Christmas is You

by Sylvia Blake

  She had to admit that it seemed he liked her as well, and this thought warmed her heart, but she still had doubts. It seemed that the world was a tough place, and it was hard to know who to trust. After all, she thought she’d known Jake, and she’d trusted him, but he ended up breaking her heart, so who’s to say someone else won’t do the same?

  It’s much safer to keep your feelings to yourself, she figured, and not let anyone get too close. Still, she smiled when she thought of Luke and his laughing eyes, or the way he teased her about her skiing mishap. He made her laugh, and made her smile, and surely this was worth something.

  Chapter 12

  “What are you wearing?” April asked as she surveyed Debbie’s closet.

  Debbie was going through her clothes, wondering the same thing.

  “I’m not sure, to tell you the truth. It’s pretty cold, but it’s not as if we’re going for a hike. We’ll take a taxi. I think I’ll wear this black dress. It’s been a while since I got dressed up for a night on the town.” She took a slim dress out of her closet and held it up for April to see.

  It was sleeveless, and had a v-neck, but not too deep. It went down to the knees with a slit in the back.

  “Wow, that’s really nice!” said April. “You’ll look great in that. I’m sure Luke won’t be able to take his eyes off you.” She laughed and reached out to feel fabric.

  “Oh, be quiet already,” Debbie said, but deep down she hoped April was right. She usually didn’t look for attention, but she knew she’d like it if Luke noticed her. “What are you wearing? You probably brought two suitcases full of outfits, just in case you couldn’t decide. Am I right?”

  “Well, almost. I’ll put it on as soon as I shower, but it’s laid over the back of my chair, if you want to see it.”

  Debbie nodded, and followed April to her guest room. April always dressed very flashy, and today was no different. She planned to wear a black pencil skirt with a zip up slit on the side, with a glittery fuchsia halter top. Satisfied with their outfits, they split up again to begin getting ready.

  Butterflies danced in Debbie’s belly as she showered and started getting ready. She wondered whether Luke would actually show up, and whether he’d spend any time with her. Chasing after a guy wasn’t her style, and besides, she was too shy, so she hoped he’d take the initiative and show his interest – if he was interested, that is.

  They were ready earlier than planned, and decided to hang out in the living room, munching on some snacks while trying to keep crumbs off their clothes. Aunt Wendy sat with them, watching tv, but joining in their chat from time to time. Her eyes fixated on Debbie, and she surveyed her closely.

  “Debbie, dear, you seem a little anxious about something. Is everything ok? If you’re nervous about going out in a new place, don’t be. You girls can call me anytime and I can come pick you up, you know.”

  Debbie smiled at her fondly. She may be nosy and annoying at times, but at her core she was a caring and kind woman, always ready to help out.

  “No, thanks, auntie. I’m fine, really I am.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw April mouthing something to her aunt, and her aunt glanced back at Debbie with raised eyebrows and a glint in her eye.

  “Oh, really? You don’t say…” she said in a teasing tone.

  “Say what?” Debbie asked, already dreading the answer and the ensuing interrogation it would cause.

  “So, Luke will be there?” Wendy asked, smiling from ear to ear. “That’s great! I knew it! He really likes you, and I think you should give him a chance. He’s such a nice young man.”

  “That’s what I told her! But you know, she’s just about as stubborn as a mule.”

  They both looked at Debbie, expecting a response. She flushed bright red and shrugged her shoulders. She was just about done playing their game, and decided it was time to turn the table on them.

  “Maybe I will, or maybe I already have given him a chance…” she said, her voice trailing off mysteriously. She turned her attention to the tv, which had its desired effect.

  “Wait a minute – is there something you’re not telling me?” asked April in an incredulous tone.

  “You’ll have to wait and see, I guess.”

  “Oh, whatever. All I know is you like him more than you like to admit. It’s no coincidence we’re going to the bar he told you about,” April said with a laugh. “Oh, wow, look at the time. We’d better get going. I’ll look up the taxi number.”

