Back To You This Christmas

by Sterling, S. L.

  Back To You This Christmas

  S.L. Sterling

  Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  A Note from the Author

  About the Author

  Other Titles by S.L. Sterling

  On A Silent Night

  Back to You this Christmas

  Copyright © 2019 by S.L. Sterling

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved about, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of the book. This is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Disclaimer: This book contains mature content not suitable for those under the age of 18. It involves strong language and sexual situations. All parties portrayed in sexual situations are consenting adults over the age of 18.

  ISBN: 978-1-989-56605-03

  Editor: Brandi Aquino, Editing Done Write

  Cover Design: Sarah Paige, Opium House Creatives

  Dedicated to my sister, my best friend.

  Thank you for always being there for me.

  Chapter 1

  Alexa – Earlier that year

  While I sat waiting for the plane to board, I sipped on my coffee and fiddled with my phone. The airport was busy, as always, and I was on my way to my next photo shoot location. I had spent the last three years freelancing as a photographer and had traveled halfway around the world, visiting places like Paris, Italy, France, and Australia. It had been a wonderful experience, and at the young age of twenty-six, I had seen more of the world than people double my age. The traveling was amazing and part of the reason why I had gone into this line of work, but lately it wasn’t enough; I felt something important was missing.

  Those feelings began two days ago, while I was photographing this girl, Jasmine, on the day of her wedding with her mother. As I looked at them, laughing, through the lens of my camera, I began to miss home something terrible. Not only did I miss my parents, but I missed my bed, the sounds of the house, the homemade meals, everything. I had to put those feeling out of my mind in order to go on with rest of my day, being as happy and professional as I could, even though I was fighting back tears.

  When I’d returned to my apartment that night, I was exhausted. I’d dropped my equipment to the floor and headed into the kitchen to make tea. However, it wasn't long before I found myself curled up on the kitchen floor crying my eyes out over everything that had happened over the last year. I’d hit a rough patch, and something had to change.

  Eight months earlier, I had started dating my boss, something I had sworn I would never do, but he had been charming and relentless, so I had given in. Things had been going well, almost too well, and then what I feared the most happened. I had returned to the office after a rather rough day four weeks ago, and I’d found a letter addressed to me sitting on my desk. It was late, I was tired, so I shoved the envelope in my bag planning to read it at home. That had been a good plan on my part because inside the envelope, I’d found a letter explaining that things weren’t working out between us and he thought it would better if we parted ways. We were over and I'd been fired.

  For whatever reason, I hadn’t been able to get the letter out of my mind. I’d wiped the tears from my cheek and blew my nose. I’d desperately needed to talk to my mother, so I’d pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed home. I’d needed to hear her voice and crossed my fingers that she was home, and she answered. I’d felt so defeated and wondered if maybe it was time I went home for a longer visit than my regular thirty-six-hour period.

  Mom's voice finally broke through the other end of the phone. "Hey, sweetie, you’re calling late." Then her voice quivered a little. "Everything okay?"

  Shit, I had forgotten to do the time conversion before I called. It had to be eleven at night back at home.

  "Everything is fine, Mom. Just really missing home," I answered quickly, sniffling and picking at my broken fingernail. I didn't blame her for worrying. I was her baby, off on the other side of the world, most of the time in the middle of nowhere, generally photographing animals and local people for magazine articles. Of course, she would worry when I made a call this late at night.

  "Lexi you don't sound okay."

  "Just a tough day, I guess. What’s new?" I wanted to change the subject. I didn't want to focus on the troubles I’d had today. Hell, I still hadn’t told her that I had broken up with Gary and that I’d been fired. I’d been holding out because I didn’t want her to worry about me. She still didn’t even know that I was working for someone else.

  "Well, really, we are just getting ready for the wedding tomorrow."

  "What wedding?" I asked, sniffling.

  "Drew and Laura's. Your brother just got in tonight and they've gone out celebrating. I wish you could be here for this. I know Drew would have loved to have you there."

  "Wow, really, already?" I glanced up to the calendar that hung on the wall and, sure enough, the large red heart I had drawn around the date stood out to me. I had received an invitation in the mail, but my bank account had ultimately decided for me that I couldn’t go. I figured they would understand why I couldn't make it, and knowing Drew, he had probably sent me the invitation out of courtesy. He’d probably expected me not to be there. "I couldn't afford it, Mom."

  "You should have said something. We would have paid for you to come home. We miss you, Lex."

  "I know, Mom. I miss you guys too." I sniffled again. I got up off the floor and took a sip of my tea and pulled something to eat out of the fridge while listening to Mom talk about one of the neighbors. I took my plate of cheese and crackers over to the small table and sat down, picking up a pencil to write something down quickly.

