by Claire Adams
"Oh yeah?" I had to egg her on. "Did you look it up in the dictionary and see that you're wrong?
"About what, baby?" She sounded as sweet as sugar.
"About ain't being a word."
"Ain't isn't a word. Get in the car, and let's get going." She chuckled and got in the driver's side, leaving me to figure out how to get up into her jeep with only one working leg.
"I see how it is." I turned and pulled myself up by my arm strength, and then tugged the crutches in with me. I turned to see her mouth open as she stared at me. "I'm impressed."
"Yeah?”
“Honestly, that was wicked hot. I'd like to see you do that without your shirt on."
I looked at my watch. "We got time now?"
"Yes, but we need to make sure we have time for what's going to happen afterward." She slid her hand down my thigh and squeezed as she pulled out of the driveway.
"I think I need to hear more about this, but after church. You remember how the doctor joked around with us about me being turned on by you?"
She chuckled and glanced at me sideways.
"Yeah, my dad isn't going to think that shit is funny." I paled at the thought. "Not in the slightest."
* * * *
I was surprised to see Milly seated on the other side of my father when we arrived to the little white church house just before the service started. I pressed my hand on the small of Chloe's back and guided her into the pew to sit by my father.
He turned and smiled at her, and even more surprising than Milly being there was when Chloe leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed, and Milly reached around and squeezed Chloe's hands.
"Have you met Milly?" I asked, leaning around to shake hands, too.
"Yeah. I'll tell you the story later." She snuggled in beside me, and I couldn't help but let my eyes roll over her. Her dark blue dress hugged her waist and flared around her thighs, cutting off above her knees. The dark brown boots she wore stopped below her knees, and her neck was adorned with a pretty set of brown beads. She smelled like heaven, and I wanted to tug her closer and press my lips to her neck.
I didn't hear a damn thing the preacher said because I was too busy planning out every detail of my life with the beautiful girl next to me. He asked us to bow our heads, and I was all too grateful for the service being over. I was pretty sure the rest of the congregation was in trouble for sinning outside the church, but there had to be a special place in hell for those of us doing it in the church...during a sermon.
"You kids want to come back to the house for lunch? Milly put on a roast this morning for the two of us." He looked over at Milly and winked at her.
I glanced toward Chloe and lifted my eyebrow. Maybe we didn't have much work left to do. Seemed the two of them were already getting together and doing domesticated things.
"You want to, baby? You free or you need to get home?" I reached for her hand, pulling her closer to me and wrapping an arm around her waist.
"I need to get home in a couple of hours. I'd love to have lunch with you guys first."
"Good. You can help me put up my tree," Dad chuckled. "I know. It's tomorrow, but I don't have it up yet."
"How fun." Chloe looked over at me. "Dad didn't put one up this year. I honestly just realized that."
"Should we do one at my dad's and then yours?" I asked. There were few things in life that I hated more than putting up a Christmas tree, but I was willing to do just about anything to spend more time with my girl.
"No. It's too late. I'll get him next year. It's just a good reason to give him hell over something this year." She moved to my side, and I waved over my shoulder to my dad, promising that we would stop by the house for clothes for me and then come over for lunch.
We drove back in silence as Christmas music played over the radio. There were so many things I wanted to say, but I wasn't sure how to start the conversation. The last I'd heard, Chloe was staying until Christmas and then heading back home.
Christmas was tomorrow.
"You want me to run in and grab you some sweats and a t-shirt?" She turned to look at me after putting the car in park outside of my cabin.
"I would love that. Can you grab the large red bag by the bedroom, too? It's got all my gifts in it that I've picked up for everyone."
"Sure. Anything specific on your clothes?"
"No. Anything will work. It's just me and my dad."
"And me." She reached over and squeezed my hand. "You're okay with me coming out to your dad's tomorrow after I open presents with Parker, right?"
"Of course. I hate the fact that we can't spend the night together tonight. Seems a shame." I turned to look out the front window and let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.
"I'll be right back." She got out of the car, and I turned to look out the other window, not sure how I was going to get through the idea that last night might have been our last time to make love together. It seemed absurd, like that couldn't possibly be our outcome, but it could.
She got back in the truck a few minutes later and laid a small bag at my feet. She sat down the bag of goodies she made me beside it. "Take these to your dad's and let him enjoy some of them. You were so damn greedy about them the other night."
"I still am." I turned to her and took her hand. "Chloe, I just want you to know that I meant what I said last night. I know it doesn't make sense, and it's only been a few weeks, but I love you. I don't want to lose you, and I need you to think about if that matters to you."
"Of course it does." She reached out and touched my face.
"Right. So, here's the deal. I want to keep working on us and see where this goes. If that means that we make this work long distance, or you stay here, or I go with you...it's whatever. I just don't want to give up when we've just started. I'm too far into you."
She nodded. "I love you, too. Let me think about what the best answer might be tonight, and we can talk tomorrow about it."
"Okay. I'll hold you to it." I sat back, feeling better that she loved me, too, but still torn up over what our end result would be.