  Debbie’s palms got damper by the minute, and her heart raced. Willing her body to calm down wasn’t working at all, and she hoped she wouldn’t spend the whole night as a nervous mess.

  “Try to relax, Debbie,” April said in a low voice as they took their seats at the table they’d waited ten minutes for.

  Trying to take April’s advice to heart, Debbie took a deep breath and counted to 10. She tried to forget about the fact that Luke would be there, and that he’d probably hang out with them for a while. He’s just a cute friend, he’s just a cute friend, she told herself. She knew that getting carried away would do no good; in a few weeks, she’d head back to the city and never see him again. So, what was the point of getting overly excited over something that will never be?

  It was 10pm and the lounge was starting to fill in, just as Luke had promised. It was a mid-sized lounge, so it was small enough to feel cozy but large enough that you didn’t feel cramped. There was also a rooftop terrace with those giant heating lamps, but she wasn’t sure if they wanted to venture up there. Her body wanted to move to the music; it was a mix of electronic dance and top 40 pop, and the DJ was doing an excellent job with the music and the vibe.

  She felt self-conscious, even though April had reassured her a dozen times that she looked great, and she knew this had something to do with the fact that Luke would be there.

  “Let’s order something. I’m still a bit hungry, and I bet they have good appetizers here,” April suggested.

  Ten minutes later, they were sharing both a calamari appetizer as well as a baked goat cheese plate. Debbie loved all kinds of cheese, and happily dug into the goat cheese, slathering chunks of it onto the toasted baguette slices.

  Their table was located near the dance floor, and they had a clear view of the entrance as well. Debbie kept glancing over at the entrance by the bar, and she knew that April had noticed, but she didn’t call Debbie out on it, and Debbie was thankful for that.

  “So, are we going skiing tomorrow morning?” April asked.

  “Um, I’d rather not, but if you really want to, I guess I can go with you and cheer you on.”

  “Don’t be silly! You should be practicing…don’t let Luke’s lessons go to waste! Here’s a deal. I’ll go down the bunny slope with you, and you can wait at the bottom when I go up the bigger hills. And I promise I won’t pressure you to do more than you’re ready for. Ok?”

  Debbie considered the offer for a minute. She figured she’d be at her aunt’s place for a while, and might as well have something to show for her time there, so she nodded, to April’s delight.

  “Sure, let’s do it. I don’t want Luke to think I haven’t learned anything. Besides, it’s about time I proved others wrong too.” She remembered the good-natured jokes her family had subjected her to, and looked forward to seeing their shocked faces when she goes back as a full-fledged skier.

  “Great. That’s going to be awesome.” April topped up both their wine glasses with a smile.

  “Christmas is only two weeks away. I have to bite the bullet and go back home to visit sometime.”

  “How about you go on Christmas Eve and stay until Boxing Day? That’s only two nights, if you think about it.”

  “I know, but my aunt has been so great with me and I’d hate to think of her alone on Christmas. I’ve actually considered going home a few days before Christmas but coming back here for the actual day.” Debbie was torn about what to do.

  “Decisions, decisions…” came a deep voice from the side of t
he table.

  She looked up and it was exactly whom she’d expected and hoped to see.

  Chapter 13

  Her heart skipped a beat as she stared into his incredibly deep brown eyes. She wouldn’t have even blinked if April hadn’t given her a swift little nudge under the table.

  “Hi, I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” He looked from April to Debbie, smiling with a calm confidence.

  “No, not at all,” said April. “Why don’t you join us? If you don’t have to go back to your friends yet…”

  “Sure, thanks.” He slid into the booth on Debbie’s side, and she was conscious of his closeness. He had a masculine, woodsy scent. It was just the right amount of fragrance. Enough to linger, but not enough to overpower. She smiled at him – she was genuinely glad that he joined them.

