Chapter 36 Traditions
Claire
The kiss debriefing turned into a long lunch, and it’s now somehow after three in the afternoon.
I’m incredibly suspicious that Everett had something to do with Lolly and Aster taking up my whole day because every time I texted him to check in, he just kept telling me to have fun and take my time.
Aster also took an extremely long trip to the bathroom, and I could swear I saw her walking outside the restaurant as Lolly tried to keep my attention on her instead.
Everett texted twenty minutes ago telling me to meet him at the house, so that’s where I am. Walking up the small staircase to the front door, I do my best to fix my hair.
The door swings open, and I look up to find Everett standing there. He’s holding a bouquet full of anemones, eucalyptus, thistles, and a few other plants I can’t identify. It’s stunning and also explains why Aster was gone so long.
“What’s that?” I ask.
“Flowers for you,” he says, his face warming as his eyes take me in. “I figured I couldn’t take you on a proper date without bringing you flowers.”
“Thank you,” I say, taking them from him. He leans down and places a soft kiss against my lips, then guides me inside to reveal the most perfectly shaped fraser fir sitting in the living room.
“Is that a Christmas tree?” I beam, setting the flowers down on the table and removing my coat.
“We didn’t have one, and so I thought it might be fun to cook some fettuccine alfredo, light a fire, turn on a Christmas movie, and decorate the tree together.”
“You planned a Christmas-themed date?” I ask, turning to face him.
He shrugs. “I know how much you love it, and I figured the next couple of days might be a little hectic with the Extravaganza and getting back to the city, so I thought we could have our own little Christmas together here before we go.”
Closing the space between us, I pop up on my toes and kiss him. “It sounds like the perfect night.”
“Oh, I almost forgot,” he says, moving across the house and into our bedroom.
“Forgot what?” I ask, following behind him.
“I got us matching Christmas pajamas.”
“You got us matching Christmas pajamas?”
“Well…kinda.”
“What do you mean?”
“There weren’t a ton of options, but I managed to find a men’s flannel pajama set and figured you could take the top and I could wear the bottoms.”
I burst out laughing.
“So we’re sharing pajamas?”
“Technically, but I figured the over-sized sleep shirt would look better on you than me, and you wouldn’t mind if I only wore the pants.”
“No, I don’t think I would mind that at all,” I say, taking the red and green plaid sleep shirt off the dresser where it’s folded.
“Why don’t you put that on, and I’ll go get dinner started?”
I nod, and he places a kiss on my forehead before walking out to begin dinner.
A few minutes later, I join him, wearing the shirt.
“How’d you manage to get a Christmas tree in here without me knowing?” I ask.
“Chip and Joe helped me sneak it in while Lolly and Aster distracted you.”
“Did they?”
“Yep!”
“Did you have the whole town in on this date?”
“Well, Aster helped with the flowers of course, and the guys moved in the tree. Cami helped me find some ornaments and lights for us to use, and Lolly made some dessert for later.” He grins. “So, yeah, I guess you could say it was a team effort.”
“I wish they were all real,” I say, grabbing the bouquet off the table and bringing it to my nose.
“I do too, but let’s not think about that tonight.”
We both begin to move around the kitchen. I put the flowers in water and pour us each a glass of wine while he cooks. I bask in the normalcy of it all. How easily this could be a night in New York after a long day.
“I really like this,” I say, sitting on the counter and sipping my wine.
“The wine?” he asks, stirring the sauce and turning the knob to simmer.
“Well yes, but I like doing this,” I explain. “I like doing normal things with you. Like watching you cook dinner and talking about our days.”
“Are you reading my mind now?”
“Were you thinking that too?”
He nods.
“It’s strange,” I begin. “Because I’ve always known that you and I had the sex part down, but I wondered if this part would be just as good. Like if the quiet moments would feel just as intense and wonderful.”
“And?” he asks.
“They do,” I admit. “I find myself wanting these moments with you just as much as I want the other ones.”
Walking over, he wraps his arms around me, and I press my forehead to his. “Me too, Sugar. This past week has meant everything to me.”
He lays a gentle kiss across my lips, then moves to finish making the food. I watch as he carefully makes us each a bowl.
We move into the living room, and he lights a fire before disappearing to change into his pajamas.
He walks out of the bedroom wearing just the pants. “I have a feeling you had an ulterior motive when you decided to go shirtless tonight,” I tease.
“It did feel like a win-win,” he jests.
“What made you want to make this? I’ve never had pasta as part of a Christmas celebration. Is this what your family does when you’re together?”
“No, we don’t really have traditions, but I thought, if you liked it, we could start some of our own.”
“Our own traditions?”
“Yeah, like every year I cook us some fettuccine and then we decorate our tree.”
My heart jumps in my chest, and my stomach swoops with butterflies.
“Is that what this is? A night of new traditions?” I ask, a little breathless.
“Only if you want it to be.”
“Is that what you want?”
He nods, and his eyes find mine. “Sugar, I want it all, and I want it with you.”
“With me?”
He moves closer and cups my cheek with his hand. “For a while now, I’ve been scared of what my future would look like. I was afraid of giving up the one thing I thought would make me happy because of who I’d be without it, but I’m realizing none of that matters if you aren’t a part of it.”
I smile, and pressure builds behind my eyes. Every time I think he can’t blow me away, he does.
“So yeah, I want the traditions.”
“I want them too.”
My heart expands in my chest. Each leaning forward, our mouths meet in a kiss.