Chapter Twenty
Emma - Christmas Eve
“How’s the knee, big guy?” Knox asked as he and Lorelai came into the kitchen.
“Not bad. Your wife there, is a torturous person,” Colton said, chuckling as he hugged her.
“Tell me about it.” Knox chuckled, coming over and hugging me.
“If anyone wants any wine, help yourselves,” I said, nodding to the already poured glasses.
“Can I help with anything?” Lorelai asked, coming over and taking the tray of cheese, I’d just finished over to the table, sliding it into an empty spot.
“Well, did you want to help me with the meat platter?” I asked as I made my way over to the fridge.
“Sure!”
“Baby girl, we are going to join the others in the living room. I’ll send Aurora in to help you both.”
“Sounds good,” I said, leaning in to kiss him before he hobbled into the other room.
Moments later, Aurora, Peyton, Ella, and Scarlett all came into the kitchen and started helping get the rest of the food ready.
“We are so glad you are here,” Scarlett said, popping in a tray of appetizers into the oven.
“Yeah, finally we get to meet. I feel like so much has happened since I’ve been away,” Ella said, dumping out some crackers onto a plate.
“Thanks, I’m so happy to be back here with all of you, especially Colton,” I said, smiling as I arranged some fruit onto another plate and carried it over to the table.
“Is there much more to do back in New York?” Peyton questioned.
“No, I don’t think so. Honestly, I wrapped things up the next day with Image Hackers, and I asked my friend Chantal to help me with clearing out my things from my apartment. She was happy to take most of my furniture, and she was shipping some other things here after the holidays.”
“That was nice of her to look after all that.”
“Yeah, she knew how important this move was for me. Her and I went to high school together. She was my best friend when Colton and I were together the first time.”
“Well, we are going to take you hostage now,” Peyton said, giggling. “We should have our first coffee date at Sip and Stir in the new year.”
“Oh? What are these coffee dates?” I questioned. “Colton mentioned them to me the other day.”
“Oh, you know, just wives of hockey players talking smack.” Aurora giggled, as did Lorelai and Emma.
“Just you wait. We all talk about the dirty deeds in the bedroom. It gets rather informative. At times it will feel as if you are sleeping with one of the others,” Scarlett said, raising her eyebrows.
“Oh my,” I said, my cheeks heating, wondering what I would share when it was my turn.
“Oh, and we never tell the boys, but trust me when I say, I sometimes wonder what it might be like with another one of them.” Lorelai giggled, the others joining in.
“You wonder who it might be like with who?” Knox questioned, clearing his throat as he stood in the kitchen door watching all of us.
“Oh, never you mind,” Lorelai said, moving over to him, kissing him on the cheek.
“Uh-huh. If you’re thinking of joining someone else, I think I might like to know about it. I may have to pull out the magic weapon.”
“Well don’t pull it out in here.” Aurora laughed, then turned to me and smiled.
“Yeah, please, don’t pull it out in here,” I said, making a face at her.
“Oh, ladies, she is going to fit in just fine,” Ella said, grabbing a grape and shoving it into her mouth.
“What do you need?” Lorelai questioned, looking at Knox.
“Well, Colton would like it if you’d all join us in the living room. He has some things he’d like to say.”
I wiped my hands on a towel and placed the last plate I’d been working on onto the table, then checked the oven, before we all followed Knox into the living room.
Each of us took a seat beside our significant others. I’d just sat down as Colton stood up.
“Before we eat, I just want to thank all of you for coming and joining Emma and I for our first Christmas together. I also want to thank all of you for standing beside me during this year. It hasn’t been my best, and I promise they will only get better as the years go on.
Now, hopefully my therapist will have me back playing in a couple months, and I’ll be able to help carry the team to victory this year. ”
“Absolutely I will. That is, if you’ll let me treat you instead of whimpering each time I touch you.” Lorelai giggled.
“Stop hurting me and I will.”
Everyone laughed, and then I watched as Dylan pulled out his phone, holding it up to Colton. When he turned my way, I quickly forgot all about the camera.
“Baby girl. Words can’t express how happy I am to have you back with me. I know we didn’t get off on the right foot, but now all we have to do is focus on one another. Now, I’d get down on my knee if I could…”
“What?” I gasped.
“Relax, I’m not proposing. At least not yet.” He chuckled as he watched the panic wash from my face.
“Okay, goodness, you scared me there.”
“Well, just hold on. While I’m not proposing, I am asking for a promise.”
I watched as he reached into his pocket. “What are you doing?” I questioned, looking at the others, who all stood there smiling.
“I’m giving you this,” he said, holding up a ring I’d recognized but couldn’t remember from where.
“It was my mother’s birthstone ring. She’d always told me I was to give it to the one until I was ready to buy a ring of my own to give to her. So, I’m giving you this ring as a symbol of my promise to you, that I am yours forever, until you no longer wish for me to be yours.”
I held my hand out, and even though I was shaking, he slipped the ring onto my finger and held my hand in his.
“I’ve loved you longer than I thought, and even though it took us time to come back to one another, I ask that you be gentle with my heart and never leave me.”
“Oh my gosh,” I heard Aurora gasp.
I looked down at the ring on my finger and then up at those blue eyes I’d always loved and lifted onto my toes to place a kiss on his lips.
“I’ll be as gentle as I can,” I whispered. “I love you.”
“I love you too, baby girl.”
The room erupted in cheers as everyone clapped.
“That’s it, this is going up for the world to see.” Dylan chuckled. “The fans are going to go crazy!”
I leaned in, crashing against his body as he pulled me in tighter and kissed me. Let the fans erupt, I thought. I was ready to burst inside, anyway. I couldn’t wait to start this next chapter with him.