  “We were just talking about going skiing. We’ll probably go out to the slopes tomorrow. Are you holding any lessons?” April asked innocently.

  Debbie gave her a look that said she knew what she was up to. April ignored it and smiled at Luke sweetly.

  “No lessons tomorrow, but I’d be happy to join you guys. Is that ok?”

  “Actually, I’m not so sure we’ll be up for that after a night out,” Debbie said, trying not to sound annoyed. It would have been nice to spend more time with Luke, but she just knew that it was a bad idea to make plans for the following morning. They’d probably end up staying out too late, and it’d just be painful to get up and head out to ski.

  “OK, I see. Maybe next time,” Luke said.

  “Hey, I thought I’d find you here.” Debbie looked up and saw that it was Mark, Luke’s friend who she’d met at the Christmas Market.

  “Hi. Yeah, I saw Debbie and April and thought I’d say hi,” Mark replied.

  “Well, don’t let me stop you.”

  Debbie piped up before she had a chance to stop herself. “Have a drink with us – there’s space,” she said, motioning to the seat beside April. “April, this is Mark. Mark, this is my best friend April. She’s here from Boston for the weekend.”

  “Nice to meet you,” said Mark.

  Debbie wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but Mark’s gaze lingered on April longer than normal.

  “Likewise,” said April, smiling. “So, how’s your weekend been, so far?”

  “Pretty good. It’s our buddy’s birthday, so after the birthday dinner at Chops Steakhouse, we headed over here. It might be a long night,” said Luke with a chuckle.

  “Yeah,” Mark said, “Birthday boy is planning to take it a little overboard over there.” He squinted and pointed towards the bar, where a man was busy ordering shots for the group surrounding him.

  “You’re not going to join him?” asked Debbie.

  “Nah, we like to pace ourselves. Getting out of control drunk is not really our thing. I don’t like to judge others, but I normally have to get up pretty early anyways, so it wouldn’t be a good idea,” Luke said.

  “Good point,” said Debbie.

  The conversation turned to the latest movies everybody had seen, Christmas plans, and generally what there was to see and do in town.

  When it appeared that Mark and April were deep in their own conversation, Luke leaned over and said to Debbie in a low voice, “Want to go take a look at the tree at the market again? It should be pretty quiet by now, since it’s so late.”

  She wanted to say no, but the word wouldn’t leave her lips.

  “Ok, sure,” she said quickly, before she could stop herself.

  Luke didn’t wait another second, and made a move to get up from the table.

  “We’ll be back in a minute,” he said when Mark looked up at him.

  “Alright, see you guys later.” He turned back to April, who watched Debbie and Mark walk away. She smiled knowingly and continued her conversation with Mark.

  Luke opened the lounge’s door, and Debbie stepped out into the cool, crisp night air. She watched her breath dissipate and pulled her hoodie up to cover her head.

  “It’s nice, isn’t it?” Mark zipped up his coat and chuckled.

  “Can’t avoid it, unless you move all the way down south, I guess.”

  “True, but I’m not going anywhere. Don’t get me wrong, I do go on vacation in Florida and the Caribbean from time to time, but this town is where I belong.”

  They began walking towards the centre square of the village, where the Christmas tree was, and Debbie wondered if this was the right time to learn more information about him.

  “True, your work is here, as well as your family.” She couldn’t figure out a subtle way to bring up his family business, so she decided that directness was the best route. “Your family also runs the Rose Mountain Hotel, right?”

  He looked at her and smiled, with the expression of someone who’d been caught red handed.

  “Yes, that’s right. My grandfather first opened it fifty years ago, when it was still a sleepy little town.”

  “I see. It must be interesting to manage a hotel.”

  “Interesting...and stressful! We do hire top notch staff to keep things running smoothly, but like with any business, there’s always something that doesn’t go exactly to plan. My parents are will be away for a while, so I’ve got to keep a closer eye on things than usual. I’ve got a general manager, but I have to supervise him, and that can be hard. Anyways, enough about me. What about you?”

