Chapter Twenty-Three Alex
I don’t think there have ever been this many people in my house. Up until three days ago, the record had been taken by my Board and I hadn’t been anticipating breaking it anytime soon.
And yet…
Everywhere I turn there’s another unfamiliar face and someone rushing to introduce themselves to me.
In the span of about five minutes, I meet and shake the hands of just about every single member of Noelle’s family – extended too.
I meet aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins twice removed, grand uncles, and at least two family friends who aren’t sure when they became pretty much family, but have been rolling with it for years.
Someone has managed to get into my sound system and Christmas carols blast from the speakers throughout the house.
Another someone – I have no idea who, or how they’ve managed it – has set up a small Christmas tree in the middle of my living room.
The fact that they had a mini Christmas tree to bring with them from Noelle’s grandmother’s house to here is insane, but nobody seems to question it.
The fact that a three-foot tree, complete with colourful decorations, has suddenly appeared in my living room is apparently the most normal thing in the world to the Joneses.
Some of them have brought plates of Christmas cookies and cakes, their sweet fragrances wafting through the air, mingling with the fresh pine scent of the Christmas tree.
Laughter, chatter and music fills every room as everyone mills around excitedly. There are even little children running around, their giggles and shouts echoing off the walls.
It’s loud and busy and hectic and just so Christmassy.
Surprisingly, I don’t hate it.
I remember how I felt having the Board in my home. How uncomfortable it had been to have these people – effectively strangers – wandering through my home, my safe space. I don’t feel any of that right now.
I think I quite like it actually.
I watch as Noelle floats around the room, her smile radiant as she chats with each member of her family, pulling them into tight hugs and making sure that everyone feels welcome.
‘What’re your intentions with my sister, Alex?’
Eve sidles up next to me and wiggles her brows. I’ve known Eve for a grand total of fifteen minutes, but I get the distinct impression that she’s the kind of person who says whatever’s on her mind.
If I’m being honest, I respect it.
‘I’ll take whatever she’s willing to give me,’ I say, in the spirit of honesty.
I’m well aware that whatever it is Noelle and I have developed these last four days, we need to sit in it some more.
Figure out exactly what it is we want from each other and how we’ll fit into each other’s lives.
But it doesn’t feel like a hopeless task; I feel like we could build something good – something great even.
I catch Noelle’s eye from across the room and she grins over at me, before her gaze slides over to her sister and she narrows her eyes.
Eve blows her a kiss and then turns her attention back to me. She surveys me for a few seconds before giving me a satisfactory nod. ‘All right. I approve. The whole hiring cars to bring us all up here thing definitely chucked a few bonus points your way.’
I laugh, and I’m surprised at how easy it comes to me. I don’t think I’ve felt this light, this free, in a very long time. ‘Thanks?’
‘You’re welcome,’ Eve says absentmindedly, her dark brown eyes scanning the room for someone else. She settles on a tall man laughing in a corner with a group of people and her expression turns soft. ‘I just want Noelle to be happy.’
‘Me too.’ I don’t even have to think about it. I know, like the way you know deep, core truths about yourself, that Noelle’s happiness has quickly climbed the list of my priorities and claimed the number one spot.
Eve smiles and gives my arm a gentle squeeze before she floats across the room to drape herself over man she was looking out for.
I take a moment to observe the scene playing out in front of me, the warmth and laughter of Noelle’s family enveloping me in a way I never knew I craved. For so long, I’ve been content with my solitary existence, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that maybe I’m starting to want more.
A little bit of this every now and then wouldn’t be so bad, would it?
Noelle catches my eye from across the room, mutters something to the group she’s currently talking to, and then breaks free from their circle to come and stand directly in front of me.
I don’t get the chance to say a word before she’s wrapping her arms tightly around me, pulling me into a deep hug. I freeze for a moment – PDA is still a slightly foreign concept to me – but my arms start to move of their own accord, and I’m hugging her too.
I’m dimly aware that her family are watching – I’m pretty sure Eve has pulled out her phone and is recording – but I can’t bring myself to focus on that right now.
The only thing that matters is the woman in my arms.
She leans back, just enough so she can see me fully, and smiles. ‘Thank you for all of this,’ she murmurs, her voice filled with genuine gratitude. ‘I know it’s probably – definitely – way out of your comfort zone, but it means the world to me.’
It means the world to me.
Maybe I am the modern-day Grinch, because I swear my heart grows about five sizes when she says that.
She stands up on her tiptoes and I pull her in close. I tilt my head down, meeting her halfway for a kiss that’s soft and sweet and makes my heart race like it never has before.
Noelle melts into it, her hands coming up to frame my face gently, and I have to resist the urge to pull her even closer.
When we finally break apart, she rests her forehead against mine, our breaths mingling in the small space between us.
‘Can I give you one last gift?’ I murmur against her lips.
Noelle pulls back slightly and laughs. ‘You don’t owe me anything, Alex.’
‘Just humour me.’
She nods and lets me guide her upstairs. Someone – Eve, I’m sure – hoots loudly as we disappear up the staircase.
‘I’m going to kill her,’ Noelle murmurs as we disappear the sound of music, laughter and general merriment fades slightly. ‘Sorry, by the way. I must’ve absorbed all the filter between us in the womb and now she has none.’
‘It’s fine,’ I say. And I mean it too. ‘It’s…
it’s nice seeing your relationship with her.
’ I think about my own relationship with my siblings.
We’ve never had anything even remotely close to the camaraderie I see between Eve and Noelle, and maybe that’s more my fault than I’ve been willing to admit.
Though, not one of them has messaged to say ‘Happy Birthday’ yet, so maybe I’m giving them too much credit.
I shake my head and push out the thought of my family and focus on the beautiful woman beside me. This is about her and making Christmas something special.
‘Here.’ I open my office door and usher her inside. Noelle watches me with vague, curious amusement as I walk over to my desk and pull open the bottom drawer. My foil stars look even worse in the harsh light of day but I pull out a few and sheepishly hand them over to her.
‘What, um… What are these?’ she asks, barely concealing a smile.
‘They’re supposed to be decorations. You know, like stars for a tree.’ I rub the back of my neck, feeling the heat that’s already crawled up there. ‘I wanted to try and bring some of the Christmas magic to you, but arts and crafts isn’t my forte unfortunately.’
Noelle presses a hand against her mouth to smother her laugh. ‘No. No. This is… um… This is really, really, sweet. And so thoughtful and… um…’
‘That’s not the gift,’ I say abruptly. ‘And you can laugh, it’s okay.’ I reach back into the drawer and pull out the stack of Post-it notes. ‘I wanted to show you this.’
I hand her the pile and her eyes widen.
‘Alex… Are these…?’
I nod. ‘These are all the notes you’ve left with the dishes you’ve made me over the last two years.’
‘You’ve kept these?’ she asks, voice crackling slightly. She flips through the pile and shakes her head in disbelief. ‘I didn’t even think you read them; I’ve kind of just been leaving them on autopilot recently. But you…’ She looks up at me, eyes shining. ‘You’ve kept them all?’
I take a step closer to her, gently pluck the pile from her hands, and place it on the table.
Then I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her in close.
‘I’ve kept every last one. I meant what I said, Noelle.
Your cooking? It’s something special. And I want you to know that I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
’ I lean in and press my lips against hers, enjoying the way she immediately melts into my touch and reciprocates.
When we finally break apart, I rest my head against hers and murmur, ‘Merry Christmas, Noelle.’
She grins and I swear, I’m never going to get tired of seeing the way it lights up her face. ‘Merry Christmas, Alex.’