by Autumn Reed
“Where’s Patrick?” Liam asked.
Jackson collapsed on the sofa and said, “He’s making a last minute trip to the grocery store. We can’t have Christmas Eve without chips and queso, and he forgot the cheddar.”
“Is that a tradition? Queso on Christmas Eve?” I asked, curious about what the guys usually did for the holiday.
“Yeah, instead of a large dinner, we always do finger foods. I requested queso many years ago, and it’s become a standard ever since. Now everyone picks a favorite, so we end up with a random assortment of foods.”
“Fun.”
“Don’t worry, Haley,” Theo interjected. “I made sure to add one of your favorites to the menu,” he said mysteriously.
There was a knock and Patrick leaned around the door. “Ready for dinner and movies?”
“And crackers!” Liam threw out.
I shot him a questioning glance, and Theo whispered in my ear, “It’s a British thing.”
Happy Christmas
I tiptoed down the stairs in my flannel pajamas, feeling a bit like Santa Claus with the basket of gifts I had yet to place under the tree. Although it had been over an hour since I said goodnight to Patrick and the guys, sleep was eluding me. So, I decided to sneak downstairs, hoping not to disturb anyone. I would’ve rather slipped outside to look at the stars, but it was a cold night, and I would probably set off the alarm by opening the back door anyway.
Since the glow of the Christmas lights still twinkled in the living room, I bypassed the light switch and headed straight for the tree. After tucking the gifts under the fragrant branches, I stood in front of it, examining the ornaments. Even in the dim light, I noticed a small silver frame holding a photograph and moved in closer. Oh my gosh, is that Jackson? The picture was of a younger Patrick and a curly-haired boy maybe eight years old; although I knew Patrick adopted Jackson, I hadn’t imagined that it was at such a young age. What happened to his parents? Once again, I was amazed that after all this time I still knew so little about the guys’ pasts.
“Santa won’t come if you’re awake,” a voice I instantly recognized as Chase’s whispered in my ear from behind me, and I jerked forward, almost falling into the tree. His arms wrapped around my waist, steadying me and holding me at the same time.
I looked up and over my shoulder at him. “Jeez, Chase. You didn’t have to scare the bejeebers out of me.”
He chuckled quietly. “I don’t know. I ended up with you in my arms, so I think it turned out okay.”
Stunned by his admission, even if he was teasing, I stared at the lights and allowed my body to relax into his. He was warm and comfortable, and I didn’t want to move.
“Anyway, you’re in my bedroom,” he said, inclining his head toward the couch. I must have walked right past him and not even realized it.
“Oops. It didn’t occur to me that there wouldn’t be enough beds for everyone with me staying here. Sorry I took yours.”
“I don’t mind. Like everything in this house, that couch is luxurious enough for a king.”
When I slowly pivoted to face Chase, he kept his arms around my waist and settled his hands on my lower back. Our bodies were so close that I gripped his Henley with both hands to keep my balance. Feeling his stomach muscles clench beneath my touch, I lost all train of thought. Think, Haley. Say something. Anything.
“I’m sorry I woke you,” I murmured, my words coming out so tremulous that I barely recognized my own voice.
Chase searched my eyes for an endless moment before gradually lowering his head, his breath feathering my nose as he sighed, “I’m not.”
In a blink, Chase’s lips were pressed against mine, and I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t think, I couldn’t move. Time was suspended as he lingered, motionless, almost like he was fearful that any slight shift might frighten me away. When his hands traveled up my back to rest at the nape of my neck, I snapped out of my daze, my skin tingling from the thrill of his touch. He finally parted my lips ever-so-gently, and despite my inexperience, instinct took over as my lips caught in a slow dance with his.
After several long kisses, he pulled away, his crystal blue eyes searing into mine and a hint of a smile touching his mouth. My pulse was racing frantically as I gazed back at him, marveling at the realization that my first kiss was everything I’d dreamed of . . . it was sweet and sensual and perfect. I reined in my urge to do a happy dance and simply returned his smile. I didn’t want Chase to think that I was anything less than exhilarated by his kiss.
