by Piper Stone
“Always?” He raised his eyebrow at her. “Then why does your bare butt end up over my lap so often?”
“Because you’re mean?” she pouted.
“Mean?” He lunged toward her and dropped her in front of the tree.
Lily giggled, and let her pull her to the floor. “What about Tyler?” she asked.
“I hung his new stocking on his bedroom door and it has bells on it, we can hear him coming,” he said, pulling his shirt off over his head.
Lily looked at her receipt. If she could have waited about three weeks, all this stuff would be at least half off. But half off in three weeks, did not get her yard and house decorated tonight when all the gang was coming over to help. Talia and Lucas. Stormy, Cade and baby Elliot. Kevin. Maybe he was bringing Gwen, his partner? Kevin needed someone, and she couldn’t understand why he hadn’t met anyone yet. He was tall, dark, handsome and a cop. Why wouldn’t he be snatched up? Maybe she could find someone… Her phone chirped. It was Sam. “Do you know anyone we can fix Kevin up with tonight?” she answered.
“What?” Her husband sounded confused. Silly male.
“Kevin. I want to fix him up. He needs someone to kiss under the mistletoe and at midnight on New Year’s,” she explained.
“No,” he said. “Just, Lily, I thought you were shopping.”
“Oh, I am. I have more decor than you ever thought could go on your house,” she said.
“Our house,” he reminded her.
“Yeah,” she sighed. She paid for nothing on the house. She worked part time, and got child support for Tyler, but didn’t pay the mortgage or the power bill or anything. It didn’t feel like her house. Well, it was starting to; Sam encouraged her to put her touches on it, and redecorate what she desired. He could say ‘our’ house all he wanted. But it was his house, that he paid for and he let her live in.
She sighed and decided, once again, not to think of it till after the new year. All that mattered right now, was a perfect Christmas for her family. She’d figure out the niggling house issue next year.
“So no one in your office is good for Kevin?” she asked him.
“Nope. Non option. Oh, I was calling to see if you needed anything for tonight?”
“No, I think I have everything,” she said. “But that was really sweet of you to ask.”
“I am really sweet,” he said, dryly. “But no setting people up. I just want to Christmas Vacation all over our house.”
They had watched that movie just the other night. “Yes, I think I fulfilled that dream,” she said. “But, maybe if I find someone?”
“Do you know anyone?” he asked.
“Not really, but I haven’t looked very much yet,” she said. “I just thought of it.”
“Don’t look. When the time is right he will find someone, just like I found you,” he said and Lily tried to squash her matchmaking desires.
It was really tempting though, even though she couldn’t think of anyone off hand. Oh! She could! Besides, she needed some fresh flowers for the party tonight anyway. She stopped in front of the small florist shop where she now worked part time. Before she got married, she’d been assistant manager, but Sam had insisted that she drop down to part time, to spend more time with him and Tyler. She wasn’t complaining any. She liked her job, but loved being home more.
“Welcome to Brenda’s!” a voice chirped at her, the new assistant manager, Ronnie. Ronnie was divorced, she knew, and pretty in a short, voluptuous kind of way, smart, and funny. She’d be a great match up with Kevin.
“Hi, Ronnie,” she said. “I just came in for a couple fresh bouquets for a little party I’m having tonight.”
“Hi, Lily!” She smiled at her and said, “You know where they are. Are you having a Christmas party? It’s the season for it!”
“Oh, just some people coming over to help us hang lights and decorate outside some before the snow falls. You busy? Would you like to come over? I can put you to work and then we can sit around and drink wine and eat cookies,” she offered.
“I’d love to,” she said. “I haven’t gone out much since the divorce and it sounds like a fun time. I get off at seven. Is that too late?”
“Nope, that is perfect,” she said, whipping out her debit card to pay for the flowers. “See you then!”
Surely Sam wouldn’t mind if she invited a lonely co-worker. No reason, just being friendly. Sam would believe that, right? Of course he would.
