Lifting her chin. “You could at least look festive when you drink your coffee with Baileys.”
Cliff grunted, and he went to open up Abigail's gift. He tore it across the front and immediately paused.
Abigail smiled down at him. Cliff just stared down at what seemed to be a picture frame.
“I found that picture when Colt and I cleaned Blake's room. I thought you would want it framed.”
Cliff continued to stare at the picture, unmoving. Mel and I shared a glance, wondering what the hell Abigail had gotten him.
“Thank you,” His eyes welled with tears. “Thank you. I thought I’d never find this picture again.”
“Getting soft in your old age, Dad,” Colt says, lightening the mood, and Cliff quickly wipes a tear before anyone can see it fall.
“Ya, I know. I need to get laid soon.”
“Cliff,” Nora swatted at his arm. “Children.” She said, glaring at him.
“Oh, sorry.”
“Grandpa, what’s laid?” Bodie asked.
“Uh, it’s just another way of saying, I need to get a doctor's checkup. Yup. I need to go see a doctor soon.”
“The love doctor,” I muttered under my breath. And Colt and I stifled a laugh as Cliff grabbed his lukewarm coffee on the table next to him. “Just wait until you knuckleheads get to my age.” He stood up and walked into the kitchen, murmuring, “I wish this coffee did have some Bailey’s in it.”
The morning rolls on in a blur of shared stories, torn wrapping paper, and the soft humming of Christmas music. It’s one of those mornings when time slows, and the simple joy of being surrounded by people who feel like home makes the holiday magic come alive.
Snowflakes drifted lazily through the air. Hours later and we are headed back home. Melanie wanted to check on her motherand make sure she was doing okay, since she stayed behind. Melanie invited her to Colt’s house, but she said she didn’t have any gifts so she felt bad coming over empty-handed, and I could tell Melanie didn’t care about the gifts. She just wanted her to spend time with her on Christmas Day.
“It’s really coming down now,” Melanie says, looking out her passenger window. “It’s so beautiful.”
“How long has it been since you’ve seen snow?”
“I’ve seen snow every time my parents took me skiing in Colorado. But I've never seen it on Christmas Day. That’s why I was hoping it would snow today.”
She turned to face me and I swear it felt like my heart was going to explode. Warmth filled my chest.Her voluminous hair cascaded past her shoulders like a golden waterfall. Her blue eyes glistened against the twilight sky.
She was so damn beautifulespecially when she smiled.
My phone dinged on the dashboard, reminding me I had an extra stop to make before I could take Melanie home and ravish her.
“The alarm app for the restaurant pingged twice when I was at Colt’s so I need to stop over there and check it out. Is that okay?”
“Sure, it’s not like I’m in a hurry. Everything is closed so I know my mom couldn’t have gone anywhere. And she’s there with Loco so we can take all the time in the world.”
“All the time in the world, huh? Did you have anything particular in mind?”
She began twirling her hair as she propped her feet up on the dashboard. Tapping the bottom of her chin with her index finger, she hummed. “A few things.”
“Oh ya, like…”
“Like making pasta.”
“Are you hungry?”
“Starving.” She said, biting her lip, and I was picking up what she was putting down. The restaurant was the first place I fucked her, and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t wanted to do it again. In fact, it crossed my mind every time I was in my office.
“Well then, I better feed my princess.” Rounding around the corner, we pulled up to Billa Ravenna. The warm glow of Christmas lights flickered in the restaurant windows, but something felt…off. The air was still, too, still. The snow-covered pavement reflected the dim streetlights, casting eerie shadows that danced in the corners of my vision.
