Operation Fake Relationship - Jay Northcote Page 0,2
Nick like one of the family. His heart sank at the thought of missing out on their noisy, chaotic brand of Christmas.
Was he mad to go back home? He’d be lost among people who were worse than strangers. At least with strangers you had no expectations. Whereas most of Nick’s family relationships were tense and difficult.
He’d barely exchanged more than a few words with his father in years. Even at his gran’s funeral Nick had offered his condolences politely and then avoided his father for the rest of the afternoon. Things with his mother were tricky too, with years of resentment and guilt stacked up on both sides. He and his younger brother Pete had never got along well either. Close in age, but not in any other way, they’d spent their childhood arguing and fighting. During adolescence they’d grown apart, too different to find any common ground.
His sister Maria was the only one he could consider a true ally—and her husband Adrian—but they were bound to be distracted by the responsibilities of parenthood. Nick couldn’t expect too much from them.
“I wish you could come with me,” he said wistfully. “I could use the moral support.”
There was a silence, and Nick immediately regretted voicing his thoughts. It wasn’t fair to ask Jackson to give up seeing his own family at Christmas, even if it was feasible.
“I would,” Jackson said. “If you want me to.” His gaze was steady and sure.
“But I can’t just invite you home for Christmas. They’d think that was weird. I mean… they know we’re close and usually spend Christmas together at yours. But that’s different.”
“Hmm. I guess.”
“Unless….” Cogs started to turn in Nick’s mind as a plan formed. “What if I tell them you’re my boyfriend now? Then it wouldn’t seem odd to ask if you can come with me, and they can hardly say no, can they?” With Jackson by his side, Nick knew he could face his father’s habitual disapproval and hostility.
Jackson’s eyes widened. “Um, no. But, Nick….”
“Yeah. I know. It’s not fair to ask you to give up Christmas with your own family. Sorry, man. It was a stu—”
“That not what I was going to say.”
“What then?”
Jackson scrubbed a hand through his hair as he looked down for a moment before meeting Nick’s eyes. Brow furrowed, he asked, “Wouldn’t it be weird? Pretending to be like, you know. Together… a couple, acting like we’re in love with each other?”
Nick stared at him. He loved Jackson like a brother, and he’d never thought about him any other way. But Jackson was undeniably attractive. Although they were used to living together, he supposed that sharing a room—and a bed—would be a little strange. Nick’s heart beat faster as his imagination filled in those gaps. “Yeah. I guess it would be. You’re right. Just forget about it. I can go on my own.” He swallowed. “It’ll be fine. I can cope with a couple of nights, right?”
Jackson’s face softened. “Nick. It’s okay. I’ll come.”
A surge of warmth filled Nick, making his breathing catch. Jackson had always been Nick’s protector, right from the moment they’d met in the club all those years ago, when Jackson had pulled an over-enthusiastic admirer off him. “I would love it if you did,” he admitted in a small voice. “But only if you’re sure.”
“I’m sure,” Jackson replied firmly. “My mum won’t mind. She sees me often enough, and she’ll have her hands full anyway with the rest of the family there.”
“What about the weirdness? Do you think you can manage to put up with pretending to be a couple while we’re there?”
“I’ll find a way.” The corners of Jackson’s mouth lifted and his dark eyes gleamed with mischief as he added, “As long as you don’t eat too much cheese because that makes you fart like a dog, and I’m not sleeping with you if that happens.”
Nick laughed. “Okay. Deal. No cheese bingeing. I promise.”
“Cool. Let’s do it.” Jackson held out his large hand for Nick to high five. They grinned at each other as their palms touched.
Nick waited a couple of days before calling his mother. Partly to let her stew, and partly in case Jackson changed his mind.
When he was ready to make the call, he went in the living room to find Jackson who was sprawled on the sofa with the Xbox controller in his hands. Two burly wrestlers were laying into each other on the screen.
“I’m going to go and phone my mother in a minute,” Nick