New Beginnings

by Lori Maguire

  “Don’t worry about it, Tom. X has always been a hopeless romantic,” Gabriel said.

  Xavier flipped him his middle finger. I grabbed his hand and laced my fingers with his bringing our now entwined hands down to my lap.

  “But I loved your proposal,” Renatta said, giving Tom a chaste kiss.

  Gabriel started shifting in his seat nervously with all the talk about engagements. I remembered what Tiffany told me last weekend about how he had started talking about settling down and having kids. I hoped the nervousness he was showing now was an indication that he was ready to propose. They seemed to make such a perfect couple. They had been together for years.

  Suddenly, Gabriel stood up. We all looked at him expectantly. “Um, if you all will excuse me a moment,” he mumbled as he rushed out of the room.

  I looked at Xavier and he gave me a knowing smile. Gabriel was up to something and Xavier knew exactly what. I narrowed my eyes at him. “Just wait,” he whispered in my ear.

  Gabriel returned carrying a huge box. He placed in front of Tiffany. Well, that box is too big to be an engagement ring. Unless …

  “I know we said we would wait until Christmas morning before we opened presents, but this is something I wanted you to have tonight,” he said, sounding a bit nervous.

  We all sat up a little straighter in our seats. Tiffany looked totally surprised as she started to open the huge box. Gabriel, having a wicked sense of humor, didn’t make it easy for her either. Inside the huge box, was another wrapped box, then another, and another, and another. Finally, she got down to a small, black, velvet box. Her hands trembled as she held the box in the palm of her hand. Her eyes were wide as she stared at it. I think we all held our breath for a few minutes.

  Carefully and slowly, she peeled the top back. Gabriel stood before her waiting for her reaction. The smile suddenly slid off her face as soon as she opened the box. My heart hit the floor. It couldn’t have been an engagement ring based on the look on her face.

  “It’s, um, they are beautiful, Gabe. Thank you,” she said quietly. She turned the box around to show all of us. They were beautiful princess cut diamond earrings. They had to be a carat a piece they were so huge. I noticed her eyes glistened when the light from the fire hit her face just right. The poor thing looked like she was going to burst into tears at any moment.

  “Do you really like them?” Gabriel asked.

  “Um, yes. Of course,” Tiffany replied. She forced a smile onto her face, and blinked back some tears.

  “Good, because I also have this.” He pulled another small, black, velvet box out of his pants pocket and got down on one knee before her. Her hand flew to her mouth as she let out a little gasp.

  “Tiffany, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Would you please do me the honor of marrying me?” Gabriel’s voice cracked revealing his nervousness.

  There was nothing for Gabriel to worry about though. Tiffany didn’t waste any time with her response. “Yes,” she replied. Happy tears now streaming down her face. “Yes, yes, yes!”

  Gabriel let out a huge sigh of relief, and slid the ring on the ring finger of her left hand. It was a beautiful princess cut diamond ring that matched her earrings. We all cheered.

  I turned to Xavier. “You knew.” He nodded his head at me with a smirk on his face. “For how long?”

  “At least two weeks. I went ring shopping with him last week.” He gave me a little shrug.

  Gabriel disappeared and came back with a bottle of champagne. As he was pouring, Xavier got up and disappeared into the kitchen. Minutes later he came out with two champagne flutes filled with white sparkling grape juice. My man thought of everything.

  I smiled widely at him. “You know a sip of champagne isn’t going to hurt.”

  “Not taking any chances, baby,” he whispered against my lips before pressing his lips to mine. Focusing back on the room, he held his glass up. “To Gabriel and Tiffany. May you be as happy together as Ella and I. Welcome to the family, Tiffany. Cheers.”

  We all said cheers and clinked glasses. Minutes later, Gabriel and Tiffany were giving excuses concerning how tired they were. We all knew better, of course. They didn’t waste any time as they both quickly disappeared upstairs.

  Shortly afterwards, Tom and Renatta disappeared outside to the hot tub. That left Xavier and I still cuddled up on the couch.

  “Well, that didn’t take long to get rid of everybody,” he said, giving me a salacious smile.

