by C. Lymari
When my phone rang, I picked up without looking at the caller ID.
“Hello,” I answered cheerily.
“Juliet.” My father’s frosty tone was at the other end of the line, immediately wiping the smile off my face.
“Father.”
“I’ve had enough of your shit, Juliet. You need to come home now. You have commitments to your family—to your husband.”
That enraged me like no other. It pained me, and that little part of me that thought my father would change shattered. Our parents were supposed to be our heroes, not the villains. Unfortunately, time and time again, my father had shown me his true colors, and I’d ignored them.
“You know what happened and you still don’t care,” I whispered.
He stopped ranting long enough to let me talk.
“Nana was right: your greed has blinded you. Consider me out of the family.”
I brought my phone down, ready to hang up, and my father screamed, “It’s all because of that Carson boy.”
I scoffed because Jake was a man. A real man. Instead of arguing with my dad, I hung up. It was Christmas Eve, and my dad had just put me in a shitty mood. He hadn’t even called to try and mend fences with me nor invite me over to the annual Christmas dinner at the house. He’d heard about Jake, and he wanted to threaten me.
For the first time, I felt relieved that I no longer depended on him. Those invisible strings that held me up most of my life were gone. Thinking back on where I’d started, I could see how far I had come. I was still working on myself and was nowhere near where I wanted to be, but I wasn’t the old me anymore.
“Hey, are you okay?” Jess’s voice startled me for a second.
She was still upset over her dad moving back in, but she was strong and learned to roll with the punches. Since her mom had to work, she was letting the girls come with me to Jake’s house for Christmas dinner.
“For the first time in a long time, I think I am,” I answered honestly.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it was never too late to work on yourself.
“I’m glad one of us is doing okay.” She came and lay down on my bed. “You haven’t had sex here since washing your sheets the other day, right?”
I ignored her question and went to the chair where I had put the clothes I’d grabbed from the closet.
For myself, I grabbed a long-sleeved green velvet bodycon dress. As for Jess, I grabbed her a black maxi dress, and Rosie got a red poufy Christmas dress. It was adorable. I never knew I’d find as much joy in shopping for others as I did now. Now that I didn’t buy the most expensive item as a gift, I had the pleasure of shopping for what people would actually want.
For Christmas, I got Jess new leggings and a few different cardigans. All black but different styles, something a little tighter too but not much; I didn’t want her to feel out of her comfort zone. For Rosie, I got her a princess castle set that she could play with when she spent time here with me. The gift I was the most nervous to give was Jake’s.
The same Christmas box I had stored in my car all those years ago, that little bit of strength I’d carried with me, was now for him. Inside it, I’d stored the canvases he had made for me, except now they were glossed and framed. They looked beautiful, not that I ever got to display them—they were too tacky for Chad’s taste. I thought they were perfect. I would gift them to Jake as a thank-you for the strength he gave to me, and I could tell him the truth about Chad. We were past fuck buddies, and he had a right to know.
“I’m going to get ready. Jameson should have gone out for his Christmas booze, so I can shower, and then I’ll just shower Rosie here.” Jess got up and grabbed the clothes I got her without much fuss.
Jameson was back, and it was safe to say Jess was acting like he didn’t exist.
While I waited for the girls, there was a knock on my door. Thinking it was the girls who’d forgotten their keys, I opened it without checking the peephole.
Definitely not the girls.
Standing outside of my place was my brother Max.
It was somewhat of a shock to see him standing in the dimly lit hallway, his presence imposing. He looked like a completely different man, the weight he used to carry around now gone. This was the brother I had growing up; this was the brother who should have been there on my wedding day, asking me if I was sure I wanted to walk down the aisle.
Prescott had asked me, right before the ceremony, if I was one hundred percent sure I wanted to go through with it, and because I didn’t know how to say no anymore, I said yes. I was scared of the humiliation, but if I could do it all over again, I would say no in a heartbeat.
“Jules.” He tried to take a step forward, and I took one back. His eyes flashed with pain, but I didn’t care.
“No.” My voice came out weak and shaky. “You don’t get to come back just like that.”
“Juliet…”
“I can’t do this. Not today, Max. Please go away.”
My brother closed his eyes and gave a terse nod. When he left, I closed the door and slid behind it, the memories I tried to push back coming back front and center.
“I had an interesting conversation with Gary today.”
My body shook at the tone in Chad’s voice. It was sharp and lethal, but still restrained, and I knew I was his target.
“I-I d-don’t know what you’re talking about.” My body was cold in an instant; I was freezing from the inside out. A part of me kept telling me to run.
Chad came closer to where I was staring into the vanity mirror, trying to find a new way to fix my hair.
“Gary said the reason the wedding was canceled was that you shared some important information with your brother.”
He knew.
“Juliet.”
“Juliet.” Jess’s voice sounded impatient, and it was enough to snap me out of my horrible memory.
I looked at her and smiled brightly at how beautiful she looked. “You look gorgeous.”
Even with all the dark makeup, she was a beauty. Even more so because beauty like hers shone from within.
