An Unexpected Christmas

by Lori Jennings

  'We are. I have to get there early to help set things up so you kids will have to make your own way there. It starts at six and I don't want you sneaking in at ten past like last year. As if I didn't know you went to the pub before and lost track of time.'

  Nate smiled at his Mother and finished the last couple of spoonfuls of soup before placing his spoon in his empty bowl leaned back looking satisfied. That was a look that sent another flutter to my stomach and I quickly looked away.

  'You know it was Nate's fault, he insisted on another drink, said it would help with his singing.' Nate glared at his sister for dropping him in it and she responded by scrunching her nose up at him. I got a little pang of homesickness then thinking about how my sister and I would tease each other across the dinner table and how my parents would reprimand us for it. I thought I would be okay spending Christmas away from them and hadn't realised that I would miss them quite so much.

  'April, are you okay?' I lifted my eyes to Nate's question and saw the concern in his eyes and quickly put a smile on my face.

  'Yes, just a little full I think.' I turned to Maggie, 'The soup was delicious by the way, thank you.'

  'You are very welcome.' She looked at her children, and in a mock forlorn voice said, 'I'm glad someone appreciates my cooking.'

  Nate stood and placed a kiss on top of her head. 'We love your cooking Mum but if we told you every time how great it was you might not put in as much effort.' She swatted him away but I saw the smile on her face. 'Right, I best feed those dogs and take them for a walk.'

  I looked over at Maggie, 'Can I help clean up?'

  'Ella can help me.'

  'What?' Ella had been slipping scraps of bread to Milly but her head snapped up at her mother's words.

  Maggie ignored her daughter and continued 'Why don't you go for a little walk with Nate. It will help shake your lunch down.' She stood from the table and began to gather the dishes.

  I looked over to where Nate had stopped what he was doing and glanced from his mother to me. 'Is that alright?' I wondered whether he would want me to join him.

  'Sure. I would like the company.' He smiled then turned back to pick up the two dog bowls and when he turned back around Toby and Milly were dancing around his legs in anticipation.

  'I will go and grab my coat.' I knew if the dogs were anything like my parents dogs then it wouldn't take the two retrievers long to lick their bowls clean.

  Chapter Five

  Nate

  As I waited for April in the kitchen I pulled on my jacket and buttoned it to the top. One of the many things I loved about being at Mum’s was being able to spend so much more time outside; I could take over looking after the dogs, walking and feeding them, and also the beach was great for getting a hard run in - the soft sand making it more of a challenge than the running track in the park back in London. I lifted my head just as April stepped through the door.

  'You ready?' I asked pushing myself away from the counter I had been leaning against. She just nodded and followed me out of the back door whilst Toby and Milly bolted down the path and towards the beach. We followed them along the sand covered path and over the sand dune; April seemed to be struggling so I held my hand out for her and when she took it, it felt chilled in my own. She smiled up at me and a warm feeling began to fill me.

  'Thanks,' she smiled, and I couldn't help but return it. We made it down the other side and I was a little reluctant to let go of her hand but having only known her for a couple of hours it would seem a little odd. I slipped my hands into my coat pockets and we started down the beach.

  This had to be my all time favourite beach and in my line of work, with all the travel, I had seen quite a few incredible beaches. The soft sand stretched for about a mile until it disappeared around the headland. To one side the deep blue of the sea stretched on forever and to the other sand dunes then hills and valleys and as your eyes travelled across the fields you would spot a house or a farm dotted here and there.

  I glanced at April and watched as she pulled her hair to the back of her head and secured it with a band. It was incredibly messy but looked adorable on her; she smiled at me and it seemed she didn't really care what her hair looked like, it seemed to be something else to add to the growing list of things that I liked about her along with; ‘amazing body’ and ‘loves to read’.

  We continued along the sand and even though the silence was comfortable I wanted to use this time to find out more about her. She had piqued my interest and I wanted to get to know her a bit better.

  'It's pretty cold; we won't stay out too long.'

  'I'm from up North; I'm used to the cold.' She grinned over at me and made me chuckle.

  'So you're a Northerner, what else should I know about you?'

  She watched the dogs run through the water for a moment and I could see her thinking about what she should tell me. 'I really hate tomato sauce.' I laughed and she continued, 'I mean really hate it, the thought of it on anything just makes me gag, it's disgusting.' Her smile softened, 'And I may have a teeny tiny addiction to coffee.' She gestured with her fingers and made a space of about a centimetre between her thumb and index finger. I stayed silent hoping she would continue. 'I also love my family very much.'

  'I wanted to ask about that but didn't know if it would be rude.'

  She shrugged, 'You can ask me anything.'

  'So, how come you are here and not spending Christmas with them?'

  She stopped and I turned to face her. 'Well my Mum and Dad had the chance to visit some friends of theirs in New York and my sister is spending it with her in-laws. I would have just spent it at home but Ella found out it would have just been me and my TV so invited me, and you know your sister you can't deny her anything.'

  I nodded, it was true, even as a child she could get you to do anything for her like climbing a tree to get her kite then falling and breaking your arm. We continued to walk along the beach and I kept one eye on the dogs which gave me the opportunity to every so often look at her.