  “Lech,” I mumbled lovingly.

  He burst out laughing. “Nympho,” he said once he was able to catch his breath from laughing.

  I got up to clear the plates and glasses. Xavier was close on my heels and helped me in the kitchen.

  Once I was done at the sink, I turned around only to find him standing directly behind me. He was giving me a scorching look that sent a surge of anticipation through me. Taking a step towards me, he caged me up against the sink.

  He leaned down and planted a kiss behind my ear. “What do you want to do now, sweetness?” he asked softly against my skin. His breath was a hot caress on the sensitive skin of my neck. He started running a trail of kisses down my neck. My breath hitched. “Hit the lounge chair outside in front of a fire or turn in?” He trailed kisses back up my neck. My breathing increased as my heart started to pound. He smiled at me knowing exactly what his actions were doing to me. “I know what I’d like to do,” he added huskily.

  I didn’t have to guess, because I was certain it didn’t involve sitting in a lounge chair. Giving him a salacious smile back, I grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the kitchen towards the stairs. It didn’t take him long to catch on to what I had decided. At the bottom of the stairs, he scooped me up.

  “Good choice,” he whispered in my ear.

  Christmas morning I woke with Xavier snuggling his nose behind my ear. “Merry first Christmas, sweetness,” he whispered into my neck. He was wrapped around me from behind. The delicious heat emanating from his body almost had me feeling too hot or maybe it was the evidence of his arousal that was pressing into my behind. I wiggled suggestively against him causing him to hiss.

  “Is that my Christmas gift?” I asked teasingly, continuing to rub up against him.

  “The first of many,” he said, sounding a little breathless as he deftly rolled me beneath him.

  Wait, what? Did he mean the first of many Christmas gifts for today? He settled between my legs and started kissing me to the point where my only thoughts were of him and him alone.

  An hour later, we headed downstairs to find the others. They were all sitting on the couches in the living room. Clearly they were waiting for us. I wondered briefly how long they had all been waiting.

  “Woo Hoo. Look who finally decided to join us,” Gabriel said as he started clapping. “You two have to be the horniest couple ever,” Gabriel added.

  I blushed furiously, horrified with the fact that they were not only waiting on us, but had obviously heard what we had been doing. Grabbing Xavier’s hand in both of mine, I tucked my flaming face into his side.

  “Gabe,” Tiffany chastised him, slapping him lightly on the shoulder.

  “Are you done, Gabe?” Xavier asked him in a playful tone.

  We sat on the same couch we occupied last night. Xavier tucked me into his side. His right arm lay across the back of the couch while his fingers ran through my hair soothingly.

  “Sorry, X. You know I only do it, because I love to watch you blush, Ella,” Gabriel said chuckling.

  His comment only made my cheeks feel warmer. Xavier leaned over and kissed the top of my head.

  “Stop embarrassing my BFF. It’s time to open some presents,” Renatta said excitedly, much to my relief, as she rubbed her hands together.

  I gave her a grateful smile only too happy to move the conversation away from my morning activities.

  Renatta reached under the tree and handed a present to Tom. “Merry Christmas,” she said with a huge s
mile on her face.

  Tom carefully and methodically opened the present. We all chuckled at him. He froze as soon as the white Apple box came into view. He looked up at Renatta in total shock. “You got me an iPad?” he asked her softly.

  She nodded at him. “I know you’ve always wanted one.” She gave Tom a little shrug.

  He carefully placed the box down on the couch. Reaching over, he grabbed Renatta’s face and gave her a sweet kiss. “Thank you, baby. I love it,” he said sincerely. He then reached down and grabbed a box from the under the tree. “Your turn,” he said to Renatta, handing her a present.

  The box wasn’t very big, but obviously it was heavy. She wasn’t expecting that and almost dropped it. Tom had to tell her to be careful because it was breakable. That piqued her curiosity. She quickly tore through the wrapping paper.

  Renatta let out a squeal as soon as the Canon box became visible. I knew she had wanted a new telephoto lens for a while. Tom got her the exact one she was looking for. It was the EF 70-300mm image-stabilizing lens. She was ecstatic.