"I hope that's not the only thing you plan to hold me to." She wagged her eyebrows, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Anything you want, baby. All you have to do is ask."
Chapter Thirty-One
Chloe
"Get up! It's Christmas!" Parker jumped on my bed and shook me awake like he did when we were kids.
I threw my arm in the air, trying to swat him off of me, but missing entirely.
"What time is it?" I rolled over and groaned. "Parker, It's five in the morning. We're not kids anymore."
"I am. Get up. It's time to open presents." He jumped on my bed again, and this time I got him, grabbing him and rolling over on top of him.
I pinned him to the bed and breathed in his face.
"Dad! Help! Dad!" he screamed, and I rolled off, grabbing my robe and trying to trip him as we ran down the hall.
I couldn't remember all of a sudden why in the world I hadn't been home for Christmas for the last few years. Me and Dad being at odds was one thing, but my little brother was growing up alone without me. I shouldn't have stayed away, and I never would again.
"Chloe, what are you doing to your brother?" Dad looked up from his stance in the kitchen with a mysterious look on his face.
"What are you doing in the kitchen is the real question." I moved up to him and pulled him into a hug. "Are you cooking something?"
"Yeah, Parker and I figured out your mother's old breakfast casserole recipe. We ran to the store and made it while you slept on the couch."
"You guys didn't watch The Grinch?" I turned and lifted my eyebrow at Parker.
"What do you care? You were snoring at nine-thirty." He laughed and started organizing the presents by the fireplace.
"Why do you guys not have a tree?" I looked back at my father.
"I don't know. Just seemed like another thing to do, and Parker never asked for one." He handed me a cup of
coffee. "Why? You want one? We'll go get one after we open presents."
"No, it's too late this year, but next year you're going to have to put up a really big one to make up for this sadness." I pointed to the empty living room.
"So you're coming home next year?" He turned to me and smiled.
"I'm not leaving. I think this should be home from now on."
"Are you shitting us?" My brother stood up from the other side of the bar, his eyes wide with excitement.
"Parker. Watch your mouth, boy," my father reprimanded him and then turned back to me. "Are you sure this is what you want?"
"Well, a really cute guy in town told me that if things didn't work out here, it wasn't the end of the world. You just move onto the next place and start something new." I reached out and brushed my hand over my father's arm. "Can I stay here with you guys?"
"Forever." He pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head. "Now, get in there, and let's open up presents."
I fixed my coffee and sat beside my brother as he tore through far too many packages. Every electronic that had come out that year was sitting at my brother's feet by the time the morning was over. I almost said something, but I didn't have room to talk. I had gift cards to most department stores, a few sweaters, several new pairs of shoes, which my father did really well on picking out, and a set of keys to a brand new jeep. The old one was getting traded in, or so my father thought until Parker begged for it.
"Is that it?" Dad asked and got up, leaving as the timer on the oven beeped over and over. "Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes. It needs to cool."
"I'm going to try out these new games. Save me a piece." Parker piled everything in his arms and disappeared down the hall.
I stood and pulled one of my new sweaters over my head, wondering if I couldn't make something better that had pockets. The thing was so cute, but functionally defunct.
"Chloe, can you come here for a minute?" Dad moved to the kitchen table, and I realized I hadn't gotten his nontraditional gift yet.
"Sure." I sat down and took a quick sip of my coffee before giving him my attention. "What's up?"
"I still have two things for you." He smiled and pushed two cards toward me.
"Dad, you've already gotten me way too much. I don't need anything else."
"Yeah, but these are more than Christmas presents. Consider them a graduation gift, too."
I smiled, realizing that one of them was most likely the money to start my new clothing line. One thing that I realized was that I could still create something new and exciting for people living in California without having to live there. It was a convenience I would miss, but there were so many more reasons for me to stay in Colorado for now.
"Open the pink one first." He smiled, and I shoved the white one back. "Okay, now remember, if you're not interested in it, just give it back. It's a project, but I think you'll love it."
I opened the card and unfolded the deed to a property. "The Vanning Place. What is it?"
"It's a beautiful old mansion at the edge of town. It's been here since I was a boy. Clark and I used to always talk about gutting it and turning it into a ski lodge for families. I've wanted to do it since I was little, but time just got away from me. I figured if you were staying here, you might want to start investing in something of your own. It's a beautiful building, and I should have bought it year ago, but it never felt right until recently." He smiled and tapped the table. "If you're not comfortable with all the work that nee..."
I cut him off. "Daddy, I love it."
He pushed the other card toward me, but I was breathless over the first gift. I hadn't seen the place, but if my father thought we could build a lodge out of it, then Finn would probably feel the same way. I couldn't wait to tell him.
"Open this one now."
I opened it and found a check for half a million dollars. I handed it back to him. "I don't want this. It's ridiculous."
He slid it across the table back toward me. "It is not. I told you that if you did what I asked you to do that I would give you the money to start you own clothing line. That's it."
"It can't cost that much." I picked up the check and balked at it.
