Page 64 of The Holidays with Mr. Mitchell
Jake crossed his arms. “Your call. Enjoy the night off or own up to being a dumbass who can’t prank worth shit.”
“Maybe a little distance will help,” I said finally. “I’ll have the staff set everything up. Tell the guys we’re at my place tonight.”
“Unlike some of you,” Collin said, heading for the door, phone in hand as he started writing a text, “I need to clear it with my wife. Because, you know,we still talk.”
I let out another long sigh. “How the hell did it come to this?”
“Good call,” Jake said, already halfway out the door, eyes on his phone as he messaged Ash for permission to hang out with his own brother. “You blamed your wife for something she didn’tdo and stayed fake mad about it. That’s usually the quickest way to earn silence,” he said, hitting send.
“I can’t believe I’m actually hearing Jim say that he and Avery need some distance,” Collin laughed as his phone chimed. He glanced at it and slid it back into his pocket. “Laney says I get to have a sleepover with the Grinch.”
“Ash is cool with it, too,” Jake said, frowning at his phone when it buzzed back. “She answered a little too fast and without question…”
I watched his concerned expression, “You think she’s pissed at you for starting something that got me and Avery into this position?”
“No, dipshit,” he laughed and shook his head. “Why the hell would she be pissed at me? She doesn’t deflect shit and emotionally manipulate like your sorry, soon-to-be bachelor on Christmas ass does.”
“You did start this shit. You and Spence,” I said, feeling frustrated with everyone and everything.
I missed my damn wife.
“You,” Jake hung onto the word, “started this shit by acting like a little bitch. We’ve already gone over this.”
“Come to think of it,” Collin pulled his phone out again, “Laney also answered a little too quickly.” He glanced around the room as if we were suddenly in a horror story. “Andshe’s stuck with the kids,” he seemed to glance up at the ceiling for answers. “It’s not like Laney to allow me to play all night while she’s stuck with the kids.”
“That’s how pissed Avery is at Jim,” Jake said, seemingly answering Collin’s concern.
“Why would your wives allow you both togo playbecause mine is pissed off at me?” I asked.
“Simple,” Collin said, arching an eyebrow at me. “They’re likely backing Avery. The women stick together like this,” heran a hand dramatically through his hair, “and it’s as if they’re allowing us to babysit you, so Avery can have some much-needed time away from your grumpy ass.”
“That makes sense,” I finally said. “Damn, I really fucked it up by playing these stupid games with her.”
“Quit being a codependent little hoe,” Jake said. “Youbothfucked this up.”
“He’s not wrong,” Collin added. “The fact that you both were even in a party planning war to begin with? Who does shit like that?”
“Avery and I,” I said, smiling at how cute it all was before it got blown out of proportion.
“Well, now you know, emotions are already too fragile during the holidays, so that’s probably not the best time to enter into a damn family war,” Jake said. “All right, Chinese is calling my name. Let’s get out of here and go act like bachelors before Jim truly becomes one by Christmas Eve.”
TWENTY-FIVE
Avery
I wokeup to my phone buzzing like a mother fucker and imagined Jim had finally broken. That man had to be dying inside a little more each day, knowing that his lame decision to be upset with me for what his brother and Spence did to him had blown up in his own face.
Honestly, though, I was still pissed. He’d made me feel like a piece of shit. He’d let me worry that I’d damaged his reputation in the business world, and that he’d been angry at me for daring to pull a little prank on his ass.
Men could be like children at times with their stupid egos, and that included my perfect specimen of a husband. Even if I hadn’t flipped the tables on him, I’d have ended up here anyway—pissed off that he thought this was a good idea.
“Jesus!” I said, covering my mouth.
Social media was blowing the fuck up again.
I slid out of bed and headed downstairs, seeing the ladies had already beaten me to coffee on our terrace that overlooked the Pacific.
“God, Av,” Ash said. “Have you seen social media yet?”
