Page 63 of The Way We Swing Back

We both grabbed controllers and started to play the game Gavin had promised us earlier; it was the first time we’d faced off since I’d moved in. We didn’t talk—we really never did, or at least not like I did with Tanner and Gavin. And that was okay. Things felt back to normal. Like the barrier we had both put up was coming down, letting us be friends again.

Freaking Gavin.

Chapter 28

“There is absolutely no way I’m wearing these,” I said. Tanner had handed me a pair of green pajama pants and a bright red shirt covered with images of candy canes, Santa, and cookies.

“Christmas Eve tradition,” Tanner said. “We all have to.”

“No,” I said again.

“Mom will kill you if you don’t,” Zach said lazily, as Gavin laughed next to him.

The four of us were in the basement; Christmas music came from upstairs, and the smell of holiday cookies hovered around us. Zach and Gavin already wore their pajamas, and Tanner raced off to the bathroom to change into his.

When he came back, a piece of a white-powdered cookie dangled in his hand and another in his mouth; a third piece had fallen across the front of his shirt. I hated how even when he acted like a slob, he was still cute.

“What other traditions do I have to look forward to?” I said as I grudgingly pulled up the pants and tossed my shorts on the ground next to me.

“Pictures,” Tanner said. “Lots and lots of pictures.”

“We also sleep down here. So, keep your snoring down,” Gavin said.

“I don’t snore.”

“Yes, you do,” Zach and Tanner said together.

“Yeah, well… you guys could have told me,” I said, grabbing a Hershey’s Kiss from the bowl on the floor and unwrapping it; the chocolate started to melt as soon as it hit my tongue.

“You’re dumb,” Zach said.

“The cousins and stuff come over tomorrow night to play cards, too, but you know about that one,” Tanner said.

I caught his eye, and my cheeks blushed the same red as his. We were both remembering two Christmases ago when Gavin had walked in on us hooking up almost in the exact spot I sat right now.

That day had been the best Christmas of my life until that point—people everywhere, the Quinns making the place feel like home. They had even gotten me new batting gloves, which had been more than I’d ever expected. It’d probably been Tanner’s idea.

Then Gavin had shown up while Tanner had been on his knees in front of me, and I’d run out of both of their lives. I’d apologized to both of them a zillion times before, but the more distance I got from that night, the guiltier I felt. I’d abandoned Gavin, as if it were his fault.

Even worse, I’d acted like Tanner wasn’t a person. Like we hadn’t been friends. Like we hadn’t... anyway, I was lucky he’d ever forgiven me.

“Who’s all coming tomorrow, anyway?” I asked. I’d recently started trying to get myself out of negative headspaces, and subject changes were always a great way to accomplish that.

“Like a dozen cousins and their parents will be here,” Tanner said. “Cal’s going to be in town, too.”

I forced my eyes to not roll.

“I always invite Jake,” Gavin said.

“I’m inviting Nicole this year for the first time,” Zach said.

“So, you guys are inviting your dates? Can I tell Maissie she can come, too, then?” Gavin asked as he looked at Tanner.

“I’m not in charge. I’m sure you can, though.”

“That’s starting to get serious, then?” I asked.

“We’ve been dating for like six months,” Gavin said aggressively. “Of course it’s serious.”