A Different Christmas (University Park #5) (5 page)

Chapter 3

Lexi

I glanced at my phone ringing on the counter, my mom’s picture in clear view.

“Aren’t you going to answer it?” Mimi asked, pulling a tray of cornbread out of the oven.

“Yeah, I guess I should.” I grabbed my phone and exited the kitchen out the backdoor. I let it ring two more times before finally answering it. I wasn’t in the mood to hear my mom complain, and lately, that was all she did. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, baby. Happy Thanksgiving.” Her voice was cheery, which was unusual.

“Happy Thanksgiving. Are you getting everything ready for dinner?”

“Yes. We’re expecting a full house. Your brother, sister, and her kids should be arriving any moment.” She let out a sigh. “In addition to Uncle Fred, Aunt May, and some of your cousins.”

“Wow. I hope you have enough turkey.”

“I actually ordered two from the caterer.”

“Oh, you didn’t make them?” My mom wasn’t a cook and I knew better, but couldn’t resist the temptation to point it out.

A soft laugh released over the phone. “I haven’t made a turkey in a few years. You know that.” I rolled my eyes. Anything to make her life easier, she did it, regardless of how much it cost my dad. “I’m sorry you won’t be here to celebrate with us.”

I’m not.

“Yeah, I know. Raven’s mom, grandmother, and aunts having been cooking since last night. You don’t have to worry about me. There will be plenty of home-cooked food.” I rubbed it in, just a little.

“Oh. Well, then. I’m glad.” Her voice lowered. “I guess the question is: will it be any good?”

I shook my head. Not many things impressed my mom and she was the first to criticize people before giving them an opportunity. “We’ve had a few cookouts and dinners and the food was great. If the way my kitchen smells is any indication of what’s to come, then I’d have to say it’s going to be savory.”

“They are using your kitchen?” Her tone quickly switched to disgust. “Why aren’t they cooking in their own home?”

Ugh. She was impossible. “They did cook some of the dishes prior to coming over here, but I told them it was probably easier to make the turkey and dressing here. They are warming everything so we can eat at noon.”

“Oh,” she said, surprised. “I didn’t realize you were hosting Thanksgiving.”

I covered my forehead with the palm of my hand. I didn’t owe her an explanation and she was starting to wear on me. “Yes. Raven and I offered our home this year.”

“Hmm. And where is he?”

I took a seat on one of the patio chairs. “He’s at the gym working out and should—”

“What? He’s exercising on Thanksgiving? Are you sure he’s telling you the truth?”

For a moment, my mom’s comment made me wonder. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook off the preposterous idea of him cheating on me. Raven might have made some bad decisions in the past, but I was confident he was being loyal to me. Then again, was he? I knew what he was capable of doing and the temptations he faced when he stepped on that plane.

“Yes, mom. He has a game on Sunday and wants to be ready for it.” I tried to keep calm and not yell at her. Maybe she hadn’t heard the good news. “He’s starting, you know.”

“Yeah, your dad told me, but who knows what’s going to happen. They could always put in another quarterback or the other guy could be back sooner than expected.” If I could’ve reached through the phone, I would’ve choked the sarcasm out of her.

I gripped the phone tighter, feeling a surge of anger hit my veins. “Do you enjoy being a hater or do you not realize what you’re doing?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Never mind.” I took a deep breath and released it into the phone. “Look, I have to go. Raven just pulled up.”

“Okay. Sorry you couldn’t come home for Thanksgiving. That’s makes two years in a row now.”

Did she have to point that out? Bring up last year? I didn’t need to be reminded how I faked being sick after breaking up with Collin. I shook my head. So much had changed in a year. “Sorry. I’m too close to my due date and can’t travel.”

Not that I’d want to anyway.

“I know,” she said with indifference. “I hope they don’t expect you to do everything.”

“They don’t. And besides, Raven’s taken care of most of the things along with his family.”

She huffed. “I guess.”

“Talk to you later, Mom.” I’d had enough and needed to end the conversation before my attitude got nasty. “I want to change my clothes before everyone arrives.”

“Don’t you want to talk to your dad?”

“He called me first thing this morning,” I said with a cheery voice. The relationship between my dad and I had only strengthened since I’d taken Raven back. I wished I could say the same about my mom. Although things had improved a little, she wasn’t completely on board with me moving to Louisiana to be with Raven. She also wasn’t in favor of me marrying him. The only thing she had accepted was the fact I was pregnant with his babies, which she hated, but wouldn’t openly admit.

