by Parker, Ali
She smirked. “I told you it was rough.”
I laughed. “I overslept.”
“So, did I. My mom said she woke you up.”
I nodded. “Yes. I managed to get pants on, but that was it. I gave them quite the eyeful.”
She laughed. “I don’t think they noticed.”
“Good. I would hate to scar them for life.”
She walked into the pantry. I grabbed two mugs from the shelf and filled them with water before popping them in the microwave. I was lost in thought, thinking about Christmas and my parents and all the years I had spent alone. They said you couldn’t miss what you didn’t know. I had never really felt sad about being alone, but after spending time with Cadence and her family, I would definitely miss it.
I dreaded the next Christmas. I would likely be alone and miserable. All I would be able to think about was what I didn’t have. That would lead me down a dark, lonely road I didn’t want to go down. I tried to shake off the sadness that suddenly washed over me. I was feeling shitty about something that hadn’t even happened.
Cadence and the girls were there now. I was going to ruin the great Christmas right in front of me if I got too caught up in the self-pity.
“Is everything okay?” Cadence asked.
I turned to look at her. “What? Why? I’m fine.”
“You were sighing.”
I grabbed her hand, kissed the back of it, and smiled. “I’m sorry. I had a moment. This has all been so good. I don’t want it to end.”
She kissed me. “It’s not over.”
“I have something I want to give you. I’m not sure when we might get another minute alone.”
“No!” she said.
“No?” I asked. “What do you mean no?”
“You have done so much for us already. I can’t accept anything from you.”
“Sure, you can.”
“Gabriel, you are too much. I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’re happy,” I answered.
“I’m happy. This is turning out to be the best Christmas ever. You have made it something special and something I know we will all look back on with fondness for years to come. This is a magical winter wonderland and it is just perfect the way it is.”
I smiled. “Great. I’m glad you feel that way, but there is still something I want to give you. It’s my way of saying thanks. It’s been a long time since I had a family to share Christmas with, and I want to show you how thankful I am for you, the girls, and your mom.”
Her face softened. “Okay.”
Chapter 30
Cadence
The man was going to spoil me. He was going to make me never want to leave and return to my real world. When I was at the retreat with him, it was like being in a fantasy land. Everything was different when I was with him. I felt like a princess. He was kind and considerate and always checking to make sure I had everything I wanted and needed.
“Gabriel, I really can’t believe you got me anything,” I said as he walked to a cupboard and squatted down.
He turned to look at me with a silly grin on his face. “I hid it in here.”
“What? Why?”
He laughed. “I didn’t want you to stumble across it in my cabin.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not digging through your underwear drawer.”
He got up, his hand behind him as he walked toward me. “You can dig through anything you want. I have nothing to hide, except what I’m hiding behind my back.” He laughed.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He stood in front of me, the lighthearted laughter gone and replaced with something far more serious. I could see he was nervous. I waited, letting him take his time. “For you,” he said, handing me the small, flat package wrapped in gold with a perfect red bow on top.
“Gabriel—”
“Don’t say it. I wanted to do it. I wanted to get you something. Honestly, I’ve never had anyone to give gifts to. Leo doesn’t count. I want you to have it.”
I nodded, words escaping me as my shaking hands carefully unwrapped the ribbon holding the paper on the box. He didn’t say a word as he watched. The girls’ laughter in the other room was barely audible over the sound of my heart pounding in my ears.
I opened the box and gasped. “Gabriel.”
I picked up the dainty diamond necklace with my fingers, almost afraid to touch it. I ran my thumb over the teardrop diamond. It was simple and elegant and perfect.
“If you don’t like it, you can return it. I wasn’t sure what your style was. I’ve never seen you wear jewelry, but I saw this, and I thought of you.”
My heart pounded and tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision. “It’s beautiful. I will absolutely never take it back.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
I looked into his eyes. “Thank you. I honestly don’t know what to say. I’m overwhelmed. This is a first for me.”
“Which part?” he asked.
“All of it,” I said with a small laugh. “I’ve never been given jewelry. I’ve never gotten a gift from a man.”
“Your husband?” he asked with confusion.
I smiled, slowly shaking my head. “No. Trent didn’t give gifts. He couldn’t. He was broke as a joke and buying gifts for anyone would take money from his own pockets.”
His eyes danced with anger. “I’m sorry. You should be treated so much better than that.”
“I realize that now, but when I was living in the situation, I didn’t get it. I was so young when I got together with Trent. I knew nothing else. I had a couple of boyfriends in high school, but Trent was my first real relationship. I was naïve and didn’t see what a horrible man he was. I hate that I wasted so much of my life with him, but it’s in the past.”
“You’re moving forward,” he agreed.
“Will you help me put this on?” I asked.
“You want to wear it?” he asked with surprise.
I smiled. “Of course, I want to wear it. It’s lovely.”
He smiled, looking proud. I turned around and moved the ponytail out of the way. His fingers brushed over my neck as he worked the clasp. I turned back around to let him see it on me.
