by Ali Parker
“Living room,” Elise and I said in unison.
“Kate said there were presents for Roy,” I said.
Patricia and Richard nodded.
“You guys didn’t need to do that,” I said. “He gets spoiled enough as it is.” I also didn’t want them spending any money on us. I knew how thinly stretched they were, budget-wise.
Elise hooked her arm through mine. “Don’t worry about it, Dallas. With the paychecks I’m getting, it’s perfectly manageable. Besides, this is the start of a new tradition.”
I frowned.
She shook my arm gently. “I promise. It’s okay. Right, Mom? Dad?”
Her parents nodded eagerly.
“Christmas is so much more fun when there is a child around,” her mother said. “We want Roy to have a good time here this year so that he’s excited to hopefully come back next year. Not to be too presumptuous.”
I smiled. “That’s not presumptuous at all. I appreciate it. Truly.”
I sipped my cider. It was delicious and tasted like Christmas in a cup. Elise enjoyed hers too as we wandered around the kitchen, peering into all the dishes of food her mother had prepared. I saw a gingerbread loaf and cranberry bars. Nanaimo bars sat on another plate, covered with saran wrap.
The money Elise was earning made a real difference in this home. I could see it in the relaxed expressions of her family. The laughter was free and honest. Things were good for them, and I was happy to have been able to help.
We sat down to eat dinner just after six. I sat across from Roy, who insisted on sitting beside Kate. She had become one of his favorite people over the last month, and she treated him the way I always imagined an aunt would, if he had one. Now, it felt like he did.
We clasped hands and bowed our heads to say grace. Richard led us through a beautiful expression of gratitude, and when he was done, we all said “Amen” before picking up our knives and forks and digging in.
“Thank you for dinner,” I said after shoveling a few bites into my mouth. “It’s delicious.”
“Yes, thank you,” Roy chimed in, remembering his manners.
When our stomachs were full, Richard went and filled up our empty glasses with more cider, and then we moved into the living room, leaving all our dishes at the table to be cleaned up later when we were less full and less lethargic.
Roy sat cross-legged on the living room carpet. His eyes darted from me to the presents under the tree. He could see his name spelled out in permanent marker across the Santa Claus-patterned wrapping paper of nearly a dozen gifts.
I took my seat. “Do you want to play Santa, Roy?”
Roy nodded.
“All right,” I said. “We won’t make you wait any longer to open your presents. I know it’s driving you nuts. Let’s start. See the presents there, on the right? Yeah. Hand one out to everyone, and then take one for yourself.”
We all waited patiently and thanked Roy as he passed out a gift for everyone. The Christmas music and the cider made my soul feel full, and the warm press of Elise’s thigh against mine was helping too. I put my hand on her leg as she pulled tissue out of a gift bag and withdrew a red and black plaid scarf from its depths. It was trimmed in gold thread.
“Mom, Dad, this is beautiful,” she said, hugging it to her chest. “Thank you so much.”
Her parents smiled, and her mother said, “I’ve had it for months and couldn’t wait for you to open it.”
Roy dug into his present next. Wrapping paper was thrown over his shoulder as he sank his nails into it. When the box was exposed, it revealed an awesome race-car track. “Cool!” Roy exclaimed, turning the box so I could see the picture on the front. “Look, Dad! It goes upside down!”
“Very cool,” I said. And very expensive. “We’ll have to set that up and play with it.”
Elise’s family spoiled Roy, and I could tell they loved every minute of it. He was a grateful kid, and when the gift giving was done, he walked around the room to give everyone a hug and ask if they liked their gifts, too. He remembered what we’d given everyone and brought it up specifically. It seemed to delight the entire room.
As we all sat back with our cider, Patricia brought out the dessert. We indulged ourselves, and when we were done, Richard and I began clearing the dinner table. I didn’t want everyone to have to wake up on Christmas morning to a mess.
In the kitchen, we developed a dish washing system to get everything done as quickly as possible. I scraped food into the trash, and Richard rinsed the plates before putting them in the dishwasher.
“I’m glad you’re back in Elise’s life, Dallas,” Richard said when we were just about done.
I paused, bent over the trash can, and looked up at him.
He chuckled. “I know. I know. I’ve gone soft. But she’s needed you. And it feels good as her father to not have to worry about her. I know that you’ll take care of her. And I’m grateful to you for giving me and Patricia that peace of mind.”
“I’ve needed her, too.”