“Oh, okay.” She sounded surprised. “I guess I’ll call you next week.”

“Sounds good. Bye.” I hung up the phone before she could say anything else. I took a deep breath, releasing all the negativity before going back inside. As soon as I walked into the house, Raven was entering the kitchen through the garage.

“Look what I found.” He stepped to the side and my brother appeared.

“Luke?” I rushed to him. “Oh my God! I can’t believe you’re here!”

“Believe it.” He embraced me. “Missed you, Sis.” Taking a step back, he gave me a once over. “Damn, you’re huge.”

I sucker punched him in the ribs, knowing he couldn’t hit me back. “Shut up.”

“Leave her alone. She looks absolutely beautiful.” Peering from behind my brother was his girlfriend and my best friend, Delaney.

“Laney!” I squealed. “You came, too?”

“Of course.” She gave me a tight squeeze. “I wasn’t going to let him come alone.”

“Come in.” I motioned for them to enter. “Did you guys fly in or drive?”

“We caught an eight a.m. flight.” Luke picked up Delaney’s bag and they followed us into the kitchen. “Got damn lucky, too. All flights were booked and we were on stand-by.”

“Mom’s waiting for you to show up at the house, ya know,” I said, holding back a laugh.

“Oh well.” He shrugged. “We decided to come here instead.”

“Thanks for coming.” I smiled at them. I loved Raven’s family, but it was nice to have some of my family around.

“We were going to catch a cab, but when I texted Raven to let him know we landed…” Luke gave him a hefty pat on the back, “he said he was coming to get us.”

Raven wrapped an arm around Luke’s neck. “I had just finished my workout, so it was no problem picking you up.”

We lived less than ten miles from the airport, so it made it easy to fly in and out of the city. I caught myself checking out Raven to make sure he had worked out. By the sweat stains on his shirt and the odor wafting in the air, I didn’t doubt he’d been at the gym. I told myself Raven was being loyal and his days of catching women in his trap were long gone.

Damn you, Mom.
      

I introduced Luke to Raven’s family and re-introduce Delaney, since she met them when she flew in for my baby shower two months ago. It didn’t take long for our guests to arrive and the house to fill with a variety of aromas from the delicious dishes. Seeing all the smiling faces and hearing the conversations assured me this would be a memorable Thanksgiving on the Pontchartrain — a new tradition I was looking forward to from now on.

***

Raven

I jumped in the shower before everyone arrived, allowing the cold water to run over my sore muscles. New Orleans’ training staff and therapy equipment was better than PHU’s, but nothing beat a cold shower. I was kind of excited Luke was here. I’d worked out with him in the past and he totally kicked my ass. Thinking of the game on Sunday, I needed a good ass kicking. I planned to ask him if he’d give me a few one-on-one lessons while he was here. Hopefully, I could get him in the facility before or after hours.

I made a mental note to call my therapist, Dr. Galen, and reschedule tomorrow’s phone session for next week. With Luke and Delaney in town, I was sure Lexi would want to go out to dinner or show them around the French Quarter. Thinking of my therapist, I recalled something else I needed to do: tell Lexi what happened after Sunday night’s game.

I cringed, knowing I had to tell her about the women the guys brought to the after party. It wasn’t going to be easy. Some of the player’s wives had already warned her and she saw firsthand how crazy things could get after a game. I wanted her to hear it from me and not someone else. Dr. Galen reiterated the importance of being open and honest. It built trust and left no room for my demons to come knocking. She wasn’t going to like hearing it, but I figured I could use the deposit in her trust account. Once she knew nothing happened and I had nothing to hide, the demons would have nothing to go on.

After a few more minutes in the shower, I got out and dressed. The chattering from downstairs told me we had a full house. As I cleared the stairwell, I spotted Lexi making our guests feel at home by turning on the football game. In college, I was used to playing on Thanksgiving Day, but since my team didn’t have a game, I was able to spend it with my family. And next year would be ten times sweeter with the twins.

“Hey, Happy Thanksgiving.” I shook Uncle Rick’s hand and gave Aunt Alice a hug. “Glad you guys could make it.”

“Of course. We wouldn’t miss it.” Aunt Alice kissed me on the cheek. “And look who else came?” She turned around and tapped her son’s shoulder.

