by Heather Gray
The teen’s grin lit up the room. “I’m good. Really good. Thank you for coming in.”
“Anytime.” Rylie squeezed her hand then waved to Mr. and Mrs. Maskey, who continued to ask Dr. Pratt questions.
Rylie made her way to the elevator and down to the ground level. She walked across to the parking garage and paid little attention to her surroundings until her car came into view.
“Hey.” Zach leaned against her sedan, a cup of coffee in his hands.
“Isn’t it a little cold out here?”
He reached onto the roof of her car and retrieved a second cup, holding it out to her. Rylie opened the driver’s side door and stowed her purse behind the seat before taking the proffered drink. She closed the car’s door and leaned back into the cold metal, inches from her dancing cowboy philanthropist.
“What brings you to the hospital on Christmas Day? Doesn’t your family have some big tradition?” In truth, she hadn’t asked about his Christmas plans. She’d just assumed.
“We’re celebrating tonight so we can video chat with Cassidy and her folks.”
“How’s she doing?”
His look was thoughtful as he gazed into the distance. “The doctors are optimistic, which is new. I’m taking it as a good thing.”
Rylie nodded. A doctor’s attitude could change an entire family’s outlook. “So you never did answer me. What brings you to the hospital?”
“I tracked down your mom, and she told me where to find you. She invited me to join you for turkey sandwiches and ice cream but said I’d have to stop by the store and get my own. She wasn’t sure if she had my kind.”
Rylie laughed. She’d seen the freezer. It held no less than eight different flavors. “What’s your poison?”
“Vanilla.”
Heaven help them. “Looks like we’ll be stopping at the store then.” He’d picked the one flavor neither she nor her mom ever bought.
“Works for me.”
“We do an informal Christmas.” Rylie had never made apologies for the way she and her mom celebrated the holiday, but she wondered if their tradition would appear lacking to Zach. “We read the second chapter of Luke, and we each share a special way that Christ’s birth has impacted us in the past year. We don’t have a fancy meal or do gifts, though. Time together is our gift to each other. That’s always been…”
How was she supposed to explain it? At one point, all her mom could afford to give her was time. Then, when she eventually got to a place in life where she could give more, time was all Rylie wanted or needed.
Rylie started to push herself away from the car, but he stopped her. He took the coffee from her hands and set it, along with his, on the roof of her car. Then he reached for her, turned her to more fully face him, and pulled her in.
Zach’s hands rested at the base of her back. He held her loosely, but the look in his eyes was far from casual.
“How is Makayla?”
Her smile came, and the joy in her heart bubbled up and spilled over into a single word. “Remission.”
His brow furrowed. “Her collapse?”
“Blood sugar, a side effect of her treatment.”
Zach tilted his head back and sighed. He looked at her again, the shadows gone from his eyes. “I’m glad. I was worried for her. For you, too, and how you would take the news if it was bad.”
Rylie shrugged. “Some days my job is harder than I ever imaged it could be. Those days leave me exhausted and in tears. Other days leave me angry and asking God what He’s doing. Most days, though… Most days are rewarding and filled with joy.”
“You fill my days with joy.”
She didn’t bother fighting the silly grin playing tug-of-war with her lips. “Do I now?”
Zach pulled her closer. “Tell me I’m not in this alone.”
Rylie reached up and rested her hands on his shoulders. “You are most definitely not alone.”
“You don’t make anything easy, do you?”
What could she say? Tell him she enjoyed the chase? That flirting with him was more fun than she’d had in ages? She stretched up on her tiptoes and whispered against his lips. “Not if I can help it.” Then she touched her lips to his in what was supposed to be a quick kiss.
He took over, though, giving her the most thorough kiss she’d experienced in her life. Blood rushed through her veins as his hunger threatened to consume her. Then, without warning, he broke away and pulled back.
His bottomless eyes held her pinned in place, preventing her from looking away. “I’m falling in love with you, Rylie Durham.”
The feeling was mutual, but she’d rather kiss than talk. Common sense prevailed, though, and she opted to lighten the mood. Passionate kissing in a secluded and dimly lit parking garage wasn’t on her top ten list of Wise Choices to Make in December. “So... vanilla, huh? We need to work on that.”
