by Gina Wilkins
She laughed musically in his ear. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll make plenty. Your mother was so insistent that as a first-time guest I shouldn’t have to bring anything this year, but I feel as though I should take something.”
“That’ll be fine. It feels kind of strange to work around two family schedules for Christmas, huh?”
“It does. My social calendar was much busier this year than usual.” Fortunately her family celebrated together on Christmas Eve, while his gathered for a big Christmas Day lunch, so the traditions hadn’t overlapped.
“Mine’s been packed, too,” he said. “But I’m not complaining. I’ve enjoyed the past weeks with you.”
“So have I,” she said.
Had he heard something a little odd in her voice just then? He wished he could see her face. He wished he could touch her. Kiss her. The intensity of the hunger that shot through him so unexpectedly shook him. It had only been a few hours since he’d seen her, but here he was missing her as if it had been days.
“Tess? We can have as big a wedding as you’d like, but I’d like to put it all together fairly quickly. I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping for a short engagement.”
She hesitated only a beat, as if surprised by the abrupt change of subject, then replied, “I don’t need a big wedding. Family and a few close friends are all I really want to be there.”
“That sounds about perfect to me. The sooner the better.”
“We’ll talk about it.”
“It’s late. I’m sure you’re tired. I’ll see you tomorrow—though maybe only for a few minutes at a time.”
“Okay. Good night, Scott.”
The pause then felt oddly heavy, as if she was waiting for him to say something more, while he felt as though there was something he should say. He settled for “Sleep well.”
And then he disconnected, feeling vaguely unsatisfied with the call’s conclusion.
Don’t screw this up.
Why did he feel the need to keep saying that to himself?
Chapter Ten
Christmas Eve was a great success so far, at least where Scott was concerned. For the first time, Tess had brought a bag and had spent last night at his house, a momentous occasion for both of them though they hadn’t expressed it in so many words. They’d made dinner together in his kitchen, then watched a Christmas movie afterward while her pear tarts for the next day baked in the oven. They’d held hands during the movie like giddy teens in a theater. Afterward, she’d stashed the tarts in the fridge, playfully slapping Scott’s hand when he tried to pinch a few. She had distracted him easily enough from the Christmas sweets by enticing him into the bedroom. It had been quite a while before they’d fallen asleep.
They’d talked of wedding plans that afternoon, and they’d agreed that a spring ceremony in his parents’ sprawling backyard would suit them nicely. It was where Jake and Christina had exchanged vows, and Scott said theirs had been a very nice little wedding. Eli and Libby had married in the big Catholic church in which she’d grown up and had treated themselves to a lavish celebration with a couple hundred guests. Also nice, Scott had admitted, but not to his taste. He’d been relieved, but not particularly surprised, when Tess had heartily concurred.
Now, as it grew closer to time to leave for her sister’s house, Tess donned the red dress she’d worn to the Holiday Open Home, and he was still struck by how good it looked on her. “You got your money’s worth out of that dress,” he assured her, looking at her in the mirror as he fastened his tie. “It’s really pretty.”
“Thank you. Sorry about the tie. Nina insists on fancy dress for her Christmas Eve meal.”
He chuckled. “I don’t mind. But tomorrow we get to be comfortable. My family’s not nearly so formal.”
“No surprise. I’m crazy about your family, by the way.”
He grinned in pleasure. “Thanks. They feel the same about you.”
It was all going so well, he thought in satisfaction. He must have misinterpreted whatever funny tone he thought he’d heard in her voice the other night. She seemed perfectly content with him now, visibly enjoying their time together. If there were moments when he caught her studying him with an expression he couldn’t quite interpret, fleeting impressions that she was waiting for something he couldn’t explain—well, this was all still very new for both of them, he assured himself. It was only natural that it would require a bit of adjustment on both their parts.
When they were dressed in their finery, he asked her to wait a moment in the living room before they left. They’d already loaded his car with the gifts and baked goods they were taking to her sister’s house, so all they had to do was collect their coats and her bag. She looked at him with a question in her expression.
“Have you changed your mind about going?” she teased, obviously knowing he hadn’t.
Still, he gave an exaggerated shudder. “And risk Nina’s wrath? I wouldn’t dare.”
She laughed. “Well, as least you’re getting to know my sister. Since she’s going to be your family, too, now.”
“I can deal with your sister.”
“Right.”
His smile fading, he bent to pluck a small gift box out of the stack beneath the tree. “There’s something I want you to open before we leave,” he said, his heart beating just a bit more rapidly than usual.
Her eyes widened as she studied the gold-and-white wrapped box in his outspread hand. It would have been hard for her to mistake the size; he hadn’t bothered with clever camouflage. She accepted it from him when he held it out to her, but didn’t immediately open it.
“I have a gift for you, too,” she said, her voice a little breathless. “I put it under the tree if you want to—”
Aware that she looked a little nervous—as he was himself, for some reason—he spoke gently. “I’ll open mine later.”