“Jessa, look at me. I’m a princess.” Rosie came in, twirling and already showered.
Looked like Jameson was gone for longer than expected.
“Oh, my God. I thought she was extra before, but now I have no words,” Jess mumbled as she shook her head before grabbing Rosie’s hand and going inside the house.
Meanwhile, I looked at the house and smiled. It was a hot mess, but it felt like home.
When I walked up to the door, Jake was already there. “Are you okay, babe?”
I smiled at him. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”
The smile that overtook his face made my heart skip a beat. The way his eyes gleamed rivaled a cloudless sky.
“Come on. Ma didn’t want to start food without you.” He grabbed my hand and led me inside.
Once we were on the couch, he sat me in his lap. I tried moving away, but he wasn’t letting me.
“You’re mine, Dunnett. I’m not ever letting go.”
That was enough to make me stop moving.
“Why is Blake wearing a PINK hoodie?” Jess leaned into me and mumbled.
She was not the only one to wonder. He wore black jeans with a white hoodie from the Victoria’s Secret PINK line. Neither Jess nor I could stop staring at him. I mean, the question wasn’t odd. I turned to Jake for an answer, but he was as confused as the rest of us.
“What the fuck are you wearing?” he asked his brother.
“Don’t be a hater,” Blake said. He then threw his hands in the air as he turned around, showing us his outfit.
“I bought this for Callie, my now ex-girlfriend. Now, let me tell you, this fucking hoodie was expensive, and I lost the receipt, so you bitches know damn well I’m getting my money’s worth.” Blake started to strut around the living room, hands on his hips, imitating Victoria’s Secret models.
“Did he just call us bitches?” Jess asked no one in particu
lar.
Again, I turned to look at Jake, but he just shrugged.
“My parents gave up after Clark—that’s why Blake turned out the way he did.”
“Stop hating,” Blake shouted as he heard his brother’s words.
I kept an eye out for Cynthia to see what she made of it all, but she was too busy cooking.
“What’s a bitch?” Rosie shouted.
Both Jess and I glared at Blake. He, however, didn’t look fazed.
“A puppy that’s a girl.” Jake bent over to ruffle Rosie’s piggy tails.
Then she turned to me and gave me one of those blinding smiles that just made you think everything was going to be okay.
“I want a bitch for Christmas!” she exclaimed.
Both Jess and I glared at Blake again, but neither of us could keep a straight face.
“Me too, Rosie Posie. Me too.” Blake ignored our glares and patted Rosie on the back.
“You know how hard it was to stop her from saying S-H-I-T?”
“Shit?”
“Ohhhh, Mommy and Juliet say that’s a bad word. Juliet says, ‘Ladies don’t say bad things; no one wants to kiss a potty mouth.’”
“I’m very intrigued about what ladies can and cannot do… I wouldn’t want to be kissing a potty mouth.” Jake leaned in close, his nose brushing against my own.
“You guys make me sick,” Jess groaned and started to walk away.
“Don’t listen to her; she’s just jealous,” Jake joked.
“She probably is. She used to have a crush on you,” I whispered.
“That’s so wrong,” he said.
We waited in the living room as Rosie played around, and Clark stopped by for a quick visit, since he had to work today, before we sat down to eat. Once Cynthia called that the food was ready, we all ran to the kitchen. Jake’s mom had outdone herself. There were tons of different foods. The glazed ham looked inviting, and I felt a little guilty for not helping her cook any of it.
Times like this, I felt utterly useless.
“What’s up?” Jake rested his head on top of shoulder, concern on his face.
“I feel bad that I didn’t help your mom with anything.”
His eyes warmed at my admission, and he smiled at me, “I like that you feel that way, but baby, there was no way Ma would have let you help. She likes to spoil us.”
“I’m going to help her set up.” I leaned up and kissed his jaw.
That warm look in his eyes followed me all the way to the kitchen where I found his mom.
“Do you need any help?” I asked her.
“No, honey, go sit, please.” She shooed me away.
“I know I don’t know much about taking care of a household and cooking, but I am a fast learner, I swear,” I blurted out.
Cynthia turned to me fast from where she was grabbing puddings.
“Honey.” Her voice was soft. “I like to spoil my kids.”
“I’m not your kid,” I replied.
“You’re with my Jakey, and you make him happy. That’s more than any mother could hope for their kids. My boy was sad for so long; then you come, and he’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him. Now go sit down with him and let me take care of my family.” Cynthia cupped one of my cheeks.
I had to blink back tears. I wished my mother could be like her.
“You are now part of this family, and so are those precious little girls.”
When I made it to my seat, I was wiping away tears.
“Did my mother say something to upset you?” Jake demanded to know.
“No.” I shook my head. “I love your mom.”
Jake pulled my head toward his forehead and looked deep into my eyes. His blue stare was penetrating into my green.
“I never imagined it would be like this with you,” he murmured.
Before we could say more, Jess interrupted, pointing her butter knife at all of us. “I am not saying grace.”
