An Unexpected Christmas

by Lori Jennings

  I had seen pictures of him with other women, happy smiling pictures in magazines. The women were all tall and thin and stunning, and I looked nothing like that. He should be with someone like them, not someone like me. I knew that was the sort of woman he would end up with, someone from the industry who could understand his lifestyle and could share his experiences. If we were photographed together people would laugh and wonder what he was doing with someone like me. He could date anyone and I knew that eventually he would see that too, and all I would be left with is memories and a broken heart. It hurt to even think about it; I couldn't imagine how much it would crush me to be dumped by him.

  I had no idea what went on in making a movie, I didn't even know the difference between a 'best boy' and the 'key grip'. What would we even talk about? No, I was making the right decision. He would get bored of trying to explain everything to me and I would get frustrated with myself for not knowing more. He was the sort of man who would try and fit me around his schedule and eventually it would affect his career and I couldn't do that. He had worked so hard to get to where he was and I knew he wanted to do more and I would only get in the way.

  I moved over to the window to retrieve my earrings I had placed on the windowsill and spotted a figure on the beach. There were two dogs charging up and down the snow covered sand and I knew the figure was Nate. The way he held himself was so distinctive and confident. I knew what I had to do but even I couldn't ruin anyone's Christmas. So I would smile and laugh and pretend that everything was okay and then tomorrow I would say goodbye.

  Tomorrow I would go back to my life in London and Nate will head off to Miami and it wouldn't matter that I had fallen in love with him and it wouldn't matter that no one would be able to take his place in my heart. None of that mattered, all that mattered was that I removed myself from the picture and he could then go on to find someone better, someone worthy of him.

  I turned away from the window. I had made my decision. Before we got in too deep I would do the right thing and walk away. When he meets the perfect woman he will thank me for leaving when I did. I had to be strong and stick to my decision. I needed to stop thinking of him as Nate and start to think of him as Nathaniel James Hamilton again. He was a movie star with so much ahead of him and I was never going to fit into his world.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Nate

  April was acting weird. She had said it was because she was missing her family but part of me knew that wasn't the only thing wrong. I wondered if I had done something. Or maybe she was regretting asking me to spend the night? I hoped it wasn't that. I didn't regret anything I had done in regards to her, if anything I wanted more. More time to show her what she did to me, more opportunities to kiss her and more reasons to be alone with her. Just thinking about it had my head spinning and my heart racing. I don't ever remember feeling this way about anyone. I thought I had been in love before but it was nothing like this. This was deep and fast and exciting and I wanted to see where it would go.

  I had to be on a plane to Miami the day after tomorrow and I would be gone for three months but I had already looked into sorting a flight out for her to come and visit. I would need to find out if she could take time off work but I'm sure if I needed to I could sweet talk Ella into letting her come visit me, or play the big brother card, or bribe her. I don't think I could go the whole time without seeing her in person. Then once I was home we could go out and I could introduce her to my friends who I knew would love her, and then there would be parties and premieres that I was usually invited to that I'm sure she would love to attend.

  I was just so excited to share my life with her. Everything I wanted to do and experience I now wanted to do those things with her, and everything she might want to do I wanted to be there for. An outsider may think I was acting crazy, that it was too fast but I didn't care, I knew what I felt and I knew it was real. Life was too short to sit about and not bother going after what you wanted. If I had done that in my past then I would never have gotten where I was today. I had worked bloody hard at my career and it was finally paying off and I wanted someone to share it with, I wanted April.

  If I closed my eyes I could picture her in my kitchen, surrounded by the white bricks and white cupboards and sitting on the black marble counter smiling at me in that way that speeds up my heart and turns me on. I could picture her in my bed, wrapped in my duvet after a very long night, and that image made me so happy I wanted to bundle her in my car and drive none stop until I could make it a reality.

