Her Secret Santa

by Kelli Callahan

  “Um… Where are we?” Elly narrowed her eyes when I turned my car into the parking lot of our destination.

  “It’s a surprise.” I smiled and let my car roll into a parking space near the door.

  “I don’t see a sign…” She tilted her head to look at the building and then glanced over her shoulder.

  “We’re going in the back way.” I reached for my wallet and pulled out my key card.

  “If you brought me back to your place…” She leaned away and gave me an apprehensive glare. “This is definitely not how you change my mind.”

  “Don’t worry.” I opened my door. “If I was trying to seduce you, you’d know before we got to my place.”

  “How? Would your jokes actually be dirty?” She grinned as I opened her door.

  “No.” I took her hand, and when she stepped out of the car, I took a step forward as I slammed the door—close enough that my lips were inches from her ear. “I would have already kissed you.”

  I saw a flustered look when I leaned back from Elly’s ear—but then a devious little grin formed on the edge of her lips, and her cheeks blushed. The attraction was obviously mutual, even if she wasn’t ready to admit it. I took her hand and waited to see if she pulled away—I saw hesitation in her eyes for a moment, but then she relaxed, so I led her to the door. I swiped my key card, pulled the door open, and let go of her hand so she could walk inside. I led her to another door and pushed it open.

  “Okay, seriously…” She tilted her head as she looked at the hallway we entered. “This looks like an apartment building.”

  “It is—something like that.” I nodded. “But I don’t live here.”

  “Who does?” Elly gave me an apprehensive look as I took her hand and escorted her to a door at the end of the hallway.

  “My grandparents.” I lifted my hand and knocked.

  “You brought me to meet your grandparents?” Her eyes shot up in surprise. “On our first date?”

  “You said it wasn’t a date.” I winked at her. “I’m about to show you that your perspective is a product of your environment—and not a representation of true commitment.”

  “Okay…” She took a step back when the door opened.

  “Ian!” My grandmother’s face lit up when she saw me. “I wasn’t sure if you were actually going to stop by! Joe, Ian’s here!”

  “I told you I would.” I leaned in for a hug. “I’m sorry it’s so late.”

  “It’s not late!” She laughed under her breath. “You know we stay up to watch the news every night.”

  “She does.” I heard my grandfather’s raspy voice echo from the other room. “I usually fall asleep on the couch before the weather comes on.”

  I hadn’t brought one of my dates to meet my grandparents since Abigail—so they weren’t able to hide their surprise when I introduced them to Elly. My grandmother immediately decided that she needed a hug too—even though they had just met. That was common for my family. I could tell Elly was a bit apprehensive about everything, but I had a very good reason for bringing her to meet my grandparents. They were an example of two people that had loved each other their whole lives. They never let the trials and tribulations that came their way get in the way of what truly mattered—their commitment to each other.

  “Are you two hungry? I don’t have any of those cookies you love, Ian, but I have plenty of leftovers!” My grandmother walked into the kitchen.

  “We just finished eating dinner, so we’re okay.” I chuckled under my breath—but then my attention was drawn to the kitchen counter. “Wait, is that one of your coconut cakes?”

  “Oh! That’s right!” She turned towards the counter. “I just made that this afternoon. Do you want a piece?”

  “I shouldn’t—but I will.” I smiled and nodded. “Elly, you have to try this cake—you’ll want the recipe, but don’t ask her for it…”

  “Family secret—well, her side of the family.” My grandfather grinned. “She won’t even tell me, and I’ve been married to her for fifty years.”

  “I’m really glad we skipped dessert!” Elly’s eyes got wide when she saw the size of the pieces my grandmother cut for us.

  I’ll definitely need a few trips to the gym after this, but there’s no way I can turn it down…

  Chapter Nine

  Elly

  It took me a few minutes to process the scene in front of me. Ian’s grandmother was a sweet old lady who had to make sure we had a plate of food before she could relax. Ian’s grandfather stood up to give him a hug and then dove straight into a conversation about current events. They were both quite spry for their age. Once things settled down a little bit, Ian’s grandmother joined her husband on the couch and sat as close as possible, even though there was plenty of real estate on the other side of the sofa. Ian and his grandparents spent a few minutes getting caught up—based on the conversation, it seemed that he visited pretty regularly, and they were surprised when he called to ask if he could stop by.

  “Elly, would you like more cake?” Ian’s grandmother motioned to my empty plate and smiled.

  “No ma’am.” I shook my head back and forth. “But thank you, it was delicious.”

  “So how long have you known this joker?” Ian’s grandfather looked at me and motioned to his grandson.

  “We…” I glanced nervously at Ian. “We actually just met.”

  “Ah, good.” He nodded. “Maybe he hasn’t stolen all of my good jokes yet. What’s green, fuzzy, and would kill you if it fell out of a tree?”

  “Uh…” I raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know.”

  “A pool table! Ha! Can you imagine that?” Ian’s grandfather started laughing.

  “He hasn’t told me that one yet.” I smiled and looked at Ian.

  “I was saving it…” Ian chuckled under his breath.

