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stomach growled. He should go. He shouldn’t intrude on his best friend’s family, but he was selfish. The Winston’s always made him feel…safe.
    “Boys, get in here. We’re not heating New Mexico.” Joe’s voice carried out the open door.
Chay and Remi both laughed and hurried into the house.
    Inside was small but warm. Not as pristine as Remi’s own house, because Joe didn’t beat Lena if it wasn’t perfect, but homey and lived in. It looked like a picture perfect Christmas card, but the smell of freshly baked cookies made it real. It was heaven and everything Remi wanted in life. He smiled and let the rest of the tension leave him.
    Sterling was already absconded in Lena’s lap staring up at the lighted tree with a sugar cookie in one hand, reaching toward the puddle of red sparkly garland on the floor with the other.
    Lena smiled at Remi, ignoring the grunts from Sterling as he squirmed to get down. “Pizza is on the way and I will put on some potatoes and macaroni and cheese for Sterling. You two help Joe finish the tree.”
    “Thank you.” Meeting Lena’s eyes, Remi knew she understood that he was thanking her for everything she and Joe had done for him over the years. In that moment, he could almost forget everything but being here, in this house with a family that truly cared about one another and him.
    “My pleasure.” She met his eyes, serious as could be, then she smiled. “I think we should give Sterling a bit of pizza too.”
    Remi nodded. Lena was who he called for baby advice. After the initial, it’s-not-your-responsibility speech, she’d given advice freely. He’d have never made it without her talking him through things. “I’ve been giving him some of my food at dinner, like you told me. He makes a huge mess, but he seems to like it better than the baby food.”
    Chay nudged Remi. “Here,” he handed over a couple of ornaments, “put these on and help me watch my dad. He tries to put those hideous ornaments I made in grade school on the front of the tree.” Chay lowered his voice. “Just move them to the back when he’s not looking.”
    “Chayton Montgomery Winston.” Lena laughed. She shook her head and finally let Sterling down.
    Dropping his cookie, Sterling hightailed it straight for the extra garland.
    Joe shoved Chay’s head and stooped to pick up the dropped cookie and set it on the coffee table. “Don’t move my hideous ornaments, Remi.”
    “Absolutely not.” Remi agreed. “I’m all for Chay’s embarrassment.” How cool was it to have someone who liked crappy glittery plates and construction paper just because you made them?
    Joe smile. “Good. Ya’ll help me watch and make sure the baby doesn’t stick that garland in his mouth.”
    Chay groaned at his father conspiring with Remi, but it was good natured. He hung an ornament the plucked another from the box.
    Sterling had the garland wrapped around him and was shaking it. Then the lights on the tree caught his attention and he hauled butt, with red sparkly garland roped around his waist, over to it. Chay caught him before he grabbed a handful of tree. “Hang on a minute.” He swooped Sterling up and handed him an ornament. “Put this here.” Chay pointed to an empty branch and hung up another ornament to show Sterling.
    The baby squealed and bounced a little in Chay’s arms. He reached for the orna—
“You gonna help?”
    Brought out of his memory, Remi turned toward his mate. “Huh?”
    Jake sat down on the couch next to him. “You gonna help decorate?”
    Remi glanced toward Sterling. “Yeah. I was just thinking.”
    Wrapped up in the garland, Sterling dug through a box of ornaments. He pulled out a glittery plate and frowned. “Why do you still have this?” he asked Remi.
    Rhys, who sat in the floor with a string of lights, raised his attention to Sterling.
    “Because you made it for me.” Remi’d kept every elementary craft his brother had ever made.
Just like Joe…
    “Like ten years ago.” Sterling made to fling the homemade ornament.
    “Don’t you dare.” Remi pointed at him. “Rhys, control him.”
    Rhys snagged the ornament from Sterling’s hand and stuck it on the tree then went back to untangling lights.
    Groaning, Sterling shook his head and flipped the dangling end of tinsel over his shoulder. “It’s ugly and doesn’t match the tree.” He took the last cookie off the plate on the coffee table and shoved it into his mouth…whole.
    “Tough.” Remi