  But I still didn't know what she wanted. She acted like she wanted to be with me, like she wanted me, but then this morning she hadn't seemed like herself, like she was having second thoughts. I hoped to God it wasn't that. We were just getting started and I wanted to see where we were going to end up. Last night had been amazing and I wanted a repeat, and I wanted to kiss away any worries she had, I just needed the opportunity.

  We had spent the morning hanging around the living room not really doing anything. April read a little and I caught myself staring at her a couple of times and had to catch myself. I still wasn't sure when she wanted people to know about us but I was hoping it was soon. The sneaking around was fun but I wanted to kiss her whenever I wanted and I wanted to kiss her all the time. I, at least, wanted Mum and Ella to know before I left. I knew they would be happy for us but I needed April to be comfortable with people knowing.

  Mum had done a fantastic job, as always, on Christmas dinner. The turkey was perfect and at thirty three I felt bad that I hadn't helped more but she had insisted on taking care of everything and refused my help. I suppose it was because she had been doing it on her own for so many years that it was just easier for her to continue. I wondered why she had never remarried. She hadn't been that old when dad left but I can't even remember her going on a date let alone anything long term. I hoped it hadn't been because of Ella and me that she hadn't remarried. She seemed happy with her life and that's all I want for her.

  'Would anyone like anymore?' Mum looked around the table. It seemed everyone enjoyed my Mum's cooking as much as I did.

  'No, thank you.' April's smile was genuine and I felt myself smile in response. She had seemed in a better mood since this morning and I guessed that the chat she had with her sister must have helped. 'I think if I eat any more I might explode. It was all so delicious.' She leaned back in her chair. 'Can I help clear up?'

  'Thank you, but no. You are a guest and guests do not help on Christmas day. My children however,' Mum looked from me to Ella then back to April, 'do.'

  Ella rolled her eyes then smiled at April before standing and gathering the plates. I smiled when April looked at me but followed my sister's actions and began to clear some of the dishes.

  'I might pop out for some fresh air then.' April stood and I watched as she walked out of the dining room. I heard her call the dogs and I smiled, she had settled in so easily here that it was going to be odd seeing her in the city, in my house. Odd but good and I was excited to spend some time alone with her where we could really see where we were going.

  Ella, Mum and I cleared the table and the three of us made quick work of the cleaning up. I poured Mum another glass of wine and insisted that she go and put her feet up in the living room, thankful when Ella decided to join her as I wanted the opportunity to talk to April alone and give her the other gift I had for her.

  I grabbed my coat then slipped my hand into the pocket. I felt the box I had left there, gift wrapped and waiting, and I smiled to myself. I was excited to see her reaction but also nervous as hell, I hope she liked it I really did.

  I pulled open the back door and was hit by the freezing air. April had been outside for about fifteen minutes and I hoped she wasn't too cold. I quickly closed it behind me then jogged down the path and up over the sand dune. I spotted her and the dogs not too far away and she was looking out to sea, Toby and Milly running in and out of the water and I wondered what she was thinking about.

  As I
got closer she turned and smiled at me and my heart did a little jolt.

  'Have you finished all your chores?' She laughed as I reached her side.

  'I have, I'm good like that.' I smiled down at her and my nerves seemed to take over from the excitement. 'So...' I rocked back on my heels.

  'So... what?' She was giving me an odd look as if to ask what was wrong with me.

  I wrapped my fingers tightly around the box in my pocket. 'So, I still have a gift for you.'

  She tilted her head to one side and smiled. 'So, you do. And your note said I had to wait until we were alone and...' She made a point to look all around us. '...we are quite alone now.'

  ‘I thought I was supposed to be the actor?' She laughed and I realised that I needed to kiss her. I grabbed the front of her coat and hauled her up against me and dropped my lips to hers. Her kisses were amazing and I didn't want to stop but we couldn't stay on the beach forever.

  'Was that my present?' Her voice was husky as she laughed up at me and I stroked my thumb over her cheek.

