Near the end, when Clarence gets his wings and the entire theater is wiping away tears, I catch Jace digging the heel of his hand into one of his eyes. He’s such a glorious gentleman. Greenflags are waving all over by the fact that this movie still gets to him, even though he mentioned that he watches it every year.
Just as slowly as they arrived, people shuffle out of the theater, filling the aisles. We wait, blessed to have people in our row go their separate ways quickly, giving us more time together in the quiet space. It’s nearly midnight now, almost officially Christmas Day.
“Merry Christmas, Jace.”
“Merry Christmas, Starlight.” He leans his forehead down to meet mine.
I smile. “I’m so glad you were here for this,” I confess. “Do you think . . . if you could do it over, you would?”
He leans back to look at me then focuses again on the still-humming screen. It’s not playing anything, but it hasn’t been turned off either. People are still filtering out, and I wave to my parents and Gram as they point to the lobby. I nod. Considering I’m walking home with them tonight—since I always stay over with them on Christmas Eve—they’re my figurative ride home. Jace turns his attention back to me.
“I wish we could have had all of it, the chance back then to create a future together. But I could never imagine a life without Emmy. So, I think I’m grateful for everything that’s happened this time around.” I nod as he continues. “Ivy, we’ve confessed a lot to each other over the past few weeks. You’ve somehow been mending my heart like it’s your superpower.” He pauses and ruffles a hand through his hair before letting it drop back on his thigh. “I just want you to know that even if it didn’t seem like it, you’ve always held a part of me. But now, I want you to hold all of me. Are you . . . are you ready for that?”
I’m almost expecting it this time. A chime carries into the theater from the lobby, and I smile again, his words warming me from the inside. Reaching up, I turn his face toward me, wantinghim to hear and see my response fully. “Bear, I’m more than ready. And I want you to have all of me too.”
He sniffs, tears brimming on the edges of his whiskey-colored eyes, their radiance dim in the sconces surrounding us. “And Emmy?” he asks.
“Will never have to worry if she’s loved.”
He nods once, his arms completely enveloping me, his dark curls caressing my skin, his face buried in the curve of my neck. I feel his tears and the relief in his very bones. The urge to feel his hair between my hands comes over me. I need him to understand the sensory experience of being fully held, the thought consuming me. Shifting and sliding my hands along his limbs, I embrace him. A sigh escapes Jace as he cries quietly, a deep inhale echoing through his lungs as his emotions release, my fingers meeting his scalp.
He leans down and places a tentative kiss on my lips. His large hand presses into the space between my shoulder blades. I feel his smile before his kiss moves from the familiar patterns I’ve grown accustomed to, the feeling and taste of his lips something long ago imprinted upon my soul. His touch shifts to the fiery, a level of gentle care shifting the energy from what’s been to what could be. His hand feels like a hot stone pressed against my skin, warming my neck and tethering me to him, his five o’clock shadow now brushing tiny sparks around my mouth. Our breath mingles until I can hardly take a full breath. We pull apart just enough to look into each other’s eyes.
“Starlight, once you asked me what I wanted to be known for,” Jace murmurs. The theater has gone quiet, most of the moviegoers having departed, some lingering in the lobby before they wander home. A few workers have started to clean up, and while the moment could be anything but romantic, the fact that he isn’t rushing through it only makes him even more attractive to me.
“And?” I encourage softly.
Jace’s voice is steady. “I want to be known for loving you. I think I always have.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jace
The clock strikes twelve.
“Santa!” Emmy’s happy yell stirs me from sleep, and I open my eyes on the couch to find my daughter flinging herself on the ground next to the still-lit Christmas tree in the corner.
Last night, I returned so late that I spent almost all night wrapping gifts. Then I fell asleep with tape stuck to my face and wrapping paper on my pants in my sister’s living room. Thankfully, Emmy doesn’t even notice as I stuff the incriminating evidence under the couch and sit up. Angie appears in front of me and laughs, her hand waving near my forehead. I reach up and feel another sting of adhesive as I pull it from my skin.
Emmy is busy assessing the gifts under the tree. The half-drunk glass of milk and cookie crumbs from Santa’s cookies that we left out before bed last night are still evident around my mouth. I swipe a hand across my face and sigh with gratitude that I remembered to break off the carrots too, so Emmy would know that Rudolph also enjoyed visiting her on Christmas Eve.
“Good job, Jay,” Angie whispers as she settles beside me and leans her head on my shoulder. I hear stirring in the kitchen, and the scent of coffee brewing tells me that Edgar is already preparing the fuel we need to stay awake this morning.
“Daddy! Santa came, and it’s just the best, isn’t it? So many presents! And look, he even left me tape!” Emmy’s hands are tucked under her chin, and she’s twirling around the tree.
I feel Angie’s suppressed laughter against my arm, and I hold back my own laugh.
“It’s the best.” My brother walks in with a full mug of coffee and hands it to me. I give him a grateful nod.“I texted Mom and Dad that you’re all up. They’ll be here in ten minutes.”
Our parents are staying at Ivy’s parents’ inn in Birch Borough and have spent the last couple of nights with them, playing cards and eating charcuterie boards. To our shock, it turns out that Mom and Dad went to high school in the area at the same time as Ivy’s parents and already knew them. They were on rival teams, but it seems they’ve created their own team as simply our parents now. They’re having the time of their lives, and I’m loving that we’re all in one place for a while.
“Sounds good,” Angie says. “Jay, there’s some of the quiche in the fridge if you need some protein to start off your day.”
My stomach rumbles, and I rise, walking toward the kitchen. A knock on the door halts my steps. I change directions and head to the door. Opening it wide, the instant blast of cold wakes me up and blows my curls around. It’s a sea of winter white everywhere I look, but there’s no one there at the door. Instead, I look around and find a tiny, wrapped box on the steps with my name on it.
“Who is it?” Angie asks. Something in her tone sounds far less surprised than I would have expected.
“Maybe it’s an extra present from Santa,” Edgar adds.