When we’d stared at each other silently for too long, I cleared my throat and finally dropped my hands from his shirt. “I think I heard sleigh bells, so I should probably get to bed.”
Chase nodded, lazily sliding his hands down my shoulders and arms, intentionally brushing my palms with his fingertips. “Goodnight, Haley. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” I responded before floating up the stairs. Did that really just happen?
* * *
I rolled on my back and stretched my arms and legs, delighting in the luxurious bedding blanketing me. It’s Christmas! I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face at the thought of last night. My fingers instinctively touched my lips, the memory of Chase’s kiss still fresh. He had been so tentative, so sweet. I couldn’t believe it happened at all.
While some of the initial shock had worn off, I was sincerely surprised by Chase’s actions. Of all the guys, he was the most cautious, the most deliberative. Had it been Liam, or even Ethan, I wouldn’t have been nearly as stunned. But, what did it mean? Was the kiss a one-time thing . . . or did Chase want to date me?
Although I’d always thought Chase would make an amazing boyfriend, my mind unconsciously drifted to the other guys. What would they think? I shook my head, not even wanting to consider the implications if Chase and I actually pursued a romantic relationship. For now, I’d have to act natural and follow his lead.
Leaning over the side of the bed, I dug the secret phone out of my purse, hoping that maybe today, of all days, my dad would reach out to me again. Since returning from San Francisco, I had continued to check the phone as often as possible, even though I knew my actions bordered on obsession. I held my breath and pressed a button to activate the screen, preparing myself for disappointment.
When I saw the notification for a new message received early this morning, I nearly fell out of bed. I fumbled with the keys, growing frustrated that my clumsiness was wasting precious time to respond.
Unknown Number: Merry Christmas. I love you.
A huge smile spread across my face, and I almost started jumping on the bed. I quickly typed out a return message.
Me: Merry Christmas. Glad you’re okay. Love you and miss you so much!
I held my breath as the message sent, waiting for the dreaded “Message not received,” but it never came, even after a minute or two. Success! My dad may or may not have read it immediately, but for the first time since receiving the phone, I felt like maybe this method of communication could work. It was unreliable, and definitely not instant, but it was better than nothing.
I hopped out of bed, elated by Chase’s kiss and the exchange of messages with my dad. It was Christmas after all, and I planned to enjoy myself. Checking the time, I figured at least some of the guys would be awake and decided to freshen up before heading downstairs.
The smell of cinnamon lured me to the kitchen, and I arrived to find Patrick and Liam preparing breakfast. Penny was wagging her tail, looking expectantly from Liam to Patrick, waiting for them to drop food on the floor. I could hear voices from the living room, and it sounded like the rest of the guys were up.
Liam winked at me. “Sleeping beauty awakes. Happy Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, Haley,” Patrick said from the kitchen island. He was cutting fresh fruit while Liam cooked over the stove.
“Merry Christmas,” I said and smiled at the sight of him and Liam in their silk pajamas.
“Everything smell
s delicious. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Patrick ran through a checklist. “I think Theo already set the table, Knox took care of drinks, and Liam and I are wrapping up.”
“Sounds like you have it covered then.”
“Do you want to tell the others that breakfast is ready? Be sure to get a head start; they can be dangerous when they’re hungry.”
I laughed. “Sure. I think I can manage that.”
Entering the living room, I almost laughed aloud at the scene before me. All of the guys were in some version of pajamas, from Jackson’s fitted sweats and hoodie to Theo’s Santa hat bottoms and vintage Rudolph tee. They looked like they’d just rolled out of bed, eyes barely open and hair in disarray. Except for Theo, of course. His russet hair was perfectly-styled, and he was sitting on the floor carefully shaking a present as he attempted to guess what was inside.
