Page 67 of Fighting Jacob

When I enter the living room of my childhood home, Emily greets me with a hug. “Merry Christmas, Jacob.”

I return her embrace. “Merry Christmas, Em.”

Just as she pulls back, I spot Noah entering the living room from the other end. With my playfulness at an all-time high, I tug Emily back in for a second embrace before raising my eyes to Noah.

“So hot,” I mouth to his murderous glare.

He’s not pissed about me hugging Emily. It’s Christmas; even the Grinch hands out hugs on Christmas. He wants to kill me because I’m humping Emily’s leg like a dog in heat.

After slapping my chest, Emily slips out of my embrace. Although she’s dying of embarrassment, she places herself between Noah and me before Noah can act on any of the inane thoughts in his head. I’m not worried. He’s my little bro; it’s my job to rile him up.

I flash him a quick smirk before sealing my tease with a wink. “Merry Christmas, Noah.”

He gives me a stern finger point. It’s the same finger he uses every time I piss him off. “I’m going to kick your ass one day.”

I chuckle. His threat holds no steam. You can’t threaten someone you love.

After soothing Noah as only she can, Emily shifts on her feet to face me. Her cheeks are pinker now than they were when my crotch got friendly with her leg. For some ridiculous reason, she only has eyes for Noah—that’s why using her against him is so much fun.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us? My mom has gone overboard; we’ll be eating leftovers for a week.”

Her eyes say the words she refuses to say: and you can see Lola.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m good. It’s always been the old man, Patrick, and me for Christmas. I don't want to break tradition."

Furthermore, although I'd love nothing more than to see Lola today, I understand our arrangement, even if those around us don’t comprehend it.

“Would you mind giving Lola something for me?”

Not waiting for them to reply, I rush into my room to grab an envelope off my bedside table before hot-footing it back to the living room. Emily's brows inch together when I hand it to her.

“It’s her Christmas present,” I explain to her confused expression.

When Emily shakes the envelope to make sure it isn’t empty, Noah snatches it away with a chuckle. “Stop snooping.”

The confusion on Emily’s face jumps to his when he takes in the inscription on the envelope. “CT? Who’s CT?”

“Just give it to Lola; she’ll understand.”

I band my arms around both their shoulders before forcefully walking them to the door. The quicker they get out of here, the faster I'll get Lola's response to my gift.

Approximately an hour later, the text I’ve been dying to get finally arrives.

Lola: I love it! Thank you.

Smiling like she told me she loves me, I reply:

Me: You’re welcome.

The second best present I could ever be given arrives in my inbox two seconds after my phone whooshes, announcing my text has been sent.

Lola: I miss you, Jacob.

While smiling the biggest grin I’ve ever smiled, my fingers fly over the screen of my phone. They may not be the three little words I was seeking, but they’re pretty fucking close.

Me: I miss you too, C.T.

My eyes float up from my phone when my dad asks, “Who has you grinning like the cat who ate the canary?”

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