Moistening her lips, she nodded and tugged at the ribbon on the box. Moments later, she opened the hinged lid of the small velvet box she’d unwrapped to reveal the ring displayed in white satin inside. He’d selected a traditional round diamond engagement ring mounted in a platinum setting with three smaller diamonds on each side.
“I hope you like it,” he said, growing a little anxious when she didn’t immediately say anything. “It looked to me as though it would suit you—elegant but not too splashy, fashionable but not trendy.” Again, he was quoting the jeweler, but the words had seemed to fit Tess. “If you’d rather have picked out your own rings—”
“This is beautiful, Scott. I can’t imagine I’d have picked one any more perfect for me.”
She looked up at him then and he was shaken by the sheen of tears in her eyes. He hoped they were happy tears. She’d said she liked the ring, so...
“Um, should I have gotten down on one knee?” he asked with a grimace. “Sorry, I—”
“No.” With a misty smile, she placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “Please don’t. We’ve said we aren’t playing games, remember?”
Had he gotten on one knee when he’d proposed to Sharon? He couldn’t remember. But come to think about it, he wasn’t sure he had officially proposed at all to his former fiancée. He sort of suspected that an engagement had been mostly her idea. He’d just gone along for the ride because he’d thought himself ready to settle down and...well, because he’d been dazzled by her skills in the bedroom. A fascination that had worn off rather quickly when lust had turned to almost constant fighting.
But why was he thinking of Sharon now? Tess was nothing like his ex. He couldn’t imagine his feelings for her ever turning as bitter and angry as he and Sharon had eventually become.
“No games,” he promised. “We’ve already done the proposal and acceptance, even if I was fairly clumsy about it. But I will do this part right,” he added, taking the diamond ring from the box. He slid the rin
g on her finger, then lifted her hand to his lips to kiss it in place. “There.”
“It fits perfectly,” she said in wonder.
“I guessed at your size, but the jeweler said it would only take a couple days to size it if it needs adjustment.”
“I don’t think it will. It’s beautiful, Scott. I love— I love the ring.”
He heard the little stammer and he attributed it to emotion. He thought that had gone very well. He believed Tess when she said she loved the ring. Seeing it on her hand gave him a wave of deep masculine satisfaction. From now on, he thought, all other men would know she wasn’t free for New Year’s Eve or any other night.
It occurred to him again that it wasn’t like him to be the possessive type. At least he knew better than to say it out loud to Tess.
Don’t screw this up.
* * *
“Let’s see that ring! Oh, my gosh, it’s so beautiful!” Clutching Libby’s hand, Christina Prince turned to motion expressively. “Libby, Holly, come see. Scott gave Tess her ring and it’s gorgeous.”
While the men watched indulgently, Tess held out her hand for Scott’s mother and sisters-in-law to examine the ring. All of them pronounced it exquisite, and just perfect for Tess.
“You picked it out all by yourself, Scott?” his mother asked in surprise.
“With a little help from the jeweler you’ve always used,” he admitted.
“Patrick? Oh, yes, he has wonderful taste.”
Tess couldn’t help comparing this family’s reaction to Nina’s last night. Nina had studied the diamond with the shrewd eye of a well-trained jeweler, all but pulling out a loupe to assess the color and clarity before pronouncing it “very nice.”
“Tess wouldn’t have liked a big, gaudy diamond,” she had assured Scott. “You were wise to choose such a pretty little stone for her.”
Amazingly, Scott hadn’t displayed any desire to strangle her tactless sister. He’d merely agreed that the ring seemed to suit Tess well.
Christmas Eve dinner with her family had been very nice, on the whole. With a newcomer in the midst, and with gifts on the line, the kids had been mostly on their best behavior. Scott had chatted easily enough with Ken, who was another college football fan caught up in postseason bowl hype, and it wasn’t long before they’d drawn the boys into the conversation. Nina and her teenage daughter had spent the evening offering increasingly extravagant ideas for the wedding, from Nina’s outlines for possible themes to Olivia’s television-inspired suggestions of a Cinderella carriage with white horses, and doves for the guests to release after the ceremony. Tess had simply smiled and nodded a lot, mentally vowing to stick to the plans she and Scott had made.
Scott’s family, on the other hand, seemed genuinely enthused about the ideas Tess and Scott presented, all agreeing that a wedding should reflect the individual couple’s tastes and wishes.
“Both my sons had perfect weddings for them,” Holly declared happily. “I know you and Scott will have just as nice a celebration.”
“The wedding is just a party, really,” Barry agreed, wrapping an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “It’s much more important to plan a marriage than a wedding. Holly and I were married by a justice of the peace in front of her grandmother’s fireplace three days before I shipped out to Vietnam. We’ll be married forty-four years next month. And I love her as much today as I did then,” he added without embarrassment.
As if in echo of the sentiment, Eli and Jake hugged their wives. The love in the room was almost palpable. Tess swallowed a lump in her throat that seemed to be sharp edged. She glanced through her lashes at Scott and found him studying the back of his hand as if there were something fascinating to be seen there. He was obviously avoiding her eyes.