39
Jake
This was probably the best Christmas I’d ever had, and it all was because of the new woman in my life. Jess was sitting on the floor with Rosie, helping her unwrap the presents my parents got for her. God, the smile on the little girl slayed me. When she started screaming with joy and telling Jess that Santa remembered them this year…fuck, that made me want to go hunt down Jameson and kill him. Juliet, my mom, and Blake all had tears in their eyes.
I got her a little kitchen set, but I was going to give that to her tomorrow at Juliet’s place. I knew she spent a lot of time with Juliet, so that way she would have toys over at her place as well.
Jess and Rosie were both overwhelmed by the gifts my family and Juliet had given them. Juliet gave Jess a gift card for her to spend at any store she’d like. Jess almost lost it when my brother handed her a box and inside was a hoodie just like the one he was wearing, except hers was in black. She almost didn’t want to take the sweaters and cardigans the rest of us got her.
Juliet got Blake and Clark Amazon gift cards, because they needed to learn the joy of online shopping. She also got my parents a two-day stay at the B&B.
She gave me clothes and a pair of boots. I was excited when she told me she had another gift for later. Well, in that case, I had several gifts for her later.
Now my parents had gone to bed because Mom was tired from today’s preparations. Clark went back to work, and my brother and the girls were in his room playing video games.
“You ready for your present?” I asked.
Juliet looked up from where she had her head resting on my shoulders. “You gave me the scarves and earrings.”
I grinned at her. “That was nothing.”
“Show me,” she almost demanded.
I led her with me to the greenhouse, and once we were inside, I locked the door. This is as much privacy as we would get at my mother’s. We’d already promised we would all sleep over. Juliet and the girls were in Clark’s old room, while I took the couch, since my room got demolished to make room for the greenhouse.
I led us back to where the sectional was.
“Oh, look, it’s a white Christmas.” Juliet pointed at the gap between the blinds where snow was falling.
Since no one was around and we didn’t have neighbors close, I opened the curtains so we could be in our own snow globe. I let go of her hand so I could reach behind the couch and grab the bag with her gift in it. As I waited for her to open it, I took a seat on the sofa and gauged her every expression. She gasped when she pulled out the snow globe I had gotten her.
“Jake,” she whispered when she saw it wasn’t just any kiosk—it was our kiosk.
“I remember how much you loved that painting I made you, and I thought you might like the snow globe.” It cost a pretty penny to get it customized to look like the Sunny Pines kiosk.
“Jake,” she whispered again. “This… this… no one has ever given me anything like this before.”
“Babe, I know you grew up getting everything you’ve ever wanted. Your ex, he pro—”
“Stop!” she shouted. “No. One. Has ever given me anything as thoughtful as what you have given me.” She got closer. “When I give you my present, you’ll see how much this means to me.”
I grinned. “Is this the part where you fuck me?”
“Don’t be crass,” she snapped.
Carefully she put the snow globe back in its box and put it on the floor. She then came to me and straddled me. Her tight-as-fuck dress rode up. My hands went to the smooth skin on her thighs while I kissed her neck.
“Thank you for being so amazing with me,” she whispered.
I stopped kissing her so I could pull back and look at my girl. Juliet freaking Dunnett. She was in my home, she was on my lap, and she was already in my heart. To be honest, I think she might have been there all along.
I cupped her cheek with one hand, and the other I wrapped around her waist.
“I never imagined it would be like this between us,” I said.
Juliet be
nt her head, and this time she grabbed both my cheeks and gave me a soft kiss. “I’m so glad I don’t have to wonder what it would feel like for Jake Carson to kiss me, for him to touch me.” My breathing halted for a second. “You are everything I always knew you would be. You are…perfection.”
Instead of answering, I claimed her mouth, my hands coming to her thighs and pushing up the hem of her dress. Her skin was smooth; my hand effortlessly glided through. Juliet reached under my shirt, her nails raking my abs, making them constrict. When she started to pull my shirt off, I let her. I began to kiss her neck and slid the zipper at her back down. Once her dress was off, I leaned back and marveled at the gorgeous woman I called mine.
“Do you want me to grab a condom?” I knew she was on the pill, but it was her body, and I didn’t want to assume.
“I don’t want anything between us,” she said as she got up and removed her underwear.
She slid them off her legs tantalizingly slow. I pulled down my pants as I watched her put on a show for me. Once she was bare from the waist down, she put her hands behind her back and let her bra fall to the floor. My chest was rising and falling, my dick rock hard. Juliet came back to my lap, I held her waist, stopping her before she could sink down on me.
“Are you wet, babe?”
She bit her lip and nodded.
“Put your fingers inside your pussy and show me.”
Her eyes widened for a second before she brought one of her hands down to her pussy, dipping two fingers inside her. When she let out a small moan, I knew this was turning her on.
“Rub your clit,” I commanded her.
“Jake,” she moaned as she did as I asked.
“Now show me.”
Juliet brought her hand up, and I could see how her fingers glistened thanks to the outside light.