  "Oh, and your brother is coming home for Christmas this year," she said, changing the subject once again. "Would be nice if you could join us."

  I fiddled with the pencil, holding back tears. I would give anything to sleep in my own bed, breathing in the familiar scent of Downy scented sheets. Right about now, I wanted nothing more than to taste one of her home-cooked meals and fresh-baked goodies too. I could barely cook, and I certainly couldn't bake. I stared down at my half-eaten cheese and crackers and pushed the food around on my plate while thinking about how close to heaven her food would be right about now.

  "I know, Mom. Maybe next year."

  We talked for another twenty minutes before I had to get off the phone with her. If I hadn’t, I was sure the tears would start to fall as we talked about old times. I choked down my meal in silence, just like I had done most nigh
ts since I had been gone. When I put my dirty plate back in the kitchen, I turned and looked up at the calendar, that bright-red heart screaming at me. I let out a deep breath. She was so lucky to have him, I thought to myself and picked up the invitation that sat on the pile of mail on the table. These had to have been expensive, I thought to myself as I ran my fingers over the gold-leaf paper. Laura was so lucky. I threw the invitation down, took a couple of cookies from the bag on the counter, and my tea, and headed into the other room to watch some TV.

  Fifty minutes later, the thought of home still hadn't left my mind, and I had begun checking out every airline for a flight home, finally booking one for December. I put it on my credit card, since my bank account certainly couldn't handle the cost of a flight right now, and decided that I would worry about it later.

  As I sat waiting for the boarding call for my flight, I counted the weeks until I would be home—only twenty-six more weeks. I was so excited. This Christmas I would be sitting around the tree with my family for two weeks, instead of wallowing alone in misery.

  Chapter 2

  Drew - June

  "Today is the big day, man. You sure you're ready?" Zach looked over at me while tying his right shoe.

  I was silent as I slid into my dress pants, pulling them over top of the black boxers with little red hearts that Laura had insisted we all wear for photos. I looked at myself in the mirror. Something about today was just surreal to me. It almost didn't feel real to be standing here getting ready for my wedding.

  "Earth to Drew!"

  I blinked hard and turned to look at Zach. I cleared my throat. "Yeah, I guess. As ready as I'll ever be." I let out a sigh, looking at myself in the mirror again. I wondered how long it would be before I put on an extra forty-five pounds, said good-bye to my eight-pack that Laura loved so much, and replaced it with a beer gut.

  "You guess? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

  I shrugged. I didn't know how to get what I was feeling across in words. Everything leading up to today had been wonderful, until I woke up this morning and something just hit. "Honestly, I don't know. Maybe I just woke up on the wrong side this morning." I looked over at my best friend who stood there smirking.

  "Are you nervous?"

  "No. I guess I’m just second-guessing if she is the one."

  Zach was just about to reach for his shirt and stopped as the words left my mouth. "You're joking, right? Dude, you are getting married in less than an hour. Come on, she's a great girl. It’s probably just cold feet. It will be fine."

  I grabbed the perfectly pressed white shirt off the hanger and slid my arms into it. "I hope you’re right."

  Zach got up off the bed, walked over to the mirror, and tied his tie. "What do you mean you hope I'm right? You've been with her for fifteen years, man. Of course, it’s going to be fine."

  "Yeah, but I should be ecstatic, happy, excited to start this journey with her, but instead I'm second-guessing everything. It's just a little unnerving."

  "Seriously, man, it’s just nerves. Breathe. It will be okay. You'll see her walk down that aisle looking absolutely stunning and you'll forget all about second-guessing."

  I silently prayed Zach was right. However, he hadn’t seen Laura's face when I dropped her off at her parents’ last night. The way she hung onto me as she hugged me good-bye, or the tears in her eyes as she looked back over to me before I had left. I let out a breath and wrapped my tie around my neck when the other three guys came in carrying ten shots on a tray.

  "Party time is here!" Ben yelled out, setting the tray down on the table in the middle of the room.

  "What is that?" I asked as I finished tying my tie and adjusting my collar, adding the cufflinks to my sleeves.

  "Tequila! Open up, motherfucker. You need to chill the fuck out!"

  "Fuck, guys, Laura will kill me if she smells this on me. I can't. You guys go ahead. We made a promise to one another that there would be no alcohol before the ceremony."

  "Already letting her control everything, are you? Don't be such a pussy!" Evan said, handing me the shot. "It’s your fucking wedding, man. Drink it."

