Discovering Pride (Pride Series)

by Jill Sanders

  “You know, I guess it helped closing shop the week before Christmas.” Looking around the room again, she noticed how empty it was and her eyes started to mist. “There are only these boxes and some other furniture in the back room now. Everything else sold on Black Friday.”

  “The antique baby crib and changing table I bought from you last week go perfect in the baby’s room. Todd just loved the cherry wood; he is going to look at getting me a rocking chair to match.” Megan said reaching over and patting Allison’s arm.

  “Speaking of the baby, do you know what you are having, a boy or a girl?” Allison asked as she tapped up the last box.

  “We could have found out a while back, but we want to be surprised.”

  “I know what you’re having.” Lacey said smiling. “But I’m keeping it a secret too.”

  “You think you know what I’m having.” Megan laughed. She stopped laughing and looked at Lacey. “However, with your track record I may not want to hear your theory.”

  They all laughed.

  “I’m going to miss this.” Allison said taking a large breath. “Am I doing the right thing moving to California? Please tell me I’m not crazy.”

  “When I decided to travel for a year after graduation, I thought the same thing. I’m here to tell you my eyes were opened during that year of traveling. It gave me something you just can’t experience here in Pride. And you can always come back home. You will be coming home again?” The two friends sat quietly waiting for her answer.

  “I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. I’m going to California to experience and to help my art. I want to define it better, fine tune it some, and then try to figure out whatever else Mr. Derby has in store for me.” she wiped away a tear.

  “Then, let’s have a toast.” Lacey said, holding up her juice cup and waited for her friends to do the same. “A toast to best friends, travel, and experiencing life, but most importantly, a toast to returning to Pride.”

  He had a bottle of champagne cooling next to the wine glasses and candles on the coffee table. The smoked salmon was warming in the oven along with the green beans surrounded by sweet potatoes. Everything was in place. Turing on the radio he hunted until he found something soft and smokey for background music. The fire crackled as he walked over and dimmed the overhead lights: perfection.

  Bernard snored on his doggie bed, which Aaron had pushed to the corner of the living room. The dog was beginning to think he lived here. Every time Aaron drove up his drive he was sitting at the front door, waiting for him. Usually with a ball or a stick in his mouth. He had to admit, it felt pretty good to have him there always waiting.

  Tonight, however, it wasn’t the company of the dog, but the dog’s owner he was looking for. And, it appeared she was running late.

  Taking his cell out of his slacks he texted the man who would know where she was.

  “Where is your sister? --Aaron”

  A few moments later he checked the reply.

  “She left work five minutes ago. Should be heading your way now—later, Iian.”

  Just as he read the last of the message, he heard her car drive up. Smiling to himself, he heard Bernard groaned and glanced over as the dog stood from his bed and rushed over to the front door.

  “Yeah buddy, she’s home.” He opened the door just as Lacey reached for the handle. She had a bundle of white flowers in one hand and a large wrapped box in the other.

  “Hello.” he said just looking at her. She wore her long green winter coat, the hood was up because it had been lightly snowing. Helping her out of the coat, he shook the snow off before placing it alongside his in the front closet.

  Bernard let out a quick happy bark. Setting the flowers and box down, she bent to pat him.

  “Welcome to my finished home.” He said as she stood back up. He circled her in his arms and kissed her softly, slowly.

  He noticed she had changed out of her work clothes and was wearing a silver dress that clung to her curves. The dress had long sleeves but he had felt that her back had been left exposed. As he pulled back to look at her he noticed that the front dipped down in a gentle slope. The way the dress accented the curve of her back and her perfect breasts, distracted him from the gifts she had brought.

  She enjoyed the smoky looks he was giving her she picked up the flowers and box once more.

  “Finished, a home isn’t complete until you receive your first house warming present.” she handed him the flowers and box. “Let’s go sit by the fire so you can open your gift.” With her free hands she pulled him towards the couch.

  He chuckled as he sat next to her and was glad he had planned a celebration dinner to mark the finishing of the renovations on his house. They had hung the last door along with the bedroom window blinds last night; the place was done.

  Taking one last glance at her, he started opening the wrapping on the box. She noticed that he was the type of person who unwrapped slowly, pulling each corner back and unfolding the wrapping like it was made of gold instead of paper.

  “Oh no, you’re one of those people.” she said. Her fingers itched to rip at the paper that she had carefully wrapped earlier that day.

  “I am a Doctor.” he said, “We like to be precise.” he smiled at her. “I suppose you like to rip the paper, and no doubt, shake all the boxes beforehand.”

  “Of course.” she held her breath when he opened the box.

  The vase was crystal with blue flowers, it wasn’t new, it wasn’t perfect, but it was beautiful.

  “It’s beautiful.” he said holding it up so the light from the fire shone through it.