  'What about you? I would have thought you might be off at some fancy party in London?' I watched her say it then the look of shame that she had presumed something of me. I sent her a reassuring smile.

  'Not really my thing. I would much rather be here with Mum and Ella than hanging out with a bunch of strangers.' I felt I needed to add, 'and you. It's nice that you are here and not on your own.' I watched her smile widen and that warm feeling came back. I had accepted the fact that I was attracted to her and the thought of kissing her had crossed my mind a number of times today. 'So, as well as eating chocolate and watching Doctor Who, how else would you be spending your Christmas?'

  She became animated again, 'Probably a lie-in, then presents. Then some sort of pastry and champagne for breakfast. Watch a couple of films while snacking on chocolate and nibbles and drinking more champagne and then maybe just a turkey sandwich and more champagne while I watched whatever special was on the telly and then bed.'

  'That is a pathetic attempt at a Christmas day; although it does make me glad I brought a couple of bottles of champagne.' She laughed and I realised I really liked that sound. I looked down at her, 'I'm glad you are here and not spending it alone though.'

  She looked down at the sand then back up at me. 'I'm glad I decided to come. It is much more beautiful here than in my flat in London.'

  'Do you live alone or...?'

  'It's just me. My place is tiny; I don't have the room for more than just me but its home.' She shook her head and turned to look down the beach, 'It still seems weird to think that. Home was my parents' house for so long and for the first couple of months in London it didn't really feel like anything. I love it there now. I decorated and I have all my books and things organised and I have really settled in, so it is home now.'

  'I suppose I have been lucky really. We used to live in London before my parents got divorced and then I stayed with Dad for a while in the city to finish off my school year then when I did move in with M
um I used to visit my Dad every couple of weeks.'

  'It must have been difficult for you and Ella. I can't even imagine my parents not being together or even fighting.' I looked over at her and saw a little concern on her face.

  I sent her a small reassuring smile. 'It wasn't like what some of the other kids went through. Our parents didn't fight or argue and it was only when they sat us down one day and said they were separating that we knew there was something wrong. The divorce was amicable and they still get on quite well when they are in each other's company, they just fell out of love I think.'

  She gave a little shake of her head. 'It just seems so sad. To have been in love with someone, gotten married, had kids and then realise you don't love them the way you used to.'

  'But, to say you did it, you tried. Surely all the good things you got out of the relationship, the happier times, the kids, maybe those counteract the sadder times.' She stopped and I turned to look at her, to her smile slowly creep across her face and brighten her eyes.

  'Is it bad that I didn't even think of that?' She let out a little laugh. 'I just focused on the bad and didn't even consider the good parts of the relationship.' She shook her head and looked away mumbling something.

  I moved my head to catch her eye. 'What was that?'

  She looked right at me and repeated, 'I said, ‘maybe that's why.’'

  ''Why’ what?' I was intrigued. She intrigued me and I wanted to know what she was thinking.

  'Why I have never really been in love,' she said, and shrugged like it was no big deal.

  Her expression was serious and she held my gaze for a moment before continuing to walk along the sand. I had to take a second to register what she had just said. How was it possible that someone who was twenty-seven? Twenty-eight? Could never have fallen in love? I jogged to catch up to her and then at her side I fell into step. I wanted to ask, to probe the subject further, but she had pushed her hands deep into her pockets and if I had learnt one thing from my many years of acting it was to read body language. She didn't want to talk about it just yet but I knew I could get the information out of her; I just had to approach it in the right way.

  'We should probably head back,' I said gently, and when she looked up I could see the relief in her eyes. She nodded and watched me as I pulled my hands out of my pocket and with my fingers to my mouth let out a high pitched whistle. Toby and Milly came charging down the beach at the sound and I gestured for April to head back.

  We didn't speak for a minute and I just enjoyed the sounds around me. The crashing of the waves and the seagulls, the occasional bark from one of the dogs and the sound of April’s coat moving beside me. God, she intrigued me. She seemed shy one moment and then the next she tells me something so personal. I wanted to know everything and the feeling of attraction towards her seemed to be growing with every second; there was a part of me that wanted to pull her towards me and pull away the band that was keeping her hair up so I could sink my fingers in to her light brown hair and kiss her deeply. Oh man, I had read way too many romantic scripts recently.

  ‘So,’ I pushed my hands back into my pockets and glanced back over to her, 'What is your opinion on films? Do you stick with your reading preference or is your taste a little broader?'

  There was a smile back on her face that I was glad to see. 'I like a whole load of different films. Umm, action, adventure, chick flicks, I really like the John Hughes 80's films. I'm not a huge fan of horror but I can sit through anything that had a decent enough plot.' I wanted to know if she had seen the 'Danger' movies I had been in but I thought I may come across as pretentious. I just wanted her to like them; I wanted to know her opinion on my work. It was such a huge part of my life and I wanted her to be comfortable and even a little enthusiastic about it. I noticed a little colour fill her cheeks and she looked up at me. 'I also liked a couple of movies you were in. Umm, 'Danger: The Beginning' was brilliant, I saw it three times in the cinema and 'Unpredictable' just broke my heart when Judith died.' I grinned down at her; it was like she had read my mind and I felt a little relief that she hadn't hated some of my work. I wouldn't blame her if she did; she was allowed to have an opinion.