  I chuckled at my seriousness and took the shot, praying that the smell would wear off before I stood across from her and said my vows.

  "On three." Zach called one...two...and down went the shot. The hot, nasty-tasting liquid seared a path down my throat and heated my chest.

  There was a constant murmur of voices that I soon blocked out as we continued to get ready. By the second shot, I noticed Zach looking over at me a couple of times, making eye contact, checking in to make sure I was indeed okay, but like the best friend he was, he never said a single word in front of the other guys. No one other than us knew how I was feeling.

  A knock on the door quieted the guys down, and Zach quickly answered it. "Hey, Drew, boutonnieres are here!" I heard Zach yell as I stepped out of the bathroom.

  I walked over, taking them from the guy at the door, and set them on the table. I stared down at the single red rose that Laura wanted us all to wear on our lapels and was overcome with that funny feeling again. I swallowed hard. Where was the damn wedding coordinator? She was supposed to be here already, and I feared if she didn't show up soon I was going to change my mind. Just as that thought ran through my mind, she appeared, almost as if she were the genie and I had just rubbed the magic lamp.

  She came rushing in the door, grabbing everyone's attention. "Okay, boys, let’s get these on, shall we." She grabbed one of the boutonnieres and began pinning it onto Zach.

  I watched as she took turns pinning the flowers onto my three other friends before she turned to me. "All right, Drew, here we go. Are you ready?" she asked, carefully pinning the flower to my suit.

  I nodded, swallowing my nerves down. "I just came from your bride's room. She looks stunning. Just wait until you see her." Once she had finished securing my boutonniere to my jacket, she quickly brushed a piece of lint away that had been sitting on my suit jacket and placed her hands on my chest. "All right, we should get down there."

  I nodded, swallowing hard.

  Minutes later, we were lined up at the alter, Drew on my left followed by the other three guys. I stood looking out at the guests, all 500 of them, and I started to sweat. I pulled at my collar, clearing my throat. "Did you remember the ring?" I whispered to Zach, who was busy making eyes at his girl, Ann Marie.

  "Do you honestly think I would forget?" he, asked tapping his breast pocket. "Calm down, man, everything’s going to be okay."

  Seconds later, I saw the wedding coordinator peek her head through the doors at the back of the church and the “Wedding March” started to play as a deathly hush fell over the crowd and people stood. My nerves kicked into high gear as I waited for my bride to emerge through those doors.

  Chapter 3

  Alexa - December

  I grabbed a large peppermint mocha from Starbucks and began walking toward my gate. I was so excited to be going home this year for Christmas. It seemed everyone was just as excited as I watched all the families getting ready for their flights to their holiday destinations. I took my time. I was at the airport early and took this opportunity to wander through all the overpriced shops, something I rarely had the time to do.

  As I wandered through a purse shop, I thought back to this morning and the conversation I'd had with my landlord. I had packed everything I owned and had just thrown the last of my bags into the trunk of the cab and slammed it closed.

  "Give me one minute," I'd said to the driver.

  He nodded while sipping on his coffee. "I'm in no rush. The meter is running!" he shouted as I ran back into the building and handed the landlord my key.

  "Alexa, are you sure you won't change your mind? I can always hold the place until I hear from you for no deposit. You've been a good tenant; I'd hate to see you go."

  Of course, he would hate to see me go. I'd paid my rent on time, the place was barely used due to my travel schedule, and I had left it with
barely a scratch in any of the walls or furniture.

  I hesitated for a minute, trying to decide what my plan was. When nothing came to mind, I shook my head. "It's okay. I'm sure."

  "You know what, you don’t worry. I am going to hold it for you regardless. No one is going to be looking for an apartment over the holidays anyways. So, how about I call you just after Christmas, and if you want to come back, the place is yours."

  "Thank you, I appreciate it, but you don't have to do that."

  "Nonsense, it’s not a big deal. It will be here for you. Have a merry Christmas, Alexa." He turned and headed back down the hall in the direction he had come from. I wiped the tears that had fallen from my eyes and turned on my heel and walked out the door into the drizzly weather.

  "Is there something I can help you with, miss?" I felt a light tap on my shoulder, and a lady came into focus in front of me.

  "Oh no. I was just looking, thanks," I said and continued into the next store.

  By the time I got to the gate, I had passed an hour. I took a seat off in the corner and pulled my laptop from my bag. Within minutes, I had pulled up job opportunities and began my search. There certainly wasn't much in the line of photography work back home, but the few that I found I applied to quickly. I had just sent my resume off to a fifth one when my cell phone rang. I glanced at the phone to see “Mom and Dad” across the screen.