by Emma Tharp
Colin starts folding the napkins Mom left on the table, and places them in front of each place setting. “What now? You’re leaving after the new year, right?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. We’ll work something out.” I’ve just got her back in my life, there’s no way I’m losing her.
“You going to be okay with a long-distance relationship?” he asks, lifting his glass to his lips.
“I’m going to have to be. We only live two hours away. Hell, if I want to drive up to have dinner with her, I can.” I’ll do whatever it takes.
Colin comes up next to me and swats me in the shoulder. “Good to see you this happy again, brother. It’s been a long time.”
He’s right. Far too long. “I’m going to go upstairs and change. Don’t start the meal without me.”
He nods and laughs. As if that would happen.
I run upstairs and yank off my clothes from yesterday, changing into a pair of dark jeans and a maroon pullover. No need for a shower after the thirty minutes I spent in Ellis’s this morning. Good thing the duplex has a big hot water tank. A smile paints my face at the memory of last night and this morning.
Ellis and I just click. We always have. And just like I suspected, our chemistry is insane in the bedroom. We couldn’t get enough of each other. I don’t think I’ll ever have enough of Minnie Ellis. She’s everything I ever wanted and more in a partner. And the longer we’re together, the more I see the old Ellis. She’s sweet, sassy, funny, and so damn beautiful. And it doesn’t hurt that she knows what she likes in bed and isn’t afraid to show me. She truly gave herself to me last night, and that is the best gift she could ever give me.
Smiling, I make my way downstairs and find my family all taking their seats around the table. We fill our plates and catch up with each other. There’s laughter and love at this table and it fills my chest with joy. The only thing that could make this better is sharing it all with Ellis. Next year.
After the meal, my brother and I help Mom clean up and then we join the crew in front of the Christmas tree. There are mountains of presents that get ripped through in no time flat. I give Mom and Dad gift certificates for massages and dinner, and for my brother and Salina I got matching aprons with our last name on them and an engraved wall hanging. Everyone seems happy with their gifts. I receive new socks, cologne, and a watch from my parents. Colin gives me a new five iron that I’ve needed since this summer when we ran over mine in the golf cart after one too many drinks.
It’s a wonderful day with family, but I can barely wait to get back to Ellis’s place. I have one last stop to make before I go to her house, so I tell everyone goodbye and head out.
Thirty minutes later, I’m standing on Ellis’s porch with her gifts in my hands.
She comes to the door and steals my breath away. She’s standing in a red barely-there negligée.
“Wow. You look amazing.” Good enough to eat.
“You got me a tree?” She moves to the side so I can make my way in and set up her new Christmas tree.
“Yeah, my parents had a spare base. I stopped at the Christmas tree farm just now. It was slim pickings, but I wanted you to have one in your new place.”
She wraps her arms around me and kisses me sweetly. “You’re so thoughtful. Thank you.”
I bring the stand in, and set the tree in it in the corner of the living room. It’s a small tree, about five feet, but it fits the place perfectly. From one of the bags I brought, I pull out a string of clear lights that I also found in my parents’ stash. “Shall we?”
“Sure,” she says.
We unwind the lights and string them up on the tree. Plugging it in, they twinkle and brighten up the room.
It isn’t much, but judging by the adoring look in her eyes, I can tell she loves it. “This is amazing. Sit down, I’m going to get your gift.”
“Aren’t you it? This lacey number of yours. It’s all I need.” I pat my lap, hoping she’ll join me.
Holding up one finger, she says, “Just a minute.”
As I watch her walk away, her hips swinging and her skimpy outfit giving me the perfect view of her ass, I almost follow her and drag her to the bedroom.
When she comes back with a wrapped box, she hands it to me. “Merry Christmas.”
“Okay. Thank you.” I rip open the silver paper and inside, there’s a nice bottle of scotch. “Ellis, you didn’t have to get me this.”
“Do you like it? The guy at the liquor store told me this one was the best.”
