Christmas Lights & Just Mights Romance (Houston Pumas #4)

Chapter 1

IVY

I spot Law as soon as the greeting area comes into view and then have to cover my mouth to stop from laughing out loud at his sign, written on a plain sheet of copy paper.

Welcome home from prison, Ivy!

He’s wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap, which seems to be a lame effort at being in disguise.

For one, it’s a Pumas hat, and Law is a fairly famous player for the Houston Pumas pro football team.

Plus, it’s hard for someone who’s six feet, six inches tall and at least two hundred and twenty pounds to be incognito in any way.

I haven’t seen Law in almost six months, not since I moved back to Nashville. We’ve talked on the phone a few times, texted, sent each other Reels, that sort of thing, but our friendship isn’t the same, of course. Not since he found Carlie.

And I don’t blame him. I’m happy for him.

He used to be as close to me as a brother, and seeing him now, I have to physically keep myself from running to him and hugging him. I’ve missed him, missed the way I had someone I could talk about anything with. The last few months have been lonely.

I grin and wave at him as I get closer, rounding the glass wall. He shoves the paper sign in his pocket as I get near and grins back, meeting me in a few steps and wrapping me up in a hug. I’m grateful. Law’s hugs are the best.

“What are you doing here?” I say into his chest. I’m proud that my voice doesn’t crack.

He pulls away too soon for me, and I glance around, but his girlfriend, Carlie, isn’t with him. “I wasn’t going to make you get a LetsRide from the airport on Christmas Adam!” he says, as though it would be a travesty if I had to use a rideshare to get to the hotel.

“Nobody actually calls it Christmas Adam.” But I chuckle. December 23rd, the day before Christmas Eve, will always be Christmas Adam to Law. Despite me teasing him all the time over this, he won’t stop.

“People do,” he insists.

“Where’s Carlie?” I look around again. Law is with Carlie every possible moment when he can be. When Law and I FaceTime, she’s usually with him. They’re so in love, and it means I’ve set a pretty high bar for when I venture back into dating again.

But that’s not happening for a long, long time.

Almost eloping with someone I barely knew was a wake-up call. Especially so soon after getting out of a years-long relationship. I have a lot of work to do on myself before I start dating again. For now, I’ll content myself with the fact that Law and Carlie’s kids will call me Aunt Ivy.

Law sighs and takes my carry-on from me, rolling it behind him as we head for the doors leading outside.

I pull on my big coat. The sun might be shining, but it’s already past four in the afternoon and the sun will be setting soon.

My Southern butt is going to freeze in that thirty-degree weather that’s unseasonably warm for Christmas in Colorado.

Warm. People actually said that about thirty-degree weather. There are piles of snow pushed against the curb, and I can see my breath.

“Carlie’s flight was cancelled today because of an ice storm in Houston,” Law says. “I’m hoping she’ll be able to get here by tomorrow.”

I grimace. “That’s awful.” I put a comforting hand on his arm. “How are you holding up knowing that you have to be apart an extra twenty-four hours?”

Law huffs, but it sounds more like a laugh. “Shut up.”

“I see now why you came down to get me. Boredom.”

He puts an arm around my shoulder. “Better watch yourself, Ivy. I got us a very nice car service to take us to the hotel. Maybe I’ll let you get a LetsRide after all and you can end up in a Kia Soul, questioning your driver’s life choices, and why the back seat smells like someone puked.”

“I’m very grateful you came to pick me up,” I say meekly as he holds his hand out to a large SUV idling nearby. A driver hops out and opens the door for me, then takes the carry-on from Law, tucking it into the trunk while we both slide in.

“I’m glad you came for the game, Ivy,” Law says as the SUV pulls into traffic and away from the airport. I smile and stop myself from reaching for his hand. Law and I have always been close, like siblings, and friendly hand-holding was a thing that never mattered before, but it does now.

“I’m glad I did too. Just hoping I packed enough to stay warm during the game.” I rub my hands together. The heater is blowing full blast, but that brief stint in the tropical thirty-degree weather has already done its damage.

