40. I’m In Love With You
FORTY
I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU
Cade
Our one night combination of Friendsmas and early New Year’s at The Pitch was a blast, but I’m excited to spend actual Christmas cozied up with my Halle girl at one of my favorite places—the Cooper house. A few days after the party, everyone went their separate ways for winter break. Abbott last-minute decided to keep Mel company on her road trip to Cali and stay with her family until New Year’s, soaking in every last second he can before they start long distance. It’s going to be a little weird, me and Halle being the only “kids” at Christmas this year.
Is this what growing up feels like?
Halle and I have both been back home with our parents for a few days, wanting to spend some extra time with them, and with everyone out of town, being home sounded a lot more fun than sitting around an empty college house. I love spending time with our families, but I wanted to come up with something special I could do for her, get us out of the house and do something together, maybe start a new tradition. So, all on my own, without the help of Mel and Abbott or even Ruby, I came up with secret Christmas Eve plans.
The other day, Hal got us matching ugly Christmas sweaters, and I told her we had to wear them tonight. They’re kinda scratchy and uncomfortable, but I’d do anything to pull off classic couple matching with her. It’s almost sunset, which means I’m perfectly on-time with my schedule for the night.
I ring the Coopers’ doorbell, even though it’s normal and expected for me to walk right in their door, I always have for years. Mrs. Cooper opens the door, and I’m hit with the smell of fresh pine and cinnamon. Her brow furrows at the sight of me waiting at the door, but when her eyes land on the bouquet of roses in my arms, her expression lightens. She insists that I come inside and wait for Halle.
“That would ruin one of my many surprises,” I say with a wink.
“I’ll let her know to hurry then!” She gives me a pat on the shoulder and scurries back into the house, closing the door behind her.
Now that I know the next person to open the door will be my girlfriend, I reach into my back pocket and pull out my favorite part of my surprise.
The door flies open only a few minutes later and I can tell Halle just ran down the stairs—her cheeks are rosy, her curled hair is still bouncing, flying behind her shoulders. Immediately, my eyes land on her bright red lips. Sorry, Vanilla Lip Gloss, Red Lipstick might be my new favorite.
“You didn’t have to wait outside in the cold.” She wraps her arms around me, pulling me in for a hug. She looks up to me, like she’s waiting for a kiss.
I copy her, looking up to the top of the door frame. She giggles, and tries to jump up and down to get back in my line of sight. I realize me staring up at the mistletoe I taped up on the door frame is not going to get her to notice it.
“What’s this?” I pull it down, acting like I didn’t just put it there myself five minutes ago. I turn my head back down to meet hers, and watch the corners of her lips tuck up into a sly smile before I crash my lips into hers.
We pull away from each other and she immediately starts laughing and trying to rub the red lipstick off my face. How did it get all over me, but still look perfect on her lips? Magic , I think to myself.
“Okay, I think I got it as best as I can,” she half whispers, half laughs out.
“You could’ve left it, let everyone see we’re together,” I joke.
“Ooooooo, did I get you to slip? We’re going somewhere where there will be other people around?” She’s been begging me to tell her what we’re going to be doing all week.
“I did say that, huh. That’s funny because we probably won’t see anyone at all, actually.” I slip my hand into hers and start leading her out to where my car is waiting in the driveway. After I get her door opened and she gets settled into her seat, I hand her flowers off to her. “For the passenger princess,” I say all proper-like in a fake English accent.
I start driving us out to a neighborhood I scouted a few nights ago that, in my opinion, has the best damn Christmas lights this town has ever seen. I’m talking whole rows of houses that coordinate with each other and sync all their lights up to a radio station. I should find who set this all up and get them to design our stage lights for when we eventually get our first headline tour.
“What smells so good in here?” Halle leans back, cozying up in her seat.
“Mmm, might have something to do with what’s in the cupholders…” I trail off.
She wiggles in her seat, and grabs one of the hot to-go cups. “Cocoa?!”
“With peppermint, just how you like it.” I grab the other cup and take a sip. She’s got really good taste. In everything. Even the Christmas songs she’s choosing to play are top tier.
I turn onto the first street with noticeably extravagant lights and watch Halle’s eyes grow wide with wonder. “Wait! Slow down! I want to see all the lights!”
