Chapter 45 Nova
nova
“I cannot believe it’s Christmas Eve,” I muttered, stepping back to admire the tree we’d finished decorating.
Aunt Mae and her boyfriend had left earlier in the afternoon after spending the morning with us.
They’d helped set up the tree—because better late than never—and the house was filled with the scent of pine and the glow of twinkling lights.
Scarlette had been at the center of it all, chattering away as she hung ornaments, sharing every detail of her museum trip.
“My dad showed me how to build this huge block tower,” she’d told Aunt Mae earlier, her eyes wide with excitement. “It was so tall! And then it fell over, but he said it was the best tower ever!”
Aunt Mae had smiled warmly, pausing as she strung lights around the tree. “Sounds like you had a great time, sweetheart.”
I’d stayed quiet, letting her excitement take over the room, but inside, my emotions churned. Hearing her talk about him so openly—so happily—was something I hadn’t prepared myself for. It was good. It was what I wanted for her. It was also new and fragile, and I was protective.
With the house quiet again, I stood in the living room, staring at the tree while Scarlette played on the floor with her new craft kit.
“We have to FaceTime with Granny and Pops when they wake up, Scar,” I called out to her, and she nodded.
“Daddy Luna is home,” Luna shouted as she slammed open the door and came bounding in.
“It’s freezing outside. Close the door.”
“Hey, Nova,” a masculine voice said from behind her, and my head whipped in the direction of the sound.
It was Dirks.
I blinked, caught off guard. Before I could say anything, Luna breezed past me, her voice dropping to a sharp whisper. “It’s Christmas. He’s here. Shut up.”
I stared at her, my mouth opening to protest, but she was already making a beeline toward Scarlette.
She looked up, her face lighting up when she saw Luna. “I think I’m gonna start calling you Luna now,” she said thoughtfully, “ ’cause I met my other daddy.”
Luna gasped dramatically, scooping Scarlette into her arms and planting loud kisses on her cheeks. “Never,” she declared, her voice filled with mock horror. “I am Daddy Luna for life.”
Scarlette giggled, throwing her arms around Luna’s neck. “Okay, Daddy Luna,” she said with a grin, clearly delighted.
My emotions were a tangled mess of amusement, irritation, and the ever-present undercurrent of uncertainty that came with everything these days.
Hovering in the doorway, Dirks gave me a small, awkward smile, clearly waiting for a reaction. Shifting awkwardly, he cleared his throat. “Merry Christmas,” he said, his voice a little too cheerful, clearly trying to break the ice.
“Merry Christmas,” I replied cautiously, still trying to figure out how I felt about his unexpected presence.
He stepped forward and handed me a plate covered in foil. “I, uh, made some stuffing and green beans for dinner.”
“Thank you.” I managed a small smile.
Before I could say anything more, Luna poured herself a glass of wine, took a long sip, and then, without preamble, turned to me.
“So, what did Ollie think about the meeting with Austin?” she asked, her tone casual, as if we weren’t standing in the middle of the kitchen with Dirks right there.
My stomach flipped, and I bit back a sharp response as I darted my eyes to Dirks, who was now studying the floor like it held the secrets to the universe.
“Luna,” I hissed.
She shrugged, utterly unbothered, and leaned against the counter. “He’s my boyfriend now, so we can talk about these things in front of him,” she said breezily. Then, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, she added, “Besides, he knows I’d chop his dick off if he said anything to Austin.”
Wait . . . boyfriend? Since . . . when?
This was too much to process. My mind was already spinning from everything that had happened with Austin, and Luna was dropping this bombshell like it was nothing.
“Boyfriend?” I asked, my voice tinged with disbelief. “Since when?”
Luna grinned, completely unfazed. “Today.” She shrugged as if that explained everything.
I stared at her, then at Dirks, who was trying to look as small and unassuming as possible.
Oh, this is going to be a long Christmas.
“What did Ollie say?” Luna pressed.
Dirks shifted uncomfortably, glancing behind him as if he was suddenly very interested in the state of my cabinets. I sighed, giving up on trying to maintain any sense of privacy.
Fine, whatever.