“Jett and I got a suite for everyone coming. Heaters and everything. You’ll be perfectly toasty,” he promises. “And I’m sorry I can’t hang out more while you’re here, but let’s still do dinner tonight even though Carlie’s not here yet.”

“Of course we will!” Guilt creeps up because I’m kind of glad that Carlie’s delayed.

It means I get to spend alone time with my best friend.

I love Carlie. She’s awesome, and since she and Law got together, we’ve become close too.

(That took some time, considering I broke her brother’s heart when I called off our elopement.) I need reconnection time with Law. Time to feel less lonely.

“There’s something I want to show you,” Law says, digging into the pocket of his joggers, which have the Pumas logo over one of the front pockets. Seriously, did he look at himself in the mirror before he came to the airport? He’s terrible at being incognito.

He beams as he pulls out a ring box, and my eyes go wide. “Law!” I gasp.

He flips it open. I gasp again. The ring is a white gold band with tiny diamonds studding it.

In the center is a huge, round-cut diamond.

It’s simple but stunning. Carlie’s going to love it.

I look up at Law, and my heart warms at the happiness in his expression.

He’s so excited to marry Carlie, the love of his life, and I’m excited for him.

A little pang shoots through my chest, reminding me that I’ll be losing him even more. I push it away. I want this for him.

Don’t get stuck in those moments, Ivy, I tell myself in my best inner-life-coach voice. My past relationships taught me things about myself and the kind of partnership I want, and that’s what I need to focus on. Not how I wish I had someone to put a ring on my finger.

“Oh my gosh,” I whisper, mesmerized by the ring. “Are you proposing this weekend?” Excitement rises in me that I get to witness such a special moment between them.

Law kills it with a confused frown. “No. In a couple weeks, after our first playoff game. Ava and Gabriella are helping me do a whole thing on the field. T-shirts and everything.” He chuckles.

That little pang returns, harder to push away, because someone else helped him plan this. He didn’t even talk to me about it until just now. It’s a sign of how much our friendship has changed.

I force a laugh, because I really am happy for him. “Why did you bring it all the way to Denver, then?”

He tilts his head, his expression saying obviously.

“I wanted you to see it.” He snaps the box closed and puts it in his pocket.

“Besides, I like looking at it too.” I can’t help the way my eyebrow rises at that, and Law waves a hand at me.

“It’s like a symbol of how I get to be with her for the rest of my life. I can’t wait for that.”

My jealous feelings mostly dissipate at the thought that he brought the ring here just to show me.

It’s sweet. “That’s awesome, Law. It really is.

” I don’t fight the temptation to reach over and squeeze his hand this time.

This is a connection moment, and it’s okay.

He squeezes back and then pulls away with a smile. I fold my hands together in my lap.

On the drive to the hotel, Law and I fall into comfortable conversation about the plans Law has made for his friends for the football game on Christmas Day (reassuring me about the warm suite again) and the dinner we’re going to do on Christmas after the game.

His neighbor and friend, Chad Harrell, is also already here with his girls, taking a much-needed break from his busy life as a trauma surgery consultant.

It’s the first time since his wife left that Chad has taken vacation days and left Houston.

“Mmm,” I say when Law tells me. “He probably could use a much longer vacation than a few days here in Denver.”

Law grunts in agreement. “I think it’s easier not to think about Shelby when he’s on the go twenty-four-seven.” He shrugs. “He’s gotten better since Carlie accidentally accused him of killing his wife.” He grimaces.

I cringe with him. Carlie’s back in therapy after what happened, but I like to check in with her from time to time too about how she let her worries get away with her last fall. She’s doing better too.

We pull up in front of the hotel. It’s not one of the big chains, though.

It’s a smallish building that gives off a cozy vibe.

I like it. It’s four or five stories and red brick.

There’s a green awning out front that the SUV parks in front of.

There are small, lit Christmas trees flanking the doorway, and a huge wreath bedecks the front door.

It’s charming, and I smile as I admire the entrance.

Law catches me staring. “Coach’s wife thought we should stay somewhere out of the way with our families since it’s Christmas. Basically everyone in the hotel is connected to the Pumas.”

“I love it.”

The driver grabs my carry-on from the trunk, but Law takes it before he goes inside, tipping the driver and then leading the way.