Page 85 of Not in My Book

I raced to my front door. Aiden looked back at me panicked as my eyes widened.

My parents and sister stood in my doorway with luggage, wearing matching llama Christmas sweaters.

I was terrified, painfully aware of every move I made. You only get one shot with a girl like Maxine. This was my chance to prove to her that I craved her. That I wanted to spend forever where she was, no matter what. How could I not do everything I could to show her thatthis,these moments of careless laughter and accidental brushes, were all I had been wanting for months?

—Excerpt fromUntitledby Rosie Maxwell and Aiden Huntington

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“What’re you doing here?” I asked, managing a little laugh.

“Is that any way to greet you mother?What’re you doing here?How about Feliz Navidad? Te quiero mucho?” My mom was tiny but fierce. Her dark hair was graying at the edges and pulled into a bun. She was just as short as me, but she could’ve passed for my older sister. She took care of her skin religiously and even after a flight it looked dewy and youthful.

I stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug, planting a kiss on her cheek. “No, I really meanwhat’re you doing here?”

I looked to my dad who smiled and said, “Your mother got us on a flight last minute.”

“Are you surprised?” My sister, Maria, stepped forward and pulled me into a hug.

I tried not to let my slight disappointment show. OfcourseI was excited they were here. I’d probably be jumping up and down if Aiden weren’t standing right there holding onto a kiss I wanted.

“DuhI’m surprised! I can’t believe you’re here! Come in, come in.”

“¿Dónde está Alexa?” My mom looked around my apartment. “Are you burning something in here? Is the gas on?” In true Peruvian mother fashion, she began inspecting every inch of the place.

I glanced at Aiden who was standing to the side, looking mildly amused and nervous. I shot him an apologetic look as I wheeled my family’s luggage into the living room.

“Give her a minute to relax, honey,” my dad chided gently. He was a big man, the opposite of my mom. His face was consistently rosy and his beard was full and white. As a kid, I’d interrogate him to try to find out if he was secretly Santa. He pulled me away from my mom and into a hug. “Hey, Rosie Posie,” he whispered. He glanced at my laptop screen and lit up. “You’re keeping the tradition alive! What part are you on?”

He sat on the couch before I could answer and turned the volume up to watch it himself.

Maria gently grabbed my elbow and said, “Sorry. I know they’re a lot. It was all my idea. I thought maybe you’d be lonely on Christmas Eve, so I convinced them to fly out for just a few days to see you.” She lowered her voice, glancing at Aiden, “I didn’t know you’d have company.”

I looked to Aiden who was still standing apart from us, his hands clasped behind his back. I was dazed already with the three of them fluttering around my apartment, the sound of my mom’s heavy footsteps going from room to room and the movie playing loudly through the laptop speakers. I couldn’t imagine what Aiden was feeling.

“I didn’t either,” I admitted. “Aiden,” I called him over. “This is my sister, Maria. Maria, this is Aiden.”

Maria’s eyes brightened. “Sothisis Aiden. I swear, Rosie doesn’t shut up about you. She keeps saying how mean you are, but I actually thought it was pretty funny when you told her—”

“Okay, okay,” I interjected. “It’s Christmas. No reliving bad blood.”

“Nice to meet you,” Aiden said to Maria. Then to me, he said, “Can I talk to you?” He pulled me aside, his head bent as he whispered, “Look, I should probably head home. I don’t want to intrude on your family …”

“¿Quién es él?” My mom’s voice rang through the apartment. She stood in the doorway between the kitchen and living room, watching us. “Rosie?”

“This is Aiden,” I said. “Aiden, this is my mom, Claudia.”

“Are you celebrating with us?” my mom asked, looking at Aiden hopefully. “We didn’t know Rosie was seeing anyone, but if we had known, we would’ve brought you a sweater too.”

I blanched, shooting a nervous look to Aiden. It made sense. My mom was pretty old-fashioned despite all the romance novels she’d introduced me to and I guess the low lighting, the cookies, and the fact that it was so late on Christmas Eve had led her to think Aiden and I were together. It’d be too complicated to try to explain what wereallywere to my parents because I didn’t understand it myself.

“Right. Yes,” I said, panicky. “Aiden and I areseeingeach other. We aretogether.Obviously. That’s why he’s here so late. But he doesn’t really like Christmas sweaters.” I gestured awkwardly at his sweater. “That’s as festive as my guy gets.” I cringed at my words.

Aiden shot me a look, and I tried to plead with him using my eyes to just go along with it.

“I would’ve worn the llamas,” he said kindly. He stepped forward to shake my mom’s hand. “It’s very nice to meet you. I was actually just leaving. I don’t want to intrude on your family time. I know how much Rosie’s missed you all.”

“Stay!” I grasped his arm, panicked. Aiden began to shake his head, stepping back. “No, I’m serious. Stay. We’ll be partying until Christmas hits, and I don’t want you to spend Christmas Eve alone.”

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