by Jerry Cole
“I’ll support her and visit as much as possible. I want her to be happy, but I’d miss the fuck out of her. We’ve always been there for each other.” He shrugged, looking down at the hard ground. “It would make more sense for her to come here rather than Taryn moving to New York. She has the shop to worry about.”
“It’s hers next summer. They’re retiring.” Peter looked at me, and I smiled. “She won’t be moving anywhere.”
“Wow. So that’s it.”
“There’s a bit more. The owners have a house on the lake that they’re keeping, but also giving Taryn. They’ll be in Florida most of the year, so it’s free to use. I was thinking about summer getaways until we’re ready for our place here.” His mouth dropped open.
“You would move back here?”
“I’ve done some digging. I could coach for the college team and earn a decent wage. It would keep me involved with the sport, and I’d get to travel and stuff as I’d do as a pro. I talked to Taryn, and she’s going to ask Rosa to move here. We could follow if that sounds good to you. I could also do the camp for kids here.” I reached out to take his hands. “I didn’t want to come back here permanently before meeting you. I think that we could make a great life here.”
“I never thought that you’d say that. I mean, I never thought it through completely. Where would you want to live here?” Peter asked as he looked around.
“A small house near the lake, I think. I have a lot of money from the inheritance still, and we could rent for a while. You can work from anywhere, so your take-home pay won’t change a bit. It’s doable.” IT felt good to free my thoughts finally. I’d been on this page since the last couple of visits to my parents, but Rosa potentially moving here sealed the deal for me. I knew that Peter wouldn’t want to be away from her, nor she from him.
This town broke my heart a few years ago, but I was over that hump. I could still do so much with hockey, and coaching sounded kind of perfect. I loved doing the camps and just helping kids that wanted the same thing I did once upon a time.
Being near my family felt perfect with every visit. If we lived here, we’d be just down the street and have the ability to visit whenever we wanted. I could’ve lost them in the accident, so I didn’t take anything for granted anymore.
“That sounds great. When is Taryn going to ask Rosa to move?” Peter asked as I smiled.
“I think Christmas. This town will charm both of you, and it’s a great gift.” I admitted as he nodded. I leaned in to kiss him, feeling the energy between us. It was palpable and everything that I ever needed.
“So, you’re thinking next year?” he clarified as I nodded.
“We could start to look for places then and find something before we make a move. If it’s big enough, we can combine our furniture for the interior. I think it might be perfect.” I smiled as his eyes gleamed with excitement.
“Do your parents know?” He asked, and I shrugged.
“They might know a little something, but it isn’t set in stone. They’ll be so happy, particularly Mom.” I pulled him into a hug with a smile. “I’ve never wanted a future with someone before. This feels good.”
“It does.” We sauntered back to the house, arriving when the girls did. I looked at Taryn as she talked about the store, which was her other love in life.
We unpacked the boxes, arranging boxes and tubs of ornaments for the decorating. Mom preferred to keep this just among close friends and family, especially with new faces this year. The ornaments went way back, and some had a story to go along with this. I still enjoyed hearing them years later.
We sat down to eat in an hour, and Peter and Rosa tried the Fritos with the cheese. They loved it as much as we did. When we finished, Mom turned off the pots to cool down, and we went into the large living room.
Dad did the honors of stringing the brightly colored lights, making sure each branch would light up. When he turned them on, the tree was already beautiful enough. I glanced over to see tears in Rosa’s eyes as Taryn kept an arm around her.
Mom opened boxes of ornaments, letting Taryn and Rosa pick first. They thought about it for a moment before picking shimmery pink balls and finding a spot for them. Peter sat beside me, watching as Mom joined in. “Rosa looks like a little kid. She loves this.”
“It’s fun to see. Mom’s always gotten so excited, and it will never get old for her.” I took his hand, rubbing my thumb over his skin. “Our grandparents gave us a lot of those ornaments. Gram used to tape one to a gift every Christmas for us, and Mom kept them separate. She doesn’t have a theme for the tree, and some of those old ornaments are in bad shape. She still uses them.”