I can’t help but laugh at her excited commands. “Don’t worry, we’ll see these again on the way out, but Halle girl, they don’t compare to what I’m about to show you.”
“Okaaay,” she sing-songs.
I struggle to find a place to park in front of the coordinating houses. Everyone else must’ve had the same idea as me, but I catch a glimpse of someone trying to leave, and luckily am able to swoop their spot.
“This place must be famous.”
“Locally, for sure,” I agree. “I’m sorry, DJ, but I’m gonna have to switch us over to the radio.”
She gasps. “The radio?”
“Do you not see the giant sign in the yard?” I point to the house right next to us.
“No! I was looking at the lights!” She gives me a playful shove on the shoulder before leaning toward her window and squinting to read the sign. “Eighty-nine…point…seven?” she sounds out slowly.
I turn the dial to 89.7 FM and watch as Halle realizes that the lights all around us are flashing along to the music. We stay parked, enamored by the lights for almost an hour. Our cocoas are long gone, and I think I have more of Halle’s lipstick on my face again after how many times we’d lean across my center console for a quick kiss at the end of each song.
Halle thinks we’re driving back home when I take a left out of the Christmas light neighborhoods, but like most nights when I’m behind the wheel, I have other plans. I’m taking us to our special spot. Since it’s so close to our houses, she doesn’t suspect anything until I don’t take the last turn I need to take to get home.
“Hmm, I wonder where we could be going?” Halle asks sarcastically.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I try to be as nonchalant as possible, but after a few seconds of silence, I crack. We both erupt into fits of laughter as I pull into the parking lot we both knew was coming next.
I get out of the car and hurry around to open her door for her. Like a movie I’ve seen a million times before, we walk hand in hand to the gazebo. Our breath is blowing steady clouds ahead of us, and I feel Hal start to shiver, her hold on my hand a bit unsteady. Once we land at the center of the gazebo, I envelope her in a tight hug for warmth.
“I’m sorry, love,” I apologize. I feel so stupid for dragging her out here in the cold, but I wanted to close out the night with something extra special.
“Don’t apologize, it’s okay, I promise, it’s not too bad.” She’s putting up a tough front, but I can tell it is bad—her teeth are literally chattering.
“I’ll be quick,” I reassure her.
A couple thick, slow snowflakes start to fall around us. I wouldn’t have noticed them if it wasn’t for the seasonal twinkly lights strung up on the gazebo. Yep, definitely too cold to be outside for much longer. I reach into the inside pocket of my coat and pull out the small jewelry gift box I’ve been holding onto all night.
Halle’s eyes light up, but then her expression falls. “I didn’t bring any of your gifts with me,” she mumbles.
“Hey, hey, no, you weren’t supposed to.” I pull her into another hug—again. For warmth, of course. I take a step back from her to start opening the box.
“Let me guess, necklace?”
“Who told you?” I specifically asked Mel and Ruby to keep this a secret.
“So, I’m right?” she giggles.
“You’re always right, Valentine.” I flash her one of my smiles I know she loves. “Now, turn around, let me put it on you.”
She spins around on her tip-toes and pulls her hair up from her neck. I make sure I’m holding the necklace the right way so I don’t put it on backwards. I reach in front of her, then pull the opposite end of the chain to meet the clasp in the back. My nails are short, so I’m taking a while to fiddle with getting it closed.
“I have another guess.”
“Go for it.” I peek around to look at her face and see that her eyes are shut.
“Is it a C? As in Cade?” I think she’s making a High School Musical reference.
“No,” I let out in a whisper-laugh, “but, I think it’s something better than that.” I finally get the necklace clasped. I grab her shoulders and spin her around to face me.
She reaches up to grab the necklace, running her fingers back and forth on it trying to find out what it says.
“Valentine?” She figured it out.
“Merry Christmas, Valentine. I love you.” I gently wrap my hands around both sides of her face and pull her in for a kiss.
“I love you too, Rockstar. Merry Christmas.”
And then, I sweep her off her feet. No, actually, I scoop her up into my arms and carry her back to the car. Watching the snow fall onto my favorite girl’s face as she was smiling and giggling back up at me is enough to keep me up all night like a kid waiting to unwrap presents in the morning.