  “It was one of my mother’s. She always had flowers in the house no matter what time of year.” She grabbed the bundle he had sat down on the table. He set the vase down on the coffee table so she could place the flowers in it. “She always said, flowers in a house helped make it home.”

  Smiling at her, he took her face in his hands. “It’s perfect. Thank you.” he said as he laid a soft kiss on her lips.

  “Welcome home, Aaron.” she said, then kissed him.

  Later that evening, as the weather was turning colder and the light rain was beginning to look more like snow, his grandfather stopped by. He quickly dropped off his house warming present. The old brass key hanger which had always hung in his grandfather’s office, now hung just inside Aaron’s back door. Another perfect present.

  Todd and Megan stopped by the next day and had delivered a front door brass knocker with Aaron’s name inscribed on it. And Iian had walked over in the rain to deliver a pan of fresh sticky buns along with a set of kitchen cutlery. Aaron had been informed that no kitchen was complete without the proper knives.

  There had been others stopping by throughout the week, all bringing small gifts that included food. He and welcoming them all and was an expert at showing off his remodeled home by the time the snow started falling again later that week. With all the company, Lacey had come up with a brilliant plan to have a house warming party on New Years Eve.

  Planning a party was something Aaron had never done before. Lacey helped of course, but she left a lot of the major decisions up to him.

  One evening he had been over at his grandfather’s house getting a list of people to invite on New Years. His grandfather had, after all, lived in town all of his eighty-seven years. So, no doubt he knew any and everyone to invite. Aaron liked the old man’s place. It always reminded him of a hunting lodge; it was a large wood cabin that had oversized windows that faced a small creek. It was built in the same place his great-grandparents house had been.

  His grandfather had spent his youth here, only going away to serve in the Army for three years. He always recounts that he had come home a changed man: gone was the desire to travel and see far off places. Landing in Poland at the end of World War II had taken that desire away and replaced it with one to help and protect the people of his small town.

  Aaron had always loved to sit and listen to his grandfather’s stories when h
e visited as a child. There were times he had wished he could have stayed with him on a permanent basis.

  Now, he and Lacey sat on his grandfather’s oversized couch drinking coffee and listened to him tell the story of how his platoon had parachuted into Poland. With little to no training, he had jumped from the plane, he had walked away with a cracked ankle, but was lucky to survive. His grandfather always ended his stories just before his platoon had marched into the concentration camps and helped release the prisoners. But, Aaron knew by the sad look that would sometimes cross his face, the memories were never gone.

  Looking over to the mantle, he saw the row of medals lined up in a silver case and knew that his grandfather had been the reason he had become a doctor. His grandfather was the reason he now had a home, his own medical practice and a woman who sat close by his side.

  The next evening was the Christmas play at the grade school. Aaron sat in the small uncomfortable seat in the large auditorium. To his right was his grandfather and Betty, to his left was Lacey, Megan and Todd. Iian had somehow gotten out of attending the event. Aaron made a mental note to ask him how he had accomplished the feat later.

  The kids’ singing was tolerable, the acting was horrible, but the costumes and seeing the kids in the play was priceless.

  He was happy he knew most of the players because they had come into his office at one point or the other. Later he realized it wasn’t the play most people came to see; it was the after-play party that was the real draw to the event.

  Parents, family members, and towns people hung out in the large auditorium after the play had ended. Kids ran around free from their costumes. Cookies, cakes, and other sweets were set up along the back wall on large tables; there was enough sugar to make any kid happily stick around with a bunch of adults for a few hours.

  At first he felt out of sorts; the towns people talked and entertained each other. But then, Aaron was made to feel right at home in the large crowd; it wasn’t due to the fact that he was the doctor in town, but what played the biggest part was due to his grandfather’s influence and the fact that Lacey and her family stood close by him.

  The only parties he had ever attended had been medical related or work related. Only once had he attended a private party and it had ended so badly he swore those off for good.

  Looking around the loud room, he realized he never wanted to leave Pride. This was truly where he belonged. His heart was bonded here and he was okay with it.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Lacey locked the doors and looked around the Golden Oar that was now closed for Christmas break. She had to finish cleaning the back dining room and some paperwork she’d been putting off then she was free. Bobby, one of the bar tenders had just left but Iian was still back in the kitchen, cleaning up.

  She headed to the shared office after spending ten minutes cleaning. She passed Iian on the way to the back and she signed. “I’m heading to the office, to get some paperwork done. Are you heading home?”

  “Yes, I’m beat. Don’t stay too late; are you going to be okay here?” he signed back.

  She gave him a look that said little brothers should not worry about big sisters. Of course she was okay okay, this was her place, her town.