“He said he was happy for Scarlette,” I replied, focusing on the apple I was slicing for her snack. “There was a reason he never took that title. Austin deserves it.”
Luna grabbed one of the apple slices, crunching into it loudly.
“Not for you.” I slapped her hand away, scowling, but she grabbed another slice.
“He doesn’t deserve it, but whatever. I’m happy for Scar.”
“Me too,” I said, and I meant it.
Despite all the complications, Scarlette’s joy had made the whole messy situation feel worthwhile.
“Do you need help with the ham?” Dirks asked, pointing toward the oven.
I nodded, grateful for the distraction, and he busied himself checking the temperature and basting it like he was auditioning for a cooking show.
As soon as he was occupied, I turned to Luna, lowering my voice to a whisper. “Boyfriend?” I hissed, narrowing my eyes. “You broke up with—”
“Stop.” She set her glass of wine down with a clink and met my gaze head-on. “I know what I’m doing.”
Luna wasn’t exactly known for taking things slow, but there was something in her expression, a rare flicker of vulnerability, that made me pause.
“Okay,” My voice was losing its edge. “Be careful, Lune.”
“When is your fiancé coming to the States?” Dirks asked, his tone casual as he glanced over from the oven.
“They told him his visa would be approved before New Year.” I tried to keep the hopefulness in my voice from sounding too desperate.
“That’s positive.” Luna reached out and squeezed my forearm.
“It is,” I said quietly, the words feeling more like a reassurance to myself than anything else.
I couldn’t stop the image that flashed in my mind—Ollie walking through the door, his smile lighting up the room as he dropped his bags and pulled Scarlette into his arms. It felt so close, yet still out of reach.
Luna must’ve noticed the faraway look on my face because she gave my arm another squeeze. “He’ll be here soon,” she said confidently. “You’ve been patient this long. What’s another week or two?”
“I know.” I sighed and turned to look at Dirks. “So what’s the situation between you?”
“Merry Christmas,” I said as I set down a pair of tartlets I’d picked up from the bakery, their delicate design reminding me of something Mrs. Stone would’ve gotten. The thought tugged at my heart, but in a comforting way.
“Yum, Nove,” Luna said as she snuggled up to Dirks, a mischievous grin already tugging at her lips.
Scarlette, who’d been quietly munching on her snack, suddenly perked up. “If Daddy Luna gets married to Mr. Dicks—”
“Dirks.” I quickly corrected her. “Dirks, Scarlette.”
She nodded solemnly, clearly unbothered by the slipup. “If they get married, do I have to call him Daddy Dirks?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Yes.”
Luna and I answered at the same time.
I shot her a glare while she burst out laughing, ruffling Scarlette’s curls. “Kidding. That word is only reserved for when Mom and Ollie . . .”
“Luna Pier—”
“Shhh.” She clapped her hands over Scarlette’s ears with exaggerated theatrics. “Baby ears.”
“I’m not a baby,” Scarlette shouted indignantly, squirming out of Luna’s grasp before turning to me with wide, determined eyes. “Mum, can I be excused to go play with my toys?”
I smiled, shaking my head at the whirlwind of chaos around me. “Go ahead, sweetheart.”
Scarlette bolted from the table, her laughter echoing down the hall as she disappeared into the living room.
The doorbell rang, cutting through the comfortable hum of the house. All of us froze, exchanging curious glances. Luna raised an eyebrow, but I was already standing, wiping my hands on a dish towel as I headed to answer it.
The moment I opened the door, my breath caught. A dozen bags sat neatly on the porch, and then I saw him, bent over, grabbing another from the back of a car service.
Mine.
I didn’t think. I didn’t care about the freezing cold or the snow crunching under my toes. I ran down the steps, my heart pounding, the icy wind biting at my cheeks.
He straightened in time, his arms full of luggage, his face breaking into the smile that always felt like coming home. His hair was longer, tousled in the wind, and his face was freshly shaved, his skin glowing against the cold.
I didn’t stop. I leaped into his arms, wrapping myself around him, burying my face into his neck. The scent of him—familiar and warm—filled my senses, and tears pricked my eyes.