  “Ren, we’ll have to break in that new lens sometime this week,” I said, winking at her.

  “Gabriel’s turn.” Tiffany, realizing that she had already received her Christmas gifts the night before, reached under the tree and handed a present to Gabriel. She was practically jumping up and down in her seat she was so excited.

  “Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Open it,” she said, encouraging him.

  Gabriel, I think just to torture her, started to rip the wrapping paper off very slowly. A little piece here then a little piece there. He looked like he was moving in slow motion. Tiffany moaned in frustration making us all chuckle. It wasn’t until she threatened Gabriel with bodily harm that he started to tear into the wrapping paper like a little kid.

  “Oh my God,” he whispered.

  The box said Breitling. I had no idea what that meant. It had to be something good though, because Xavier let out a whistle.

  Turns out it was a watch, and a very expensive watch from the looks of it. It looked like it was gold and silver with three dials on the face. Actually, it looked quite complicated for a watch.

  “Steel and rose gold?” Xavier asked Tiffany. She turned beaming at Xavier nodding her head. “Very nice, Tiffany.”

  Gabriel sat gaping at the watch. “It’s too much, baby. You shouldn’t have,” he managed to say after a few minutes.

  “You are totally worth it,” she said. “Here, let me put it on you.” She held her hand out to him. He gave her the watch and she fastened it to his wrist. It was a perfect fit. Gabriel sat and looked at it on his wrist for several minutes before he grabbed Tiffany into a bear hug.

  “Thank you, sweetheart,” he said before he started kissing her enthusiastically.

  “Hey! Now who needs to get a room,” Xavier teased them. “I do believe it is finally your turn, sweetness.” Xavier grabbed a present from under the tree and handed it to me. I looked at him in surprise. I never saw him place anything under the tree. He set the box on my lap. It was heavy. I took a deep breath and started tearing into the wrapping paper.

  Holy shit! I froze as I stared down at the Canon box. My hand flew up to cover my gaping mouth. This was not a cheap camera. It was the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. This was professional grade. I know it set him back a good $3500.00. This was way more camera than I would ever need for work. Renatta made an appreciative sound. She knew how just how expensive this camera was.

  “Xavier, you shouldn’t have. Thank you. It’s a lot of camera,” I mumbled.

  “But it’s not too much for you. Ella, I want you to think about what we discussed,” he said softly. I frowned at him not exactly sure what he was talking about. “About traveling with me. About pursuing your passion for nature and landscape photography.”

  “Oh, right.” I remembered the conversation well. It was the night he was in Vancouver and we both were having a hard time dealing with the separation. Besides, I knew I didn’t want to return to work after the baby was born. I ran my hand over the box lovingly.

  “I talked to Gabriel. Remember he has a friend who owns a gallery in Seattle. I want you to think about putting together a portfolio for him. I’ve seen your photos, Ella. You have an eye and the talent to capture breathtaking landscapes. I think you could be very successful with it.”

  “But the baby,” I protested.

  “Can travel with us,” Xavier said. “Babies are very portable, Ella. There’s no reason why we can’t travel as a family.”

  His words were painting a beautiful picture for me. Xavier didn’t travel a lot, but when he did we at least could all be together. But then there was Renatta. I shot her a pained look. She just smiled at me.

  “Ella, don’t worry about me. Tom and I have been talking. I’d like to open my own portrait studio. Xavier is right. I’ve seen your photos, too. They are stunning. I know just how good you are at it. You are wasting your talent at CoolPix. Besides, you know my true passion is portraits and weddings.”

  “I’ve set Renatta and Tom up with my real estate agent. They are going to look at potential locations for her studio next week,” Xavier said.

  I set the box down on the floor and practically jumped in Xavier’s lap. Grabbing his face in my hands, I started raining kisses all over his face, murmuring my thanks in between kisses. He just smiled and laughed at my exuberance.

  I headed over to Renatta and pulled her to her feet.

