“Most pieces of history are. That’s how they make it through so much and are still standing almost two hundred years later.”
“What do you mean?” Caroline asked.
“Being at peace, truly entirely peaceful? That takes strength and power. If you have the strength to endure the wars within oneself, you will have the strength to endure anything else.” Logan squeezed her tighter, gazing up at the monument.
“Peace is strength,” she repeated, nodding, agreeing with his assessment.
“The original lighthouse is gone, it was made of wood and too far north up there on the shore that ships couldn’t see it. This one is sandstone and built in 1847,” he told her.
“I never took you for a history buff,” she commented as they continued walking towards the park.
He shrugged. “I’m not, I just love beauty.”
“Is there such a thing as a beauty buff?” She laughed.
“I hope not, otherwise they would be trying to steal you from me.” He grinned, winking at her.
“Wow, that was awful. For someone who knows how to write beautifully romantic lyrics, that was just pathetic,” she teased him, poking him playfully in the ribs.
“How about this one, did you sit on a pile of sugar?” Logan smiled down at her.
Her face twisted in confusion. “What?”
“Cause you have a pretty sweet ass.” He reached down and squeezed her butt, causing her to jump and let out a high pitched squeal.
Caroline ran forward, putting a little distance between the two of them as the entered the grassy park. She glanced back, giggling as he chased her and caught her quickly, lifting her off the ground as his arms encircled her waist. He kissed her cheek as he put her back on her feet, prompting her to immediately turn around and face him.
Her hands on his chest, she leaned up on the tip of her toes to reach his lips. Their kiss was soft and inviting, passionate, but gentle. There was no urgency or intensity, just tranquility. She felt her entire body relax into his as their lips moved together. Smiling into their kiss, she remembered what he had said earlier and she couldn’t agree more at this moment.
The things that bring you peace are the ones that will last forever.
Chapter Nine
“I fucking love s’mores,” Rock stated emphatically as he helped arrange graham crackers onto a tray in the Clay’s kitchen where everyone was gathered around the island counter.
Mickey walked behind him and smacked him playfully on the back of his head. “Language, son.”
“Sorry, Pops!” Rock grinned, winking at Laura who was seated in her wheelchair with a quilt over her lap, placing chocolates on a different tray.
“Leave the boys alone, Mickey. You cuss all the time.” She came to his defense, smiling at the line of men across the island countertop from her, all helping prepare the Christmas Eve Clay tradition.
“These marshmallows look deformed,” Logan chuckled, holding up an oddly shaped example.
Charlie barked out a laugh from where he was stirring hot chocolate mix into a ceramic pitcher of hot milk. Aralia looked up from where she was counting out roasting sticks that she had retrieved from one of the cabinets. Caroline walked up behind Logan and placed her cheek against his muscular back, wrapping her arms around him.
“For you, baby,” Logan turned around and presented Caroline with the deformed marshmallow.
“Gee, you shouldn’t have,” she responded sarcastically, but then allowed him to place it on her tongue. It might have been oddly shaped, but it was still delicious.
“To distract me from this nauseating display of public affection, anyone want to clue me in on why s’mores are a Christmas Eve tradition? I’ve never heard of the two being paired before on purpose,” Aralia piped up, looking over at Mickey and Laura.
“I don’t think it was on purpose, at least not at first.” Mickey scratched his chin and turned to look at Laura. “Honey, do you remember when we first started it?”
“Of course I do, it was the Christmas after my car accident and Logan had just turned six. We had spent so much money over the past six months or so since my accident, medical bills are crazy expensive,” she told them, nibbling a corner off a piece of chocolate that she was holding.
“Anyway, it was Christmas Eve and absolutely freezing outside. Started snowing and everything. Wouldn’t you know that the power company decided that was the right time to turn off our electricity? Yeah we were behind on our payments, but you would think that they would have the decency to wait until after the holidays,” Laura continued and Mickey placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing affectionately.
“How do you tell a five year old that we need to sleep by the fireplace on Christmas Eve to not freeze overnight?” Mickey chimed in, looking nostalgic and a bit sad.
Caroline leaned her back into Logan’s chest, feeling his hands rubbing her arms. She hugged herself and smiled compassionately at his parents, loving how sentimental and kind they were. She loved how enraptured everyone in the room was with Laura’s story, it was clear all of these men loved her. Even Rock, who looked like a less green version of the Hulk, seemed soft and gentle when he was looking at the woman they all considered to be a mother to them.
“So, we told Logan that the lights were out and the fire was on so that we could make s’mores. At first he threw a fit, thinking Santa wouldn’t be able to come and give him presents, but once we swore that Santa Claus would still be there, he calmed down,” Laura finished telling them her story.
“Yeah, I remember that now. Haven’t thought about that in a long time. I don’t know why we continued doing it each year, but Logan kept asking and soon it just became tradition. Kind of like a memento of the past,” Mickey told them as everyone picked up their trays and began following him and Laura to the living room.
“That’s a beautiful story, you never told me that before,” Caroline whispered to Logan.
He nodded, a small smile on his lips, and she realized that there were tears in his eyes. He was staring past her in the direction his parents had gone, his face hinting at a rare moment of fragility.
