19. See You Later, Neighbor
See You Later, Neighbor
Missy
Jonah and I woke up this morning in our beautiful new home, and Santa had paid my boy a visit during the night.
I watched with a cup of coffee as he excitedly opened gifts from Grandpa, from Bax’s parents, our friends and family here in Forest Falls, and from me — nothing from Bax, but he didn’t expect or miss that.
We ate breakfast, watched Elf, and then got ready to go to Cara’s for Christmas Day. Now Jonah and Bowie are hyped up on sugar and running riot upstairs, and I’ve been ordered out of the kitchen by Cara and Doug, so I’m in the living room with Harley asleep in her bed and a glass of wine in my hand, waiting for the other guests to arrive.
When the front door finally opens, Lynnie and Merv are the first ones here and immediately head for the kitchen. I stand awkwardly waiting for company when they’re kicked out just like I was, and they find me with huge grins and open arms.
When Bree, Zoe, and Leo arrive, the twins rush to me.
‘Holy mother of fuck, look at you.’ Zoe steps back to take in my appearance. I wore a red, figure-hugging dress today. It cinches in my waist and slopes off my shoulders, showing a respectable amount of cleavage for a family get-together.
I give a spin, and Bree lets out a low whistle.
‘Nick is going to lose his fucking mind.’ She laughs, and I freeze.
‘Nick’s coming?’ I stare wide-eyed, and they laugh, but I continue to stare.
‘You didn’t know?’
‘No,’ I mouth, starting to sweat. Now it’s going to seem like I look this hot for him when this is all for me.
‘Oh, shit. Yeah, surprise .’ Zoe grimaces, and I gulp my wine.
‘But, plus side, he’s definitely going to want to give you a little more when he sees you in this dress.’ Bree smirks, letting one eyebrow raise, and I shake my head as the door opens, and in walks the man in question.
Holy hell, he’s hot. He was always hot, but now I think I’m seeing him in a different light or something. His hair has the slightest wave to it that I hadn’t paid attention to before my fingers got all up in there, and his dark green button-down shirt fits nicely in all the right places.
I watch as he hands off a bottle of wine to Cara, leaning in to kiss her cheek and smiling as he shakes Doug’s hand and is pulled into a hug. Then he turns toward the living room, and his eyes meet mine. His lips curve slightly, and time slows down as his gaze lowers, and he unashamedly eats me up. I mean, I can’t blame him. I am a whole meal in this dress, but goddam, I have to fight to keep my knees from buckling under the weight of his stare.
Nick starts to step toward me, and I swallow hard as I compose myself. He’s so hot he’s making me sweat, and I want it. I want him , on top of me, underneath me, behind me, any fuckin’ way he wants to give it, I’ll take it. When his hungry stare meets mine, I swallow hard.
How did I ever think I was going to hold control with him? He hasn’t said a word yet, and I’m a fucking puddle.
‘Hey everyone.’ He smiles as he steps close and greets all the friends he’s known forever. ‘Missy.’ I hold his gaze for a moment, long enough to see the lift at the corner of his mouth.
‘Hey, Merry Christmas.’ I avert my gaze and sip my wine, suddenly very thirsty.
‘Where are the kids?’ he asks, and Zoe, thankfully, answers.
‘They’re upstairs checking out Bo’s new toys.’
Nick smiles in the direction of the stairs, then returns his attention to me.
‘I got them a little something.’
He holds up the matching gift bags in his hands.
‘You didn’t have to.’
‘I know.’ He smiles. ‘It’s not much.’
The thundering footsteps of two excited five-year-olds, who must sense gifts, has us all turning to the stairs in time to see Bowie and Jonah running toward us. Jonah’s already bright smile widens at the sight of Nick, and he wraps himself around his legs. Nick laughs and ruffles my boy’s beautiful hair. Oh, lord…
‘Hey, buddy.’ Jonah releases Nick and gazes up at him. ‘Hey, Bo.’ Both kids say hello, and Nick lowers to their level. ‘So, did Santa find your new address?’ he asks Jonah, who grins and nods.