  “What about me? I earned a business degree at college, but finding a job in the city is hard. I ended up working at a wellness and beauty spa in the city, first as an administrator and later as manager. I really enjoyed it, but then I got laid off,” she said, shrugging. “Right before Christmas,” she added with a sigh. She hoped she wasn’t being too negative.

  “Don’t worry, I’m sure things will turn around for you. Lots of places will be hiring in the new year, I’m sure of it.”

  She looked up at his reassuring smile and felt better instantly.

  “Thanks, Luke. I hope you’re right.”

  She suddenly heard a loud whoosh sound and the next thing she knew, Luke grabbed her and pulled her out of the path of a snowmobile and into a closed shop’s doorway.

  “Watch where you’re going!” he called out angrily.

  When he turned back to her, he was still holding her by the shoulder. She noticed how his expression softened when his gaze met hers, and how he didn’t let go of her. In fact, his face came closer and closer, and she was acutely aware of how the space between them was disappearing. She turned her head up, and he brushed her lips with his, in a kiss that was so gentle, yet firm, that it made her knees weak and her belly jump somersaults.

  Her head spun as she realized what was happening. Here she was, the girl who had practically sworn off relationships, kissing a man she had met just a week or two ago! She knew it didn’t mesh with what her plans were when she came to town, but she didn’t care. It felt so right, and so beautiful.

  She became immersed in his scent, and the warmth of his breath. His arms embraced her snugly, and she felt warm and safe there. For the first time in a long time, she knew she had something to look forward to.

  Chapter 14

  Debbie’s heart raced, and for a minute, she feared it was all just a dream. But his kisses were real. The way he held her was real. And the strong shoulders she had wrapped her arms around were real.

  The sounds of children’s voices reached them and they drew apart hesitantly, still holding each other close. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a family walk by, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his.

  His smile mirrored hers, and she wondered who would be the first to speak.

  “Well,” he said. “It was about time.”

  So, it was true – he had been interested all along.

  “I’d say,” she said, and wondered right away why she had said it.

  “Come,” he said, looking around, “let’s go see that tree.”

  “Yes, let’s go.”

  He grab
bed hold of her hand firmly, and they walked hand in hand through the snowy lane surrounded on both sides by restaurants, cafés, and quaint touristy shops.

  “I’ve wanted to do that since the minute I got to know you,” he said, looking down at her and giving her hand a squeeze.

  “What, see the tree?” she asked in a teasing voice.

  He chuckled. “You’re clever. Of course not. Kiss you. I wanted to kiss you. And then I got to know you and wanted to be around you all the time.”

  “Oh, I see.” She smiled. “Is that why you offered me skiing lessons?”

  “It’s part of the reason. I also didn’t want to be responsible for any hospitalized children, you know.” He gave her a look that told her he was kidding, but he didn’t have to. She knew he wouldn’t make fun of her for real.

  “Ha-ha,” she said, cocking her head. “I would have learned on my own, thank you very much.”

  His hand was warm, which was a saving grace, because the night was getting colder. As they approached the centre square, the Rose Mountain Hotel came into view.

  “So, that’s the hotel, right?” she nodded her head in the hotel’s direction.

  “Yes. It’s been at the centre of my life since I was born. The ladies who worked the reception desk watched me like a hawk. They all brought treats for me and kept me out of trouble. My mother worked very hard at the hotel, and often had to bring me in with her. There were times when it wasn’t doing too well, but my father refused to sell it. It’s really a part of the family; and we’re a part of it.”

  “That’s a deep connection. You never mentioned that you own it. I mean…your family owns it, but you know what I mean.”

  A serious expression came over his face. He looked down at her. “Well, I figured you’d find out eventually. Some people make assumptions about you when they find out that you’re well off. I didn’t want it to color your view of me.”