Chapter 2
Six Months Later, December 23
"Come on, Edward, stop moping already. You're really killing my buzz." My older brother is already three drinks in, and we've only taken off out of Miami an hour ago.
"I'm not moping. I'm reflecting."
"Your reflecting seems very similar to the way Gracie looks when I tell her no." He finishes the last of his screwdriver as I nurse my first beer. "Get over it, bro. She was fucking the rent-a-cop from your development… it was a year ago."
"It was six months ago, Em. And I'm not moping over her, I've moved past it."
"So what, then? I flew down here to make sure you got on the plane because Rosie said you were having second thoughts about coming." Emmett clinks his glass against mine. "And to mooch your spare first class seat. What gives?"
I sigh, draining my bottle while Emmett signals the stewardess in his 'mooched' first class seat for another round. "It's not second thoughts, exactly. Not about coming without… her." I refuse to say the cheating bitch's name. "I just never pictured myself being the last single Cullen."
Emmett snorts. "Who'd have thought that, huh? You were the one always playing house with Alice and her dolls. Pussy."
"Fuck you." I nudge his arm, causing his ice to jump out of his cup. "Being in the cold and snow for Christmas is going to be great. It's something I've been looking forward to. But… you have Rose and your kids, Mom and Dad are still happily married after thirty-something gross PDA-filled years, and now our little sister is engaged and 'insta-mom' to Jasper's son. I'm odd man out. No family, and no prospects of one. I was just looking forward to having someone with me."
Emmett stops fidgeting next to me, his bulky frame enjoying all the spare room my gift affords him. "Edward, I don't get mushy often. This is something you know well." He turns to face me, a dead serious look on his face. I nod, waiting to hear what words of wisdom my parent's oldest child is about to impart on me.
"Listen to me. And listen to me good." His eyes bore into mine, and he actually places his closed fist on my hand, as affectionate with a man as Emmett can get. I lean in, on instinct.
"I'm going to find you the hottest fucking snow bunny to throw around the sheets like a ragdoll, because if you ruin my vacation with your sourpuss, I will kill you."
True to his word, as soon as we arrive at the resort, Emmett starts pointing out any girl within age range. But once Rosie comes in with the kids, all thought of getting me laid goes out the window.
"Uncle Edward!" My seven-year-old niece Gracie jumps in my arms, bypassing her father. Her fair, blonde hair, identical to her mother's, is swinging out behind her as I turn her around in a giant hug.
"My Gracie-girl. I've missed you!" And it's true. I haven't seen Emmett's five kids since August, when they came to visit before school started in Georgia, where Emmett went to college and stayed once he met Rosalie freshman year.
"Let's go sledding!" Her blue eyes shine with little girl excitement, and before I can answer, I feel a pair of hands around my knees and feet stepping on my own. Looking down at Alexander, I pat his head as he clings tight to me.
"Hey buddy!"
"Hi, Unca Eword." He leaves me as quickly as he came, running over to Emmett who is now wrestling with one of the twins Rosie deposited in his arms, who is trying to escape.
Rosalie rushes towards me, the cold air from outside clinging to her big coat as she gives me a one-armed hug, the scent of her perfume and the distinct smell of puke all around her. "Sorry, Jocelyn decided NOW was a good time to get rid of lunch." In her arms is the other twin, smiling and covered in spit up. She leans in to let me kiss her cheek as she keeps her coat and baby from soiling my sweater.
"Jocelyn throws up a lot." Gracie offers, disgusted.
"She's a baby."
"She's not a baby no more. She's one and she can walk."
"That's still a baby."
"She can't go sledding."
"No, she can't. That's something you and I can do together with Matt."
"I don't want to go sledding." My thirteen-year-old nephew, face firmly turned to his iPad, plops down on the couch behind us.
"Matthew McDonall Cullen! Say hello to your Uncle Edward!" Rosalie chastises before running off to take Jocelyn to the ladies' room while barking orders at Emmett to take Jackie's pink coat off of her.
My nephew doesn't even look up at me. "Hello."
"Hey, Matt." It doesn't bother me, being thirteen is a bitch and the last thing you want to do is be with family. God forbid.
"Where's the bar?" Emmett asks, deftly taking a squirming baby's coat off while looking around the lobby.
"Where's Mom and Dad? I thought they came with Rosie to help."
"Dunno, should be here somewhere."
"They said to go in, Grandpa's paying the driver." Gracie says, laying her head on my shoulder. I love that she loves me so much, and my heart lurches at the missing hole in my own life.
A valet pushing a cart with a pile of matching suitcases moves past us, and I know my mother is here. No doubt most of them are filled with gifts. "Edward!" Her cold cheek presses against mine as she throws her arms around me in a motherly hug, one I've been sorely needing.