“Taylor! Man, I haven’t seen you in a few years.” We gave each other a tight hug. As kids, we used to play together, but once we got to high school, we went our separate ways.

“I just finished a tour in Afghanistan.” He ran his hand over his short buzz cut.

“Good for you.” I gave him a lofty pat on the back. “Do you have to go back?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I’m done. I have a few months left in San Antonio and I’m not resigning.”

“I understand.” Although I had no idea what it was like to serve in the armed forces, I could only image. I had fought my own battles with my demons from my jacked up childhood, I didn’t need anything else to screw with my head. My mom used to threaten to send me into the Marines, but I made sure I got accepted to college so that wouldn’t be an option.

“I’m ready to get back to civilian life. Watch you play some football.” He gripped my shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze. By the lump of muscles forming under his sleeve, I knew he worked out extensively.

“Hey, I’ve got tickets for Sunday’s game if you and your dad want to go.”

“Hell yeah. I’d love that.”

“Done.” I gave him a confirming nod. “Have you met Lexi?” I motioned for her to come to where we were standing.

“Mom introduced us. Congrats on the twins.” He gripped his waist and his eyes widened. “You’re going to have your hands full.”

I gave a half chuckle. “Tell me about it.”

“Yes?” Lexi broke away from her chat with Delaney. She had a big smile on her face. It made my heart swell seeing her happy and content. I was glad Luke and Delaney came. “You met Cassie’s brother, Taylor?” I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to my side.

“Yes, just a little while ago.” She rested her hand on my chest and I relaxed. I loved how her touch did that to me. Only Lexi could settle every nerve in my body and rev them at the same time. “We need to introduce him to my brother.”

“Oh, yeah. Lexi has a twin brother.” I motioned for Luke to come over.

“Ah. That explains why you’re having twins.”

I raised my brows. “Who knew?”

“Luke, this is my cousin, Taylor. He just got back from a tour in Afghanistan.”

They gave each other a hearty handshake. “Thanks for serving.” Luke dipped his chin.

“Just doing my job.” Taylor kept a straight face. It was amazing to see how much the service had changed him. Growing up, he was always the jokester of the family. Then again, look at how much I’d changed. Change was good when it was for the best.

“Hey, are you going to be here on Sunday?” I turned to Luke.

“Yeah, I think we’ll catch a flight on Monday. Try to avoid some of the holiday flying traffic.”

“I think that’s a good idea. Do you want to go the game? Taylor and Uncle Rick are going.”

“Sure. I’d love to go. As long as Lexi or your mom doesn’t want the ticket.”

Lexi shook her head. “I’ll watch it from home.”

“Yeah, I guess that’d be more comfortable for you,” Luke said.

Uncle Rick chimed in. “It will be guys only this time.”

We laughed. “Then count me in,” Luke said to my uncle.

“Hey, what about us?” My brother Trey asked from the couch, pointing to himself and our little brother, Ashton. They typically went to my early home games. In this case, we were playing at noon.

“I was going to ask Keenan if he wanted to go.” Keenan was Cassie’s husband. If Lexi thought I traveled too much, then she needed to take a closer look. Keenan was a sales guy with a job that required weekly travel.

Keenan stood up and stretched. “I’d love to, but I have to fly out Monday morning for a meeting and I need to prepare for it.”

“I understand.” I turned my attention back to Trey. “As long as Uncle Rick wants to take you guys and mom’s okay with it, I’m sure I can get one more ticket for Ashton.” As a player, I received four tickets for every game. If teammates had extra tickets, they were usually willing to give them up or trade for them.

“Thanks, Raven.” Ashton shot me a big metal smile. Poor kid. His mouth was full of wires, brackets, and rubber bands.

“Everything is ready,” my mom said, carrying a pan from the kitchen to the dining room. A sweet aroma filled the air and my stomach growled. “Raven, are you going to cut the turkey?”

“You bet.” I rubbed my hands together. “Time to eat.” I motioned for everyone to follow Lexi and me into the dining room. The table was set perfectly with my grandmother’s china and fine crystal, and a fall flower arrangement in the center, giving it the perfect Thanksgiving touch. “You ladies did good.” I surveyed the spread of casseroles, side dishes, and pies. The ham almost didn’t look real, with pineapples slices and cherries in the center.