39. Olivia

39

OLIVIA

“What would you think about going to the children’s hospital this afternoon?” Aaron asks me as we clean up after an amazing Christmas breakfast. It’s been a wonderful morning with Aaron’s mom and Nonna, and through every moment, I’ve been repeating the word boyfriend to myself, over and over, while glancing in Aaron’s direction.

It feels good. And now that I’ve tried the word on for size, I want to wear it forever, like one of his oversized sweatshirts.

“Children’s hospital?” I ask. “Any particular reason why?”

“Mom and Nonna are going to a carol service, so I was thinking of something we could do, too.” Aaron shrugs. “I go there sometimes to chat with the kids and deliver gifts. I was going to stop in when I got back from Jersey, but now that I’m here for Christmas, I figured we could go today.”

“You bring gifts to sick kids on the regular?” I ask him, eyes wide.

“It’s mostly dumb stuff, like those crochet animals I make.” He wipes down the counter, not meeting my gaze. “Don’t go giving me a sainthood or something.”

How on earth did I ever think this man was a terrible human?

“Aaron, that’s not dumb at all. That’s the nicest idea ever, and I’d love to go with you.”

His smile is like sunshine. “Thanks, Livvy.”

Just then, the doorbell rings.

“I’ll get it,” I say as I finish washing a serving dish and stack it on the drying rack. I pad into the hallway and open the front door.

I blink in surprise at the couple standing on the doorstep.

“Jake! Sofia!” I cry, unsure why they’re here, but delighted to see them.

“Olivia.” Jake’s looking at me like I’ve lost my ever-loving mind for some reason, which might be related to the festive snowmen earrings I’m wearing and my Christmassy elf-print socks (also courtesy of Nonna). Then, he looks right past me to where Aaron is walking down the hallway, and his expression becomes carefully neutral. “Aaron.”

Sofia and I hug as Aaron comes to stand beside me.

“Hey, guys. Merry Christmas.” Aaron’s gaze flickers to me, then back to Jake.

“I thought you were in Jersey,” my brother says instead of repaying the greeting, and I hypocritically flick my eyes heavenward. Like I’m not an ex-disgruntled-Grinch person myself.

“Last minute change of plan,” Aaron says.

“Very last minute!” I tack on quickly, feeling strangely guilty, like I’m a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Which is dumb. I haven’t done anything wrong.

Jake frowns. “Okay, what’s going on here?”

“My mom and Nonna showed up unexpectedly after our game two nights ago,” Aaron explains casually, running his fingers through his hair. “They wanted to spend Christmas in Atlanta.”

“Did they now?” Jake’s voice is… off. He’s always a little grouchy, but right now, he sounds like a grumpy freaking robot.

“Well.” Sofia’s calm tone fills the slightly awkward silence in the hallway. “We came over because my parents are having a post-lunch siesta, and we thought you, Olivia, were alone and might want some company. Jake’s idea.”

My gaze lands on Jake. “Really?”

“It’s been a long time since I spent Christmas with my only sister.” Again, with the robot voice.

“Come on in, then.” Aaron’s cheery voice sounds almost forced as he ushers Jake and Sof inside. “Mom and Nonna are in the kitchen. They’re gonna be so happy to see you.”

As Jake and Sofia walk ahead, Aaron falls into step with me.

“Hey,” he says softly. “I’d like to talk to Jake about us. I don’t want to keep him in the dark, or make him think that we’re trying to hide anything or go behind his back. I also want it to come from one of us before Mom or Nonna puts their foot in it. But I wanted to ask you if you’d prefer to tell him yourself or if I can?”

Always so considerate.

“Tell him,” I say with a shrug. “We’re all adults here. He can deal.”

“Right.” Aaron looks a little unconvinced. “You’re right.”

When we reach the kitchen, Natalia and Nonna are fawning over Sofia while simultaneously chatting Jake’s ear off. He’s nodding along politely, but his eyes are fixed on Aaron and me.

Slightly annoyed, I sidle over to him and tug on his sleeve. “What, Jake?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

I roll my eyes. “I mean, why do you look like someone shoved a stick up your ass?”

He huffs a laugh that has zero humor and folds his arms. He then completely ignores my question, and instead says, “Aaron, may I have a word?”

A word?

Who does he think he is, Marlon Brando in the freaking Godfather?

“Uh, sure thing, man.” Aaron gestures towards the French doors leading onto the deck. He follows Jake outside, and then gives me a lingering look before shutting the door behind them.

I whirl around to Sofia. “What’s going on, Sof?”

Her cheeks flush and she starts playing with a tassel hanging off a cloth on the counter. “Er,” she starts. “There might be a photo circulating that features you and Aaron. You know, um, together.”

“What?” I squawk.

“There’s a…” Sofia waves her hands in front of her uselessly, looking not unlike a dancing octopus or something. “There’s a picture of the two of you. Kissing.”

“What?! Where?” I squawk again like I’m the freaking resident parrot of the Marino household.

“Uhm, here, I think.” She blinks, gazing around. “Oh, you mean where did we see the photo? That awful Brandi woman posted it on her Instagram.”

My body feels like it’s malfunctioning as my jaw drops wide open.

Nonna looks from me, to Sofia, to the men standing outside. “I’ll fetch the Baileys.”

Sofia nods gratefully. “A drink would be nice right now.”

I don’t reply. My body is apparently coming back online and I lunge for my phone. I open Instagram and search for the AaronMarinosMistress account.

Within seconds, I’m staring at an image that makes my stomach drop. An image of myself and Aaron that’s been posted for the entire world to see. An image that somehow perfectly captures both of our faces in the porch light, so there’s no pretending it could be anyone else.

Specifically, it’s a picture of us pressed against his front door the other night while he was kissing me senseless.

Well. This can’t be good.