“Thanks for your help, Michael,” I say as we wave him off.
“’Night, boys.” He gets into the truck.
As soon as he pulls away, I grab Cam’s hand and drag him in the direction of our car. I can’t wait to get him home and reward him for his patience.
Chapter Seventeen
Cam
The suds swirl inthe sink as I hum softly to myself while scrubbing the casserole dish. Greg sidles up beside me with a tea towel.
“Thanks for giving me a hand with this. You must be sick and tired of taking care of dishes,” he says, taking the pot.
I chuckle. “Hey, I’m not complaining. Especially when my husband put such a delicious meal on the table. You cook, I wash… seems like a good deal to me.”
He pulls me in for a quick kiss, his lips soft and familiar, and tasting vaguely of the red wine we’d shared with our meal. I try to deepen the kiss, but he steps back with a tsk. “Not until we’ve finished here.”
I pout and turn back to the sink, twisting the faucet handle to shut off the water. What follows is blissful silence—no drops, no leaks. I beam at him.
“Can you believe it? The new faucet is the best Christmas present ever!” I turn it on and off again just to marvel at the lack of dripping.
Greg laughs. “Gee, you’re easy to please.”
“Hmm. Not that easy.” I look around the newly completed kitchen. With the freshly painted walls, pale cabinets, and new blue tiles, it’s bright and inviting. The reclaimed wood shelves hold our eclectic mix of mugs and cookbooks. It’s perfect—cozy and rustic. The kitchen is the heart of our home, the place where we cook together, laugh together, and dance together like crazy idiots. I catch Greg’s eye and smile. “It’s everything I dreamed it would be. You’ve done an amazing job with this reno, babe. I mean, look at this place. It’s stunning. And you managed it all on a minimum budget while still taking care of your clients.”
Greg shrugs, a small smile playing on his lips. “You helped with the painting, Cam. And I know you would’ve done more if CC’s hadn’t been so busy with the Christmas rush, the markets, and the Bash.”
“Well, I absolutely love it.” I step close, sliding my arms around his waist.
“And we got it finished before Christmas, so that’s another win.” He leans in and presses another kiss to my lips. When he pulls back, there’s a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. “Hey, you ready for your Christmas present?”
I blink, surprised. “Now? But it’s only Christmas Eve.”
“I know, but I can’t wait any longer.” His grin widens, and he waggles his brows. “So, what do you say? Want your gift?”
My heart flip-flops in my chest, as he puts on a display of puppy-dog eyes. God, I love his playful side, and I can never say no when he looks at me like that. “Absolutely,” I say. “Bring it on.”
“Wait right here.” After a quick peck to my cheek, he disappears into the hall, leaving me standing in the kitchen watching his retreating back.
With a chuckle, I hang up the tea towel. I can’t wait to see what he has for me, although I assume he’s finally doingthe bathroom reveal. The anticipation has been killing me—I’ve been forbidden to look for all these weeks. Now I finally get to see the results of his hard work. Greg’s always been thoughtful with his gifts, putting care into choosing things that are meaningful to me, to us. I think back to last Christmas, how nervous he was handing me the carefully wrapped present. The way his face lit up when I opened it and immediately looped the hand-knitted scarf around my neck, pulling him in for a kiss. It was an honor to be the recipient of his first ever knitting project even if it was just a bunch of colored squares sewn together. And now, standing in our dream kitchen, I’m reminded all over again of how lucky I am.
I hear his footsteps coming back down the hall and I turn, a smile already spreading across my face for whatever surprise he has planned.
He appears in the doorway, a grin on his face, as he reaches out his hand. “Come with me.”
I take his hand, and he leads me down the hall. We pause outside the bathroom door where the handle now bears a huge read bow. Greg turns to me, his eyes sparkling. “Ready?”
I nod, reaching for the handle and pushing open the door. I step inside, my breath catching in my throat. Greg promised me the bathroom of my dreams and he’s more than delivered.
The room is awash in the warm glow of candlelight, the flickering flames casting dancing shadows on the tiled walls. The air is fragrant with the scent of lavender, and soft music plays from a Bluetooth speaker in the corner. The bathtub is filled to the brim with steaming water and topped with a fluffy layer of bubbles. I take a step forward, feeling the heat of the floor through my socks, perfect for the cold winter weather.
I run my hand along the smooth tiles, admiring the gorgeous pattern, and turn to him in awe. “Greg, I can’t believe you did so much of this yourself. This is incredible.”
He leans against the doorframe, smiling. “You deserve a little pampering. What do you think of the shower? Is it what you imagined?”
My gaze falls on the massive shower in the corner, the glass gleaming in the candlelight.
“I might miss our old shower in the laundry room,” I joke, grinning at him. “We had some good times in there.”