I set down the bottle and tug her onto my lap. “I love it. Thank you so much. It’s very thoughtful of you.” Her gift is sitting next to me. I grab it and hand it to her.
“What’s this?”
“Open it and find out.”
She pulls off the bow and gently runs her finger along the tape. Her eyes light up when she sees the picture I had framed. It’s of us in high school. We didn’t go to prom together, but we did have our picture taken. We were so young and innocent then. There’s also an ornament in the shape of a skate, in the center is a picture of us from the night we went skating. We snapped a selfie and that’s the photo I used for the ornament.
Tears form at the corner of her eyes. “I love these. They’re perfect.”
Wiping the dampness away with my thumb, I hug her close. “Why are you crying?”
Instead of answering, she kisses me so fully and deeply, I feel it through my entire body.
“What is it?” I ask her. I’d never dreamed that her presents would make her cry.
“I love my gifts, Connor. I love everything about being with you. I…” She brings her head down next to mine. “I love you, Connor, and I hope that doesn’t scare you away, but it’s true and I need to tell you. I’ve been so full of regret over wasting time with Chris that I’m done wasting more.”
“Ellis. That’s the best gift I could ever ask for.” I take her hand in mine. “I love you, too. I’ve been in love with you for so many years, I’ve lost count. Now is our time. We don’t have to waste it anymore. The only thing that scares me is the thought of losing you.”
Our mouths mold together. Without breaking the kiss, I lift her in my arms and carry her to her new bedroom.
Sixteen
Minnie
Getting up early has its perks. I’m able to get to the grocery store and back to start making Connor breakfast before he even notices I’m gone. I get all the basics. Coffee, fruit, eggs, and baking mix. Also, a small bottle of pain relievers. I haven't had much sleep in the past couple of nights—not that I'm complaining, because it's been time well spent with Connor—but lack of sleep always gives me a headache. A dull ache forms between my eyes this morning. I pop a couple and wait for them to kick in.
I'm flipping a pancake when warm arms circle my waist. A smile bright and wide paints my face. I haven't been able to wipe it off my face since I started seeing Connor.
"Good morning, beautiful," Connor whispers in my ear, sending a current of sensations shooting through my body.
Turning, I wrap my arms around Connor's neck and press my lips gently to his. "Good morning. I hope you're hungry."
"Starving. It smells great in here."
"Good. Pour us some coffee and I’ll get you some food," I say while retrieving two plates out of the cupboard. I pile them high with eggs, pancakes, and berries.
Connor meets me at the table with two mugs of steaming coffee.
A girl could get used to this, sitting at breakfast with a caring, thoughtful, very generous in bed, and handsome man, every morning.
"What's that smile for?" Connor asks with an equally toothy grin on his face.
I have a sip of my coffee. "I'm happy. That's all."
"Me, too. In fact, I've been thinking. I have to leave in a week and I'm not looking forward to it."
Me neither. I haven’t let myself think about it. "Okay."
Connor taps his finger against the table. "I want this to continue after I leave. I know long-di
stance relationships aren't ideal, but I'm willing to put in the effort if you are." His eyes look hopeful and sincere.
"I would love that. I'll give it my all, Connor. I want this to work."
His eyes look relieved and hopeful when they scan my face. "Great. That's what I was hoping you would say." He grabs my hand and kisses the back of it. "We're only a couple of hours away from each other. If we want to see each other mid-week, we can make it work. But I plan on seeing you at least every weekend."
My heart couldn't be more thrilled. After going through what I did with Chris, I wasn't sure that I would ever be happy again. "That sounds perfect to me."
Connor takes a big syrupy bite of his pancake and gives me a wicked grin. "Good, it’s settled.” He points at his plate with his fork. “This is delicious. Thanks for cooking. What should we do today?"
I shrug and bat my eyes at him. "We could stay in." Even though we’ve had more sex in the last couple days than I’ve had all of this year, I still want more. I crave the connection and intimacy that Connor and I share in bed.
