That First Christmas

by Lily Graison

  Neither had spoken on the trip down the mountain. She’d cast a few glances at him and the look on his face tore her heart into a million pieces. He’d looked…lost. Like he had nothing left in the world. It was much the same look she remembered seeing on his face in those first few days she’d been with him. She’d catch him out of the corner of her eye and a profound sadness would be evident on his face. It vanished the moment he caught her looking though.

  She knew now she had been unfair. She hadn’t thought about anything other than herself. Hadn’t considered the consequences of her harsh words to him or the complete disregard for his feelings. He said her father destroyed his dreams when he closed that plant and she was too absorbed in herself to even question what he’d had to give up. She hadn’t stopped thinking about herself long enough to find out.

  When they finally reached the tiny town of Mills Creek nestled at the base of the mountain, Meredith bit her tongue to keep from crying. It looked worn and desolate. Even though people lived there, it didn’t look like a very happy place to be and she now knew her father was responsible for that. He’d killed an entire town for greed, if she believed what Travis had told her.

  When Travis took her to the police station, and pulled into the parking lot of the tiny building, she was out of the truck before it rolled to a complete stop. She heard him yell her name as she ran in the door but he never came in after her.

  After telling the officer at the desk her story and having him call her father, she’d turned and looked over her shoulder.

  Travis was gone.

  She’d single handedly ruined something great because of her own selfishness. She knew now that’s what it was. She hadn’t been mad at him for his involvement with the protest. She’d been mad because he’d said those horrible things about her father. She’d been mad he hadn’t told her to being with. She’d been mad he let her leave without a fight.

  Meredith turned her head when someone knocked on her door before it opened. She smiled weakly when her father walked in.

  “You’re not dressed yet?”

  “No,” she said. “I was just about to though.”

  “Well, our guests will be here in less than an hour. It won’t do to make them wait for you. It’s you they’ve all come to see.”

  “No, it’s your lavish party they’ve come for,” she said. “I’m just the excuse that got them here.”

  “That’s not true,” he said.

  “Sure it is. They didn’t get their fancy, annual Christmas party due to my disappearance. What better way to compensate for that than a New Year’s bash?”

  For the first time since she’d returned home, he didn’t look utterly happy to see her. He looked stern and a little bit irritated. She knew her father wasn’t a saint but he was close. In her eyes he was.

  “Daddy, can I ask you something?”

  “You can ask me anything, princess.”

  Meredith blanched at the nickname. The last person to call her that…

  She shrugged off the memory and stood from the window seat, laying the small deer down. “Do you remember when I turned fifteen and that group of people who protested the plant closing?”

  He leaned back, tilting his head to one side. “Yes. I’m surprised you do though. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, I was just curious,” she said. “Why did you close it? The plant I mean.”

  “It was a business decision.”

  “A good one?”

  “For me it was,” he smiled. “My profits rose over fifty percent when I moved operations overseas. Are you interested in business?”

  “Maybe,” she lied. “What about the people who lost their jobs.”

  “What about them?”

  She swallowed the lump forming in her throat and coughed to clear it. “Well, when you make a decision like that, one that effects the lives of so many, how do you weigh the outcome?”

  He chuckled. “It’s business, baby. It’s ruthless at times. You do what’s best for you and move on. You can’t worry about trivial things like that. It doesn’t do you any good.”

  She frowned at him. “You think four hundred people losing their livelihood is trivial.”

  “I didn’t think about them much at all, to be honest,” he said, shrugging his shoulder. “Well, that is until they stormed onto my property and caused a scene.”

  She wasn’t hearing this. This wasn’t her father talking. She was dreaming. That has to be it, she thought.

  “Are you all right, Meredith? You look a little pale.”

  “I’m fine,” she said.

  “Good. Get dressed. I won’t have the party held up. You’ve already caused us a delay that has cost me thousands.”

  Meredith blinked stupidly at him when he turned and left the room. Who was this man? She’d only been at school for half a year and in that time he’d turned into a callous bastard.

  Maybe Travis was right.

  “Oh god, Travis,” she said, her heart clenching in pain. “What have I done?” Tears flooded her eyes without warning. Grief washed over her in violent waves and she wished she could tell him how sorry she was. How sorry she was for not listening to him. For not trusting him enough to let him explain his reasoning’s. For not loving him enough to try and understand. And now there was nothing left to say. She’d never see him again.

  Her heart broke moments before she hit her knees and cried.

  * * * *

  “You could at least pretend to be having a good time.”

  Meredith turned her head, looking at her best friend, Emily. “I have. Someone thought I ate something sour when I smiled at them.”

  Emily laughed. “You still look like that.”

  “I just really don’t want to be here.”

  “What? You don’t want to be home for Christmas? Since when?”

  Since I slammed my car into the side of a mountain and found a place I’d rather be instead.

  Meredith sighed and smiled as one of her father’s business associates walked past her and nodded his head in her direction. She’d been the focus of everyone’s attention all night. Her father had retold the story of her survival in the rough, untamed wilderness of the mountain to anyone who would listen, which meant everyone. All Willis Gunter had to do was speak and people flocked to hear what he had to say.

