Christmas Dinner (Crimson Romance) (17 page)

It was chilly outside, but the cocoa warmed her up while she waited. How ironic. This was the very place that two years ago she planned to give her heart for all eternity to one man. Now she hoped to have a new beginning with a different one.

She watched as Tate and Alex continued to give out gifts. They were singing and laughing with the kids.

How could she have not realized this sooner? Maybe her grandmother and George from the hospital were right. Not to mention Lacy. If she just opened her eyes, maybe she would see what apparently everyone else who met Tate saw—a generous, kindhearted man.

She patted the dog on the head. “Jingles, I still don’t understand why he wanted to come home with me so badly. Do you think he’s had feelings for me all this time?” She slowly sipped her cocoa, looking in Tate’s direction.

• • •

Tate and Alex waved to the last car pulling away from the house. “That was fun,” Tate said. “Thanks, man, for all your help tonight.”

“No problem. It was cool. Dad loved it, too. He’ll probably make this an annual tradition now. As you saw today, we’re pretty big on traditions around here. You up to wearing that suit again next year?”

“I’d love it. But I guess it all depends on your sister.”

“Why’s that?”

Tate shrugged. The two men started to climb up the hill toward the house. His ankle still hurt, but it was tightly supported in his boot. A dog barked in the darkness.

“I think your sleigh awaits.” Alex pointed in the direction of the bark.

Tate’s heart beat fast through the red suit. Amanda waved to them. “How did you know she was in there?”

Alex shrugged. “She’s been hiding out in that sleigh as long as I can remember. “Nice of you to help us,” he called out.

“Nice of you to run over my boyfriend,” Amanda shouted back.

“Come on, Jingles. Here, boy!” He whistled. “Let’s leave these two love birds alone.”

Tate smiled and followed his heart straight to the sleigh. For a few more hours, she was still his girlfriend. He stepped aside as Jingles flew past him. “I thought that dog would never leave.”

“Hi, Santa,” she said.

“May I join you?”

“I think this might be your sleigh.” She scooted over. Once in, she draped the blanket around his legs so that they were both underneath.

“Here’s some hot chocolate.” Amanda handed him a thermos. “It should still be hot.”

He took a sip. “What a night, huh?”

“Indeed.” She shook her head. “How’s your ankle?”

“Much better. Almost as good as new.” He leaned back and padded the pillow under his stomach. “Hey, if you wanted to get an exclusive with Santa, I could make it happen,” he teased. “Could get you an Emmy.”

Amanda smirked and leaned back. “Nah, I’m really cozy right now. Maybe next year.”

“Why, Ace, is that an invitation to do this again next Christmas?” He noticed her look away. Was she nervous? She was reaching to her side and grabbing something. “Well, I’ll keep the beard on for a few more minutes in case you change your mind on that interview.”

“I have a little gift for you,” she blurted out and handed him a blue box with silver ribbons around it.

Tate set the thermos off to his side. “Amanda?” He took the box. “You got me a present? I don’t have anything for you.”

“It’s nothing really,” she said. “It was actually yours to begin with. I just thought you might—”

“Thank you,” he interrupted her. This was the second Christmas box this woman had given him in her lifetime, and she didn’t even realize it. He untied the silver ribbons and removed the lid. His shiny lucky charm poked out from silver tissue paper.

“Well, hello, old friend.” He picked up the familiar rock and squeezed it in his hand.

“I just thought that maybe given the day you had . . .” She paused. “Well, I thought you should have it back.”

Her thoughtfulness sent his heart racing again. He needed her to know everything, but he didn’t have a clue where he should start. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “You know, my mom gave this to me when I was thirteen. She picked it up in a gift shop on a road trip on this very night. My dad had just died. She told me our luck was going to change.”

He could feel her hand touch his shoulder. “I’m so sorry that you lost your parents at such a young age. That’s why you carry this rock, isn’t it?” she asked. “I know you put it in your pocket before we go on air. I’ve watched you do it. Why did you give away something that is so personal and sentimental to you?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I got carried away in the moment. I thought you could use it this weekend.” He pointed to his ankle. “I guess the joke’s on me.”

Amanda took the rock from his hand. “It’s a little different now. I hope that’s okay.” She switched on the flashlight. “See.”

