successfully getting up is too far down the couch to do any good for either of us."
The sound of the door opening and multiple sets of footsteps from the main level cut off whatever response she planned to give.
"Someone's here," Sid gasps, pushing at my shoulders. "Get up," she orders, groaning when she's not successful.
"You're real quick, aren't you?" I taunt.
"Who is it?" she asks, trying to slip away.
"Probably my sister, the kids, and my mother," I answer on another yawn.
"Get off me before they—"
"Xavier, whose silver car is…?" Ember doesn't finish her question. Instead, she stops on the last step, taking in the sight of us on the couch.
"Mom," she yells over her shoulder, and then smiles at me.
"You're a brat," I growl, pushing off Sid.
Ember knows my mom will be all over this.
"She's my fucking savior!" Sid exclaims, scrambling off the couch. "I know I've got a lot of cushion, but your ass is heavy." She grabs her head again and groans.
"Stop doing that," I growl, irritated she keeps insulting herself.
"So," my sister drawls out, "who's this?"
I sigh, rubbing my face, my own hangover pounding behind my eyes.
"Yes, Xavier, who is this?" My mother's question sends a ripple of dread through me.
She stands one step higher than my sister, giving the appearance she's taller when she's really an inch, or more, shorter. Mom's trademark golden blonde hair is perfectly sleek, coming just below her shoulders, and her make-up, as always, is muted, but just as flawless as the rest of her.
"Oh my God," Sid breathes out, staring at my mom, her hangover forgotten.
"Mom, Ember, this is Sidra Campbell." I motion to the disheveled brunette staring starry-eyed at my mother.
All I can do is look at her. Fuck, Sid's beautiful first thing in the morning—her hair messy, skin flushed, and remembering how she feels against me makes my body react like I'm twenty again.
"I love you," Sid sighs at my mother.
"Excuse me?" my mother asks, voice as high as her perfectly shaped brows.
"She's a big fan," I explain.
"Seriously?" Ember's nose flares in disbelief right before my mom slaps her arm. "Ow, Mom, your rings hurt."
"Why is it so hard to believe she's a fan?"
Then, Sherry Stone goes into full effect, pushing by my sister and coming to Sid.
"Sid, this is my mom, Sherry—"
"Cherry Summer," Sid says with a wistful sigh and puts her hand out. "You are amazing."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, too," my mother says, bypassing the hand and bringing Sid in for a hug.
"My boobs are touching Cherry Summer's. I can die now," she says with reverence.
My mother pulls back, looks Sid in the eye, realizes she is one hundred percent serious, and laughs. It's her trademark, super loud laugh. I swear, she's shattered glass with it in the past.
"Oh, Xavier, I think I like her," mom says, stepping to me and tapping her cheek.
Leaning down, I kiss her and she pulls back with a quick jerk.
"Good God, boy, did you take a bath in piss and Tequila last night?" she asks, wrinkling her face and stepping back. "You smell horrible."
Sid snorts, drawing my attention.
"Don't look at me, I'm not washing your stinky ass," she blurts.
Laughter from the stairs brings our attention to Ember.
"I don't think I like her," Ember says on the end of a laugh. "I know I like her."
"Laugh it up, jerk," I toss the words at her and cross my arms over my chest.
"Leave your brother alone," mom scolds.
I grin wide, taunting my sister.
"Momma's boy," Ember growls, shaking her head.
"How the hell did you guys get up here? There's no way they got the roads cleared yet."
"Jerry brought us up in the Snowcat," my mother answers, like it should be obvious.
"You made Jerry drive you guys up the mountain?"
"No," Ember interjects, "we got to town and were talking to Mrs. Reeves about staying at the bed and breakfast. She asked about Maria. Jerry was in the store, overheard and offered to bring us up here."
"We grabbed some food and our things," my mother
The sound of the door opening and multiple sets of footsteps from the main level cut off whatever response she planned to give.
"Someone's here," Sid gasps, pushing at my shoulders. "Get up," she orders, groaning when she's not successful.
"You're real quick, aren't you?" I taunt.
"Who is it?" she asks, trying to slip away.
"Probably my sister, the kids, and my mother," I answer on another yawn.
"Get off me before they—"
"Xavier, whose silver car is…?" Ember doesn't finish her question. Instead, she stops on the last step, taking in the sight of us on the couch.
"Mom," she yells over her shoulder, and then smiles at me.
"You're a brat," I growl, pushing off Sid.
Ember knows my mom will be all over this.
"She's my fucking savior!" Sid exclaims, scrambling off the couch. "I know I've got a lot of cushion, but your ass is heavy." She grabs her head again and groans.
"Stop doing that," I growl, irritated she keeps insulting herself.
"So," my sister drawls out, "who's this?"
I sigh, rubbing my face, my own hangover pounding behind my eyes.
"Yes, Xavier, who is this?" My mother's question sends a ripple of dread through me.
She stands one step higher than my sister, giving the appearance she's taller when she's really an inch, or more, shorter. Mom's trademark golden blonde hair is perfectly sleek, coming just below her shoulders, and her make-up, as always, is muted, but just as flawless as the rest of her.
"Oh my God," Sid breathes out, staring at my mom, her hangover forgotten.
"Mom, Ember, this is Sidra Campbell." I motion to the disheveled brunette staring starry-eyed at my mother.
All I can do is look at her. Fuck, Sid's beautiful first thing in the morning—her hair messy, skin flushed, and remembering how she feels against me makes my body react like I'm twenty again.
"I love you," Sid sighs at my mother.
"Excuse me?" my mother asks, voice as high as her perfectly shaped brows.
"She's a big fan," I explain.
"Seriously?" Ember's nose flares in disbelief right before my mom slaps her arm. "Ow, Mom, your rings hurt."
"Why is it so hard to believe she's a fan?"
Then, Sherry Stone goes into full effect, pushing by my sister and coming to Sid.
"Sid, this is my mom, Sherry—"
"Cherry Summer," Sid says with a wistful sigh and puts her hand out. "You are amazing."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, too," my mother says, bypassing the hand and bringing Sid in for a hug.
"My boobs are touching Cherry Summer's. I can die now," she says with reverence.
My mother pulls back, looks Sid in the eye, realizes she is one hundred percent serious, and laughs. It's her trademark, super loud laugh. I swear, she's shattered glass with it in the past.
"Oh, Xavier, I think I like her," mom says, stepping to me and tapping her cheek.
Leaning down, I kiss her and she pulls back with a quick jerk.
"Good God, boy, did you take a bath in piss and Tequila last night?" she asks, wrinkling her face and stepping back. "You smell horrible."
Sid snorts, drawing my attention.
"Don't look at me, I'm not washing your stinky ass," she blurts.
Laughter from the stairs brings our attention to Ember.
"I don't think I like her," Ember says on the end of a laugh. "I know I like her."
"Laugh it up, jerk," I toss the words at her and cross my arms over my chest.
"Leave your brother alone," mom scolds.
I grin wide, taunting my sister.
"Momma's boy," Ember growls, shaking her head.
"How the hell did you guys get up here? There's no way they got the roads cleared yet."
"Jerry brought us up in the Snowcat," my mother answers, like it should be obvious.
"You made Jerry drive you guys up the mountain?"
"No," Ember interjects, "we got to town and were talking to Mrs. Reeves about staying at the bed and breakfast. She asked about Maria. Jerry was in the store, overheard and offered to bring us up here."
"We grabbed some food and our things," my mother
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