Lily pulled into the garage and began unloading her packages. She’d leave the big heavy stuff in the trunk for the guys to get out later, but she brought her flowers in and a few other things she’d gotten. There was an hour before she had to walk to the bus stop to get Tyler, so she busied herself in the kitchen, making supper and starting snacks for the party.
She put on her coat later, to head to the bus stop to get Tyler. Looking up at the sky, she thought it looked like snow clouds up above. It could hold off till tomorrow, she hoped.
It would be lovely to have a light snowfall tomorrow, after the lights and decor were up, but hopefully it wouldn’t do it tonight while they were putting them up. She peered up to the horizon to see if the Black Hills were covered yet. It was so hazy, it was hard to tell. She’d look tomorrow. One thing about living in South Dakota, there was always a view.
“So we’re putting up lights and blow up creatures?” Lucas said, dubiously.
Sam sighed. “It makes her happy.”
“Maybe if you were better in bed, she’d be happier.” Lucas took a long pull at his beer.
“Funny.” Sam glared at him. “You going to help me or drink?”
“Both,” Lucas said. “It’s the only thing that’s going to get me through this.”
“So Talia doesn’t want lights and crap?” his brother Kevin asked.
“I have my woman under control,” Lucas said grandly. “We have a tree, and she put stuff all over the house. But that’s as far as it’s going.”
Cade came out of the house into the garage.
“Get all that stuff carried in?” Sam asked.
“Why does a kid as big as a football need all that stuff?” Lucas asked.
“I just do as I’m told,” Cade said, and opened the cooler to pull out a beer. “Not my job to question why.”
“Drink up, and then we’ll get started. Lily is making some food for after.”
They all eyed a car that pulled up behind Cade’s. “You expecting anyone else?” Cade asked.
“No,” Sam said, and they all watched a small, attractive woman walk up the drive. “Maybe she’s selling something?”
“Am I in the right spot?” she called out cheerfully. “I’m Ronnie, Lily said there was a party.”
Sam stood up, “I’m Sam, Lily’s husband. Come on, I’ll take you inside where it’s warm.”
“I don’t know, this might be where the fun is.” She looked around, spied the cooler and opened it, took out a beer, made a face and said, “Is this all there is?” But then sat down on an empty stool.
“The women have wine and other things in the house,” Sam said again, but it was if she could not grasp social clues. She took a deep breath and started talking.
The four men stared at her and Lucas said quietly to Sam, “I don’t think that’s her first beer.”
“I think you’re right.” Sam got up and walked in the house. “Lily!” he called.
“In the kitchen, Sam, you need something?” she called back. He walked in. She, Talia and Stormy had the baby in his car seat on the counter while they all stared at him as if he were doing something besides sleeping.
“Where’s Tyler?” he asked.
“Finishing his math, then I’m going to send him out to help you all, if that’s okay?” she said, looking at him as if she were puzzled.
“There’s a woman in the garage,” he said, tersely.
“A woman... Oh, Ronnie!” she said. “Send her in. She’s the new assistant manager at Brenda’s,” Lily told the other two wom
en. “I thought she might like to come and meet some people.”
“She won’t come in,” Sam said. He turned around and headed back to the garage, where Ronnie was still talking about her ex. Her no good, very bad ex, apparently.
“It’s her third,” Kevin said, to him quietly, motioning to the beer in her hands.
“Since I left a minute ago?” Sam said. “We need to get her keys.”
Kevin nodded and they looked up as Lily came out. “Ronnie, come on in! The guys are going to put up lights and we’re going to make them some food for when they’re done.”
“Lily, I can help with lights,” she said, and stretched her legs out. “See, I have my ladder boots!” She winked at Cade, and said, “Or my do me boots.”
Sam had no clue what ladder boots were, but he knew he did not want his stepson around this woman.
Lily looked concerned and Sam shot her a look to let her know that she should be. “Well, come in with me for a minute, you can bring your drink, and…” She looked at Sam with a helpless look.