“Perfect. It’s perfect for you. It’s dainty and gorgeous, just like you.”
I checked behind me to make sure we were still alone and leaned forward to give him a quick kiss. “Thank you. You’ve made this a very special time and I am grateful for all of it.”
“You’re welcome,” he answered. “Now, we better get this cocoa and food out there before they come looking for us.”
We carried everything to a table, sitting down and eating the small breakfast as the girls regaled us with tales of why they wanted a certain toy. I had left their handheld games in the car. I wasn’t surprised that they never asked for them. The retreat offered more fun and entertainment.
“I need to get started on that ham,” my mom said, getting up from her chair in front of the fire.
“I’ll help,” Gabriel said, jumping up.
She held up her hand. “I don’t want to be rude, but I do much better in the kitchen when it’s just me. I don’t like people playing in my sandbox.”
Gabriel looked at me.
I grinned. “She’s not lying. Trust me. It’s safer for all parties involved if you stay out of her way. She’ll call us in when it’s time to peel potatoes. She saves the grunt work for her lackey. Me. I’m her lackey.”
He laughed. “Got it. I will keep my butt out of the kitchen.”
“All your other parts as well,” my mom said before heading into her domain.
Gabriel watched her go before taking his seat again. “I feel guilty having her cook the meal. She’s my guest and she’s doing all the cooking.”
“She loves to cook. This is her thing. She needs to feel needed.”
He nodded but didn’t look like he totally got it. “But she’ll be on her feet for hours. I wanted her to relax.”
I grinned
. “Once she’s done cooking and the meal is served, she will relax. I have a feeling she’ll sit right here and not move for a few hours. I’ll be on cleanup duty.”
“We’ll be on cleanup duty,” he corrected. “There is no way I’m letting you clean after she cooked. Not. Going. To. Happen.”
“Works for me. I think the girls are going to be ready for a nap after dinner. I know I will be.”
He looked at me, that same look that said he was thinking about sex. “I could use a nap.”
I laughed. “You’re insatiable.”
“Only with you.”
I relaxed into the chair, the diamond resting against my chest. I was never taking the necklace off. It would always serve as a reminder of Gabriel and the time we spent together. I didn’t know what was in our future and I didn’t care to think about it. I wanted to live in that moment.
I turned my head to watch the girls play together without fighting. The crackling fire and the smells emanating from the kitchen gave me a feeling of calm I had never felt before. I turned my head to look over at Gabriel. His eyes were closed, and I suspected he might be asleep. He looked so relaxed and peaceful. I imagined I had a similar look on my face. I felt completely at ease. I had zero cares. I could live in that moment for the rest of my days.
“I need to get some wood for the fire,” Gabriel said, getting up and dropping a kiss on top of my head. “Oh shit.”
“It’s fine,” I assured him, knowing the kiss had been out of habit. We’d held off showing any signs of affection in front of the girls because I didn’t want them to ask questions.
“Sorry,” he said before walking out of the hall.
I turned to see if the girls had noticed. They had. They were both looking at me and smiling. “What?” I asked defensively.
“He likes you,” Autumn teased.
I smiled. “Maybe he does. I’m going to see if Nanny needs any help. Be good and don’t go outside.” I walked into the kitchen. The smell of baking ham and a variety of herbs and spices made my stomach growl. “Can I help with anything?”
“Not yet. I’ll need the potatoes peeled in an hour.”
I nodded, lifting the lid on a pot and earning a swat to the back of my hand. I laughed, shaking my head. Some things never changed. “Okay.”
“That’s a pretty necklace,” she commented.
I reached my hand up to touch it. “Thank you.”
“I assume he gave that to you?”
I nodded. “He did.”
She put down the large knife she’d been using to cut carrots. “Don’t feel guilty.”
“I don’t.”
“Liar. I know you too well. You feel guilty, like you don’t deserve it. You do. You deserve nice things. You deserve a good man that will treat you right and put your needs in front of his own.”
“It feels strange,” I told her.
She sighed. “And for that, I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t feel strange about a man treating you like a queen. I should have put my foot down and forbade you from seeing Trent.”
I scoffed. “We both know that would have never worked.”
“Your father hated to see you with Trent. He accepted him for your sake, but he wanted you to be treated well. He would like Gabriel. Gabriel is the kind of man that knows how valuable you are. I can see it every time he looks at you. He treasures you. That’s the way a woman should be treated.”
I smiled, knowing she was right. “He’s a good man.”
“Yes, he is. Now get your butt back out there and spend time with that good man. I’ll holler when I need your help.”
I left the kitchen and froze in the doorway. I sucked in a breath of air. I couldn’t move. I stared at the scene before me and felt my world shift beneath my feet.
“What’s wrong?” my mother asked, coming to my side.
We both watched as Gabriel played with the girls. He was sitting on the floor, dressing one of the Barbie dolls. I couldn’t begin to put words to what I felt. She patted my shoulder. “Don’t let that one get away,” she whispered before returning to the stove.