“Does she save the ones you made in school?” Peter asked as I playfully rolled my eyes.
“Does she ever?”
Decorating took a couple of hours before Mom deemed it done. We turned the house lights off to see the full effect, and it was beautiful. The varied colors lit up the room, reflecting off of some of the ornaments.
I’d seen this my entire life, but the gasps that came from Rosa and Peter made me tear up. I realized they never had this, and I squeezed his hand tightly as I stole a glance. Emotions played across his face, and he pressed his lips together as everyone took in the sight.
“I think this is the best tree ever,” Mom said softly, slowly looking around at all of us. At this point, Rosa started to cry, and Mom wrapped her arms around her. “It’s okay. You’re ours now, Rosa.”
Taryn wiped tears away as she watched them, and Peter just turned his face into my neck. “I don’t know if this calls for tears,” he whispered as I felt moisture on my skin.
“The holidays are emotional, to begin with. This is your first one, babe. Let yourself feel.” He sucked in his breath and cried softly, making Mom look over. She pulled Rosa along with her, smiling at me as she took Peter’s arm.
“Come,” she said, taking them to the plush couch to sit between them. I remembered this as a kid when Taryn or I was upset about something. Mom would sit us down and talk us through our feelings. “It’s okay, my loves. We love you so much and can’t wait to create this tradition with you.”
“What if your kids dump us?” Rosa sniffled, and Mom smiled at me, then my sister.
“You’ll still be a part of us, but they won’t do that. They’re not fools.” She wrapped them tighter in her embrace. “No, they won’t. You are both here to stay because this is just so perfect.”
Dad watched her work her magic with love in his eyes. Mom cared like this with everyone close to her. She was always open to feeding the friends of Taryn and me and letting them stay the night if they needed to cool down from something at home.
I looked at the dim lights and then my mom with two of my favorite people. When I looked at Taryn, she walked over to hug me. “Fucking, Mom.” Her voice was a whisper that only I could hear under the music playing. “I didn’t want to cry until it was Christmas.”
“Soon enough,” I reminded her as I grinned at Dad. He walked over, throwing his arms around us for a rare embrace.
“Your mom still surprises me sometimes,” he murmured as we laughed in agreement. “I hope you two are in love with them. If you’re not, she is.”
“We are,” we both said in unison before laughing again.
Eventually, every couple ended up together on the couches in the room. We left the tree lit and searched for something to watch for the night. Mom was a big holiday movie fan, and we watched everything you could imagine growing up. It wasn’t even limited to Christmas.
We sipped tea in front of the fire, and I got lost in the feeling of Peter beside me. I could smell his minty soap above the warm scent of apple cinnamon, and slipped an arm around his shoulder. “I love you.”
“I love you,” he whispered, and I closed my eyes. Everything felt right at this moment. I thought ahead to the next set of holidays where we’d live here. My hometown was gorgeous around Christmas, and I couldn’t wait to show that off to Peter and Rosa.<
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I wanted us all to live here.
We went to bed after a movie, cuddling under the covers for warmth. “It gets chilly here. Do you think you can handle it?” I teased Peter as he wrapped his arms around me.
“As long as you’re here to keep me warm, babe. Besides, it isn’t that different from New York. It gets cold there, but it’s prettier here.” He kissed me, and I smiled against his lips.
The following morning, Mom cooked a big breakfast for all of us. Some friends stopped by to see us off, telling us that Christmas was right around the corner. I knew how insane that was going to be with a lot of gifts, food, and traditions. My mom lived for them.
We left late that afternoon, all of us solemn. Taryn was crying as we pulled away, and Rosa sat silently in the back and watched her until she was out of sight.
“I think I hate long-distance,” Rosa grumbled in the back seat, letting out a sigh.
