“For what?”
“Everything. Being present for me, truly embracing our relationship, and the mug.”
“Well, that’s what girlfriends are for, right?” I crane my head to smile at him, gently running my hand along the locket secured around my neck. “I still have something for you, and it’s freezing out here. Let’s get inside.”
Precious purrs happily as we step back into the cabin after leaving her alone all day. Collins gives her treats and a cat toy as her gift, while I grab the special gift for Collins from upstairs.
“So it’s not sexy, but I wanted this to be just a moment for you.” I smile at him as I settle in next to him on the couch.
Collins takes the box from me, gently unwrapping the paper and pulling the gift from its bubble wrap. I wring my hands as I wait for his reaction. Maybe I overstepped, maybe this isn’t something that he wants, maybe I should have just gotten him socks or something. Then he sniffles, looking up at me with watery eyes.
“Harley, I don’t know what to say.” He continues to take in the suncatcher with a photo of him and Jordan from a hockey game that I found in his apartment imprinted into the glass. It’s engraved with the words “Look for me in the sunshine for I am always with you.”
Collins continues to run his fingers over the photo, an occasional tear being wiped from his eyes. I let him soak it in. I let him grieve. I don’t try to talk to him. I know when he’s ready, he’ll turn his attention back to me.
“This was so thoughtful. I know that typically people say thank you for gifts, but that doesn’t encompass the appreciationthat I feel for you… And this right now.” He says, carefully wrapping the suncatcher back up and sliding it into the box again before setting it onto the coffee table.
“You don’t have to have the words. Thank you is enough.” I smile softly at him.
“Where do you think I should put it?” He asks, opening his arms for me to slide into.
“I was thinking on the back porch. You get such good sunlight back there, it’ll probably reflect the colors perfectly at sunset.”
“That’s what I was thinking, too. We’ll have to test it out when we get back.” He says into my hair.We.Will there be a we when we get back? I mean, we did say that we needed to make it last through the holidays for our friends to believe it.
“Yeah, we will. Want to watch the Grinch before bed?”
“Let’s do it.”
I don’t last the whole movie, and I feel my body lifted off the couch and set into the bed. A blanket pulled over me before I feel Collins settle in behind me, placing a gentle kiss on my head before whispering into my hair, “This is the best Christmas I’ve had in a while. Thanks to you.”
I’m not sure if these are words that were meant for me to hear, but my heart swells with pride at the words.
We begin our trek back to Florida tomorrow morning, so as a last hurrah we’ve gathered around the fire pit for the evening. Taking it easy but still making the best of our time together. Twopeople were sent to get more wood from the side of the main cabin and haven’t made it back yet.
Harley
Ma’am. You can’t bail on our last night in the mountains.
Much to my surprise, ten minutes later and she hasn’t responded.
“I’m going to go check on them,” I murmur to Collins so no one follows me away from the fire, and everyone seems pretty distracted by their conversations anyway.
“Okay.” Collins kisses my cheek before I remove myself from between his legs.
“Be right back.”
It’s not a far walk from the main cabin’s patio to the small shed that’s hidden around the corner but you can feel the temperature drop, the farther you get from the fire.
The fire, along with the string lights, gives off enough light to lead the way. Right before I turn the corner, I hear a deep, male groan and, “Sin, stop torturing me like this. Stop hiding from me.”
“I’m not hiding, I told you it’s not happening again.” My best friend’s voice whispers into the night, strained with what I can only imagine is want.
Those ten words have me stopping in my tracks, wondering what I’m about to walk into. My nosiness gets the better of me, sending me scurrying around the corner. I’ve seen Sinclair in some pretty compromised positions before, so this won’t be the first time or even probably the last.
Holy shit.I have so many questions.
None other than Dominic Montez has my best friend pinned against the side of the cabin, one hand buried in her fiery, redhair and the other gripping her waist. They must not have heard me approach because they are deep in a stare-off. Neither is speaking, and both of their chests are rising and falling rapidly.