“You’d never heard that story before, had you?” she asked softly and he shook his head no. Smiling down at her, he kissed her forehead.
“I love you, Caroline,” he told her just as quietly.
“Merry Christmas Eve, Logan.” She smiled back, kissing his quickly on the lips before shooting him a small smile and following everyone else to the fireplace in the living room.
ღ ~ ღ ~ ღ
“Caroline, do you know what time we are supposed to wake up tomorrow?” Aralia yawned as they walked up the stairs later that evening to go to bed.
“I think Laura said breakfast was at ten, but I’m not positive. I’ll have to double check with Logan.”
“Okay. Hey, that reminds me, you’re not allowed to scrape me off on Logan’s friend again.” Aralia scrunched up her nose, looking disgusted.
“We didn’t scrape you off!” Caroline giggled, giving Aralia a small push, propelling her up the stairs faster.
“You totally did. You went and got your lovey-dovey, fuck-a-rockstar time in and I got stuck with asshole big brother. He is a major pain in the ass.”
“What did he do?” Caroline couldn’t stop laughing as they reached the top and headed down one of the hallways.
“He was a total cock block. One second I’ve got my arms around him riding to the bar on the back of his motorcycle, which was so damn hot by the way. Then the next second, he acts outraged that Rock and Charlie might have thought we were together. Then when I tried to get my flirt on with Rock- my goodness, that man is lickable- Dylan totally cock blocks me,” Aralia ranted.
“Wait, you were trying to hook up with Rock?” Caroline’s jaw dropped as she stared at her friend, following Aralia into her bedroom.
“Unsuccessfully,” Aralia groaned and flung herself onto the plush queen sized bed she had all to herself since the Clay’s home had enough be
drooms to comfortably sleep all of them.
“From what Logan tells me, Rock is a player. You don’t want that.” Caroline laughed at her friend and sat on the bed next to her.
“The hell I don’t! Have you seen him? His name is fitting because he looks like he is carved from rock. Literally.” Aralia lifted her head up off the bed to stare at Caroline.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Caroline shrugged, her hands up in defense.
“It doesn’t matter anyway. He has barely looked at me since Dylan threw up the giant Don’t-Touch-Aralia-sign.”
“Maybe Dylan wants to keep you for himself,” Caroline suggested, but Aralia just glared at her.
“Yeah right, he was pretty clear on that not being the case. And even if he did suddenly have a change of heart, believe me, that door would fucking slam in his stupid, hot face.” Aralia’s anger flared out into laughter and the two women fell back onto the bed, giggling.
“I should have known to follow the cackling to find you two.” Logan leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, grinning at them.
“Cackling? That’s so sexist,” Aralia shot back at him. Grabbing a pillow off the bed, she flung it toward him. Logan side stepped easily and the pillow went right past him into the hallway.
“I’m coming, I’m coming. Stop fighting, guys.” Caroline stood up, laughing as she walked over to Logan.
“Yes, Mommy,” Aralia mocked, teasing her as she gave them a wave goodbye and got up to close the door behind them.
Logan grabbed Caroline’s hand and whisked her down the hall and around the corner toward their bedroom.
“What’s the rush?” Caroline giggled, trying to keep up with him as they finally reached their room and he ushered her inside quickly.
“It’s Christmas Eve,” he said as he closed the door behind them and she sat down on the edge of their bed, looking at him.
“And?”
“Santa doesn’t bring presents until you’re in bed.” He grinned, walking toward her, a glint of excitement in his blue eyes as he stepped out of his shoes and pulled off his shirt.
“Is that right?” she teased back, kicking off her shoes and pushing herself further onto the bed as she pulled her sweater up over her head and tossed it to the ground.
“Mhmm. Tell me, Caroline, have you been naughty this year?”
Chapter Ten
Caroline rolled over in bed and pulled the blankets tighter around her, trying to keep out the chill that had crept in overnight. Blinking her eyes open slowly and succumbing to the daylight pouring in through the sliding glass doors that lined one wall of the bedroom, Caroline took in the view before her.
She could walk directly out onto the top floor of the porch from her bedroom and see right over the small cliff that led to the beach, to the ocean beyond that. Still curled under the blankets with only her head peaking out, she realized that their was a reason it was so bright this morning.
“Logan, it’s snowing!” Caroline sat up excitedly and turned to tell him.
But the bed was empty and she was talking to nobody. She threw the covers off of her and swung her legs to the side of the bed, stepping onto the wooden floors. Immediately a chill ran up her legs from contact with the freezing floor. Frowning, Caroline went over to the dresser and pulled out a fluffy, white sweater and a pair of dark skinny jeans. Changing quickly, she topped the skinny jeans with leg warmers that matched her sweater and a pair of brown boots.
Once dressed, she walked over to the glass doors and slid one open, holding her hand out into the air. Several snowflakes dropped into her palm and she smiled. It was the first snowfall of the season and it was happening on Christmas day, she couldn’t ask for anything more perfect.
Except for her boyfriend to maybe be there for their first Christmas together.