Luckily, Ronnie got up and followed her in.
“What was that?” Lucas asked after the door shut behind them.
“The reason my little wife will be getting some attention from the paddle later,” Sam growled, and looked at Kevin. “There’s your date for the night.”
“What lucky lucky boy I am,” Kevin said sarcastically. “Let’s get these lights up before I have to drive her home.”
Half an hour later, they had most of them up, and were working on the blow up Santa for the front yard. “There he is!” Sam said. “Get that math done, Tyler?”
“I hate math,” he said. “I want to be a lawyer like you. You don’t have to do math, right, Sam?”
“Sometimes,” he said. “I’ll help you with it from now on though, okay? If you want me to.”
“I want to help,” Tyler said.
“Come here and you can run the air pump,” Lucas told him.
Tyler eagerly ran over to turn the machine off and on at their request, and before their very eyes, Santa and a sleigh and a few reindeer popped up from flat rubber.
Kevin and Cade staked them to the ground, and Sam turned the lights on from the garage. Tyler looked at the house with wondering eyes. “Is this really ours?” he asked Sam. Sam’s heart ached just a little. What a gift this child was to him.
“It is. Run in and tell your mom and Aunt Talia and Aunt Stormy to come out and see, okay?” As he watched Tyler run in the house, he realized that he’d forgotten about Ronnie. Maybe she’d passed out or sobered up or something.
A few minutes later, he saw that his hopes were wrong. Stormy and Talia came out, Tyler between them. Ronnie and Lily followed, Ronnie looking very happy and Lily looking very worried. He took a deep breath. He was a lawyer, he could handle people.
He didn’t have to worry though, because Kevin stepped in between Ronnie and Lily, and took her arm. “Let’s look at the lights,” he said, as she all but fell against him.
“Okay,” she agreed.
“I love lights, how about you?”
“I do, and Santa,” she said, her eyes welling up; Sam could see the tears fall from where he was. “I need a drink.”
“You’ve had plenty,” Kevin said. “In fact, why don’t I take you home?”
“I don’t want to go home,” she pouted. “I’ve not gone out one time since I got divorced.” She stage whispered, “I might have forgotten how to go out.”
“You might have,” he agreed and waved at the group.
Sam walked over as he was escorting her to her truck. “You okay?” he asked.
“Not my first rodeo,” Kevin said. “Help me get her in the truck.”
She was all but draped on him, and they both boosted her into the truck. “Got her purse? I need her address and keys.”
“Lily!” Sam turned and looked at her. “We need her purse.”
She didn’t say a word, but turned and ran toward the house.
A few minutes later, she emerged with it, and gave it to Kevin with a whispered, “Sorry.”
“Not a big deal. I’ll make sure she gets home safely. See you tomorrow.” Kevin waved, as he got in the truck.
“Well, wasn’t that fun?” Sam said to Lily.
“Sam, I—”
“Never mind. We have guests. I want them to have a good time.”
He walked back to the party; everyone was still ogling the lights and blow up characters, and talking to Tyler.
“Let’s go in, warm up, and have some of my wife’s good cooking,” Sam said a while later, when he noticed her shivering. “I heard a rumor there are Christmas cookies too.”
“Sounds good,” Lucas said.
No one mentioned Ronnie in the next hour, and Lily felt her tension rise. What had she been thinking? Well, who would have thought she’d show up drunk? A lot of people drank to excess on occasion, but was the first time meeting new people a good time to do that? Had she driven here drunk? She shook her head and kept her eye on Sam. She knew she was in trouble, and rightly so. They sat around for a while longer, then everyone walked back out to the curb to look at the lights and decor again. Lily kissed baby Elliot’s tiny cheek and had a thought as they got in the car.
“Thank you for coming,” she said into the group. “I’m sorry about Ronnie.”
“Don’t be silly,” Stormy said. “It will give us something to talk about for weeks now, won’t it?”
