Page 64 of Wake Me Up
I chuckle, shrugging. “If you stay single for as long as I did, you realize you’d best learn to cook because microwaving meals gets old real fast.”
“I guess that’s true—” She stops, her eyes widening. “Wait a second … did you saydid?”
“What?” I don’t know what she means, but I’m sure she’s analyzing whatever came out of my mouth—she always is.
“You said, ‘If you stay single for as long as Idid,’ not have.” Her lips spread wide across her face. “My boy, do you have a girlfriend?”
Oh fuck, here she goes.
I can’t tell her the whole truth because my mom will call my sister, who will call me, and it’ll turn into a huge ordeal. Freya and I might have told her kids, but I don’t want to tell my mom over the phone minutes before I need to hang up.
“I’m seeing someone,” I utter, dragging a hand over my face. “That’s all you’re getting for now.”
“Well, you’d best be still seeing this mystery woman when I come for Christmas,” she warns me. “Why didn’t you tell me you have a girlfriend, you little secretive shit?!”
“It’s new,” I answer with a shrug just as the oven timer goes off. “Gotta go. Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, you little turd. But this isn’t over!” She waves her finger at the camera. “Love you. Bye.”
Once the call ends, I rush to the oven and pull out the potato casserole. It’s a recipe from my dad’s mom. I didn’t want to show up empty-handed after Freya’s parents were nice enough to extend the invite my way.
I might not be spending this holiday with my blood family, but spending it with Freya and her kids somehow feels even better. And one day, I hope they feel the same way about me.
Frank isn’t nearly as much of a dick to me as he was the first time we met. In fact, he actually seems to have warmed up to me now, but every now and then, he still flashes me a look to tell me he’s watching me. That’s fine; he can watch away. I’m not going to do anything to fuck this up. But Freya is the one who has been a little frostier than normal. Which is catchingme off guard because when we saw each other a few days ago and I buried my cock deep inside of her heat for the very first time, she seemed happy.
I thought we had turned a corner. Now I’m rethinking everything.
“Mom, can we go watch TV for a bit before dessert?” Cash asks his mom politely. “I can’t possibly eat pie yet. I’m dying here.”
“Yes, go ahead.” Freya smiles at her son.
Avy pats her stomach and sighs. “Same. I went too hard with the potato casserole.” She looks at me while she stands up. “That was so good, Tripp.”
“That was good!” Freya’s mom chimes in. “I never would have thought to use cornflakes cereal in a casserole.” She looks at her daughter, almost as if she’s urging her to pipe into the conversation because she’s been so quiet the whole meal. “Freya, what did you think of Tripp’s casserole? Did you love it? It seems like something you would like.”
Freya looks at her mother, not me, and nods politely. “Yes, it was very good.”
Suddenly, her parents’ puppy whimpers by the door, and her mother glances over.
“Time to take out Trapper,” she sighs. “I forgot how much work a puppy is.”
Before she can stand up, Freya shoots up from her seat. “I got it, Mom. I’ll go stand outside while he does his business.”
I don’t know if she wants me to go with her or not, but I’m not going to sit here any longer and wonder what the fuck has happened between a few days ago and today to make her act different. So, the second she slides her shoes on and takes off outside with the dog, I stand up.
“I think I’ll … give her a hand,” I say awkwardly, heading toward the door and sliding my sneakers on.
“I bet you will,” Frank utters, and I glance over to find him narrowing his eyes at me from his chair.
Maybe he hasn’t taken a liking to me just yet after all.
Ignoring him, I pull the door open and walk out into the night. I’m not going to let her keep pushing me away. She’s going to talk, and I’m not taking no for an answer this time. I’ve been patient, but now … I’m ready to fight for my girl.
I’m standing outside in the shadows as Trapper runs around the yard, looking for the perfect spot. I needed to get out of that room for a minute because being around Tripp is too damn hard.
I love that man, and yet I know with everything I am that I have no right to string him along. Him being here tonight was a misstep in itself, and I can hardly stand to look at him.
I hear the door close and the sound of crunching feet against the inch or so of snow on the ground before Tripp comes around the corner. I shouldn’t be surprised that he followed me outside. It’s Tripp, and he always wants to fix things when he senses they’re broken. But the issues we have can’t be fixed because I can’t take back what’s already been done.