Scowling, she walked over to the desk on the other side of the bedroom and picked up her phone, hoping to find a message from him. Seeing nothing, she plopped down in the desk chair and opened up her old laptop.
Several keys were missing and it looked like it had been through a few world wars, but it turned on and it connected to Wi-Fi, so she managed. She had promised herself that she wouldn’t work or go on social media at all over their Christmas vacation. Since breakfast wasn’t for another hour and her boyfriend was missing in action, she decided to give herself a break and so she pulled up her email.
FROM: [email protected] TO: [email protected] SUBJECT: RE: Interview Request for Jr. Designer
Dear Ms. Sanders,
It is with great pleasure that the Children’s Division Art Department at Simon & Schuster has accepted your resume and is interested in speaking to you further about the position, if you are still interested. Our offices will open Monday after the holidays, so please respond as to what day you are available for an in person interview. Please bring two forms of identification and a voided check for the direct deposit form. Congratulations,
Ronald Harrows
Human Resources Officer
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing
Caroline’s jaw dropped as she finished reading the email in front of her. She looked around the room, wanting to shout and scream and tell somebody, but Logan wasn’t there. She reread the email again in disbelief. She had sent her resume and portfolio to multiple places before going to Greece, but they were all long shots. It was more for research into what different types of jobs were out there.
Standing up, Caroline was practically wiggling with excitement and had to tell somebody. She grabbed her laptop and held it to her chest with great affection, then swung up the bedroom door and rushed down the hallway and around the corner. Throwing open the door to Aralia’s room without bothering to knock, she hopped onto the pile of blankets where her friend was sleeping.
“Aralia! Wake up! Oh my god, you won’t even believe this!” she squealed, then slid off to the side as the mound of blankets moved beneath her, groaning.
A head popped out from underneath the covers and sat up, staring at her. It was Dylan. Caroline’s face went pale in surprise and embarrassment.
“Oh I’m such an idiot! Dylan, I’m sorry! I was so excited I thought that this was Aralia’s room!” Caroline scrambled off of him, sliding off the bed.
“Uh, well, you wouldn’t be wrong.” Dylan chuckled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as the sheet fell and revealed perfectly sculpted abs, pecs, and shoulders.
“Fuck, Caroline. What the hell? Is it morning already?” Aralia sat up next to him, holding the sheet around her chest to cover up.
“What the hell is happening here?” Caroline narrowed her eyes at the two of them, pointing between them with one hand as she held the laptop with the other.
Aralia looked over at Dylan and then scrunched up her face and shook her head.
“It’s not what it looks like,” she started.
Caroline stomped, one hand on her hips now. “Well it looks like you two just slept together.”
“Looks like she isn’t an idiot after all.” Dylan grinned, then grabbed his boxers off the floor on the side of the bed and pulled them on underneath the covers.
Standing up, he walked past her and headed out of the room.
“Merry Christmas, ladies.” He winked at them, then disappeared down the hall as Caroline gaped after him before turning her glare back to Aralia.
“Okay before you start-” Aralia put her hands up.
“Before I start what? Start saying that you were just talking about how much you didn’t like him last night? About how he is Logan’s best friend and any drama that happens between you two is going to be a nightmare for me? Or maybe before I start reminding you what a player he is and just uses women? Stuff like that?” Caroline sputtered angrily.
“That pretty much covers all the bases.” Aralia nodded her head, then climbed out of bed and pulled on some clothes.
“You are unbelievable.” Caroline groaned and sat back down
on the bed, then realizing what had just happened in that bed, she quickly stood back up and grimaced.
“It was just sex. Calm down, I still hate him. What the hell are you doing jumping into my bed at the ass crack of dawn anyway?” Aralia shrugged, pulling a sweater on.
“Oh right, look what I just found in my inbox!” Caroline’s face lit up at the reminder and she placed her laptop down on top of the desk in Aralia’s room and opened it up, bringing up the screen displaying the email.
Aralia leaned down next to her and read through it for a few moments as she was pulling on thick, warm socks. Smiling, she stood up and threw her arms around Caroline.
“Congratulations, baby doll! That’s so exciting!” Aralia praised her.
“Thank you, I can’t wait to tell Logan. This is it, Aralia. I’m finally going to be doing a job that I’m good at, that I enjoy, and best of all, that I got all by myself.” She grinned, hugging herself as she practically danced around the room.
“It’s all falling into place for you, isn’t it?” Her friend smiled, watching her.
“It really is,” she responded, missing the flash of sadness that crossed Aralia’s face as she wondered if she would ever get to have that same feeling.
“You haven’t told Logan yet? Is he still sleeping?”
“No, I don’t know where he is. The bastard let me wake up to our first Christmas, an actual white Christmas, alone.” Caroline shrugged, feigning more irritation than she really felt.
“White Christmas? Holy cat in a sweater, it’s snowing!” Aralia rushed over to the sliding glass doors that lined one wall of her room and lead onto the side porch of the balcony. Caroline followed her, grinning and shaking her head.
“You say the weirdest things, you know that?” she told Aralia.
“You love it.” Her friend tossed back and Caroline nodded, smiling, because she absolutely did love everything, well almost everything, about Aralia.
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