I joined them, sitting down and playing with my daughters and the man that was making me fall very hard for him. We played until my mom called us for our late lunch. She’d let us play and peeled the potatoes herself. After we stuffed ourselves to the point of misery, none of us were up for doing much of anything.
“I’m going to take the girls back to the cabin,” my mom announced after dinner. “We could all use a little rest.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said, knowing she was giving me more time alone with Gabriel.
“I guess we should probably tackle that mess,” Gabriel said, looking at the table still cluttered with dirty dishes.
I groaned. “You really need to hire a maid.”
He laughed. “Actually, I’m hoping to be able to do that. I leave in a couple of days to plead my case for that funding.”
“Really? I didn’t know it was so soon.”
He nodded. “Yes. Would you like to go with me? It’s in New York. It would be two days.”
I hesitated, nearly referring to my knee-jerk response to decline the invitation before I thought about it. “I’ll need to check with my mom to see if she could watch Hazel and Autumn, but I’d love to.”
“Really?” he asked with surprise.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and kissed him. “Yes, really. I would love an excuse to spend more time alone with you. Besides, it’s the least I can do. You’ve done so much for us. This is truly the best Christmas I have ever had in my twenty-seven years on the planet.”
He kissed me. “This is my best Christmas ever as well. You’ve opened my eyes to a whole new world.”
I held him close, both of us ignoring the dirty dishes and relishing each other’s touch. It was going to be very hard to go home after such an amazing few days.
Chapter 31
Gabriel
I wasn’t being abandoned, but that was how I felt. Soon, I was back to being alone. I wouldn’t even have Leo around to annoy me. It was me and the trees and the task of cleaning up the aftermath of the best Christmas I had ever gotten to experience. I was still buzzing from the elation, but the coming goodbye was going to be hard.
“Is this one ready?” I asked Cadence as I picked up a suitcase.
“Yes, that’s ready to go and so is that bag of stuff by the door.”
I picked up the bag and walked it to the waiting car. Laura came out of the dining hall carrying the small box of leftovers I insisted she take. She’d left me plenty. I didn’t want all the good food to go to waste. She’d spent a lot of time making us a feast that would not soon be forgotten.
Hazel and Autumn were in the dining hall getting in some last-minute playtime with the dollhouse. Laura put the box in the car and returned to the hall. I took advantage of them all being occupied and went back to my cabin to say my private goodbye to Cadence.
I knocked on the door once before walking in. Cadence was wiping down the single counter in my small kitchen. “What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m cleaning up. I’m not going to leave you with a mess.”
“It’s fine.”
She stopped what she was doing and looked around. “I guess that’s it then. We’re packed and ready.”
I walked to her, put my arms around her, and held her close. “I’ll miss having you guys around.”
“I’ll miss seeing you as well.”
“But I’ll see you in two days?” I asked.
“Yes. I need to talk to my mom, but I’m sure she won’t mind watching the girls.”
I gave her a quick kiss. “I look forward to spending time with you. We’ll eat dinner at a nice restaurant and see the city if you’d like.”
She looked up and smiled. “I would definitely like that.”
I walked her out to her waiting car. Laura was just coming out with Hazel and Autumn. The girls didn’t look happy.
“What’s wrong?” I asked Au
tumn, who was pouting.
“We don’t want to leave.”
I smiled and squatted down in front of her. “I had a really great time. Thank you for coming to hang out with me. Maybe you’ll be able to come again.”
Her face lit up. “Really?”
“It’s up to your mom, but anytime you guys want to come here, she can give me a call.”
She threw her arms around my neck, nearly knocking me on my butt. “I love you!”
Her words stunned me. I patted her back. “I love you too,” I said, not sure what else to say and certainly not wanting to hurt her feelings.
I got to my feet and helped get her in the car. Laura and Hazel were already inside with their seatbelts on. Cadence was standing next to the car, staring at me. She was probably not happy to hear what Autumn had said. I hoped it wasn’t too weird.
“You’re a good man,” she said in a quiet voice.
“Thank you. You’re a good woman.”
She laughed. “I’ll see you in a couple of days. Thank you so much for everything. You really outdid yourself and this was so much fun.”
“Thank you for coming. Drive safe.”
I watched them leave, waving as the car disappeared. Just like that, the retreat felt huge and desolate. I was all alone once again. It didn’t feel quite as comforting as it usually did. I turned around, hands on my hips and scanned the area. It felt so lifeless without the girls bouncing about and chatting a mile a minute.
I would only be gone a couple of days and could put off taking down the many lights and decorations, or I could get started on it right then. It was going to be a monumental task. I decided to eat some pie and give Leo a call before I tackled the project.
I cut a large slice of the apple pie Laura had made and carried it to the chair by the fire. It wasn’t the same without Cadence there. It was crazy that in a matter of days, I had grown accustomed to having her sitting beside me.
I took a couple of bites before calling Leo. He had texted last night and then again this morning. I promised to call him as soon as I was alone. I didn’t want to waste a single, precious minute with my guests by being on the phone with him.