My eyes were naturally drawn to Chase, who was already watching me with an enigmatic expression on his face. Feeling the start of a blush rise to my cheeks, I looked away and announced to the group, “Breakfast is ready.”
“You’re finally up,” Theo exclaimed, bouncing up from the floor and giving me a quick hug. He whispered, “Merry Christmas, candy cane,” before releasing me.
Jackson stood up and stretched. “Don’t listen to him. We all just got up, but Theo is somehow still an excited little kid on Christmas morning.”
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” Theo sang happily. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“A break-in at Zenith and unseasonably cold weather . . . yeah, wonderful,” Ethan grumbled.
Knox smacked Ethan on the shoulder. “For once I agree with Theo; no need to be grumpy on Christmas.”
“Thank you!” Theo said smugly. “Now, let’s go eat.”
Once I was seated, I realized that Chase was sitting across the table, at a diagonal from me. After taking a bite of cinnamon coffee cake, I couldn’t stop myself from sneaking a peek at him. He caught my gaze, and I bit my lip to keep from smiling and immediately redirected my attention. There were way too many observant eyes at the table; I didn’t want to chance anyone noticing my unusual behavior.
After filling up on the delicious breakfast, I pushed my chair back and stacked my plate with those of Theo and Liam.
“No need to do that, Haley. It can wait until later,” Patrick said.
“It’s the least I can do. Breakfast was amazing.”
Ethan stacked the rest of the dishes and followed me to the kitchen, rinsing while I loaded the dishwasher. After wrapping up the leftover food, of which there was little, we returned to the dining room.
“Present time!” Theo proclaimed with unconcealed glee as he rose from the table and beckoned the rest of us to follow.
We all found seats around the room—I ended up on the couch between Jackson and Ethan—while Theo removed the stockings from the fireplace and handed them out. When I received a stocking with my name and stars embroidered on it, I glanced at Jackson’s and Ethan’s stockings, touched that mine matched the style of theirs, but each had its own flair.
We unloaded the stockings, laughter and comments circulating as the surprises within were revealed. Mine was full of tiny treats, fun gifts like temporary tattoos and chocolate. I pulled out the last item, and a small smile spread across my face—it was an orange. I looked toward Theo and he returned my smile, knowing that the orange was a reminder of a Christmas tradition I shared with my dad.
Everyone opened their gifts one-by-one, and despite the larger size of the group, it didn’t take long since many of the guys paired up to give combined gifts to one another. Patrick’s gifts to the guys were rather extravagant, among them baseball season tickets for two for Chase and an all-expenses paid trip to Mexico for Knox, Ethan, and Theo. They all seemed grateful but not overly shocked by his generosity.
I was somewhat hesitant opening my gift from Patrick; I couldn’t possibly imagine what he would give me and hoped it didn’t cost very much. After carefully removing the wrapping paper, I was astonished to find a handmade gift certificate (that looked like Theo’s doing) valid for credits to attend an astronomy course at UCSC. My jaw dropped at the thoughtful gift, and I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of excitement at the prospect of attending a class on campus.
When it was Patrick’s turn, I was relieved that Knox and Theo invited me to contribute to their gift to him; it took some of the stress off of finding the perfect gift, and Patrick seemed pleased when he opened it. As for the rest of the guys, although their gifts were relatively inexpensive, I had tried to find something meaningful for each of them. I loved watching their reactions—not surprisingly, Theo was enthusiastic about his hand-turned wood shaving set, immediately removing it from the package. Ethan appeared genuinely appreciative of his gourmet ice cream sundae gift box, and Jackson even wrapped his arm around my shoulder and gave me a squeeze. I was glad that he seemed to like both Penny’s gift—a light-up dog ball that changed colors in flight, and his own—a multi-tool for surfers.
I unwrapped a beautiful package, happy to find a framed photograph of the moon inside. “Thank you, Theo. It’s beautiful.”