He blinked several times as her words — or lack thereof — registered.
She smoothed the collar of his jacket and rested her hands on his chest. “I’m not sure I can love a guy who prefers vanilla ice cream over all the other options out there.”
Understanding dawned, and his eyes came alive. “Hm,” he said, capturing her hands in his. “Maybe you’ll have to convince me to find a new favorite.” He brought her hands to his mouth and brushed his lips against the backs of her fingers before releasing them and opening the car door for her. “I’ll follow you.”
Rylie pulled into the parking lot at her mom’s apartment complex. Festive lights twinkled in various windows.
Zach brought his truck to a stop next to her and climbed down, grocery bag in hand, and opened her door for her. “Before we go in, I’d like to tell you what Christmas means to me this year. I know I might have to say it again at lunch, but I want you to understand first.”
Rylie shut her car door. “You have my undivided attention.”
He shifted the bag from one hand to another. Twice. Then he started to talk. “I was reminded this year that Jesus came and lived a life here on earth, fully man and fully God. I don’t entirely understand what that means, but I get the fully man part. He faced the same struggles as me. So when life gets hard, and I don’t like where it’s going, I can take it to Him, and He understands. I don’t have to hide from Him when I’m hurting or doubting. For me, this year, celebrating Christmas is about remembering that Jesus gets me. Loving people comes with a cost, but He’s not callous to that cost. He met people and loved people and experienced grief. I know Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth, but this year has taught me that it’s also a celebration of His life. It’s because of His life as a man that I can draw close to Him, that I can let Him walk beside me. If it weren’t for that, He’d be some far off distant God that I couldn’t relate to. So…” His words faltered.
“So Christmas is a celebration of life and relationship with Jesus.”
Zach nodded. “Exactly.”
Rylie reached over and took his free hand in her own. “I like that.”
His smile came easier these days. It looked more at home on his face, too. Still… “What’s that smile for?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “I’m hungry, and my ice cream is melting.”
The man was incorrigible. If anything, his ice cream was more frozen now than it had been in the grocery store. The warmth of her mom’s apartment beckoned.
Rylie winked at him and took off at a full run for her mom’s door.
He gave chase, his laughter echoing in the cold Christmas air.
The End
Author's Note
Thank you for taking the time to read An Informal Christmas. I want to take a quick minute to acknowledge the hard work that goes into caring for pediatric patients. I would also like to say that not all hospital administrations are as uncaring as painted in this story. Rylie needed some conflict in her work life, and as I plotted out the story, it became apparent that the hospital administration would have to be the culprit.
If you woul
d like to support a children's hospital in your area, I encourage you to get in touch with their Child Life department and find out what they need. If you don't have a hospital nearby or don't have time to shop for and deliver items, then please consider giving to an organization such as Molly's Monkeys. Molly's Monkeys is a non-profit founded in memory of my daughter. It raises money to provide toys for hospitalized children.
About the Author
Heather Gray writes inspirational romance, including the Ladies of Larkspur western series, the Regency Refuge series, and a handful of contemporary titles.
Heather loves coffee, God, her family, and laughter – not necessarily in that order! She writes approachable characters who, through the highs and lows of life, find a way to love God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud right along with her. And, yeah, her books almost always have someone who's a coffee addict. Some things just can't be helped.
Despite being born into different eras, Heather's characters share a common trait. They're all flawed...but loved anyway.
You can sign up for Heather's newsletter by going to http://eepurl.com/XVlqT or catch up with her online at http://www.heathergraywriting.com. She can also be found at http://www.facebook.com/heathergraywriting, http://www.twitter.com/laughdreamwrite, and http://www.instagram.com/laughdreamwrite.
Other Books by Heather Gray
Ladies of Larkspur (Inspirational Western Romance)
Mail Order Man, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C6TPCWO
Just Dessert, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F2Z9X9M
Redemption, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K031XRQ
Regency Refuge (Inspirational Regency Romance)
His Saving Grace, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E891FV2
Jackal, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L2DW7D2
Queen, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P8ACR1C
Contemporary Stand-Alone Inspirational Romance
Ten Million Reasons, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E5TLMV8
Nowhere for Christmas, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GA664GC
