Champagne for Christmas
Page 16
Clint touched it then brought his gaze to hers. “He did? I’m impressed.”
“He has a lot of class. Learned it from you, I’d guess.”
Nina and Clint joined their friends at the piano. Fran opened the refrigerator and pulled out three bottles of champagne. She put flutes on a tray and carried them out then returned for the bottles. “Wait until you see what I bought Cory for Christmas.” Nina led him over to the tree and pointed to a large package wrapped in festive paper.
“You bought him something? How did you know he’d be here?”
“I thought, well, maybe.”
“So, what did you get?” He bent down, picked it up, and shook it gently.
“It’s not a Stradivarius, but…”
Clint’s eyes widened. “You bought him a violin?”
“He needs one here in New York. Can he play carols?”
Fran popped corks on two bottles and filled the flutes. Sara passed one to each. As the clock struck twelve, church bells rang out loud and clear through the cold snowy night and everyone shouted out “Merry Christmas.” Shady played the first few bars of “Silent Night.”
Fran turned to Nina and raised her glass. “How perfect, Nina. Champagne for Christmas!”
Epilogue
The snow had stopped on Christmas Eve. With Cory’s late arrival and the party going on, Nina and Clint had not gotten to sleep until three. Even so, Nina’s eyes popped open at seven on the dot, as usual. Slightly hung over, she put on her bathrobe and padded into the kitchen.
With a mug of fresh coffee in her hand, her boots on, and her fur coat covering her scantily clad body, she ventured out by the French doors. The park was covered with a deep blanket of white. Tree limbs were dressed with snow. The City was completely silent. There were no cars moving on Central Park West and only one or two people out walking their dogs.
Christmas morning, always the quietest time of the year. She smiled as she sipped, relishing the peacefulness of the moment. Jewel-toned lights glittered, reflecting off the crystalline brightness of the snow. Even the red traffic lights looked festive.
Nina smiled in anticipation of the day. Giving gifts brought her great joy and now with Clint and Cory, she was a family again. The fresh, cold air helped to clear her head. The coat kept the heat of her body contained, warming her.
As she finished her beverage, her fingers began to stiffen. Reluctantly, she returned to the warmth of her apartment. The sound of the front door opening, made her gasp.
“Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas, Mom!” Darcy burst through the door, one hand holding a suitcase, the other a shopping bag overflowing with wrapped gifts.
Nina almost dropped her drink as she hollered his name. Her heart flipped. Behind him crept Helen. Her head drooped, and she muttered a greeting.
“We got the last plane out of Seattle last night. We’ve been up for twenty-five hours.”
“Oh, my darling! It’s so good to see you.” Nina put down her mug. Darcy dropped his baggage and scooped his mother into his arms for a big hug.”
“After talking to you last night, well, I was determined. We had to get here. Couldn’t let you spend Christmas alone with a broken heart.”
“Darcy, you’re wonderful.” Nina kissed his cheek and gripped him with all her strength. “But my heart isn’t broken, and I’m not alone! In fact, I’m engaged.” She waved her left hand before her exhausted and befuddled son.
“What’s all the racket?” Fastening his robe around his waist, Clint joined them.
Nina made introductions.
Darcy turned a jaundiced eye on Clint, who apologized and tried to reassure Darcy his mother would be well cared for.
“All the hotels are booked. Can we stay here?” Darcy asked.
“Of course. Clint’s son, Cory, is in the guest room, but we’ll figure it out.”
“I need to crash,” Helen said.
Nina gave her a hug. “Come, children, crash in our bed.”
Once Darcy and Helen were fast asleep, Clint and Nina whipped up some scrambled eggs and leftover ham. After breakfast, they dragged two chairs out on the terrace, bundled up, and sat outside. New York City was just beginning to wake up. Church bells chimed Christmas carols. Horse-drawn carriages slowly made their way through the park.
Nina cuddled closer to Clint, who snaked his arm around her shoulders.
“Just one more question.”
“Shoot.”
“In L.A. Did you --uh--I mean with Norman doing casting. Well, I presume…”
“You mean did I sleep with any of the actresses?”
She nodded. “That’s Norman’s standard operating procedure.”
“Yeah. I know. I was surprised, too.”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Really?” She turned to look at him, cocking an eyebrow. “How could you resist all those busty, young bodies?”
Clint laughed. “I’ll tell you what I told him.”
“And that is?”
“When you have champagne at home, why go out for beer?”
**THE END**
About the Author
Jean Joachim is a best-selling romance fiction author, with books hitting the Amazon Top 100 list since 2012. She was chosen Author of the Year in 2012 by the New York City chapter of Romance Writers of America. Her novel, The Renovated Heart, was chosen Best Novel of 2012 by Love Romances Café. Lovers & Liars was a finalist for Best Novel of 2013 by Love Romances Café. Her series, Hollywood Hearts was a finalist for Best Series of 2013 and Megan Davis and Chaz Duncan (from If I Loved You) finaled as Best Couple, 2013 by Love Romances Café. The Marriage List tied for third place from Gulf Coast RWA Chapter and, most recently, Lovers & Liars was selected as a 2013 Reader’s Crown Finalist in Contemporary Romance by RomCon. Jean has 26 works of fiction published. Married and a mother of two sons, she lives in New York City with her family and a rescued pug named Homer.
Connect with Jean through email: sunnydaysbook@gmail, her blog: http://jeanjoachim.blogspot.com or her website: http://www.jeanjoachimbooks.com She’d love to hear from you.