Chapter 29 #2
Bea couldn’t hear the words, but the expressions were clear. Auntie Melissa asked something pointed. Rafael tilted his head, responded seriously. Her brows rose, and she spoke again. He responded.
Bea was halfway standing before Umma caught her wrist.
“He’s doing fine,” Umma murmured. “You do not need to rescue him.”
“I wasn’t going to—”
“You were.”
Bea sat back down, heart cartwheeling like a gymnast had stowed away in her ribcage.
Ten minutes later, Rafael returned, stealing a piece of pork belly off her plate like nothing happened.
“What did she ask you?”
“She wanted to know if I believe in God,” Rafael said, sipping soda. “And whether I’ve ever cheated on a woman.”
Bea stared at him, mouth full of rice. “What did you say?”
“That I was raised to believe,” he answered. “And that I don’t play games with what’s mine.”
She smiled, pecked his cheek.
Her phone buzzed on the table. She’d been ignoring it all day, but Rafael’s hand slid the screen toward her.
NICO: merry christmas tutor lady
BEA: Merry Christmas kiddo
NICO: let el jefe know i’m practicing my krav maga drills daily
BEA: I’ll tell him. How’s your form?
NICO: lethal. neighbors complain about “thuds”
BEA: Don’t break your mother’s furniture
NICO: if i do she’ll forgive me
BEA: Probably would, since you’re off to the military soon
BEA: Might be the right time to tell her about that painting
Bea angled the screen toward him.
Rafael read over her shoulder. “Tell him neighbors complaining isn’t training. When he can make them move out, then he’s getting somewhere.”
Another buzz. New thread.
Group Chat: Therapy Club
NAOMI: Merry Christmas from Cape Town
GEORGINA: Merry Christmas from rehearsal hell
ISABEL: Merry Christmas from Madrid. My cousins are already drunk
LILLIAN: Merry Christmas from the 40 degree oven in Melbourne.
BEA: Merry Christmas from Toronto.
ISABEL: What did Rafael get you?
BEA: An ugly Christmas sweater And personal snow removal services. With his biceps.
LILLIAN: Bespoke boyfriend UberXL now with shovel attachment
GEORGINA: Five stars, would book again
Bea hid a grin. Rafael didn’t need to see that one. He’d see UberXL and get completely the wrong idea and a big head.
Not that it would be entirely undeserved.
Another buzz lit the screen.
Group Chat: Basketball War Crimes
CLAIRE: Merry Christmas from my mother’s kitchen.
CLAIRE: It’s been a month since I read this chat and I am still furious about the arctic monkeys
BEA: To the surprise of no one
LAURENT: Forgiveness delivery ETA: never
CLAIRE: Correct. I am 40% fueled by spite.
LAURENT: So you hold grudges…noted.
CLAIRE: You’d make an excellent test subject.
CLAIRE: At least my sacrifice was worth it #rafaela #cruzship #RUMineYesSheIs
Bea glanced sideways just in time to catch Rafael typing on his own phone. Her screen lit with his reply before she could swat at him under the table.
RAFAEL: Thank you for your service
BEA: Merry Christmas, drama queen
It was a miracle no one stopped them. Every auntie in the living room was mid-argument about who’d hidden the extra tin of shortbread, and her older cousins were setting up instruments by the Christmas tree.
Bea caught Rafael’s hand under the pretense of refilling a drink, then pulled him down the hall.
“I don’t think we have enough time for that, little Bea.” The meaning in his voice was unmistakable. “Unless you want to see how fast I can be.”
She did. Oh, she did.
But one of them had to be sensible. “Shh. We have three minutes, tops. I haven’t given you your Christmas present yet.”
Crossing to her desk, she grabbed a small stack and held it out. “Here. Don’t judge. I didn’t think I could compete with a billionaire.” She eyed Rudolf’s twinkling nose on both their chests and cackled. “But I think I might have actually won.”
He turned it over in his hands, curiosity bright in his eyes. The ribbon came loose, the title showing through in her handwriting: Bea’s Voucher Book for Rafael (expires in one year).
A single brow lifted. “Expires?”
“Contracts have terms,” she reasoned. “You of all people should respect that.”
He flipped the first page. “One Unlimited Plate Night.” He laughed softly. “You plan to feed me until I surrender?”
“Or die trying.”
“One Song Sung Just for You,” he read next, his voice softer now. “You’d sing for me?”
She scrunched her nose. “If everyone else is out of earshot.”
“One Kiss.” He looked up. “Can I redeem this now?”
She crossed her arms to hide the goosebumps. “Save it for next time.”
His gaze lifted, and for a moment the air between them thickened. He drew a breath, as though reminding himself of where they were, then turned another page.
One Massage, One Hug, One Workday Mascot, One Free Pass to Win an Argument. He chuckled at that. “You’ll regret this one.”
“I already do.”
The final ones were Stay In Bed All Day, One Sunrise Without Complaints, One Yes Without Questions. He closed the little booklet and stared at it.
“One year,” he said with a crooked grin. “Generous.”
“It’s practical,” she defended. “You’re busy, but you can’t hoard them forever.”
“And you expect we’ll still be together next Christmas.”
Her throat went dry, seeing what he saw with the clarity of hindsight. Of all the things she could’ve given, she’d accidentally handed him proof of a future. “Well, yes—”
Rafael slid it into his pocket, right over his heart. The spot she hadn’t meant to claim but was now the owner of. “Good. I do, too.”
He bent and brushed his mouth over hers, probably meant to keep it brief, but she felt the moment he changed his mind. His hand slid into her hair, holding her still, deepening it until the world outside stopped existing. She wanted to live right here, inhaling oxygen through him.
Bea caught his sweater, tugging once, half-hearted, the knit bunching between her fists. “Rafael,” she whispered, trying to sound like a warning. It came out like a plea. “There are children roaming.”
He drew back an inch, breath rough against her mouth. “This is the best present I’ve ever been given,” he said huskily. “I’ll redeem them all.”
Outside, someone started shouting for carols. Bea turned toward the sound. “We should—”
“Just one more.”
He kissed her again, harder this time, stealing what little breath she had left.
Her arms wound around his neck as his hands found her, palms spreading over the full curve of her backside, pulling her into his body like he meant to keep her there.
For one dangerous moment, the threat of consequence ceased to exist.
When they rejoined the noise, Elias was at the piano, Joon tapping rhythm on the cajon. Han and the twins had just started shaking bells half a beat too soon, her other little cousins dancing.
They found a place on the couch, voices swelling around them through “O Come, All Ye Faithful” and “Joy to the World.” Bea glanced at Rafael now and then; he’d joined in without hesitation, perfectly in tune.
When it came time to pass out the castilian—Papa’s special holiday hot chocolate—Rafael stood as though it had been planned, taking the tray and helping to serve.
The final carol was “O Holy Night.” Bea leaned her head against his shoulder, his deep baritone reverberating through her chest.
She intertwined her fingers with his.