Chapter Twelve
Tulya
Leaning my head back into the lounge chair, I closed my eyes and soaked up the warmth.
Christmas music filled the air around me as the salty smell overtook my senses.
It was December twenty-fourth, so I was definitely missing the holiday at home.
Originally, I thought I’d have a pity party for myself, but then I caught a glimpse of Donovan working in the room, pounding away on a laptop, rage rolling off him.
The anger wasn’t directed at me, but I’d kept my distance nonetheless.
It had been three days since our visit with Valerie, and Magnum still had not appeared. According to Caro, Cinder was on one and was refusing to speak with him.
My mother had called me this morning to check on both my physical and emotional state, and to see if I was keeping myself healthy and even by eating right and resting.
She wasn’t concerned about me, but more herself.
My powers seemingly worked better when I was feeling my best. Sadly, I’d come to accept the selfish side of my mother if it meant she paid attention to me.
I assured her I was one hundred percent fine, more for Donovan’s sake than anyone else. If I let on that either one of us was upset, my mom would put more pressure on the situation, and I didn’t think Don needed that. Not sure why I cared so deeply about Donovan’s state, but I did.
We retreated to our respective rooms after the interaction-gone-wrong with Valerie, and Don’s subsequent deserting me at the scene. I’d ordered a sandwich from room service that evening, eating alone with my Kindle on the balcony.
Yesterday, Donovan worked, and I split my time writing and sitting in this same lounge chair at the pool. We’d danced around going to dinner, thought about sushi again, and then Magnum called and spoiled the mood. I’d forgone dinner for a glass of red and a Biscoff cookie or twenty.
Now, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” played softly in the eighty-degree heat as I tried to enjoy the holiday as much as I could.
This was the one day of the year I enjoyed being with my family, home in Rubia, eating, laughing, opening gifts.
My mother always seemed more relaxed, and my dad played the role of doting husband and father.
A server approached, interrupting my memories when he asked, “Can I bring you anything?”
“Happy holidays,” I wished him.
“Same to you.”
“I’ll have a club soda, splash of cran for color. Why? Because it’s Christmas, and I want at least some holiday joy. Maybe a cherry or two.”
He nodded at me and said, “My pleasure.”
Reaching into my bag, I tugged out my Kindle and decided to read.
I was in the middle of a small-town second-chance romance during the holiday season, my guilty pleasure during this time of the year.
It was the final scene, when the hero decided he couldn’t live without the heroine, and he’d asked the pilot of his private plane to turn around and go back to the small town he’d sworn he hated.
It was such catnip—a man changing his entire life plan for the girl…
A shadow over the chair darkened the sky around me and I went to look up and thank the server only to discover it was Donovan delivering my beverage.
“I believe this is yours,” he said, handing me the cold glass with an umbrella floating in it.
“Thank you,” I replied, raising an eyebrow.
“I decided to join the land of the living,” he said, lying out on the chaise next to me.
“Or you can’t get any work done because everyone cut out early for the holiday,” I quipped, taking a sip of my club soda.
“That too.”
I nodded at his admitting defeat. “Can’t drown yourself in work. It won’t get Magnum to comply any sooner.”
Donovan cleared his throat, about to reply when the server popped back over.
“Anything for you?” he asked Donovan, keeping his eyes trained on the man in question.
“Tequila, blanco, neat.”
The waiter nodded and scurried, picking up on Donovan’s mood.
“That bad?” I didn’t have to say who I was asking about.
“He’s coming. The day after tomorrow. Cinder agreed to visit his daughter for the holiday and meet her.”
“Do you believe him?”
“She told me herself. My mom cornered Cinder and let her know this was how things would go, and she’s falling in line. If she wants to marry Magnum, she will raise Blake as her own.”
I knew my mother and Ceci would eventually structure a solution to the entire fiasco, and it appeared they had.
The waiter appeared with Donovan’s tequila, and I promptly said, “Well, then cheers to the last few days of peace.”
“Merry Christmas, Tulya,” the man beside me responded, clinking his plastic glass to mine.
“I never imagined I’d be spending the holiday with you.” It slipped out, but Donovan had a reply.
“Can’t be that bad. Is it?” He ran a hand through his hair, which had become wavier the longer we stayed in the humidity.
“It’s perfect,” I said, not lying. I was mostly content by the pool, not eager to do what I’d been sent for. And when he wanted to be, Donovan Malachite was extremely charming.
“Now, there’s no need to go overboard, but I will agree that spending the holiday in sunshine rather than snow is perfect.”
“Amen,” I responded.
“I was hoping you could help me with something.” Donovan looked toward me, holding his phone.
“I guess it depends.”
Despite the heat radiating around us, a tiny chill ran through my veins. I’d come to know the sensation as the Donovan effect. I’d never admit it to him, but he made my body do things it never did for anyone.
“I have a few items in my cart here, for delivery from Neiman’s, so you don’t have to leave the pool, but I was hoping you could…
” His words came out as a long run-on and all mixed up; he was nervous.
“Well, I was hoping to get a few gifts for Blake, and if you could advise which ones are best, I’d be grateful.
They’re going to deliver them here this afternoon and then we can take them when we go with Magnum. ”
I’d give it to the guy: he liked the little girl.
Not in a weird, abnormal way, but as in she was his niece and he wanted her to be happy.
We had smaller boutiques on Rubia, where we stocked unique items, but I could tell Donovan thought more and bigger were both better when he handed me the phone.
I scrolled through the items, including a faux fur coat, a dollhouse, and a pair of rhinestone-covered boots.
“The coat is for Rubia,” Don explained without my asking.
I gave a curt nod, figuring as much. Jumping in on the fun, I perused the site with a smile on my face. I bought most of my clothes at Pinky’s in Rubia, but I was beginning to think I would have to visit Neiman’s myself.
“I love this pink warm-up suit and the doll with the matching outfit,” I added, thinking it would make Blake happy.
She seemed like such a loving and affectionate child.
I placed the phone back in his hands and said, “I removed the camo jacket and the Star Wars Lego set. I do think she would like some Legos, but I don’t think she’s watched that movie yet. ”
He fiddled with the phone and asked, “Maybe just a cute Lego neighborhood?”
“Perfect.”
He hit a few buttons and I heard the whoosh of something sending, and it was done. “I also was hoping to have dinner. Here, in the lobby? Tonight?”
“Are you asking me?”
“I don’t think either of us wants to be alone…”
“I’m in,” I said, letting him out of his misery but also sort of excited.
I was starting to think this might be my most memorable Christmas yet, Rubia long forgotten.
Donovan could be so vulnerable when he let his ego take a rest, and in this moment, he was building a special shelf in my heart for himself.
It was a bad idea on my part and a risk on his. Our moms had different plans, and taking note of the turn of events with Cinder, those two women got what they wanted.