Clara shook her head slightly, still grinning. “I want to sleep wherever you’re sleeping.”
I slung my arm around her shoulders and hugged her back into my side. “Then we’re on the same page.”
Lenny dropped us off at my building and I gave him the rest of the week off, telling him I would see him after New Year’s. Between that and the hefty Christmas bonus I’d given him, I feltlike a pretty good boss. He deserved it, of course, but it also felt nice to spread some of the joy I was feeling, now that things with Clara had gotten straightened out.
I felt like Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas morning, ready to run through the streets and tell everyone about the magic of the holidays. But since I didn’t want to spend the next few days getting evaluated by psychiatrists, I instead grabbed Clara’s bag and mine, then walked her inside the building.
“Welcome home,” I told her.
The elevator up took a long time, and I started getting nervous, not sure if she would like the surprise I had waiting for her. It was cheesy as hell, bordering on lame, but once I had the idea, I moved heaven and earth to make it happen before we got back.
The doors opened to my entryway and we walked in. Clara yawned again, blinking into the darkness.
“It’s been a long day,” she murmured. “I think that champagne is catching up to me. The bed is calling my name.”
Without a word, I flipped a switch and Christmas lights blinked to life, bathing us in their multi-colored glow.
Clara gasped, rounding on me. “You didn’t take them down when I left?”
I grinned at her. “I couldn’t do it. And once I found out you were coming back with me, I called in some people to add more.” I flipped a second switch, and the room went from bright to blinding.
“Luke!” She clapped her hands over her mouth, wide eyes no longer sleepy as she looked around at the elaborate designs the decorating crew had added to the walls. They had programmed the lights somehow, making all kinds of Christmas shapes appear as if by magic. Trees, gingerbread men, holly wreaths, and of course, candy canes.
“I wanted to prove to you I was sorry about before.” I smiled at the vibrant decorations. “I wanted you to come home to a nice surprise.”
Clara teared up. “I love it. This was a wonderful surprise. So thoughtful.”
We walked deeper into the penthouse.
“You got a tree, too?” she asked.
“I figured I owed you one. But that’s not the big surprise.” I took her hand and led her to the other side of the living room.
Clara looked at me, eyes confused. “There’s a bigger surprise than this? I know I joked about it but I hope you didn’t get me an actual reindeer.”
I laughed and shook my head. “I considered it, but can you imagine walking one of those things? Do they even make poop bags big enough to pick up their mess?”
She snorted and leaned into me. “Garbage bags maybe.”
I swept out my arm and gestured at the giant nutcrackers, which had an addition to their outfits. “Behold!”
“Luke, I’m going to die.”
I had gotten a couple of custom sweaters made for the wooden giants, featuring two elves riding unicorns, with Clara’s and my face superimposed on their heads. They were nutcracker-sized versions of the sweaters Clara had gotten personalized for us.
“How?” she asked through her happy tears.
“Well, it wasn’t easy, but I found someone who could do it and who was willing to do a rush job.” It had actually been insanely expensive, requiring a whole team of people, but she didn’t need to know that. Her smile was worth every penny. “It’s cheesy. I know.”
She shook her head and one of her tears slid down her cheek. “It’s so cheesy, but I love it. I loveyou.”
Clara kissed me and I pulled her into my arms to kiss her right back.
She dragged me to bed and we made love. It was tender and surprisingly emotional. I kept thinking how amazing it was to have her here again, after I had thought I’d lost her forever. Tonight felt like the first of many together in this bed, in this apartment, in this city.
After, neither one of us were in the mood to sleep. I ordered us takeout and got a fire roaring in the living room. Clara borrowed a fluffy robe and I lounged around in just pajama pants, plenty warm every time I looked at her, adorably bundled up and eating her pad thai.
Outside the windows, it was snowing and we watched the flurries blown this way and that by the winds of fate. Clara and I had been tossed around like that but not anymore. We were both exactly where we were supposed to be.