  'The next one, 'Saving Time' is pretty action packed; I think you will like it, at least I hope you do.' I always got a bit nervous when I had a film coming out. The premiers and parties were fun but it didn't stop the feeling of dread entering my body until the reviews were in.

  'I'm sure I will,’ she said; her smile lit her face as it reached her green eyes. ‘I'm quite looking forward to it actually, I saw the trailer the other day and it looks really good.'

  'It is, well I think it is.'

  We were almost back at the house and I was a little sad that our time alone was coming to an end so soon. The dogs had already disappeared over the dune and were probably waiting at the back door, tongues lolling out the side of their mouths as they panted to catch their breath. I held my hand out as soon as we reached the bottom of the dune and noticed this time that April didn't hesitate to slip her own, even colder, hand into mine. I tugged her along behind me then helped her down the other side then releasing her hand we walked back along the path to the house. I wanted to spend some more time with her and talk to her more, she fascinated me in a way no woman has before and I was very much looking forward to the next few days.

  Chapter Six

  April

  Oh God, why had I told him I had never been in love? Why? I just felt so comfortable around him which thinking about it seems ridiculous; he is Nate Hamilton and I don't know him. I had thought about him, I had dreamed about him, but just because I had seen every movie he had ever been in, and watched a ton of videos on YouTube, does not mean I know him. But I really want to.

  I rolled over onto my back. As soon as we had gotten back from our walk Nate had excused himself and disappeared into what I guessed was the office. The rest of the house was empty so I had made my way upstairs and flung myself unceremoniously face down onto the bed. I lay now looking up at the light fixture and wondering what to do with all my free time. I let out a snort of laughter and sat up; I had brought about six books with me in the hopes that I would get some time to read them and the large armchair by the fire in the living room was calling to me.

  I kicked off my boots and pulled out some extra thick socks from one of the drawers in the vanity and pulled them on, picking up the first book off the pile I had placed on the night stand I headed down the stairs.

  There was still no sign of Ella or Maggie, and the office door was firmly shut as I walked past it. I stopped off in the kitchen first and poured myself a mug of coffee then walked into the living room.

  The fire had died down a little but the room as still toasty warm, and making a mental note to remember to place another log onto it in about half an hour, I settled myself in the arm chair closest to the window, tucking my feet underneath me and placing my mug on the small table strategically placed next to me. I snuggled into the chair and began to read. I was completely engrossed in my book by the time Ella and Maggie came home and started to prepare dinner, they had refused my offer of help and I got caught up in the story again.

  The characters are sneaking around at midnight, searching for each other, finally they are alone, and they are so consumed with lust that they strip each other in a frenzy. I bite down on my bottom lip as I read how the characters made love to each other, out of control at first then slowly and passionately.

  ‘Must be a good bit.’ I almost jump out of my skin and I look up into Nate's bemused face.

  'Shit! Sorry.' I placed a hand over my heart and could feel it beating quickly in my chest. 'You scared me.'

  Nate chuckled and sat down on the sofa opposite me. 'So, is it? A good bit, I mean,' he gestured to the book now resting in my lap.

  I looked down almost forgetting that the book was there and then looked back up at him. I returned his smile, 'It was actually.'

  'Is it...' He lowered his voice, a wicked glint in
his eyes, and I could see why he had been chosen to play a bad guy, ‘a bit naughty?'

  I leaned forward and looked him right in the eye, lowering my voice to match his own, 'That depends on what you think is naughty.'

  I sent him a smirk of my own then giggled. God, I had wondered what it would be like to flirt with this man and now I had the opportunity; it was thrilling, and even though my heart rate had slowed down it was still drumming faster than usual. I watched as my words sunk in and his smile widened.

  'You're a little mischievous aren't you?' He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms but didn't take his blue eyes off mine, and his smile never wavered.

  I had no idea how to respond to that. I had never been naughty and I had never done anything bad, but I did have a tendency to think, and occasionally say, inappropriate things. I just smiled back and was grateful, and a little disappointed, that Ella's voice came from the doorway.

  'Dinner is almost ready,' she said, looking from Nate to me, then at the book in my lap and she rolled her eyes. 'Are you two going to talk about books all through dinner too, as I don't think I could handle that much literature conversation I might fall asleep in my chicken.' She stuck her tongue out at me then winked.

  'No, we will discuss the weather and the state of the country like regular people.' I poked my tongue out back at her then giggled. She shook her head then disappeared back into the kitchen. I looked back over at Nate.

  'The weather and the state of the country?' He stretched his arms up and let out a fake yawn but I was distracted for a moment at the sight of the strip of slightly tanned skin that was revealed by his movement. I quickly moved my eyes back up to his face. 'Dinner is going to be awfully boring.' As he dropped his arms his top fell back into place.

  'Well, what do you suggest we talk about?' I tilted my head slightly to one side in anticipation of his answer. He stood and walked over to the door, giving me a perfect view of his broad shoulders and amazing backside.