Boyfriend by Christmas

Chapter 10

When I get to Garrett's house, his dad is loading a couple of bags into the back of his Ford explorer. "Hi, Todd. Sorry for the last minute intrusion..."

He laughs. "Don't you dare apologize! It'll be refreshing to have you along. Might even keep my father from making dirty jokes about the turkey."

I pale. "What?"

"Garrett mentioned you guys don't do a big Thanksgiving in your family, so I guess you're not used to the weird things relatives do when they're forced into one room."

"Nope. But I'm ready to learn," I say.

Todd smiles. "Garrett will be glad to have someone his age around. All of his cousins are either way older or way younger than he is." He takes my backpack from me and adds it to the pile in his car. "I hope you like kids. There will be a lot."

"I love them," I say. "I don't have any cousins or younger siblings but I wish I did."

"We have plenty to share," Garrett says, showing up behind his father. I hadn't heard him leave the house. "Maybe you can even take a few of them. Start with my sister!"

Todd slaps Garrett upside the head playfully. "Stop trying to give away your sister." To me, he says, "He's been trying to do that since she was born."

On cue, Katherine walks out of the house, headphones already in her ears. She climbs into the front seat without acknowledging any of us.

Todd looks at me. "So I heard you're in the market for a younger sister. I may actually have one available."

We all laugh.

Garrett and I take the backseat since we don't have much other choice. Though riding on the roof might be fun. I slide my seatbelt over my shoulder. "Isn't your mom coming?"

"She has to work until midnight," he says. She's a nurse in the NICU and she always works crazy hours, especially now that Katherine and Garrett are old enough to take care of themselves. Or at least that's what Garrett told me once. "So she'll drive up by herself after work."

"Oh. Won't she be tired?"

"Probably. But it's only like an hour and a half to my aunt's house from where my mom works."

"That's not so bad, then."

"Nope. And I think she'd rather drive herself. That way she can escape if things get too crazy."

He laughs so I guess this is a joke, but I'm wondering if maybe I've gotten myself into something I'm not ready for. "Does your aunt know I'm coming?"

He nods. "I called her as soon as I hung up with you. She said, 'Good. I made enough food to feed all of Massachusetts and only four of you were coming.' And then told me to warn you that my cousin June is going through a phase where she attaches herself to people and mimics everything they do. My aunt is worried that she will be extra attached to you since she doesn't know you."

"That's okay. I wouldn't mind a mini me for a few days."

"Two of you? I think one is plenty."

I playfully push my hair over my shoulder. "They should clone me, actually. I'm fabulous."

"That may be a good idea, actually. But I'd still want the original one. Nothing can compare."

I can't help the blush that creeps into my cheeks. I swear I haven't blushed as much as I have today in my entire life. And every time it's been because of Garrett!