He leaned in and peered down. “Is something inscribed on it? I can’t quite make it out.

Xmas
something?”

“It says, ‘Xmas Dinner.’” She sighed. “For tonight. I mean, I know it’s Christmas Eve dinner, but that would have been too long for Brenda to etch. I thought this could remind you of the special surprise you orchestrated for Kristen and the girls tonight. I know that Chloe invited you to dinner. That must have touched you somehow to do what you did.” She tugged his beard playfully. “That and you did promise if I brought you home, you would make sure Christmas dinner would be memorable. This is just a little reminder that I’m holding you to it.”

“Xmas dinner.” Tate recited the words as he flipped the rock over and over in his hand. All of the feelings he had for Amanda were rushing to the surface. He wasn’t sure when it happened, or even how it happened for that matter, but he had finally gotten into Amanda’s heart the way she did his so long ago. Without another word, he reached over and cupped her face, pulling her chin up. He leaned forward until his lips met hers.

His mouth gently explored hers, thanking her for this gift and the one she’d given him when he was thirteen. It was that silly box of eggnog sugar cookies that gave him the distinct and familiar holiday scent that brought his parents back to him each year, at the time he needed to hold on to their memory the most.

Amanda broke away and giggled. She buried her face in his chest.

“Really, Ace.” He moved his hands up and down her back. “Not the reaction I was hoping for.”

She gently tugged on the white beard. “It’s just that . . . I can’t believe I’m kissing Santa.”

He yanked off the fake beard and pulled out the pillow, flinging both over the sleigh onto the snow. “Not if I can help it.” He pulled her into a long kiss.

• • •

Amanda threaded her fingers through Tate’s as they headed inside. Her lips were still tingling. “I bet someone is going to be insanely jealous of this public display of affection.”

“Who? Alex?”

“I was thinking more along the lines of my grandmother, but your
bromance
really did blossom after he ran you over, didn’t it?”

“It sure did.” He nodded to the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen. “Quick. What do I play again? Was it golf or tennis?”

“Very funny. Maybe we can start telling the truth?”

“I’d like that. I’m more of a soccer player.” He squeezed her hand and headed toward the kitchen.

“Not so fast.” She tugged him backward and nodded toward the stairs.

“Won’t we be missed?” he teased.

“I think we have a few more minutes before they form a search party. I thought you might like to take a quick shower. How’s your ankle?”

“Never better.”

From the smile on his face, she guessed he’d endure as much pain as he could stand for a few more minutes alone with her. Good.

She turned on the light to her old room and headed into the adjacent bathroom, emerging moments later with two white towels. “Here.” She tossed them to Tate.

“Two towels?”

“Don’t get any ideas.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He smiled mischievously and yanked his sweater over his head.

His bare arms were around hers before she could reply. “I do have one idea,” he whispered into her ear and then pressed his mouth hard on hers.

She reluctantly pulled away. There was no way this was going to happen in her parents’ house. “We should probably stop.”

Tate let out a groan. “All right. You win.” He headed for the bathroom but turned around. “For now.”

Amanda flung herself onto the bed and reached for his sweater, bringing it to her face. It smelled of pine needles and his cologne. He was still her boyfriend for the next twenty-four hours. It would be a shame if they didn’t . . .

“Oh, why not.” She jumped off the bed and unzipped her boots. Her jeans and sweater came off just as quickly. She opened the door, creeping into the bathroom. The room had a walk in shower and a tub. She turned on the tub faucet so that the water ran slowly and would take a few minutes to fill up. She quietly slipped off the rest of her clothes and pulled open the handle to the shower’s steamy door.

Tate turned around and grinned down at her. He pulled her in and cupped her face with his wet hands, longing in his eyes. “I was hoping I’d get my Christmas wish.”

• • •

A few steamy minutes later, they moved from the shower to the bathtub and were surrounded in bubbles. “You know . . .” He rubbed her legs. “I’m pretty sure that last move in the shower puts you on the naughty list.”

She kissed his neck and swirled the foam around with her hands. “And with only a couple of hours to go. What was I thinking? I guess there’s always next year.” She started to rub his shoulders. “I think you also had some moves of your own in there that would warrant listing your name right under mine.” She rested her head on his back. “Doesn’t matter anyway. I stopped believing in Santa a long time ago.”

