Some of the people in the parade snuck weird glances at me, or at least it felt as if they watched me and I wondered if I had anything on my face. In contrary to some of the other women, I hadn’t dressed to impress.
No, instead, I was dressed to be warm and effing enjoy it. Only thing I did skip—as always—was gloves. They freaked me out, made me feel as if I couldn’t use my hands, and no matter how weird that was, I refused to wear them.
Adjusting the white beanie on my head, I watched as the parade stopped for a few minutes while somewhere a group of dancers probably performed something small, then the whole procession continued.
Angels walked up, the wings huge and fluffy, and all of them seemed to grin at me as they passed—until the procession stopped again.
The angels moved a little, staring at me, and I felt weird, especially as the people left and right of me stepped aside and someone placed a wooden board right in front of my feet.
“People of the parade, you know that we always try to make this thing special.” The mayor’s voice came through the speakers, and yet it also sounded as if it was insanely close to me.
I glanced around, spotting him standing not too far off with a microphone. “What are you missing most this Christmas?” he asked a woman there, holding out the mic.
She mumbled something about her grandmother down in Florida, then turned away. Next he asked a little boy a few people over, and he stated that he was missing Santa already. It caused me to smile.
He asked a few more before he stopped in front of me. “And you?”
I licked my lips, instantly thinking of Blue and it brought tears to my eyes.
Tears I didn’t want to fall in front of so many people.
“Well, I got here with my best friend and my brother, and they abandoned me. I guess I miss them,” I joked. “And some mulled wine.”
The people chuckled and I smiled. The mayor arched a brow. “And that brings tears to your eyes?”
I shook my head, realizing he wasn’t going to let it go. “I’m a military girlfriend, and he didn’t get off for the holidays. I miss him. In fact, I’ve missed him more this time around than I did ever before.”
Sounds of sympathy reached my ears and some people clapped lightly. The mayor’s eyes were soft. “Must be hard.”
I shrugged. “Would be harder if I wouldn’t know he was in my life. Has to be even harder for him, not being here, where it’s safe, but being somewhere else entirely.”
He smiled. “You’d bring him back if you could?”
I softly smiled. “I’d give my last shirt for it, yes,” I replied.
“Luckily you won’t have to.”
My heart stopped and I couldn’t believe I’d heard his voice. Frantically I glanced around, but I didn’t see him. “Blue? God, I must be going insane. I can hear him,” I muttered and the mayor laughed.
“We all can, darling. Please, everyone, welcome home Staff Sergeant Theodore Jacob!”
The angels in front of me parted and revealed the guy who held my heart, beaming at me. I wanted to run to him, wanted to say all the things, but I was frozen. Instead, tears fell in rapid succession, making it look as if I wasn’t the least bit happy to see him.
He stepped up to me, giving me a smile. “Hey, princess!”
It was that which propelled me into his arms, sobbing like hell. I couldn’t seem to stop, couldn’t let go even though I knew hundreds of people were watching.
Once I had calmed down marginally, he stepped back—and then knelt on the wooden board. “Princess,” he started, opening his hand and presenting a ring nestled in black satin.
Suddenly the crowd around us got quiet as he took my hand in his free one. “I know I told you that we wouldn’t go there until I knew it was safe, but truth be told, I cannot wait. I’d be selfish to not let you carry my name if that’s what you want. You’ve been the only woman who ever managed to get under my skin like this. Seeing you, remembering how we’d first met… I’ve never felt as protective of a person as I do of you. Everything about you exudes strength, and you are the calm after my storm.
“When I’m away there’s not a single moment I don’t wish you’d be with me. I don’t regret you stopping your overseas reports, but I do regret not having you with me at all times. You keep me alive in the best way possible. When the nights get dark, you are my stars and my moon. You are my life, and you will be until I take my last breath. Even that one will be spent kissing you, because it’s the best way I can see this ending.
“I want you to be mine in every way possible, and that means I have an incredibly important question for you. Will you, Katecia Newer, be my wife?”
Blue
I was glad for the wooden board because it kept me dry and clean, but as I knelt there, watching tears stream down Kate’s face, I wondered if maybe I should have just given her one surprise instead of appearing and then asking for her hand.
She seemed to be frozen, her hand covering her lips as she watched me.
The air was crackling with tension as everyone waited and seconds dragged by. I’d never been this suspended in time, feeling like it didn’t pass at all even while it was slipping by endlessly.
Suddenly she dropped to her knees on the board, too, ignoring the hand I held out with the ring and falling around my neck instead. “You are home,” she whispered, her words amplified by the mix the mayor still held close to us.
I didn’t think she’d even realized that.
“Yes,” I replied while people around us uneasily chuckled.
One surprise would have been enough.
“You know, this is kinda awkward with the ring and all,” I joked, hoping she didn’t realize how panic crept into my voice. I had no doubt that she loved me, but if she thought I just did this because she’d wanted it, there was a very real chance she’d turn me down.
I should’ve thought about that before.