‘Yep, he did.’
‘Ah, that’s good. What about you, Bowie? Did he remember you were here at Cara’s?’
Bowie smiles as wide as Jonah. ‘Yep, he’s so smart. ’
Nick laughs, and God, it sounds good.
‘Did he bring you stuff, too?’ Jonah asks, and Nick shakes his head.
‘Well, he only really brings presents to children, so no, I didn’t get anything, but that’s okay. I’m just glad he made it to you two.’
‘I got a science kit,’ Bowie declares proudly. ‘I can do experiments and stuff.’
‘You know science is my favorite thing, right?’ he asks enthusiastically, and I can’t believe the man I thought was a total asshole is so goddamn great with kids.
‘You want to see it?’
‘I do, but first, I got you both something.’
He hands them the bags, and they both drop to sit on the floor as Nick stands, and they dive in.
‘Wow.’ Bowie squeals, ‘Daddy, Daddy, look.’
Doug enters the room as Bowie holds up a walkie-talkie just as Jonah pulls out the same thing, followed by a couple of books on wildlife and nature.
‘I figured they might like to talk to each other when they’re apart and when they’re out exploring.’
‘Oh, baby, that’s so cool.’ Doug pats Nick’s shoulder as he passes him and drops down next to Bowie.
‘Thank you, Nick,’ Jonah says sweetly while examining the gift in his hands, and I glance up at Nick to see the uncertainty. He thinks he got this one wrong.
‘Honey, do you know what that is?’
Jonah shakes his head, and I smile. ‘It’s called a walkie-talkie. It means you can talk to Bo. Doug, do you have batteries?’
‘They’re rechargeable.’ Nick says. ‘I charged them up and got a second charger so they both have one.’
This man will end me.
‘Okay,’ I smile down at the kids. ‘Bo, you go upstairs.’
Bowie takes off like a rocket, Doug hot on her heels, and I hold out my hand for Jonah, taking him out to the front yard and showing him how to use the walkie-talkie.
‘Hellooooo, Jonahhhh.’
I laugh as Bowie’s voice booms out of the handset in Jonah’s hand, and his eyes widen. I show him the button to press and tell him to talk.
‘Bo, can you hear me?’
‘Yeah, silly. Course I can.’
He giggles excitedly and keeps talking, and I look up to see Nick watching from the porch, a soft smile on his face before he heads back inside.
‘ Oh my god , Cara,’ Zoe moans as she finishes the last forkful of the chocolate and Bailey’s cheesecake Cara made. ‘If you weren’t already in a relationship, I’d propose right now.’
‘Really?’ Leo says, one eyebrow raised, and she turns to look back at him, grinning.
‘Baby, you ate the cheesecake too. You get it.’
Leo laughs, and she leans in to kiss him. I can’t help my attention flicking to Doug whenever they do that, wondering if his reaction to them being together has improved, but he’s too busy proudly gazing at Cara.
‘Yeah, Cara, this was great, thank you,’ Nick says, and I flick my gaze up to find him leaning back slightly in his chair. ‘The whole dinner was amazing, but that dessert was one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.’ Bree snickers next to me, then picks up her wine, and I turn slightly to gift her an epic side-eye. I was thinking it, too, hoping really, that I tasted better than the cheesecake. ‘Thank y’all for inviting me today, it means a lot.’
I inhale deeply as I watch the shy expression on his face turn into full joy as the conversation around the table flows as well as the wine, and the kids disappear to separate corners of the house to talk to each other on their new favorite gifts .
I realize for the first time today that Nick has family in town. I’ve met his dad a few times and he seems a nice enough guy, but there’s a reason Nick joined us for his Christmas day instead of them . That has me curious.
‘I need to get going,’ Nick says, standing, and everyone turns. Doug stands to shake his hand first. ‘I have to get to work.’
‘Thank you for coming, man.’
‘Good to see you, brother,’ Leo offers before the rest of the table says their goodbyes, and suddenly, I’m the last one left.
‘See you later, neighbor.’ He smirks, and I nod.
‘Bye, Nick.’