Connor leans in, pressing his lips to mine. "I like the sound of that." His voice is low and husky.
Just then, my phone rings with an incoming call. I'm not expecting anyone, but I glance at the screen. My brows bunch together when I see it’s Judy Lowell calling, Chris's mom. She was always a good mother-in-law, who I cared for and respected. One of the hardest things about leaving Chris was knowing that Judy would no longer be in my life. "That's strange. Judy never calls."
"You need to answer it? Go ahead," Connor says.
Nodding, I grab the phone and answer.
"Hi, Judy."
"Oh, Minnie. I’m so glad you answered." Judy sounds breathless with an undertone of hysteria in her voice.
I panic, my heart hammering hard in my chest, wondering if it's my father-in-law, Rick. He's overweight and used to be a smoker for years. A ticking time bomb. "What is it?"
"You need to get to the hospital. Right away. It's Christopher."
My heart drops. "What’s wrong? What happened?"
"He's been in a terrible accident," she cries, sobbing into the phone. "There could be brain damage. He's in surgery now. Please get here."
"I'm home in Bluff Harbor. It'll take some time, but I'll be there."
"Thank you, dear. Drive careful,” Judy says and hangs up.
Setting my phone down, I stare into Connor's concerned eyes. "It's Chris. He's been in a terrible accident and his mother says I should come right away. He's in surgery, but it doesn't sound good."
Connor narrows his eyes. "So, you’re driving back there now?"
I stand, bringing my breakfast plates to the sink. "Yes. I should go."
Connor comes up to stand beside me. I turn to face him. "You’re going back for Chris?"
I shake my head and the dull headache I've been fighting all morning worsens. "No, not really. I'm going for Judy. I love her."
"Don't you think you can console her over the phone? Do you really need to drive four and a half hours to go back there for him?” His last word is laced with disapproval, and it makes me flinch. “Because he damn well doesn't deserve it."
"I know he doesn't. But I’d feel terrible if something happened to him and I wasn't there."
Connor shakes his head, his expression pained. "I don't understand this. You're getting a divorce from that asshole because he cheated on you and manipulated you, yet you're going to drop everything here, with me, to go be by his side. Do you hear how crazy that sounds?"
Tears sting the back of my eyes as I make my way up the stairs. "Please, Connor. I need you to understand. I have to do this."
"No. I don't understand. This sends me a message that you still have feelings for him even after the way he treated you. It isn't right." Connor trudges behind me to my room.
I grab my bag out of my closet and throw it on my bed. "Please don’t say that. This isn’t about Chris. I shouldn’t be gone long. I can call you as soon as I get there, but I'm going to go." My head is in a total fog as the pounding gets harder and sharper behind my eyes.
Connor leans his shoulder against the doorjamb. “He doesn’t deserve you, Minnie.”
It stings that he used my first name. He never does. “You’re right.”
All I know is that I need to get to Judy. She's been good to me through the years and I want be there for her. She deserves me.
Connor gives me a sharp nod. "I'm going to go."
I throw a pair of jeans in the bag and race toward him. "Connor, please," I plead.
He storms down the stairs and to the front door.
With tears rolling down my cheeks, I cry out, "Connor!" I can’t believe he’s going to leave me like this. How can he think I’m leaving to be with Chris after what we’ve shared? I told him I love him.
He turns toward me with his hand on the door. Before he turns the knob, he stalks toward me and stands in front of me. We stare into each other’s eyes, unspeaking. My chest heaves as I look up at him, hoping he can see in my eyes how desperate I am for him to understand me and accept what I have to do.
I want to put my arms around him, to reassure him that he is the only man for me, but I can’t read his expression. He’s torn between disapproval, disappointment, and something else. Is it heartbreak? Please, don’t let it be that.
He looks up at the ceiling and blows out a long breath. He curses under his breath before his stormy gray-blue eyes return to mine. "Drive safe. I hope you're happy with your decision." With that, he closes the door behind him and leaves me all alone, wondering if I’ve just ruined everything.