  “You urged me to come out here after my marriage fell apart. In addition to Xavier, I have you to thank for all the positive changes that are happening in my life. I love you, girlfriend.” Tears filled both of our eyes as I hugged her tightly. “I know you are going to be my maid of honor next week, but will you also take some photos of our wedding? I would love it if you could.”

  Renatta wiped at her eyes. “Of course I will, Ella. Nothing would make me happier.”

  We hugged for a few minutes more before I broke away. Walking over to the tree, I picked up the last little box that sat beneath it. Curling back up on the couch next to Xavier, I handed him the present.

  “Merry first Christmas, hotness,” I said before I kissed him chastely on the lips.

  He tore into the paper, stopping short when he revealed the blue Tiffany and Company box. His eyes widened at me. Carefully, he pulled the white ribbon off, removed the lid, and pulled out the blue velvet bag.

  “I’m sorry to say that it’s nothing terribly special. I mean at least not like the gifts that have been exchanged here this morning,” I mumbled, sounding nervous even to my own ears.

  Xavier reached into the blue velvet bag. He pulled his hand out and opened it. Nestled in his palm were the two cuff links that I had bought. They were X’s and O’s. He fingered them quietly as he studied them thoughtfully.

  “They are hugs and kisses. I thought maybe you could wear them next week.” I paused for a moment. “I don’t know. I guess it seems a little silly now. You don’t have to wear them if …”

  He silenced me by sealing his mouth over mine. His free hand wrapped around my nape holding me to him. When he broke away, I noticed his eyes glistened.

  “They are beautiful, Ella,” he said sounding a little gruff. “I’ll wear them all the time. I love them and what they represent. Thank you, sweetness.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered at him.

  “Well, is anybody hungry?” Tiffany asked. “Renatta, come on. Let’s go fix a breakfast feast,” she said, as she grabbed Renatta’s hand and pulled her up from the couch.

  Within minutes, Tom and Gabriel followed after them leaving Xavier and I alone in the living room. I leaned into him and sighed. He continued to look at the cuff links.

  “I checked with Renatta on the camera. She said that you mentioned once how you wanted to upgrade to this one. If it’s not the one you want, we can return it.”

  “It’s perfect, Xavier. Thank you. It’s precisely the one I wanted. I’m going to learn how to use it as quic
kly as I can so I can start to use it as soon as possible.” He silently kissed me on the head again.

  “Thank you for helping Renatta out with her portrait studio. I know you’re helping her with more than just a real estate referral,” I said. Tom and Renatta were the type of couple that happily lived from paycheck-to-paycheck. There was no way they had the spare cash to start up a business.

  He tensed for a moment. I had a feeling that he was doing this for Renatta in an attempt to get me to quit my job sooner. For a moment, I thought I should be a little upset with him about that. I didn’t like feeling manipulated, but on second thought I knew he was doing it because he cared about the baby and me.

  “I know I’ve said this before, but you are quite perceptive, Ella. Are you angry with me?”

  “Of course not.” I instantly answered him. “It’s what Renatta has always wanted to do. Besides, I really don’t want you traveling without me again. Those nights were so difficult to get through. And like you said babies are portable.”

  He wrapped his arms around me and pulled my back to his front. “Thank you, Ella. Thank you for being so understanding. Let’s see what everybody is up to in the kitchen.”

  He shifted me off his lap to stand. Holding his hand out to me, he pulled me up off the couch. Keeping our fingers entwined, I followed him into the kitchen.

  The day went by in a blur. Renatta and Tiffany cooked up a full turkey dinner. It was delicious. We sat around the dining room table for hours and talked and laughed. My Christmas was so perfect. I didn’t want it to end. Unfortunately, we needed to head back to Seattle tomorrow. There were preparations that still needed to be completed for the wedding. Renatta and I had our final dress fittings on Thursday. My parents were due in on Friday. Before I knew it, New Year’s Eve was going to be upon us.

  I looked over at Xavier. He was smiling widely causing the skin to crinkle around his eyes. Those devastating, icy blue eyes were twinkling with happiness and humor. He was so perfect, so gorgeous, and he was all mine. He caught me staring and winked at me. My heart skipped a beat. I blushed and looked away only to catch Renatta smirking at me.