Christian's body is craving for alcohol. He'd been day drinking in the past couple of days. It was the only thing that kept him from reaching Kylie because he was still licking his wounds. He can't afford to see her and not lose his head. Christian had not been a saint – he's been jealous once or twice in his life, yes – but jealousy has not made him unreasonably possessive before.

He is jealous with a capital J.

Matthew had always been the best of his siblings. That had never bothered him before. If anything, he'd been proud of it, thinking at least one of them got all the good genes. Never in his worst nightmares had he thought it could kindle his nasty insecurities.

He thought giving himself some distance will cool him down, but it just backfired right in his face. He's only been missing Kylie. And to top it all off, it's given her time to go on a date with his brother last night. He had known because Chandra won't shut up about it.

His hand fisted into a ball, loathing his strings of bad decisions.

A groan snapped him out of his thoughts. "Uncle Christian, I said stay still."

He blinks, reorienting himself. Christian has texted his good friend Nathaniel Forester to see if he could come over for a drink. But he forgot he have two children who raced when they see their Uncle Christian making it to their doorstep.

It was a distraction for a while. Ethan and his little sister Georgina haven't left him alone with his thoughts which is a good thing.

Christian shifted on the bar stool. "Sorry, Georgie."

The little girl has taken her place on his lap and decided to smear makeup on him. He has fancy hairpins pinned to his hair too. Then his attention shifted to the plate sliding in front of him, his friend's wife Chassie beaming from across the kitchen island.

"I made pasta," she announces.

He and Georgie exchange glances.

Christian looks down to the plate full of pale pasta that we're too limp and the sauce was clumpy. He tried to keep a straight face. He thought Chassie quit trying to improve her terrible culinary skills. Just then, his friend Nathan came back inside from the backyard with his son.

"Just have a taste." Chassie's hazel eyes shone expectantly.

Nathan made a face.

Christian held the fork, threaded the overcooked pasta into it and tried not to judge the book by its cover.

"You have to pretend to like it," Georgie whispered in his ear, hazel eyes wide.

He sighed.

Well, shit.

He took a tentative bite of the pasta. And struggled not to gag. It tasted every bit as awful as it looked. "Chassie, it's not that bad."

"Really?" Her voice raised in excitement.

He swallowed. "Yep."

"It doesn't make you gag?"

Hell, yes. "Nope."

"Thank you. I know I just need a lot more practice." Her smile grew wider. "Anyone one else wants more pasta?"

"Baby, the kids just had dinner." Nathan swathed his arms around his wife's waist.

"Are you sure?"

Ethan walked around the kitchen island to their uncle Christian. "Absolutely, mommy." He batted his blue eyes.

"Yeah, mommy, I'm still full." Georgie crawled off his lap, plastering a beautiful smile that made the resemblance between her and her mother prominent.

Christian ruffles Ethan's hair, before turning to the couple across him. "They're good. We're all good."

Ethan smiles up to him, gathering his little sister's crafts on the island.

Ah. Reminds him of his friend always playing hero. He even looks exactly like him too. Blue eyes, light brown hair and a smile that's both sweet and shy.

"Besides, it's bedtime." Nathan gives his wife a discreet kiss on her ear.

She turns to him, staring for the briefest second as if there has been a private communication between them.

Annnd, he doesn't want to know.

"Okay, sweeties, let's get ready for bed," she enthuses. She takes their kids in each hand, smiling at him. "Really nice of you to drop by, Christian."

"It was all my pleasure." He winks.

"Good night, Uncle Christian." Ethan says over his shoulder.

His little sister stopped briefly to blow him a kiss. "Night, Uncle Christian."

"Good night." He smiles.

They disappeared through the doorway. As soon as they were out of earshot, Nathan handed him a glass of water and he gulped it down in attempts to rid himself of the godawful taste that was lingering in his tongue.

"Sorry about that."

He started removing the hairclips Georgina had secured on his head. He rubbed his eye, staring in horror at the sight of pink eyeshadow on his fingertips.

"And that too." Nathan hands him a washcloth.

"This I can live with," he gestures to Georgina's masterpiece (his face), "but this," Christian shuddered, glaring down at the noodly mess on his plate. "This is not food. Damn, I can still taste it."

His friend gives him a sympathetic smile and takes the plate away to the dishwasher before he could do it himself. He then grabs bottles of beer from the fridge and handed one to him. "Rough day?"

He took the beer and take a long gulp. "Roughest week."

His brow flicked up. "How so?"

Christian takes another swig, contemplating how to answer without sounding pathetic.

"Spill. It's not like you ever had trouble with women." He chuckles.

He responded with a poker face.

"Oh. You are having trouble with women?"

"Woman."

"Oh?" Nathan stared at him like he grown another head.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just never knew this day would come."

"What day?"

"You know, a day like this when you look like a lovesick puppy."

"Trust me, I'm surprised as you are." He flashed a bitter smile.

Nathan grabs another bar stool and sat right next to him. "So, the playboy lifestyle has turned the tables on you."

"Worse. I think it's Karma."

His friend pointed a finger to his head and his thumb motioned as if he just pulled the trigger. "Mind blown."

He gives him a withering look.

Nathan holds his hand in surrender. "Okay, so you love the girl?"

He didn't answer for a moment. "You could say that."

He nods. "She doesn't feel the same way."

"Worse. She feels the same but with Matthew." His chest squeezed.

"Oh, crap."

"Exactly." Christian nodded in agreement.

"That's trouble."

"It is. And we're talking about Matthew here. The nicest person I know." I'm so proud of him, but now I'm just insecure.

"Crap, Christian. The one time you come to your senses, everything goes awry."

"Understatement."

"Well, is there anything I could do?"

Christian clinked his bottle with his. "You're doing it."

Soooo, what do yah think? 🙃 Tell me on the comments below! Also, I just wanted to ask if some of you guys (I'm cool with just one) would be willing to read a holiday-themed love story. It's been in my bucket list to write one and now I did! I had some of those Christmas spirit halfway through the holidays (after the bitch called holiday shoppings) and I wanted to preserve it, even just through a short story. Do tell me if you'd like to read it and I'll publish the story. :)

Love you! Xoxo