  'No, that was mine.' I pushed my hand into my pocket then pulled out the small box. 'This is for you.' I handed her the box and when she took it she just looked down at it. 'It's Christmas, you are allowed to open it.' She looked up and I sent her a small smile, sure that my nerves were showing.

  She smiled back at me then turned her attention back to the box in her hand. I watched as she pulled gently on the red ribbon that was tied around it and when it came loose I took it from her and pushed it back into my pocket. Then I watched as she slowly lifted the lid and looked down at its contents.

  'It's beautiful. You shouldn't have.'

  'Well I wanted to. Do you really like it?' Her smile had dropped but she stayed looking down at the necklace. I had found a local jewellery maker who make custom pieces. I wanted something simple but with meaning. It was a simple chain and suspended in the middle was a long flat bar with numbers stamped into it.

  'I love it, but what are the numbers?'

  I smiled at her words. 'It's the coordinates of the cottage. It's where I first saw you.' She pulled in a sharp breath and I saw the tears form in her eyes. 'Hey, hey.' I pulled her towards me and wrapped my arms around her. 'It wasn't meant to make you cry.' I rubbed a hand up and down her back until her breathing relaxed and she looked up at me.

  'It's the most thoughtful gift anyone had ever given me. Thank you.'

  I lowered my head and placed a soft kiss to her lips then pulled back enough to take the box from her and gently lift the necklace out gesturing for her to turn around. She lifted her hair out of the way and I looped the chain around her neck, fastened it and lowered my head and placed a kiss to the side of her neck. I felt her lean back against me and let out a little sigh. She turned around and looked up at me with those hazel eyes.

  'How does it look?'

  I didn't bother looking at it just kept my eyes on hers. 'It's perfect.' She stared at me for a moment, she shook her head and let out a little laugh. I reached out and took her hand in mine then tugged on it until she bumped into me. I didn't lean down this time I waited and watched her.

  Her breathing began to quicken again and finally she placed her free hand on my chest and rose up onto her tiptoes and lifted her lips to mine. As soon as they touched my body took over. I sank my free hand into her hair and captured her lips fully. She tasted sweet like the Christmas pudding she had eaten and the champagne she had been drinking. I loved kissing her, I loved the feel of her, I loved her and I wanted to tell her but I still felt she was holding back and I didn't know how to help.

  I moved my hand to her cheek and felt how cold she was. I broke our kiss and smiled down at her. 'We should probably head back to the house before you freeze to death.'

  She smiled at me then nodded. I was still holding her hand and I tucked it in to my pocket and smiled when she snuggled up to my side. I called the dogs and we walked back along the beach towards the cottage. I still wanted to talk to her about what I wanted after we left but it would have to wait until later when we were a little warmer and I could figure out exactly the right words.

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  April

  My necklace from Nate was the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever given me and something I was going to cherish for the rest of my life. When I wore it I would only think of the happy memories I had of him.

  When we got back from our walk along the beach, something else I was going to miss, we joined Ella and Maggie in the living room. Ella had pulled out a stack of board games and after fetching me a fresh glass of champagne Nate and I settled around the coffee table.

  After a game of Monopoly which lasted a good hour and a half, and two rounds of Cluedo, I realised that Nate was a sore loser and Ella loved to rub in that fact. It made me so happy to see their sibling rivalry and memories of the hours Abby and I had spent playing games when we were children flooded my thoughts.

  'I should be good at this, you must be cheating.' Nate glared at his sister. He was sitting next to me on the floor while Ella and Maggie sat side by side on the sofa and he had been slowly drawing circles on my thigh with his fingertips for the last thirty minutes. The Cluedo board was spread out over the coffee table surrounded by half empty glasses and chocolate wrappers.

  'Just because you are friends with a fake detective does not mean you should be good at Cluedo.' Ella shot back. It was like watching a verbal tennis match between the two and I had no idea who to put my money on.