  The house was packed with people. The Christmas decorations looked as if they’d just been put up and the food hadn’t stopped appearing on the buffet table all night. The music was lively, the laughter of those in the room loud and rambunctious and all Meredith wanted to do was go upstairs, crawl into her big, cold bed, and pretend she was back at the cabin. Back with Travis.

  “You’re thinking about him again.”

  Meredith looked at Emily. “How can you tell?”

  “Because you have this dreamy little look on your face. It’s the same one you had when you told me about him.”

  “That obvious, then?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Have you told your father about him?”

  “Yes. He knows. Well, not about the personal stuff, he doesn’t, but he knows someone found me and kept me safe until he could take me to town. What he doesn’t know is that it was Travis Gregory. I didn’t think he’d want to hear that part.”

  “Do you think he’d freak?”

  “About what, exactly?” she asked. “That the man who caused him so much trouble actually rescued me? Or that his only daughter gave her virginity to a man twelve years older than her. Or the fact that I’d rather be there with him than here?”

  “Yeah, all of that.”

  Meredith snorted a laugh. “Then yes. I think he’d freak.”

  There was a general commotion at the doorway leading into the foyer and Meredith turned when several people started looking into the hallway and whispering amongst themselves. She could hear loud voices and what sounded like an argument caused everyone around her to grow silent. Her father’s booming voice drowned out everyone else and Meredith turned to
Emily when she heard him say, “Get out!”

  “It’s about time this party got interesting,” Emily grinned. “Let’s go.”

  Emily grabbed her by the arm and half dragged Meredith across the room. They reached the mass of people blocking the entranceway and they both stood on tiptoe to try and see over everyone’s heads.

  “I’ll have you arrested and I’ll make damn sure the charges stick this time.”

  “I just want to see Meredith.”

  Meredith gasped when she heard his voice. “Oh my god. It’s Travis,” she said, pushing her way through the crowd.

  “He’s here?” Emily asked, helping clear an aisle.

  “Get him out of here,” her father said. “And make sure he isn’t able to come back.”

  “Meredith!”

  “Travis,” she said, her breath catching as he again yelled her name. She pushed her way through the crowd, cursing when they wouldn’t move. “Let me through. Travis, I’m here!”

  Travis turned his head to the sound of her voice and struggled with the two men holding him by each arm. When she emerged from the slowing growing crowd of onlookers, her eyes wide as she looked around the scene, and he thought he saw relief on her face when she finally saw him.

  The sight of her took his breath away.

  Her hair was loose and flowing over her shoulders. The light caused shimmers of copper and gold to shine in her fiery locks. She was wearing a dress, the fabric as vibrant green as her emerald eyes. It ended just above her knees, showing him a small glimpse of her thighs and cut low enough at the breast to make him want to wrap his coat around her to hide her from every eye in the room.

  She looked to her father when he spoke, but Travis kept his gaze locked on her. He knew any minute now, he’d be thrown out on his ass. He wasn’t about to spend one second of his time not looking his fill of her. It’s why he came.

  He’d spent the last two days cursing himself for a fool. He shouldn’t have let her go. He should have made her understand why he hadn’t told her. Why he’d kept it a secret. Why he didn’t tell her he loved her when he had the chance.

  He planned on fixing that now, though.

  “Meredith.” When she stopped talking to her father and turned her head to him, he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Meredith, I’m sorry. I never meant for you to get hurt in this. God, it’s the last thing I wanted. It’s why I didn’t tell you.”

  She stared at him, the people in the room vanishing as his sole focus was on her. “I love you, Meredith. I never wanted to hurt you. Give me a chance to explain. All of it. Don’t end it like this.”

  “Meredith, what is he talking about?” Willis asked. “Do you know him?”

  Meredith turned to her father. “Travis is the one who rescued me on the mountain.”

  “Him!” Willis shouted, pointing an accusing finger at him. “This man? This is the man you’ve spent the last two weeks with?”

  She nodded her head and said, “yes,” before looking at Travis.

  Willis laughed, looking at them both before turning his attention to Travis. “I’ll give you points for perseverance, boy. If you had showed this much initiative four years ago I wouldn’t have cut you loose so quickly. Why you’ve decided to dredge up old wounds now is beyond me, though.”

  “This has nothing to do with you,” Travis said. “I could care less about you.”

  “Really? You’re here aren’t you?”

  “I’m here for Meredith,” Travis said, shooting a glace at Willis. “Not you.”

  “Meredith? What do you mean, you’re here for her?”

  Travis turned his head back to Meredith, ignoring her father. “You told me you loved me. Was that a lie?”

  “No,” she said, her eyes widening. “I did. I do.”

  “Then come with me,” he said. “Now, Meredith. Come away with me.”

  The look on his face broke her heart. He looked scared. His blue eyes held unspoken pain and a fear. She took a step toward him but stopped when her father yelled.