"Mom, I've missed you."
"I'm so glad we're all doing this! What a great idea this was!" She leaves me with a kiss on my cheek and a pat on the leg for Gracie, before shedding her coat and handing it to my father. "Where's the bar?" she asks Emmett, pulling Jackie from his arms.
"Edward! Hello, Son!" My father is next in the greeting train, and we hug, before he pulls back and reveals his attire.
"Birthday Boy." I read out loud, shaking my head at the picture of Jesus woven on his body, holding a red balloon and chocolate cupcake.
"Well, I don't want anyone to forget the real meaning of Christmas! Where's the bar?"
"I'm not sure." I have a family of lushes, apparently. "When's Alice coming?"
"Tomorrow. They're spending today with Jasper's father. Did I tell you that they decided to stay here with us through New Year's even though they're only twenty minutes away?"
"No, that's great. I'd like to get to know Oscar better."
"He's weird." Matt chimes in from the couch, nose still pressed into his iPad.
My father, ever the diplomat, agrees. "He is kinda strange." Matt nods enthusiastically, looking up at me for the first time.
"He's just new to you. I think Aunt Alice would be really happy if you made an effort to get to know him. He is going to be your cousin and he's about your age."
"He's two years younger than me! Eleven! I'm a teenager."
"Don't we fucking know it." Emmett says under his breath, holding a beer out to me. Apparently he found the bar. "It's been painful."
"Teenagers are awful." With that bit of wisdom, my father follows my mother in the direction Emmett pointed her towards.
"Where's Alex?" Emmett asks, frantically turning in a circle, right before we hear the loudest shrill of a child screaming across the entire lobby.
"SANTA!"
"Whoops! How'd he get over there?" Emmett hands Gracie his beer to hold before running off to chase his son. "Don't tell your mother!"
"Daddy's always losing one of us."
I laugh and take the beer from my niece, setting it down next to mine on the table. "You outnumber him."
"Can we go see Santa?"
"Sure. Matt, you coming?"
"No. Santa doesn't…" I see it in his face, what he was about to say and give him a stern look. "Have anything I want this year," he finishes and rolls his eyes, bothered I'm sure by having to keep up the ruse for his siblings.
Pointing to the beer, I head over to where Santa is apparently set up. "Don't drink those." Getting another eye roll in response, I carry Gracie away across the lobby.
The resort obviously knows how to do Christmas right. The decorations that fill the large, wood paneled lobby are festive, lit garland and large gold bells adorning the walls and front desk, while wreaths and more garland line the massive set of stairs that sit at one end. At the other end of the lobby where Gracie is directing me, a large fireplace you can practically stand in is blazing, and next to that, the biggest tree I've ever seen. It towers through the massive, three story open lobby towards the vaulted ceiling, covered in thousands of lights, gold balls, sparkly red bows and ornaments of all kinds. It's truly stunning and a bit of bile rises in my throat at the thought that I'm not sharing this with someone special. Sure, my family is here and they mean everything to me, but I'm not going to be able to sit here in front of the tree and fire, cozying up to a girl that will be keeping me warm all through the night.
"Look at Santa!" Gracie points and shimmies down, joining her recovered brother who stands at the edge of the group of kids huddled around the jolly fellow, while Emmett holds his collar so he can't get away again.
"Gracie, hold your brother." He turns the collar over to my niece and takes Jackie back from Mom who's wandered over, frilly drink in hand.
Gracie moves forward a bit with Alex, and they both hold their hands out for something.
Looking up, I see a bunch of elves passing out candy canes to the kids that surround the big man in the center, their little grabby hands jutting up and waving for a treat. More kids come at the sound of the commotion, and the elves spread out to cover the crowd.
"You look like you could use a treat." A girl elf pops up in front of me, waving a candy cane in front of my face. I go to reach for it, but she pulls it back. "Have you been a good boy or a naughty boy?" My eyes widen at her question, while Emmett stands next to me, laughing.
He peers at her sparkly nametag. "Oh, Elf Bella, he wishes he were naughty."
"Shut up, Em." Shoving a nice right elbow into his gut, I smile at the elf. She's pretty, clad in a green velvet dress with white fur trim, a pointed hat on top of her hair held by the two pointy ears sticking out from either side of her head. Her brown eyes twinkle with what looks like mischief.
"Sounds like you deserve two then." She pulls another cane from her treat bag and hands them to me before walking off to finish her task.
"Dude. Forget the snow bunnies." Emmett grins and nods his chin towards the girl. "You should bang an elf."
CarrieZM and Layathomemom are my magical elves.