Richard smiled.
Epilogue
Elise
6 Months Later
Birds were chirping outside the bedroom window when I opened my eyes and stretched my arms over my head. My back cracked, and I groaned, enjoying the way my muscles lengthened and my spine straightened. A yawn escaped me as I rolled over to face Dallas.
And found his side of the bed empty.
I lifted my head up to peer across his side of the bed at the clock on his nightstand. I’d overslept. It was already eight in the morning.
I never slept that late. I’d been pulling some late nights working on a sequel to my first book, and I paid for it in the mornings. But night time was my writing time. It was when the inspiration hit me and the words flowed the easiest. In just two months, I’d managed to write half the book. That was a big difference compared to the two years it took me to complete the first. Admittedly, I had no clue what I was doing when I wrote the first one. The second one was going much more smoothly.
I yawned again before swinging my legs over the side of the bed and standing up. The plush white carpet I’d convinced Dallas to buy for the bedroom was soft on my feet as I padded over to the dresser and grabbed a pair of loose gray lounge pants and a gray tank. I wrapped my silk robe over top and went into the bathroom to tie my hair up in a messy bun atop my head. Then I brushed my teeth, washed my face, drank a glass of water, and did my lady business.
When I came back out into the bedroom, I could hear laughter downstairs. Roy was up, too.
I made my way out into the hall and stood at the top of the stairs, looking down to the living room below.
They were both sitting on the sofa, goofing around. Dallas was tickling Roy, who let out a squeal as he tried to escape. They both giggled like children.
I loved waking up in this house. I’d moved in four months ago after it became clear that there was no sense in me paying rent for my own apartment since I never spent a single night in it. It sat empty and cold, while I kept myself warm in Dallas’s bed.
The mornings were easily my favorite part. I woke up every day to a house filled with laughter, and the first interaction I had was with the man I loved and his son, who I loved just as much. Roy was a very bright light in my life, and he had become just as important to my mother and father and Kate. They all adored him. It was easy to. He was sweet and kind and charming. And I was starting to think of him as a son.
Dallas saw me at the top of the stairs and waved for me to come down.
I descended the stairs and met them in the living room. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” they said at once.
There was a coy smile playing on Dallas’s lips.
“What are you smiling about?” I asked.
He shrugged.
I narrowed my eyes. “You have a secret. Roy, what’s your dad up to?”
Roy giggled and covered his face with his hands.
“Oh, I see. You both have a secret.” I plant
ed my hands on my hips. “Which one of you is going to break first and come out with it? Huh?”
Roy peered at me from between his fingers. When we locked eyes, he giggled and retreated into Dallas’s side, burying his face completely. Dallas poked him in the ribs playfully before looking back to me. “Maybe you should turn around.”
I arched an eyebrow.
Dallas spun his finger in a lazy circle as he got to his feet. “Turn around, Elise.”
“Turn around!” Roy cried.
So, I turned. Slowly. And apprehensively. I had no clue what to expect.
It certainly wasn’t the grand white piano sitting in the open space between the living room and dining room.
“W—what?” I stammered, soaking up the sight of it.
It was a glorious instrument, with fine gold detailing up the legs and across the lid in the shape of vines. Pale pink roses had been painted on by hand. It was beautiful. And it was familiar.
“It looks exactly like the one I had growing up,” I whispered as my throat tightened with emotion.
Dallas came up behind me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “That’s because it is the one you had growing up.”
I craned my neck to look up at him. “What? How? I don’t understand. My parents had to sell it.”
“I know. Your father and I have been tracking this one down since Christmas. We wanted to get it back to you somehow.”
“Where did you find it?” I stepped out from under his arm and approached the piano. I lifted the cover and ran my fingers along the keys. I pushed one down. She was perfectly in tune. Goosebumps erupted on my skin.
“An old folks’ home, actually.”
“Really?” I asked, looking up at him.
Roy got up from where he sat on the sofa and hurried over. He sat on the white bench as I lowered myself onto one end.
Dallas nodded and came to stand in front of me on the other side of the grand piano. “Yes. After your parents sold it, it ended up at a music school and then in the hands of a student. But she went away to college, and her parents downsized after a couple years and didn’t have space for it. So, they donated it to the old folks’ home, where it has been for the last six years. Your father looked it over and touched up a couple of places where there was chipped paint.”
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered as tears welled up in my eyes. “How much did you have to pay to get it back?”