“When did you stop believing?”

“I don’t know. When I was ten maybe. Some boy told me I was stupid for still believing in Santa. I think I stopped that night.”

Tate turned back and kissed her lightly on the lips. “What a jerk.”

“You know what’s strange? Sometimes I think about that boy. I was even talking about him earlier today with my dad. I guess I just wonder if everything turned out okay for him. He was having a bad day, and I tried to help. I had never seen a kid so sad on Christmas Eve. It broke my heart.”

Tate opened his mouth to tell her that he had turned out just fine but was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door.

“Hey, you two in there?” Alex asked from the other side.

Amanda covered Tate’s mouth with her hands. He gently nibbled on a finger.

“Stop it.” She giggled.

“Guess you’re not in there.” Alex continued to talk through the door. “Maybe I should help Mom out and take these dirty clothes to the laundry.”

“He would,” she said to Tate. “We’ll be right out,” she shouted, sinking back into the water. “He’s never going to let me live this down.”

Alex continued to goad his sister. “Well, the spiked eggnog won’t last if you don’t come down soon. Grandma is on her third cup.”

“I said we’ll be right out,” Amanda said through gritted teeth. “Alex, get out of here.” She pulled herself out of the tub and wrapped a towel around her body. “I bet it’s almost eleven anyway. I’ll go see if we can stream the Internet on the TV in the living room so we can watch our news show.”

“Why would we want to do that?” Tate watched her move around. He was in no hurry to stand on his ankle. He also had no interest in watching the news. He really didn’t want to leave the guest room tonight for that matter.

“Oh, right. You don’t know. Lacy called me this afternoon and said they’re airing a taped segment on our toy drive tonight. The producers asked her to see if it was okay with us if they ran the story. I told them it was fine. I guess they had a bunch of kids in the studio earlier today. Lacy said she was going to be on camera.”

“Lacy’s going to be on TV?”

“That’s what she said. Jeff’s letting them all say ‘Merry Christmas’ after the final segment.” Her hands moved swiftly as she wrapped a towel around her head and tucked it around her face. She bent down and kissed his cheek. He grabbed her head and kissed her hard, trying to coax her back into the water.

“You’re bad.” She pulled away. “I’ll see you downstairs,” she said and disappeared into the bedroom.

Tate threw his arms over each side of the tub and looked up at the ceiling. This weekend was going better than he’d dreamed. Tomorrow he’d tell Amanda everything. Then at Christmas dinner, he’d lean over and whisper in her ear that she was his first kiss and that he loved her.

“Amanda, dear, where is Nate?” Grandma Turner asked from her rocking chair, waving her empty eggnog glass.

“Yeah, where is Nate?” Alex said, provoking Amanda from the sofa. “Looking for something to wear?”

Amanda had joined her family who had all gathered in the living room. “Shut up,” she mouthed and turned to her grandmother. “Grandma, his name is Tate. Not Nate. Tate.”

“Oh that’s right. Sorry. I once knew a Nate.”

Amanda’s mother came in with a tray of eggnog. “We know, Ma.” She grabbed the empty glass of eggnog and handed her a new one. “This one’s a virgin.”

Alex burst out laughing.

Amanda narrowed her eyes and sat down, giving him a hard poke. “It’s not like you’ve never had sex in this house,” she whispered.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite family.” Tate strolled over to the couch and Alex stood, letting him sit next to Amanda.

Tate had changed into khaki pants and a red sweater. No Christmas trees and no reindeer. Just red and just perfect. He draped his arm around her and she leaned in. What a perfect ending to a wonderful night.

Tate kissed her on the cheek and turned to her grandmother. “Good evening, Mrs. Turner.”

Her grandmother’s face lit up. “Why, Tate. I’ve been waiting for you all night. How was your day?”

Alex burst out laughing again. He had moved to the floor with Brenda. Brenda jabbed his ribs.

Amanda took a sip of her eggnog. “Mom, where are Brad and Melanie?”

“They are upstairs with Max. He’s been fussy tonight.”

She turned her attention to her dad who was playing with the TV’s remote control. He was trying to stream the Internet. “I think we’ve got it. Amanda, let me show you how to key in the website.”