Chapter Twenty-Four #2
A gust of wind shook the windows, and I snapped my head around, surprised to see the glass was now covered in white, blocking out the view of the street.
If this kept up, we wouldn’t enjoy the lights on the tree for long.
I straightened several of the ceramic hearts and stars to rest better against the garland while inhaling the scent of the evergreen.
When I suggested we use her ornaments, I wondered whether it would be difficult to see them again since she was no longer with me to enjoy them.
It wasn’t. They brought a smile to my face, and all the good memories I had of bygone Christmases filled my heart.
I missed her, but I’d reached a point in my grieving where I could appreciate the memories again, and that was something to be thankful for this season.
I remembered how much fun we had cutting down our tree and the calamity of getting it off his SUV.
It turns out that we should have let Cameron deliver it, but with a bit of help from Major’s neighbor, we finally managed to get it in the house without losing all the needles.
All of that was great, but the best part?
The truly merry part? That was the ten-foot-wide smile he wore as he placed my yaya’s Christmas rooster at the top of the tree.
That man had giggled like a little kid as it bounced around on its springy base, the rooster’s comb replaced with a red Santa hat.
When he pulled me into him and nuzzled my neck, thanking me for reminding him what Christmas was about, I melted.
That was the moment when I welcomed him into my heart.
The other thing to be thankful for was open communication.
Since our heart-to-heart at the tree farm, I’ve found it easier to relax and enjoy my time with Major.
He wanted to spend time with me; that was why he was here.
He wasn’t doing me a favor or helping a friend.
Once I accepted that, it had been surprisingly easy to have a conversation with him without feeling inferior.
It was only in hindsight that I realized he never made me feel that way. I’d made myself feel that way.
Once we had the tree decorated, I made eggnog French toast. While it may not have been quite as good as a plate from The Nightingale Diner, I hadn’t heard any complaints around all the moaning he did with every bite.
“It’s ugly out there,” he said, walking back into the room with two mugs. “You’re going nowhere.”
I accepted the mug he held out, clinked glasses with him, then tasted the spicy eggnog. I took a swallow and coughed once. “Did you dump the entire bottle of rum in it?”
“Rum?” he asked, wearing a sly grin. “What rum?”
Tasting it again, I tipped my head. “That’s not rum.”
“Brandy,” he supplied. “That’s how we always drank it. I am a purest if nothing else.”
“Right, a purest. More like a pourest. Pour the whole bottle in,” I teased.
It was his turn to snort, blowing eggnog out his nose. He swiped at it with his hand. “Thanks for that.”
“Hey, turnabout is fair play,” I cooed, leaning into his chest when he wrapped one arm around my waist.
“This has been the best date I’ve ever had.”
“It’s the date that never seems to end,” I agreed. “You can ask me to leave, and I will.”
“Not why I said that,” he promised, nuzzling my neck for a moment while I sipped my eggnog. “I’ve gone to parties with beautiful women on my arm to rub elbows with some rather influential people in the world, but none of them held a candle to standing in the dark with you by a Christmas tree.”
“Come now, Colonel Warren,” I said, shaking my head. “I find that hard to believe.”
“You shouldn’t,” he promised. “I’m happier here than I’ve ever been. There’s been this settling here.” He turned me and rested my hand over his heart.
“Like you finally found home?” I asked, and he let out a breath as though I’d punched him. Ready to apologize, he leaned in for a kiss that was sweet and spicy, though way too short.
“Those were the words I was looking for to describe this feeling,” he whispered.
At that moment, the wind blew snow against the panes as the lights flickered. We both lifted our heads and glanced around. “This is making me nervous.”
“When I was in the kitchen, I saw that they issued a blizzard warning. Let's get the flashlights and other supplies ready just in case the power goes out.”
“I don’t have any at the cottage. Do you have one I can borrow?”
He lowered his mug and tipped his head. “Why do you need to borrow one?”
“I could use my phone,” I said. “But then I risk losing charge if the power is out.”
“Baby doll, you’re not staying at the cottage tonight. You’re going to be safe right beside me. If we lose power, we’ll need to share body heat,” he said, wagging his brows. “As long as you’re comfortable with that.”
“I didn’t want you to think I was assuming,” I admitted. “But I don’t want to be anywhere but here.”
“Remember, you’re safe with me. Tell me your heart and I’ll tell you mine. Right?” he asked, running a finger down my cheek until I nodded. “Good, now let’s get those preparations done so we can snuggle under a warm blanket together.”
“I would, but I’m unsure of where they are.”
“Fair point,” he said, laughter tinging the words. “There are a bunch of extra blankets in my bathroom linen closet. I’ll grab the candles and flashlights.”
I turned and was rewarded with a gentle pat on my bottom before I headed down the hallway, smiling to myself. It was time to put my plan into action.