“It’s hard,” I told her, looking in the mirror. “I’m sure she’ll be visiting us soon, or we’ll be back before Christmas.”
“I know. There was just something so incredible about this visit. The holiday was so fun. I never thought it would be that way.” She sounded sad, and Peter turned to look at her.
“Are you okay?” He asked, and she nodded.
“I’ve never felt so loved by anyone apart from you, Peter. It’s amazing. Your mom is so kind.” I smiled at her mention of Mom.
“She loves you both. That’s no joke.” I looked forward to the evening sky, relaxing into the seat.
“I would never think that it was.”
We were quiet as we drove, each lost in our thoughts. I couldn’t wait until Christmas when Rosa would know how serious my sister was about her. I looked forward to the new year when I might be returning home with the love of my life. I thought about the future with a smile on my face, even if I’d miss what I started in New York. Maybe I could come and play a game with the guys here and there. I could also join a local team and teach kids there.
It was where I learned how to skate and play.
Chapter Twenty
Peter
I woke up as we pulled into the apartments, blinking as I looked at Owen. “How long was I asleep?”
“About an hour. Rosa too.” He smiled as he shut off the car. I leaned back to shake her, hearing her groan as she woke up.
“What?”
“We’re home. Go on up, and I’ll get your bag.” Owen told her, handing her the keys. We both watched as she strolled to the door, unlocking it and disappearing inside.
The two of us got the luggage, managing it in one trip before we locked the door. Rosa held a bottle of water in the kitchen, sipping it as she watched me carry her bag to her room. “Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.” I smiled as I returned for my bag, following Owen to the room. It was great to be home in a way, but it also felt like we didn’t belong here. I knew that I needed to be with my family.
Rosa took a shower, drying off to call Taryn before bed. She worked in the morning. I always worked, and Owen planned to teach some kids at the rink to get back into practice. No ice for him for this long was rare.
We made love when the house was quiet and dark. We made time for that during the visit, just remaining quiet as we did right now. It felt so good to have the man I loved inside of me, his hands running over my skin. I closed my eyes, rocking against him as his short nails dragged across my chest. “So good. You feel so good.”
“Owen, harder. I need you.” I moaned softly, feeling him drive deeper inside of me. I cried out as he jerked, filling me. “Oh, my God.” He’s taken good care of me before this, but I was still hard. I couldn’t get enough of this man.
We toppled to our sides over the towel, breathing heavily. “I don’t think that will ever feel less than amazing. You changed my life, Owen.”
“I want to marry you,” I murmured, stunned by my words. It was legal now in both states that I called home, and I never wanted anyone but Owen. “Will you be my husband?”
I never meant to ask this way. I wanted to make a big deal of it with a ring and candles lit in a dark room. Asking just after sex seemed so lame, but it was how I felt.
“I’d love that. Let’s do it in Connecticut,” he told me, pulling me against him.
“I meant to have a ring. I intended to make this romantic. I’m sorry, babe.” I snuggled against him, closing my eyes.
“It’s okay. The words have been on the tip of my tongue for a while now, too. I knew one of us might say it.” He kissed my hair, making me smile. “I can’t wait to tell everyone.”
“Rosa will be moving in with Taryn, and we’re getting married. I think this is going to be a good Christmas,” I said as he chuckled.
“Mom might implode. This is her dream come true for both of us, though she’d like grandkids.” I thought about that. “Do you want kids?”
“I’ve never thought about it, but I’d love that. I want to keep the family going and what a way to grow up. We’ll need to be in Connecticut for that,” I replied, smiling.
“Absolutely,” he agreed and cleaned us up before we settled under the covers to sleep.
We told Rosa the following night over Thai food, and she cried. Asking if she could tell Taryn, Owen admitted that he’d need to call and make the announcement. There was no way that Rosa could keep this in, and we wouldn’t ask her to.