Yeah it would, but she worried how the upcoming talk with Sam was going to go. “Drive safely,” she said. “It’s starting to snow.”
It was. She turned around and looked at her house, with the twinkling white lights on the outside, and the tree dressed in multi colors on the inside, huge thick snowflakes falling down. She felt peaceful and happy. Then she thought of Tyler and the kitchen mess, and Ronnie and got tense again.
“It’s getting late, buddy, come on, and you can start getting ready for bed,” she told Tyler.
“When’s Santa coming?” Tyler asked.
“Not for a couple weeks,” Lily told him. “We will start a calendar tomorrow so you can count down the days, okay?”
“Another calendar?” Tyler moaned dramatically.
“This one will be just for you and Santa.” She helped him get ready for bed, and then read him a story. He was sound asleep before she got to the end. Reading to the end anyway, gave her a few more minutes before she had to face Sam. He’d told her not to set Kevin up, then she’d done it and not told him. Then, well, they all knew what happened then.
She needed to go put the food up, though. Shutting Tyler’s door and making sure the stocking with the bells on it hung on the knob, she walked into the kitchen and was surprised to see the food was put away, and her handsome lawyer husband was wiping down the counters.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she said, and remembered her thought as she kissed little Elliot earlier. Walking over to him, she hugged him and said, “Isn’t Elliot adorable? Don’t you want a baby?”
“Gonna wrap one up and put it under the tree?” he asked.
“I don’t think that’s where they come from,” she said, relaxing just a little.
“Well, you’d know better than me,” he said. He kissed the top of her head. Switching the lights off as they went, they headed toward the bedroom on the far side of the house. They stopped for a moment in the dining room. Sam turned out the lights and they looked at the twinkling tree, and the snow falling outside the window.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. “I love my life.”
“I’ll remind you of that in a few minutes,” he said, and flipped the tree lights off, then took her by her hand.
Lily didn’t say anything. What was there to say? He was right, of course. Just ask him. They got to the bedroom and he shut and locked the door. It was far enough away from Tyler; she knew he wouldn’t hear anything, no matter what they did.
Leaning against the door, he looked at her and waited. Maybe she could
wait him out? Butterflies exploded in her stomach. This was not going to be good.
Apologizing. That couldn’t hurt. Might not help, she knew, but trying would be good. “I didn’t know,” she started.
“Of course you didn’t know. I’m not upset about your friend coming over here smashed out of her mind. That wasn’t your fault. You didn’t bend her elbow.”
She knew better than to feel relief.
“Who is she?” he asked.
“Brenda’s new assistant manager,” she said. “She just got divorced.”
“I knew that, she announced it several times.” Sam pulled the straightback chair to the middle of the room.
“So?” She looked at him. “Why am I in trouble?”
“What is the one thing I tell you, my one rule?” He walked to the adjoining bathroom and came back with the hairbrush, dropping casually on the bed and pushed his sleeves up.
“Listen to what I tell you,” she answered, heart sinking.
“What did I tell you?” he said.
“Not to fix Kevin up; but really, Sam, it was a spur of the moment decision. I just went in to get flowers and we got to talking and well, then, it just came out of my mouth,” she said in one breath.
“And you just forgot to tell me about this spur of the moment decision.” It wasn’t a question she knew, and he had his lawyer voice on.
“Well, maybe I didn’t exactly forget,” she said.
“Maybe?” he asked, lifting that eyebrow in a way that she knew meant he knew the answer already.
“I knew you’d think I was trying to set Kevin up,” she said, twisting her fingers together.
“Would I have been wrong?”
“Probably not,” she said, “but Sam!”
He folded his arms and she couldn’t help the shiver of desire for him that shot through her. He was so, well, Sam. “I’m waiting,” he said.
For what, she wondered. She just looked at him, till he sighed.
“Fine, let’s remind you that I mean what I say. Drop the pants and get over here.” He picked up the hairbrush and sat down in the straightback chair.
“Sam,” she whined. “Come on.”