“It doesn’t matter. I didn’t pay anything. I just bought them a new piano.”
“You just bought them a new piano?” I asked incredulously.
He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, there were some pretty cute old ladies who were very adamant that their favorite piano be replaced. So, I bought them a brand-new one. This way, everyone is happy.”
I stroked the keys again as a tear ran down my cheek. “This is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.”
Roy pressed a key and giggled. “Can you play us a song?”
“I’m a bit out of practice,” I said.
Dallas smirked. “Come on. It’s like riding a bicycle. Let’s hear it.”
Truth be told, my soul and fingers were calling to make music. I set my hands lightly over the keys and my foot over the pedal. I made sure I was centered and squared my shoulders. It had been a long time.
When I started to play, I made a couple mistakes, but neither Dallas nor Roy seemed to notice, so I didn’t stop. I kept playing until the music flowed around me like a living thing, stealing my tears away and replacing them with joy and light and peace.
It felt like I was home.
When I finished the song, Roy applauded, and Dallas walked around to sit on my other side. He kissed me and then wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb. “We’ll have to have your mom and dad over for dinner. And Kate. I’m sure they would love to hear you play again.”
“That would make me very happy,” I whispered.
“Then consider it done.”
I wiped at my eyes. “This is incredible. It feels surreal. I didn’t think I would ever own a piano again, let alone the one I learned to play on.”
Dallas smiled. “The surprises aren’t done yet.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think I can handle any more.”
Dallas stood up and walked around the bench. “Trust me. You’ll like this one too.”
Roy followed his father around the bench until they were both standing at one end. I twisted myself around so I could face them and rested my hands in my lap. I was about to ask what the heck was going on when Roy tugged on his father’s sleeve.
Then Dallas went down on one knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ring box. It was dark purple. He rested one hand on top of it, ready to lift it open.
I covered my mouth with my hands and shook my head. Was this really happening?
Dallas smiled. “Elise Billingsly, a lot has happened to get us to this point, and I’m grateful for every second of it. You are the person who has been there for me at my worst and at my best, and I want you by my side for all the rest of it. The ups and downs, the adventures, and the quiet nights where we watch game show reruns and eat microwave popcorn.”
I giggled as fresh tears sprang to life in my eyes. “Dallas…”
“Elise,” he said, his voice calm and confident. “I’ve been thinking a lot about you. About us. And I know we are both stronger together. You make me the man I want to be. You make me proud. And you make me want to be better. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy, to thank you for all the happiness you’ve already brought me. If you’ll let me.”
I nodded. Words were too far out of reach.
“Elise, will you make me the luckiest man alive?” Dallas wrapped an arm around Roy, who joined him in asking, “Will you marry us?”
I couldn't control my tears as I nodded eagerly. “Yes!”
“Yes.” Dallas laughed. Roy clapped his hands together excitedly as his father popped open the ring box.
Inside the small purple box was a gorgeous, glittering ring. The band was rose gold, my favorite, and the diamond was huge and cut in the shape of a raindrop. The stone reflected all the colors all around us, and when the morning sun hit it, shards of light danced on the ceiling above.
“Pretty,” Roy said, watching the light above.
Dallas took the ring from the box and slid it on the ring finger of my left hand. Then he stood and looked me in the eyes. “Beautiful.” He pulled me in close and kissed me. I let out a tearful sob when he pulled back and held my face in his hands. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I whispered before I wrapped my arms around him for another hug.
Roy hugged our legs, and I reached down to rest a hand on his back.
“You’ve both just made me the happiest woman in the world,” I said.
Roy smiled up at me. “We’re a family now.”
I wiped away my tears. “Yes, we most certainly are.”
The End
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About the Author
Ali Parker is a full-time contemporary and new adult romance writer with more than a hundred and twenty books behind her. She loves coffee, watching a great movie and hanging out with her hubs. By hanging out, she means making out. Hanging out is for those little creepy elves at Christmas. No tight green stockings for her.
She’s an entrepreneur at heart and loves coming up with more ideas than any one person should be allowed to access. She lives in Texas with her hubs and three kiddos and looks forward to traveling the world in a few years. Writing under eleven pen names keeps her busy and allows her to explore all genres and types of writing.
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Copyright © 2018 by Ali Parker
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and plot are all either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons – living or dead – is purely coincidental.
First Edition.
Cover Designer: Ryn Katryn Digital Art
Editor: Eric Martinez