My father had been wealthy for most of my life, which meant that I hadn't ever really wanted for much, but it was his money, not mine. This was a check made out to me. It seemed like it was way too much.
"It does and sometimes more." He reached out and touched my hand. "I love you so much. Forgive me for all the years of being bitter. I didn't even realize how bad I'd gotten until you ripped my heart back open this last week. I'm so sorry."
"Me, too." My vision blurred, and I figured it was as good a time as any to ask for a few more favors. Seemed my father was in the giving mood. "Dad..."
"What, pumpkin?"
"Can I use this money to help renovate the property?"
"Of course. It's yours. Do with it what you like."
"Are you okay with me still designing under your line?"
"Yes. I'll start buying the designs I like off of you, and that can be a way to help support your spending habits, too. You might want to eventually get your own place, so we'll work out a deal between us, and I'll introduce you to a few of the other guys in our line of work. You might find yourself with more business than you can handle. But, it's a good place to be."
"One more thing." I smiled, already so insanely overwhelmed by how generous my dad had been.
"What?"
"I know you don't like Finn, but he's been wanting to build a lodge for families his whole life, too."
He smiled. "He gets that from his old man. It was our dream as boys."
"Can I split this with him? It will still be mine, but can we draw up papers to give him half of it?"
My father stiffened, and I realized I was asking a lot of him, but I loved Finn and knew that this would light his world on fire.
"You really believe this boy is going to become your husband? The father of your children?"
"I have no doubt at all." I picked up the deed. "Can you help me with it?"
"Well, it is yours to do with it what you want, and you're a grown-ass woman."
I laughed, and he joined me before we got up and finished getting breakfast together. After we shared one of our favorite meals that my mother used to make, Dad and Parker went to his room to work on a new robot that Dad got him, and I packed a bag.
I stopped by Parker’s room and leaned against the door. "I'm going over to Mr. Warner's."
"Have fun, sis. Merry Christmas." Parker looked up and then back toward his pile of screws and metal parts.
"Be safe. Take the old jeep until I can get chains around the tires of the new one." Dad stood, walking toward me and pulling me into a warm hug. "Tell them I said hi and make sure Clark knows that I'll be coming over this week. Okay?"
"Thanks, Dad." I lifted on my toes and kissed the side of his face.
"No. Thank you, baby. For giving me parts of my life back."
I nodded and walked from the house, wishing that I would have expressed my heart like I should have. It was me who should be thanking him. His bossy, overbearing nature brought me to Colorado and because of it...my whole life was changed, and I couldn't be more thrilled to see where it was headed.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Finn
We wrapped up opening gifts, and I hugged my father and Milly before piddling around the kitchen for something to eat. The doorbell rang, and I grabbed my crutches as nervousness rose up the center of my chest. Chloe and I left things wide open the day before, me giving her the reigns in making a decision on whether we had a future and what it would look like in the near-term.
"Chloe. Good to see you, dear." My father's voice boomed with warmth as I rounded the corner.
Chloe was dressed in a pretty white sweater with red leggings and boots. Her hair was in a ponytail, and I swear she looked nineteen.
"Hey, baby. Merry Christmas." I hobbled toward her and had to steady mysel
f from falling over as she hugged me hard.
"Merry Christmas. I missed you last night." She pressed her hands to the side of my face and kissed me several times.
"We were just about to make pancakes." Milly walked up and pulled Chloe into a hug. "You hungry?"
"No, ma'am. Dad found my mother's old casserole recipe. He and my brother had it ready for me this morning. Miracles do happen." I laughed.
"Jonathan Burke cooked something? That's not a miracle, hell's freezing over, and the apocalypse must be coming." Clark laughed.
"Watch it, mister." Milly slapped his butt and pulled him in the kitchen with her.
Chloe's eyes went wide and she turned to me. "What's that all about? Are they dating?"
"I'd say yes, but you couldn't get either of them to admit it if you tried. They're worse than junior high kids." I reached out and brushed my hand over her hip. "I got you something."
"What? When?" She took my hand and lifted it to her mouth, kissing my fingers softly as I watched her.
"Brian took me to get it. Come over here, and let me give it to you." I tugged my hand from her and moved over to my father's chair by the fire. I slumped down in it and pulled out the little red bag that had her necklace.
She got down on her knees in front of me and snuggled up close. "I like this position. Reminds me of the other day on your couch."
I shook my head and handed her the bag. "You're just trying to get me in trouble with my father, aren't you?"
"Would he be mad?"
"If I was sporting a boner around a pretty girl on Christmas? Yes." I laughed, unable to help myself.
She started to open the bag, and I reached out and stopped her. "What?"
I cleared my throat. "I just want you to know that whatever decision you came to last night, I'll fully support it. The gift goes wherever you do. Promise me?"
"I promise." She smiled and pulled out the box, opening it and letting out a short gasp. "Oh my God. It's beautiful, Finn. I love it."
"It's an infinity heart. It says that I'll love you forever, no matter what."
Tears filled her eyes, and I knew I'd done well.