Always There

Chapter Twenty-Four

Songs for this chapter:
• It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas - Michael Bublé

Chapter Twenty-Four:

Lexi's POV

"Are you sure that you don't want any help cleaning up dinner, Mom?" I ask, setting another plate down next to the sink where my parents are rinsing dishes and then loading them into the dishwasher.

Uncle Michael is busy packing the leftover food up into containers to put in the fridge, and Leo and Elena seem to be helping to clear off the dining room table as well. When I look to my right, I find that Charlie, Bryce, Mateo, Adriana. and Addison are all seated in the living room, all having a conversation about who-knows-what.

"We're doing quite all right, Lexi. Go spend some time with your boyfriend," my mom responds, quietly enough that my dad can't hear.

I grin at her, smiling and nodding. "Thank you, Mom," I reply before heading out of the kitchen and into the living room.

Adriana and Addison are sitting on the floor, their backs leaning against the couch behind them. Charlie is sitting on the sofa, Mateo and Bryce each seated on a chair across from them.

Deciding to take a seat next to my brother, I attempt to walk past where Mateo and Bryce are sitting, but I don't get past Bryce before he reaches out and wraps his long fingers around one of my wrists.

I don't get a chance to spin around to ask what he's doing before he tugs me into his lap.

"Bryce! We can't sit like this in front of everyone," I hiss, but all I receive in response is a smile so wide that I can see his dimples.

"Don't be so overdramatic. Nobody is going to care," Bryce insists, wrapping his arms around my waist as he tugs me close so that my back is pressed to his chest.

As strongly as I believe that he's wrong, every single part of me wants to sit with him, right here. I suppose that the chair is fairly large and I also doubt that anyone would dare to say something, and so I relax in Bryce's hold.

He presses a gentle kiss to my neck, and though it causes me to shudder, I choose not to react considering that we have an audience.

Dinner went generally well after Bryce and I's encounter in the bathroom. Once we returned to the table, everyone was clearly wondering where we had been, but no one dared to ask any questions. By some miracle, Adriana and Addison were able to keep their mouthes shut about what they saw, and so that awkward conversation didn't have to occur either.

Bryce kisses me again, on my cheek this time, before he turns to Mateo to ask, "So, you're staying at my dad's until you fly back to Toronto?"

Mateo turns to us and takes a moment to consider this question. Although Bryce's tone wasn't snarky, I can't tell if he was trying to bother Mateo or just start up a genuine conversation.

After the chat that Bryce and I had in the bathroom, I doubt that he would try and start up a fight right now which is why when Mateo turns to me. I give him a reassuring smile.

Mateo smiles back, look past me at Bryce to respond, "Yeah. I don't really have a choice. I guess it's either that or staying with my dad and brothers who want me dead. Sorry for the inconvenience."

To my surprise, Bryce chuckles.

And then he shocks me even more by responding, "Don't worry about it. It's not your fault."