  'That's not even...'

  'And besides,' Ella interrupted her brother. 'I'm smarter than you.' She stuck her tongue out at him and I couldn't hold in my laughter.

  Nate turned to me. He looked serious but I could see the humour in his eyes. 'Oh you think that's funny do you?'

  I tried to get my laughter under control but failed so picked my glass up to hide behind and then muttered, 'a little bit, yeah.'

  Ella, laughing at my response, stood. 'I'm getting another drink, do you want one?'

  'No thanks,' Nate answered, never taking his eyes off me.

  I looked up at Ella and smiled. 'I'm good, thank you.' She nodded then headed into the kitchen. I placed my glass back on the table and looked at Nate.

  He leaned in slightly then whispered, 'traitor.'

  I sent him my most innocent look and his gaze softened and I couldn't help but bite down on my lower lip. His eyes darkened and his tongue darted out to moisten his lips. I swallowed then glanced over at Maggie whose attention, I was glad, was captured by the TV guide. I looked back at Nate and realised that I would happily let him win any game he wanted if he would keep looking at me that way.

  I had decided that I wouldn't think about tomorrow, that I would only focus on today and today I was Nate Hamilton's secret girlfriend. It sounded foreign and out of place but ever so exciting.

  As Ella walked back into the room and dropped herself back into her seat, Nate looked down at his watch. He looked at me and smiled like an exited kid.

  'It's quarter to six,' he announced. 'You grab drinks and I'll grab some snacks.' I looked at him confused; I had no idea what he was talking about. 'Doctor Who time!’

  'You could watch it down here,' Maggie interjected, lifting her gaze from the magazine and looking hopefully at her son.

  'Mum, do you remember last Christmas when we tried that?'

  Maggie nodded as a grave expression crossed her face. 'Go then, but come back down afterwards.' Nate smiled then moved around the table and kissed her on the cheek, then headed into the kitchen.

  I picked up his glass and my own then filled his from the drinks cabinet and followed him. He was filling a bowl with popcorn when I entered.

  'So are you going to tell me what happened last Christmas?' I placed our glasses on the side then opened the door to the fridge and reached in for the open bottle of champagne. Nate hadn't been lying when he said he bought a couple of bottles and I think he may have picked up a couple more when he was out the other day.
r />   'Well, Mum insisted I watch it in the living room, said it would be rude if I disappeared for an hour. What I should point out is that my aunt and uncle were staying with their kids. My uncle is a lot younger than my mum and his kids, my cousins, were only six and eight at the time. Well they were running around, hyped up on chocolate and sweets and I was trying to watch and it got to a point where I couldn't take the noise anymore and I may have used every expletive in my vocabulary very loudly which my cousins decided was the funniest thing to repeat, for the rest of the holiday.' I was trying to keep a straight face. 'I don't normally blow up like that but it was the only thing I wanted to watch the whole holiday and I had sat through hours of kids films to keep them happy.'

  I laughed, the whole thing seemed ridiculous, he seemed to be the sweetest man alive and it was nice to know something could affect him enough to react in that way. I moved to put the champagne bottle back into the fridge to keep it chilled. 'I can't imagine your aunt and uncle were best pleased.'

  He chuckled. 'They really weren't. I had to babysit for the rest of their stay and explain to the kids why they shouldn't say such things. They eventually forgave me sometime around March. Anyway, are you ready?'

  I nodded and picked up our glasses. 'Where are we watching it?' I hadn't even thought about it until now.

  'In my room.'

  He turned and gestured for me to go first but I stood rooted to the spot. 'Is that okay? Won't Ella and your mum think it's a bit odd us being up there alone?' I had lowered my voice and stared up at him.

  He leaned in and lowered his voice to match mine. 'What, you think they might work out all of the things I want to do to you?' My eyes widened at his words and he chuckled at me then stood up straight. 'Come on, I don't want to miss the start.'