He called his parents once we were home, making the second person cry tonight. She was thrilled and yelled the news to Dad. He got on the phone to congratulate us before giving it back to Mom. She wondered what we wanted for a ceremony, and we admitted that we hadn’t thought about that. We were both low key and likely only wanted family and close friends. Neither of us saw the point in having one of those lavish things with hundreds or thousands of people. We promised that we’d discuss it at Christmas, and she told us both that she loved us.
Rosa called Taryn to tell her, and we heard the scream through the phone. “Calm down, sis.” Owen took the phone from Rosa, wincing as Taryn yelled at him. “We don’t know when, but it’ll be in Connecticut. That’s where Mom and Dad are, and we can find a nice place.” He smiled. “Uh-huh. You’ll be in it. I kind of think that both of you will be.” I nodded as Rosa cried again.
They talked for a while before he handed the phone off to Rosa, leaving them alone. “Holy shit. That was intense.”
“Did you think it would be any other way?” I asked, and he laughed, shaking his head.
“Come Christmas, the entire town will know. Expect a few suggestions over dinner on Christmas.” He walked through the living room to lock up, and we headed to bed.
“We should get rings. I know we’re not both supposed to wear them until we’re married, but I’m all yours.” I leaned in to kiss him in the doorway, loving the way that he felt against me.
“We’ll pick some out.” He smiled against my lips before deepening the kiss.
We ended up in bed, and this time it was my turn to take him. I thrust hard, knowing how Owen liked it. He moaned my name, panting as he came into a fresh towel when I released inside of him.
“Fuck,” he moaned, rolling to his side as he drew in deep breaths. “Fuck, that feels good.”
“It’s never felt this good before,” I admitted, taking the towel to toss into the laundry. I cleaned up, returning to bed as Owen moved over for me.
“You’ve got that right,” he agreed, snuggling up to me. Owen loved doing that, though he admitted it wasn’t his thing in the past. We just always needed to be touching.
We fell asleep quickly, waking up naturally to the sun shining through the window. Rosa was already gone, though I assumed she was tired. Tonight would be take out and going to bed early all around. Even I wasn’t looking forward to sitting and writing today, feeling restless and excited.
We got up to make coffee, lingering on the couch as we caught up on the news. Owen didn’t have set plans to come in and teach, but he missed skating. He woul
d just come in randomly sometimes and help kids that wanted it. Many of them saw how good he was and wanted to be that flawless at skating. “I won’t be there for long. I just need to loosen up.” He kissed me as I closed my eyes.
“It’s okay. We’re home, babe. I have work to do, as well.” I smiled, and he kissed me again. “Feel free to bring something home for dinner. I think we’ll all be tired, especially Rosa.”
“I’ll do it. Love you, fiancé.” He grabbed his keys and left the house, locking the door behind him. I stretched before pouring more coffee and warming up my laptop. Letting out a yawn, I considered going back to bed.
Everything was moving quickly. I was engaged, we’d be moving to Connecticut, and I’d live near family. I never wanted that before, but here it was falling into place. I took a slow breath, focusing back on my web page that I was making for a new restaurant.
I took a lunch break and threw a salad together, drinking more coffee. I felt like I was finally moving along, adding things and taking them away from the draft until I was satisfied with it. I finished and sent it along to the client for their opinion, stretching one more time.
It was three, and I looked around. I needed to wake up, so I changed for the gym and drove there in my dirty car. An hour on the treadmill and some Cardio would do me good. I walked in, scanned my card, and made my way to the treadmill closest to the wall.
“Peter?” I turned my head to see Adam, giving him a weak smile. “How are you?”
“I’m great. You?” I still remembered seeing his phone full of messages from the dating site when he left it unlocked, proving that he’d been seeing other men.
“I’m okay,” He looked good, muscular from working out. I remembered that’s what attracted me to him in the first place, but he did nothing for me now.
Nothing at all.
“Still freelancing?” He asked as I nodded.
“I am. I’m getting married sometime next year.” His eyes bugged out of his head as I fought back the urge to laugh.