  Iian headed out the back door, making sure to lock it when he spotted Aaron leaning against Lacey’s sedan. He was looking up at the stars like he had all the time in the world to wait. Iian walked over to him, and signed. “Waiting for Lacey?”

  He really liked adding someone else in town he could communicate with. Especially someone he liked and got along with.

  Aaron signed back. “Yes, is she coming out soon?”

  “No, she’s doing paperwork.” Aaron looked around like he was trying to decide where to go. “Come on, I’ll let you in. But, if she asks, you snuck in before I locked the door.” he smiled.

  Walking over, Iian opened the back door with his keys and held it open. Aaron gave it one look and walked in, signing “Thank you”.

  Iian smiled and shut the door tightly. Lacey had been spending a lot of nights over at Aaron’s lately. The old house was feeling empty but, seeing his sister happy was worth it. He thought everyone should be just that happy. As he was driving by the empty antique shop, its windows were bare and dark, he thought of Allison. Another empty building, another opportunity passed by. He turned his truck uphill and headed home alone.

  Lacey knew she was doing paperwork at midnight, just to keep her mind off certain people, whom she didn’t want to think about. But, damn it, his face kept popping into her mind. Why did it seem he was consuming her thoughts? Balancing books tended to help her system level off, or so she thought.

  She was just starting to relax into the job, when she heard a noise from the doorway. Gasping, she grabbed her stapler to use as a weapon.

  “Are you trying to kill me?” she asked trying to slow her breathing.

  Aaron was leaning against the door with his arms and ankles crossed and had a large smile on his face.

  She wore a small black skirt with black leggings, her standard uniform top was untucked, and her shoes where on the floor next to the desk. She was holding the stapler as a weapon and if he calculated correctly it was currently aimed at his crotch.

  “How did you get in here?” She said giving him a questionable look.

  Walking quickly to her side, he removed the stapler from her hand and placed it back on the desk.

  “Let’s make sure there are no work accidents here.” he said as he lifted her out of the chair.

  “You smell good.” He leaned in putting his hands on her small hips and nuzzled her neck.

  “Why is it,” she put her hand on his shoulders to push lightly. “that whenever I ask you a question, you avoid answering?”

  “Why is it, I can’t keep you out of my mind?” He leaned in for the kiss, slowly. Enjoying the taste of her as he ran his hands up and down her sides. “Why can’t I seem to get enough of this, of you?”

  He lifted her up, set her on top of the desk, on top of her papers making a mess of them. Standing between her legs, his hands roamed her body as he took the kiss deeper. Enjoying the taste of her, he pulled her shirt all the way free and found her soft skin intoxicating. Pulling her shirt up further he started to lay kisses along her collar bone. She was warm, soft and tasted of heaven.

  She fisted her hands in his hair and held him closer to her heated skin with a moan. She wanted to hold him there, just there, forever.

  His hands and lips were warm and roaming over her which caused little goose bumps to rise all over her body.

  “I can’t think when you do that.” She pulled away and rested her forehead against his.

  “Then don’t.” He started to kiss her again. He could feel her shaking and knew his hands were inching under her skirt.

  Pulling her up, he quickly pushed the papers aside with one quick swipe of his hand. Then he laid her down slowly on the large cool surface.

  She started to push him away, “Aaron? Here? Now? I can’t…”

  “Yes, we can. Here. Now. I want you right here. Right now.” He was running his lips up and down her neck, kissing little trails of fire along her jaw. His hands roamed over her body and started pulling clothing aside, exposing heated skin.

  “I don’t think I can…mmmm” she ended on a moan as his fingers found her heated flesh. In the next moment she was grasping for air.

  He enjoyed her sexy purrs as he pleasured her. He could feel the vibrations in her body as she began to orgasm. Her eyes were unfocused and she was biting the corner of her lip just as she moaned with her release. He wanted to see her like this many more times and as many times as possible.

  Standing between her legs again, he pulled her closer. He enjoyed the shocked look on her face as he plunged into her. Then, she smiled seductively and wrapped her legs around him and held on.

  Christmas morning was always exciting and Lacey’s favorite time of the day. Lacey could hardly remember a Christmas she hadn’t go
tten exactly what she wanted or asked for. It was easy when the thing you wanted the most was to watch your loved ones enjoy opening the gifts you had given them.

  Everyone had arrived early at Megan and Todd’s house for the celebration. The placed smelled like heaven, spices and evergreen mixed in the air. Since Iian had arrived a few hours earlier and taken care of all the cooking, everything was in place. This had worked out perfectly since Lacey had been busy trying to keep Aaron away from his present.

  Now, with the gift safely tucked away in Megan’s wash room, she could she could enjoy and relax before they opened gifts.

  Because they were no longer children, it had been decided years ago, to eat Christmas lunch first, then open gifts.