“And that’s just the beginning . . .” Theo said, pausing for dramatic effect. I waited silently for his big reveal. “You, my dear, are getting a room makeover,” he said in the manner of announcers on HGTV. “New bedding, new artwork, new wall color, whatever you want for your room.”
I was at a loss for words. All along, living at the loft had been a temporary situation; I never dreamed Theo and Knox would want me to stay even as long as I had. And now they were telling me it was “my room” to redecorate? It seemed like a big deal, and I wasn’t sure how to react. Is this what they really want?
While Patrick and Liam took turns opening their gifts, I leaned over to Theo, who was sitting on the floor in front of the couch, and spoke in a hushed voice. “What if I like the room as is?”
“I’ll admit I did a good job, but it lacks your personality or style.”
“Yeah, but there’s a difference between inviting me to live in your guest room and letting me redecorate and paint it.”
“It’s not a big deal.” He smiled toward the room, his attention divided between our conversation and the gift Knox was currently opening. “We like having you live with us, and we want you to feel like you have your own space.”
“I do, and it’s wonderful. I love the moon picture, but really, I don’t need a room makeover.”
“Haley,” Theo said, adopting a serious tone. “Do you like living with us?”
I nodded.
“And do you want to keep living with us?”
“Yes, but only if you want me to.”
“Of course we do,” he replied immediately.
I wanted to respond, to force the issue (yet again) about them not letting me pay rent, but Chase’s voice called, “Haley, you’re up.”
“How can I possibly have more presents to open?”
“You are joking, right?” Liam asked. “Besides, we saved the best for last,” he said as he stood behind the couch and covered my eyes with his hands.
“Hey!” I tried to lean away, eager to see whatever it was they were hiding from me.
“Patience,” Liam tsked.
I could hear whispering and shuffling and wondered what in the world they were up to. When Liam finally removed his hands, Ethan, Chase, Jackson, and Knox stood before me, smiling and holding a guitar with a large red bow tied around the neck. Whoa. The sight of the four of them so happy and earnest took my breath away, and I took a mental snapshot of the moment.
I rose from the couch, scarcely believing that the beautiful instrument was mine. It was an excellent brand and of much higher quality than my old guitar. I gingerly stretched my fingers out toward the neck, and Jackson passed the guitar to me.
“Is it acceptable?” Jackson asked. “Chase came up with the idea and helped us pick it out.”
I glanced at Chase, to
uched by his perceptiveness and his role in choosing my gift. “Yes, it’s perfect. Thank you all so much.”
Holding the guitar in my hands, I slipped the strap over my head and felt the weight of it. After strumming a few chords, I adjusted the strings to tune it. The sound was rich and full, and I still couldn’t believe it was mine.
Liam stepped closer, placing his hand on my shoulder. “So, will you play something for us? Please?”
How could I possibly refuse such a request after they had given me such a wonderful gift? I went through my mental catalog of songs and then started playing “Jingle Bells,” smiling when Patrick and a few of the guys started singing along.
The rest of the day was filled with relaxed fun. We watched Christmas movies, played games, and ate way too many sweets. Several of the guys attached themselves to the television in the pool house, playing a new video game that Jackson received as a gift. By that evening, I’d decided that I would always remember this as one of my favorite Christmases. Although it was bittersweet because of my dad’s absence, being surrounded by friends was a refreshing change. It was like I finally understood how lonely I’d always been now that I’d been embraced by a larger family of sorts.
After dinner, Patrick asked if I would accompany him to his office so he could give me more information on the astronomy class. I followed him happily, still amazed that I was going to attend a class on a college campus. For so many years it had seemed like a hopeless dream, something that was attainable to most everyone but me.
“Here is the course information,” Patrick said, sliding a packet across the desk. “The class is once a week on Wednesday evenings, starting January seventh, and the guys will make sure you have transportation there and back. I ordered your books online, and they should arrive at the loft any day now.”