“I love you,” I murmured, trembling as I clung to him. “I missed you.”
“I love you too, love,” he whispered into my ear as he tightened his arms around me.
He tilted his head, his lips finding mine in a kiss that was everything I’d been aching for. It was slow, deliberate, like we had all the time in the world, our breath mingling in the cold air. His hands cradled my face as if I were something fragile.
When we finally pulled apart, we were laughing, my cheeks flushed—not just from the cold, but from the sheer joy of having him here. He didn’t set me down, not until he carried me up the steps toward the warmth of the house.
I only let him drop me when Scarlette came barreling toward us, her little voice ringing through the hallway.
“My Ollie,” she screamed, launching herself into his arms as soon as I stepped aside.
He caught her effortlessly, spinning her in a circle as she giggled uncontrollably. “My Scarlette,” he said, his voice full of love as he kissed her forehead.
“You surprised us,” I said, my voice trembling with emotion as I took in the sight of them together.
Ollie grinned at me over Scarlette’s shoulder, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “That was the plan,” he said, his accent warm and teasing. “Merry Christmas, love.”
“You’re finally here.”
His brow furrowed. “I knew it was a—”
“Oh thank God,” I cried and launched myself at him again, wrapping my arms around him as he held Scarlette.
“Look at you, Oll.” Luna stepped in slightly to take him in, a grin spreading across her face. “You’re looking good.”
I pried myself off Ollie and scooted to the side, making room for Luna to dive into the hug.
She wrapped her arms around him tightly. “Missed you,” she murmured, her voice unusually soft. “No one was around to help me put this one in her place.”
“You did that plenty.” I shot her a mock glare.
When we finally broke apart, Ollie chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as Scarlette jumped down from his arms.
Standing off to the side, Dirks cleared his throat. He didn’t seem the least bit fazed by our impromptu hug puddle. “Hi,” he said, stepping forward and holding out his hand. “Dirks.”
Before Ollie could reply, Scarlette piped up, her voice loud and matter-of-fact. “Not Dicks, Ollie,” she said with wide-eyed seriousness.
My eyes went wide in horror as the words registered, and I turned to Luna, who was already doubled over, laughing so hard she was clutching her stomach.
Ollie’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but his lips twitched in amusement as he looked down at Scarlette. “Noted,” he said, suppressing a laugh.
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “Luna,” I muttered, trying to keep my composure.
Through her laughter, Luna managed to wheeze out, “I didn’t—oh my god—I didn’t even teach her that.”
Ollie looked between us, a wide grin breaking across his face. “It’s good to be back,” he said, shaking Dirks’s hand finally. “Nice to meet you . . . Dirks.”
The night unfolded with the cozy chaos of the season.
We’d gotten all of Ollie’s bags inside, Luna and Dirks headed back to his house, and Scarlette chatted endlessly about Santa’s arrival as she set out cookies and a glass of milk by the fireplace.
She bounced on her toes, and it took forever to wrangle her into bed early.
Once Scarlette was asleep, the house quieted, and the glow of the Christmas tree lights cast a soft warmth over the room.
I couldn’t seem to leave Ollie’s side. I followed him from the living room to the kitchen, back to the tree, and then to the sofa, like a lost puppy starved for his presence.
Every glance, every touch, every word he spoke felt like a balm I hadn’t realized I’d needed so badly.
When he caught me staring for the third time, his lips curled into a teasing smile. “You’re going to wear yourself out if you keep trailing me like this, love.”
I laughed. “I’ve missed you too much to care.”
After we’d cleaned up from dinner and the last of the gifts were placed under the tree, Ollie turned to me, his eyes twinkling with that familiar mischievous glint. “Why don’t you give me a tour of the house?”
“A tour?” I raised an eyebrow.
“The upstairs, specifically.”
I swallowed hard, my heart skipping a beat as I caught the hint of intent in his tone. “Of the upstairs?” I repeated, suddenly breathless.
He nodded again, and before I could say anything more, my mouth was on his, our lips colliding in a kiss that made the world around us fade away.
He slid his hands around my waist, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss, his warmth melting away every lingering doubt, every ache from the time we’d spent apart.