to find him completely confused and staring at me. "Uncle Colt had a kid he didn't know about," I explain further. "It's all new, and he's trying right now, but I'm really excited we got along really really well. I'm not alone anymore! There's another one of me running around."
"That's a terrifying thought," Zane snorts as I pick up his gift.
"Hey!" I smack him with the box before shoving it at him. "The world is a lucky place to have more than one of me in it."
Zane sits down on the edge of my trunk. "I may not know your cousin, but I can tell you they're not like you. You're one of a kind, Sunshine."
I can feel my cheeks heat as I nod to his gift. "Wanna open it?"
Zane watches me for a moment before his attention drops to the shirt box with snowmen printed all over it. He pops the tape off before lifting the flimsy lid and pushes back the blue tissue paper that I wrapped his gift in, revealing a tee-shirt. Zane lays the box in his lap to pick the tee up and inspect it. On the front is a giant blue and white clown printed on with 'I survived a night at the clown motel' printed on it.
I hold back a giggle as his attention slowly slides over to me with an unamused glare on his face. "Jerk."
"What?" I giggle out. "I thought you'd love it."
"Oh, yeah, it's great." The sarcasm is heavy in his voice, but he takes his jacket off and, to my surprise, pulls his shirt over his head before putting the new one I got him on. It's creased from being folded and a little on the large side, but once it's washed, it should shrink some. Otherwise, it looks good on him. The blue in the tee makes his eyes pop. Zane reaches behind him and pulls a long envelope out of his pocket with my name written on it.
"You got me a letter?" I tease him before taking it from his hands.
"Just open it, dork." Zane shakes his head before replacing the top on his box and grabbing the other gifts and his jacket.
I rip it open, expecting a card but find two pieces of paper sitting inside. My jaw drops when I realize it's tickets to a music festival set in June of next year in Pittsburgh. I'm stunned. This must have cost him a fortune and nothing like the usual last-minute gifts he gets me.
"I was hoping you and I could ride up on my bike together. I rented a glamping tent for us to stay in." He chews on his bottom lip. "What do you think?"
"It's amazing!" I throw my arms around his neck in a tight hug. I know I stay there for too long, breaking my new rule of space between us as I bury my face in his neck. Zane's free arm wraps around my waist and holds me tight to him.
It isn't until Miss Nancy yells out for us that dinner is ready that we finally pull apart.
I thought it would be good to get the gift-giving chapter up for Christmas, lol. The next one is their date! Are you excited? How do you think Zane finally confessing his feelings will go?
I know I keep saying it, but this for sure will be the last update before Christmas. I'll be taking the holidays off and spending them with my family. So please enjoy your holidays, whatever you may be celebrating during this time, and I will see you soon!