  “Come away with you?” Willis said. “Meredith? What the hell happened up on that mountain?”

  Meredith opened her mouth to speak, but Travis beat her to it.

  “I’m in love with your daughter,” he said. “And I’m not leaving until I’ve talked to her.”

  “Is that so?” Willis said. “Davis?”

  Meredith looked up at her father’s business partner, Davis Hardy. He was looking at her father. He nodded his head at him, a silent conversation going on between them before grabbed her arm. “Let your father handle this. You’re not needed here.”

  “No,” she said when he started dragging her away. She heard Travis yell her name when Davis turned her and within seconds, the entire house was in chaos.

  Angry shouts of accusation, her father’s yelling drowning out those around her and the sound of fists on flesh in the next instant. She dug her heels into the floor but it was useless. Her slick bottomed shoes slipped on the polished floor and she was grabbed around the waist, ushered away from the foyer in a flurry of movements.

  “Let me go!” she screamed. Davis refused, continuing to pull her away as the angry voices behind her echoed off the walls. “Stop it. You’re hurting me!” she said. “Let. Me. Go!”

  “You heard her, asshole,” Emily yelled, grabbing his arm. “Let her go.”

  Meredith gasped when she was suddenly let go. She slipped, her feet flying out from under her and she hit the floor with a grunt.

  She turned her head to Travis, horror filling her instantly. He was on his back, two men taking turns dragging, and hitting him, as they pulled him to the front door. “Daddy, make them stop!” she screamed, getting to her feet and running toward them.

  They dragged Travis to his feet and Meredith could only stare at him. The right side of his face was bright red, and his eye was already puffy and swollen. His lip was split, blood slowly trickling from the small cut, but he didn’t seem to notice. The look on his face was fierce and her pulse raced when he looked at her.

  “I want you with me, Meredith. I can’t give you any of this,” he said, looking around her lavish home, “But I can love you. Until my last breath, I’ll love you. Come with me.”

  Tears clouded her vision and she found it hard to breath.

  “Do it, Meredith.”

  Meredith turned her head to Emily when she spoke. Her friend was smiling at her. “Don’t be a fool. You want him. Go with him.”

  She turned her head back to him, watching a barrage of emotions cross his face. He was bleeding and hurt and still he stood there begging her to leave with him. He’d placed him self in the lion’s den for her and she smiled before crossing the room. When she stopped in front of him, she reached up, laying a hand to the side of his face. “Are you all right?”

  “I’ll live.”

  “Meredith! Don’t be stupid. You can’t possibly be considering this.”

  Meredith turned her head to her father when he spoke. She’d never seen him look so angry. Especially at her.

  “Is this how you repay my friends for coming to see you? To subject them to this spectacle?”

  “This isn’t her fault,” Travis said. “I only wanted to talk to her. You’re the one who caused a scene by refusing.”

  “Davis, call the police. I want this man behind bars. Now!”

  “No!” Meredith said. “We’re leaving. I’m going with him, Daddy.”

  Willis laughed. “You walk out that door Meredith and it’ll be one mistake you’ll regret. I can promise you that. You’ll not get another penny from me.”

  Meredith stared at her father, seeing his hate filled gaze now directed at her. His face was red, his fists clenched at his side.

  “Are you going to throw your life away on someone as insignificant as him? You were born for greatness, Meredith. Not to wallow in poverty.”

  “I can make you happy, Meredith,” Travis whispered. “Come away with me.”

  Chapter Ele
ven

  Present Day

  “What are you thinking about so hard?”

  Meredith turned her head, looking up into Travis’ blue eyes. He smiled down at her, leaning forward and placing a kiss to her head. “I was thinking about you, actually.”

  “Yeah? All good I hope.”

  “Always,” she said. “Look what I found?” She held out the paper angel, watching his eyes light up in much the same way hers had when she saw it.

  “Where did you find that?”

  “In one of the boxes of decorations.”

  He reached out, taking it from her hand. “You’ve held on to this for the last ten years?” he asked. “You lose your keys every day. How did you manage to keep this?”

  She pinched his arm playfully and took the angel. “It’s not my fault I’m so forgetful. If you didn’t distract me every morning, I would remember better.”

  “I like distracting you,” he grinned, reaching out and wrapping his arms around her waist. “And I’ll be doing it when I’m eighty.”

  She laughed. “That a promise?”

  “Most definitely,” he said.

  Meredith stared at the angel, trying to straighten out its wings when Travis bent his head and whispered in her ear.

  “You know, we haven’t spent Christmas at the cabin in a few years. Want to pack the truck and head up there?”

  “Really?” she asked, surprised. “Nicolas would love that!”

  “I didn’t exactly include him in our plans. I don’t think he’d want to see his mother stretched out naked in front of the fireplace.”

  “You’re terrible,” Meredith said. “And neither would you, now that you mention it,” she said. “I look like a beached whale.”

  “You look beautiful to me,” Travis said, running a hand over her pregnant belly. “Especially like this.”

  “You say the sweetest things,” she smiled. “But I’m not going without Nicolas.”