“What? I… Of course, you idiot. There’s nothing I want more than to be Mrs. Theodore Jacobs,” she finally answered, her voice much steadier than her tear-filled eyes would let on.
I exhaled as the crowd erupted into cheers. I leaned back enough to take her hand and gently push the diamond up her finger, my hands trembling even worse now even though I knew she’d said yes.
I picked her up then and stood with her, not the least bit surprised that she was lighter than I remembered. In the end, it didn’t really matter because I was here now and I’d take care of her.
Eventually I lowered her to her own two feet and finally kissed her. The music started up again and the parade continued without me. I also knew where Lottie and Jackson went, but it was kind of adorable that Kate didn’t seem to guess.
I took her side, pulling off my gloves to feel her skin against mine, and I couldn’t even begin to expression how it felt being home now.
“If you’d have made me wait a second longer, I’d have thrown you over my shoulder and would have told you that we’re discussing this somewhere else,” I told her and she chuckled. I loved everything about how she looked with her beanie and no makeup on. There’d never been a more beautiful woman out there, and I knew exactly how lucky I was.
My heart started to race for a whole different reason now. She’d been this overwhelmed by me showing up, I didn’t think she could handle what else I had in store for her.
I leaned closer to her. “Do you really want to watch the parade?”
She shook her head and I grinned. “Good, because I think we should grab some mulled wine to go, and then go home.”
Kate nodded, allowing me to lead her out of the crowd. A few people stopped us to tell her how happy they were for her, then we managed to get away. “I cannot believe you and Jackson are both home. I also cannot believe I now wonder where I can put him so we can have all the time to ourselves. You know, at night at least.”
She pinched my ass and I gaped at her. “Excuse me, future Mrs. Jacobs. It seems your hand slipped.”
Her lau
ghter was instant and beautiful, but then she sobered. “I am so glad you’re here. So glad.”
Something crossed her face then and she cleared her throat. “I have a confession to make though.”
I had an idea what was coming, but made sure to keep my features schooled. “Yes?”
“I didn’t decorate a single thing. I didn’t even take the boxes down. They made me think of you and that you’re not there, and I just couldn’t.” She turned into me, hiding her face against my chest. I kissed the top of her hair.
“We’ll do it together. It’s much more fun anyway.”
She lifted her eyes, searching my face, but seemed to relax when she saw I wasn’t going to make a big fuss. I wouldn’t lie, it had worried me, but well… Things had changed.
The way home took us about an hour on foot, especially with how slow we were walking, and I told her all about why I was back home and how I’d buried three unknown soldiers this week.
She understood how hard it had been.
Suddenly her steps faltered. “I…” She shook her head. “I know for a fact that I turned the porch light off.”
It had sprung to life the moment we were close enough, and I grinned to myself. The rest of the house was dark, and only her car in the drive.
Everything was exactly right and I touched my cell in my pocket, glad that I’d been prepared enough to only have to hit a button and we’d be good. “It was flakey before I left. Maybe it is still flakey. Or maybe you forgot. The way I know you, you were in a rush when leaving.”
She blushed. “True, okay, come on.”
She unlocked the door and then turned before opening it behind her back. “Welcome home, soldier,” she stated, beaming.
“Welcome home, future Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs!” Lottie called from behind her and suddenly the whole house lit up, inside and out. Kate’s jaw dropped, but her best friend didn’t give her a chance to gather her wits. “I’m so happy. Sucks I missed the proposal live, but we got a video of it, and OMG!”
She squeezed Kate’s cheeks while I stepped in. “Surprise. And I fear you don’t need to relocate Jackson because I brought three more people to hang around for Christmas if you don’t mind.” Cas, Gin, and Machine stepped out of the shadows, looking sheepish.
It didn’t take longer than a second for Kate to run over to them and hug them tight.
As I said, Kate and my unit were tight.
Also, she’d dealt much better with this surprise than I’d expected, but damn, even I couldn’t stop from beaming because this?
This was a fucking dream come true.
Kate
It was late when the house finally settled. I didn’t think I could have been happier knowing Blue was home, but considering he’d brought the guys home who were like family to both of us, I realized there had been a way to top it off.
And after all the surprises he’d given me that day, it was now my turn to surprise him.
There was exactly one Christmas item I’d bought for the house—although the others decorating had proved that we owned enough Christmas decoration—and I wanted to show it to Blue.
He was in the bathroom, showering off the day. For some reason neither of the guys had changed out of their uniforms until much later, and Blue had been dying for a shower, but considering there were six people in this house now, we needed to take turns.
Which I didn’t mind at all because we got the master bath for us after ten.
I changed into the clothes Blue favored on me: a black lace thong and a baby doll nightie that barely reached above my ass.
I also took out the battery-operated Christmas lights. They were warm in color and cute enough to be not overpowering. I’d meant to record a video for Blue and send it to him via email, but now he could see it in person.
And lucky for me, I’d already practiced.
When he came in with nothing but a towel around his waist, I almost forgot that I wanted to seduce him, and not the other way around.