  “Please forgive my husband…” Ian’s grandmother rolled her eyes. “He thinks he’s a comedian.”

  “I was a comedian before you came along and told me to get a real job.” Ian’s grandfather grinned and nudged his wife.

  “Really?” I blinked in surprise.

  “Trust me; I saved him from a lifetime of disappointment.” Ian’s grandmother chuckled. “And also became his captive audience of one.”

  “She says that like she wasn’t in the front row while I was doing my set the first time, I saw her—batting her eyelashes every time I looked her way.” Ian’s grandfather narrowed his eyes.

  “He tells everyone that, but what I was really doing was trying to stay awake until he got off the stage.” She grinned.

  “That was what? 1967?” Ian leaned back in his chair

  “Yep.” Ian’s grandfather nodded. “She laughs at my jokes every day since then, even if she doesn’t want to admit it.”

  “I humor you…” Ian’s grandmother nudged him. “Otherwise you’d pout.”

  “I only pout when you talk over my shows.” He nudged her back.

  This is why Ian brought me here…

  Up until that moment, I wasn’t really sure why Ian brought me to see his grandparents. It seemed like an odd place to go on our first date—or our first non-date—either way, it was one of the last places I expected us to end up when I agreed to meet him. It finally clicked once I saw the way they interacted with each other. They had been married for fifty years, and it was clear that they were still very much in love. They teased each other, but it was playful, and it seemed that Ian got his sense of humor from his grandfather.

  “Oh, Ian—since you’re here.” Ian’s grandmother leaned forward. “Can you help me put the angel on the tree? I tried, but I’m a little wary of that stepladder.”

  “Yeah, and there’s no way I’m going to get on it.” Ian’s grandfather shook his head. “She might push me off to collect the insurance money.”

  “Stop it…” Ian’s grandmother gave him a playful slap on his arm.

  “See that? You both just witnessed her abusing me!” He pretended to be wounded. �
��There are laws against slapping the elderly!”

  “I’m happy to help.” Ian stood up from his seat. “I told you not to put the tree up anyway until I came for my next visit.”

  “We can still put up our own tree.” Ian’s grandfather laughed. “We just don’t put any ornaments higher than our shoulders.”

  “Elly would you like to help us with that?” Ian’s grandmother looked towards me. “We have a whole box that we weren’t able to get to.”

  “Um.” I looked down at the floor. “Yeah, I suppose I could put a few ornaments on the tree.”

  I guess it would be rude to say no…

  Ian placed the angel on the top of the tree, and I hung some ornaments in the empty area beneath it, which was almost completely bare. Ian’s grandparents had done a very good job of decorating the rest of the tree on their own. Ian helped me place the last few ornaments, and then we added another string of lights to cover that area. I took a step back and stared at the tree once we were done.

  Almost everything that was hanging on the tree was very unique except for a few traditional red and gold ball ornaments. I could tell that several of the more unique ornaments were handcrafted by children. They looked like the ones I used to have to make in elementary school—there was a time when mine were proudly displayed on a tree as well. I had no idea who got custody of my arts and crafts in the divorce, but they hadn’t been hung on a tree since the last one my parents put up together.

  “Thank you.” Ian’s grandmother walked up and put her head on his shoulder. “It finally looks like Christmas.”

  I remember when I used to get that feeling—but that was a really long time ago…

  Ian and I visited with his grandparents for almost two hours before the news went off—that seemed to be a sign that it was time for them to go to bed. I got a hug from his grandmother when I arrived, but I got a hug from both of them when we said goodnight. Ian’s grandfather wouldn’t let us leave without one more joke—a pun about pigs that do karate being called pork chops. I did laugh, even if it was cornier than the ones Ian normally told me.

  “So that’s who you steal all your jokes from.” I gave Ian a side-eyed glance when we started walking towards the car.

  “He’s got seventy years of material.” Ian shrugged. “There’s no reason for me to come up with my own when I’ve got an arsenal like that in my back pocket.”

  “Your grandparents are sweet.” I smiled and nodded. “It was really nice to meet them.”

  “And?” Ian stopped at the end of the hallway. “Did it change your perspective a little bit?”

  “I don’t know if I would go that far.” I looked up at him. “I know it’s possible for two people to have a relationship that can stand the test of time, but that doesn’t mean they all will…”

  What if this one could? What if I’m just being stubborn when the most amazing guy in the world is practically begging me to give him a chance…

  “But what if it does?” He took my hand. “Some risks are worth taking.”

  Maybe they are…

  “You have to take them first…” Our eyes met, and I felt my pulse start to race.

  “I’m going to take one right now.” He pulled me close, and his lips immediately crushed mine.

  My heart told me it was foolish to hold onto the past when the future was still unwritten. Ian’s kiss gave me a glimpse of what it could be like—in an instant, my concerns withered, and our lips seared together. Emotions that I had forced myself to ignore began to surge through my body, and I melted into his firm embrace. It felt so good to be in his arms—to feel wanted—to feel my desires melding with his. Ian was a risk that I was going to take because the other side of dread and apprehension was filled with possibilities; I would never experience in the lonely world I created. His kiss pushed my fears to the back of my mind, and the only thing I could focus on was the moment we were in.