She was grateful when Madison—or was it Miranda?—interrupted the awkward moment. “We want to open presents,” the little girl insisted. “Please, Grammy. May we please open presents now?”
“Lunch first and then presents,” their grandmother said, smoothing the child’s fine hair.
At the resulting protest, their parents reminded the twins that they’d already opened presents from Santa that morning and they had to be patient before opening the family gifts. They weren’t happy about it, but the girls acquiesced and the family moved into the dining room to begin the meal.
Tess couldn’t help watching the individual family members as they ate. She noted the little things—affectionate touches, shared smiles, teasing pats and pinches. She even heard a murmured “I love you” between Jake and Christina when they thought no one was listening.
As the day passed, she found herself working harder to keep smiling. She wasn’t sure why, because she was having a lovely time with this endearing family.
“Tell us about when Scott gave you the ring,” Libby said when the women were alone in the kitchen later. “Was it romantic? Did he get down on one knee?”
Tess forced a laugh. “I asked him not to do that. We’ve agreed that there’s no need for pretense between us. We’re just ourselves with each other. That has always worked well for us.”
“Good idea,” psychologist Christina approved. “You know each other so well after working together for so many years. It would be counterproductive to start acting differently with each other now. As long as you love each other for who you are, there’s no need to try to change for unrealistic reasons.”
“It’s such a romantic story, though,” the more sentimental Libby said with a sigh. “The boss who falls in love with his valued assistant and finds that she loves him in return. All these years you must have had secret feelings for each other. Now you can openly admit you’re in love. That must be so liberating.”
Tess twisted the ring on her finger, which suddenly seemed heavier than it had before. “Scott and I agree that we’re very well suited,” she said.
The brief silence that followed her words let her know it hadn’t been an ideal response.
She was relieved when Jake barreled into the room. “Tess, you have got to give us the recipe for these pear things. Man, they’re good! Eli’s been into them all afternoon, so I’ve hidden a couple for myself for later. Scott suggested we arm wrestle for the rest of them, but I know Eli would cream me at that, so I’m not taking the chance.”
She was so relieved by the interruption that she spun to him with a too-bright smile. “I’d be happy to send you the recipe. They’re really not that hard to make.”
“These are good, too,” Eli said, munching on a stained glass cookie as he followed his brother into the room.
His wife planted her hands on her hips. “Just how many sweets have you had today, Dr. Prince?”
Her husband grinned. “Calories don’t count on Christmas, remember?”
“Sounds good to me,” Christina said, heading for the dining room. “I’m having one of those pear things. You better not have hidden all of them, Jake.”
Tess was smiling again until she looked around and accidentally locked eyes with Scott’s mother. There was no mistaking the concern on Holly’s face. It hadn’t been there before that awkward conversation about Scott’s feelings.
A hand fell on Tess’s shoulders. “I told you your baked contributions would be a hit,” Scott said with a laugh. “My brothers would marry you themselves if they weren’t already taken.”
She tried to laugh, failed, turned it into a cough. “I think I need a glass of water,” she said, avoiding Holly’s eyes as she moved toward the sink.
* * *
“You’ve gotten very quiet,” Scott said in his car on their way back to her place. “You must be tired.”
“A little,” she conceded. She realized she was holding her hands in her lap, twisting the ring again, and she made herself stop before he noticed.
“Want some music?” He tuned the radio to an adult c
ontemporary station, knowing from past conversations that she had a weakness for pop music, though his own tastes leaned toward classic rock. “I think we’ve had enough Christmas carols for a while, don’t you?”
“Yes. This is fine, thanks.” She was glad for the music, actually. She could pretend to listen and avoid having to make conversation for the duration of the drive.
Looking out the window at the passing holiday decorations, she let her head fall back against the headrest. A song ended and a new one began. She bit her lip when she recognized the opening piano notes to A Great Big World’s “Say Something.” The lyrics expressed the singer’s longing to hear that his love was returned before he gave up on the relationship. He’d have swallowed his pride and followed his lover anywhere, he insisted in audible pain. All he’d needed were the words.
Say something, I’m giving up on you.
Funny. She’d heard this song dozens of times during the height of its popularity. She’d always liked it.
Only now did she fully understand it.
The last mournful note faded away just as Scott parked in the space beside the rental car. She’d have her own car back next week, she thought in relief. It was taking longer than she’d have liked, but that was probably to be expected this time of year.
Her car, at least, could be repaired. Brought back to its original condition, she’d been told, with no one the wiser at a glance to the damage that had been done to it. As for herself—well, maybe the damage wouldn’t be visible at a glance, but she wasn’t sure it would ever be fully repaired.
She and Scott both had their arms full of bags and gifts when they entered her condo. “Just dump it all on the couch,” she said. “I’ll put everything away later.”
He turned to face her, his now empty hands planted on his hips. “All right, Tess. Spill it. What’s wrong? Did someone in my family say something to upset you or make you uncomfortable?”
“Of course not.” Not intentionally anyway. “Your family is wonderful. They were all so gracious to me.”
“Then, what is it?”