“Katecia,” he whispered, stopping dead in his tracks.
I pushed onto my knees, lifting a hand to my lips, knowing he could see the way I was biting them. “That almost sounded like a prayer,” I whispered. “Why don’t you come closer?”
He stood, staring, and I realized that his hands were trembling. Instantly all my bravado went right out of the window. “Theo?” I asked, my voice cracking.
I blindly fumbled for the end of the lights, wanting to get them off me, but before I could, he was on the bed with one knee, both his hands framing my face, kissing me as if his life depended on it.
Hell, he kissed me as if the fate of the entire world rode on this kiss.
When he pulled back, we were broth breathless. “I should have married you right after I got back from that deployment.”
He didn’t need to elaborate, and I didn’t ask him to. “I agree. You should have, but just because I’d have owned all the army wife merch by now. However, what did bring that on?”
Blue chuckled, then ditched the towel and slipped on simple black boxers before returning to my side. “You are by far the most beautiful, sexiest woman I’ve ever met. And so compassionate and kind, and open. Bringing the boys back I wasn’t sure what you’d think about sharing Christmas with—”
“Family? Always a great idea. And if they didn’t have any other place they wanted to be? I’m perfectly fine with that.” I also wondered how I hadn’t realized that moving north would one day mean that Blue wouldn’t see the guys again.
Well, seemed there was a talk we’d have to have some other time. I loved the north, loved the snow and the seasons, but Blue’s base was in Georgia, and so were his guys.
Most of them anyway.
He lowered his head, resting it against my shoulder and it took me a few seconds to realize that his whole body was shaking. I cupped his cheek and it came away wet. I’d been expecting an emotional breakdown, but not exactly when I had been trying to seduce him.
“Talk to me,” I pleaded, brushing my thumb back and forth across his lips.
“I’ve never realized how incredibly lucky I was, and now… I don’t know.” I heard the small smile in his voice. “I’ll be fine in a second. I promise.”
He was crying because he was happy, nothing else.
I crawled into his lap, pulling him against me and peppering his head with small kissed until the trembling in his body ebbed away and was barely perceptible.
“Can I unlight now?” I asked, hoping he knew what I meant.
Blue chuckled and then placed me on them, his eyes going dark. “No, but I’ll unwrap you, if you don’t mind.”
Oh, I definitely didn’t mind at all.
The End
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Thank you
I want to thank all those who didn’t stop believing in me even when I was quiet. Meet Blue and Kate, and look forward to reading their entire story in A Soldier To Miss (Camouflage Love #1) coming in 2021.
Unexpected Christmas - Muriel Garcia
Chapter 1
Christmas sucks!
As a kid, I used to love Christmas. My mum, my brother, my sister, and I would always get “the Christmas fever,” as my dad used to say. Once Halloween was over and done with, we’d get everything ready for Christmas.
Yes, we were those kinds of people who would start decorating two months early.
We were ready for it. There wasn’t a day when we wouldn’t sing Christmas carols, get dressed in cosy pyjamas, and drink hot chocolate sitting by the fireplace and watch Christmas movies. Those were our traditions for many years.
Sadly, my parents are no longer with us. My brother and sister have moved away from London, and they always seem too busy with their own families to think about what Christ
mas used to be for us.
After my parents’ passing, we’d still celebrate it as it was such a happy time for us. We all wanted to honour their memory, but for the past five years, we haven’t done anything together. We barely call each other to give good wishes. It’s not for the lack of trying on my part. I’d love nothing more than to be able to spend the holidays with what’s left of my family, but they’ve got other plans and their own families now. I understand that they want to make their own traditions, and I’m happy for them, but selfishly, I hate it, and I’ve grown to hate Christmas so much.
I’ve been single for the past six months, and as much as it hurts that I’ll be on my own for Christmas, it’s better than spending it with the lowlife piece of shit I once called my boyfriend.
Jeremy and I met when I was in college. We were both studying advertising, and while I was successful at it, he wasn’t. He failed and had to take any job he could find to make a living. He was bitter and jealous about the fact that I had the job and the life he wanted. It’s not like we weren’t splitting evenly when we were going out or on holidays. He just couldn’t get over the fact that I was earning twice as much as he was. So, he started stealing from me. I don’t know exactly when it started because I never expected him to do that kind of thing to me. I always assumed that if he needed money for something, he’d save up for it or ask for it for Christmas.
Hell, I’m not even the one who noticed it. Caroline, my best friend, came over one night and noticed my favourite vase was gone. I walked past it more than once a day, so I didn’t notice it anymore. I was shocked. At first I thought Jeremy had broken it by accident, and I figured he was scared to tell me. I mentioned it to him one day and he got really upset with me. Not in the way that he was sorry he broke it and didn’t know how to tell me because he knew how much I loved that vase, but more in a “how dare you doubt me and question me like that” way. After that, I started to notice things missing, like pieces of jewellery, some money from my wallet. Even one of my favourite jackets and bags went missing.
Christmas Wishes: A Christmas Romance Anthology Page 7