  “Will you take this risk with me?” Ian’s took a deep breath as our lips parted.

  “Yes.” I gasped for air—nodded—and kissed him again.

  Ian’s tongue ravaged my mouth, and then it intertwined with mine. It was hot, passionate, and beautiful at the same time. One of his hands moved down to my ass and squeezed it through my dress while his other one moved up my back. My desires began to demand more than a kiss—I wanted to feel his hands on my skin—I wanted to feel to the fury that could turn the fire burning between us into a raging inferno. I could taste the same hunger on his breath—the same need radiating from his touch. When our lips parted for the second time, I didn’t want him to take me home—unless he was going to stay the night.

  “It’s getting late.” Ian looked down and exhaled sharply. “We should probably call it a night…”

  No, that’s not what I want…

  “Are you sure?” I felt the need burning in my eyes—he had to see it. “Is that what you really want?”

  “No.” He let his hands fall away. “But I think we should take this slow—it’s new for both of us.”

  “You’re probably right.” I looked down and nodded.

  He is—even if I’m ready to jump in with both feet.

  “I should at least take you on a date first…” He took my hand and smiled. “You said this wasn’t one.”

  “I’d be willing to reconsider that.” I bit down on my bottom lip and grinned.

  “Let’s give it a little more time.” He reached for the door.

  “Okay.” I sighed and nodded.

  Ian held my hand while we walked to the car, and after we got back to the restaurant, we shared one more kiss before my Uber driver arrived. Ian offered to drive me home, but if he wasn’t coming inside, I didn’t want him to see the look of disappointment that was sure to be in my eyes.

  The fire that was burning finally dwindled down to a simmer as my Uber took me back to my apartment—I spent the whole way there wishing Ian was in the car behind us. I even pretended that it could be him until my driver turned into the parking lot of my apartment building, and the car behind us kept going.

  I was too wired to go to bed. I poured a glass of wine from the bottle in my fridge and sat down in the living room to try and calm down so I could sleep.

  Ian did change my perspective—I threw every doubt I could come up with his way, and he still didn’t give up.

  Visiting Ian’s grandparents wasn’t what made me believe that he was a risk worth taking. It was the fact he was willing to go to such lengths just to show me that my view of the world was skewed that truly opened my heart to him. Relationships were complicated, but that didn’t mean they were impossible. I used the one that I watched completely fall apart as a crutch to avoid putting my heart on the line. Ian wasn’t perfect. He held onto a love that was dead for far too long, but he had enough awareness to understand that he was just torturing himself. Both of us had a chance to leave our past behind and see what the future could hold.

  I reached for my phone and loaded the Secret Santa Romance app. The icon next to Ian’s name was lit up, which meant he was at least looking at his phone, even if he didn’t have the app open. A smile spread across my face, and I started typing.

  Ian may have dropped me off, but that doesn’t mean our night has to end.

  Chapter Ten

  Ian

  My evening with Elly went a lot better than I expected. I wanted to show her that it was possible for love to survive a lifetime rather than fall apart when things got rough. Some relationships did fall apart—that was just human nature—but it didn’t mean that all of them would. Elly knew that, but she was afraid to admit it to herself because it was easier to build a wall around her heart than risk going down the same path that tore her world apart. One night wasn’t going to erase everything that had built up over the years, but it was a good start.

  That kiss certainly was…

  The moment felt right, and I went for it. It was a risk I had to take. It only took a moment for those beautiful misty gray eyes to storm wit
h the same desire that overcame me. I couldn’t resist putting my hands on her gorgeous curves, and I wanted so much more—but I didn’t want to rush it. If there was a future for us, then we needed to let our emotions settle down some before we moved forward. Elly and I had avoided so many serious discussions when we communicated through the Secret Santa Romance app. She was finally opening up to me, and I had shared my secret about Abigail with her. Those were important first steps, but there were still a few more to take.

  No matter how bad I wanted to turn my car around the entire drive home.

  It was well past my normal bedtime when I got back to my house, but I knew I would just toss and turn if I tried to go to bed. My thoughts were spinning, and the lust that filled my veins when Elly was in my arms still hadn’t faded. I decided to grab a beer from the fridge and find something to watch on television. I found something that looked interesting and casually watched it while I flipped through my phone. I was just about to put my phone down so I could pay attention to the television when I saw a message from Elly pop up on the Secret Santa Romance app.

  Elly: I see you’re still awake.

  Ian: Yeah, I haven’t made it to bed yet.

  Elly: I’ve got a joke for you.

  Ian: Okay. :)

  Elly: What do you call a virgin on a water bed?

  Ian: Uh, I have no idea.

  Elly: A cherry float!

  Ian: Okay, that one is funny, even if it’s a little dirty.

  Elly: Do you have a water bed?

  Ian: No. Why?

  Elly: Too bad, we could turn that into more than a joke if you did…

  Ian: Wait, did you just tell me that joke because… Hold on, you’re a virgin!?