Seventeen
Connor
It's like a vise grips my chest, squeezing my heart to the point of pain. It’s as if the damn thing is shriveling in my chest. Walking away from Ellis, knowing she's going back to Chris, cuts me.
Driving around aimlessly does nothing to defuse my disappointment and heartache, no matter how much I hoped it would.
When I pull into my parents’ driveway, I slam the door behind me and instead of walking inside, I turn up the collar of my jacket against the wind and walk down the winding road. Stress cords my shoulders and zings down my body, requiring action and movement.
The color of the sky, gray and dreary, matches my mood. Striding down the street, the cold air stings my lungs, providing a marginal amount of relief. The streets are calm, no doubt because people are staying home, enjoying the calm that comes the day after Christmas. That’s what I’m supposed to be doing.
As the minutes pass, my thoughts shift between anger, hurt, and grief. How could she do this? Doesn't she see that she owes the Lowell family nothing? I respect that she still cares for Chris's mother, Judy, but if Judy had a lick of concern for her ex-daughter-in-law, she would leave her alone and let her move on with her life.
As I turn onto Main Street, memories of us walking happily hand in hand bubble to the surface—it clamps down on my throat, making it difficult to draw my next breath. I don’t know what to do now. It’s impossible to imagine moving on from her. Unthinkable. But she made her decision and gave her loyalty to a man who doesn’t deserve a woman like her. Clearly, the time we spent together didn’t leave a mark on her like it did on me, because there’s no one on earth that could tear me away from her.
A couple leaves the coffee shop and starts walking in front of me. They’re holding hands, laughing together—an inside joke maybe or a secret between the two of them. That was Ellis and me just a few days ago. So connected and in tune with each other. I would’ve never dreamed it’d be over so quickly.
With my emotions raw like a gaping wound, I turn and walk in the opposite direction toward home.
The intense wind takes my breath away as I trudge forward. The look on Ellis's face keeps haunting me. She was so resolute and determined. When I asked her not to leave, she didn't hesitate at all or give it a second thought. She was on autopilot. It was as if she didn't even consider my feelings or not leaving. She
snapped our connection and made the decision to walk away, just like that. In an instant, she shattered my heart.
When I get home, I find my father in the living room on the couch, watching the game. Sitting down next to him, I take off my jacket and set it beside me, relishing the quiet in the mundane act of watching TV with my dad.
At the commercial break, my father glances over at me and his eyes widen. "Connor. What's wrong?"
I know why he's looking at me like that. He sees my bloodshot eyes and I'm sure my hair is standing on end from me running my fingers through it over and over again. I feel like hell. I must look like it, too. "Ellis just left me. Her soon-to-be ex-husband was in an accident and now she's rushing to his side, even though the asshole doesn't deserve it."
Dad picks up the remote and mutes the television, giving me his full attention. "I know the two of you have been growing closer since you've been back home. But I'm sure it's a complicated situation she's dealing with."
What’s so complicated about it? The man shit all over her and now she's running to be by his side. "I don't know. It seems pretty simple to me. She doesn't owe him anything."
"Well, what if something happened to Liz? Would you go to her?" he asks.
I doubt she would call me. But the thought does cause an ache in my chest. Just because Liz and I didn't work out doesn't mean I have any ill feelings toward her. It's actually quite the opposite. I'd like to see Liz happy. "I was never an abusive dick to Liz, nor she to me, so the situation isn’t the same."
My father looks at me with sincere, loving eyes. "You know what I've learned in all my years of being married to your mother?"
"What's that?"
"That there are many layers to people. You need to consider that. If you care for this woman, which I can tell you do, you need to realize that this probably wasn't easy for her and you should give her the benefit of the doubt."
The benefit of the doubt. I don't know if I can. I want to. She means the world to me, but I have no idea where her head is at. She might still be in love with Chris, and the thought kills me.
