McKenzie's Turn to Fall: A Holiday Romance

by Harlow James

  “And that’s our cue to leave.” Dylan stands and takes my free hand, my other one clutching my wine glass like a lifeline, as he leads me through a sliding glass door to an enclosed patio that’s just as toasty as the house.

  A potbelly stove rests on a brick corner mantel in the corner of the room, two couches face a television mounted on the wall adjacent to the wood burning stove, and on the other end of the room is a card table where Dylan’s grandma resides.

  And then recognition dawns on me.

  “Ethel?”

  Her head pops up and her smile builds. “Yes?”

  “Ethel is your grandma?” I ask, turning to Dylan who’s just smirking at me.

  “Last time I checked,” she replies.

  I swat Dylan’s arm as he pretends I hurt him. “Ow! What was that for?”

  “When I told you about Ethel almost fighting that man in the store over the salt and vinegar potato chips, you didn’t say anything!”

  “Well, we didn’t really know each other very well then.”

  And he’s right. We didn’t. But now, I want to know everything about him.

  “You witnessed that, did ya?” she asks while smiling proudly, turning our attention back to her.

  “Yes, and I was impressed.”

  “That little shit thought he was going to get my chips, but I sure showed him.”

  My chest bounces with laughter. “Yes, you did.”

  She motions for me to take a seat next to her as a whistle blows in the background of the football game on the television.

  “Dylan, can you do me a favor and turn that down please? Your brother, father, and grandfather all went to the shop to smoke cigars or look at a motor or something,” she says with a wave of her hand. “But of course they couldn’t be bothered to turn down the damn tv before they left.”

  “You got it, Grams.” Dylan smiles and then moves across the room as I sit down and see the jigsaw puzzle in front of her.

  “Oh, I love puzzles,” I declare, taking another sip of my wine and instantly immersing myself in the pieces.

  “Me too, young lady. Can’t go a Thanksgiving without one. Dylan and I usually do one together every year, but I knew he’d be preoccupied with you here this time.” She smiles over at me, and I see it in her eyes—that knowing look that older people get when they see something others can’t.

  “He can still help us.”

  “Us?” Dylan questions as he makes his way back over to the card table and takes another empty seat.

  “Uh, you’re going to have a hard time pulling me away from this table now. You should have told me there would be a puzzle. I can’t ever seem to tear myself away from one.” I find a piece and push it in place with ease, loving the satisfaction that comes with putting another part of the picture together.

  “Oh, she’s got a good eye, Dylan. Better not let this one go,” she says with a jut of her thumb in my direction.

  “I don’t plan on it, Grams.”

  My eyes lift and find his, staring back at me with such honesty, my heart constricts in my chest. And all I can do is smile in return because what I really want to do at that moment is not appropriate in front of Ethel.

  “Do you do puzzles often, McKenzie?” she asks as all three of us scour the pieces and pop one in occasionally.

  “It depends. Sometimes I go through periods where I will do several back to back, especially if I’m working on a story and I feel stuck. Putting the pieces together helps distract me or helps me reflect on the issues in my story, and then all of a sudden I’ll have a break through and the words start flowing again,” I say on a shrug, even though I can feel Dylan’s eyes on me.

  “I like that. Puzzles are great for the brain. Keeps us young and alive,” Ethel says with a finger pointed to her temple. “Dylan told me you’re a writer. That’s a tough job. I wrote a book once. Never did anything with it, but I did write it.”

  “Sometimes that’s all that matters—that you wrote it for yourself.”

  Ethel’s lips curl up as we stare at each other. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

  “I’m pretty sure that doing a shit ton of puzzles is why I’m so smart,” Dylan adds, making us both chuckle. “Grams makes me do them with her every Thanksgiving and we did them a lot during the summer when I was growing up.”

  “It was one of the only ways I could get you to sit still for a while. You were constantly moving and driving me bonkers. But hey, if it helped, then I did something right.”

  I laugh, enjoying seeing Dylan interacting with his family. Ethel keeps asking me questions and I answer honestly while the three of us place piece after piece of the puzzle in place like a well-oiled machine. Then suddenly, a loud creak makes me jump in my seat as I turn to see three men that are clearly related waltz through the back door and stop in their tracks once they see me.

  “Some W-D 40 wouldn’t hurt that door,” Ethels declares without lifting her eyes from the puzzle.

  “Noted, Mom,” the man who has to be Dylan’s father says as I stand up to meet him and Dylan joins me. “You must be McKenzie,” he continues.

  I wipe my sweaty palms on my dress and then reach out to shake his hand. “Yes. It’s so nice to meet you, Mr. Porter.”

  We shake as his smile slowly builds. “Same. And please, call me Dave. I can clearly see why my son can’t shut up about you.”

  “Dad,” Dylan cuts him off as the other two guys chuckle beside him. “Mac, this is my younger brother, Dustin, and my grandfather, Russ.”

  I take turns shaking their hands as they move further into the room and shut the door, locking the cold air outside.

  “Cold out there, huh?” Dylan asks as his brother opens up a fridge in the corner and grabs four beers, one for each of the men. He disperses them before they all take a seat on the couches facing the tv, except for Dylan of course.

  “It’s supposed to get down in the thirties tonight. We might even get snow,” his grandfather answers as the volume on the television skyrockets again.

  “You can go watch football with them,” I tell Dylan as I lean closer to him.

  He takes a sip of his beer as he stares at the tv and then turns to me. “Nah. It’s just football. I don’t want to abandon you.”

  I hook my thumb over my shoulder, pointing at the table that Ethel is still occupying, ignoring all the noise around her. “I have a puzzle to keep me busy. I assure you, I’ll be fine.”

  He shakes his head. “I know. But I want to spend the holiday with you, not in the same room as you. That’s why I invited you, Mac.”

  I press up on my toes and then lightly kiss him. “That is so sweet.”

  I linger a little too long, inhaling his scent that drives me mad, while a calmness and belonging washes over me. Being here with him on this day is one of the most meaningful moments of my life. No matter what happens between us, I will never forget this.

  Anne calls out that there’s appetizers ready, so everyone slowly gathers in the kitchen, feasting on the food scattered all over the island.

  “These deviled eggs are fantastic,” Robyn says around a mouthful of food. “They might be better than mom’s.”

  I throw my hands in the air. “Hey, now. I don’t want to start any fights.” The men all laugh at my outburst.

  “That’s okay,” Anne chimes in. “That just means that can be the dish she brings every year.” She winks in my direction as she pops one of my eggs in her mouth.

  But I didn’t miss what she said.

  Every year. As if she already knows that I’ll be here again, which almost makes me want to cry.

  “Oh, my God!” Jaxon’s voice rings out from the living room as the adults all turn the corner to see what has him yelling.

  But then he and Kylie are chucking their tablets across the couch and sprinting to the front door where a man stands in Army greens.

  “Brandon! You have to be kidding me!” Robyn rushes after them as the four of them reunite and release so m
any tears of happiness that it sparks my own.

  “Holy shit. He made it,” Dylan whispers beside me, pulling me into his chest as I wrap my arms around his waist, watching his sister and her kids reunite with the man I assume is her husband.

  “Did you know he was coming?”

  He nods. “I mean, I knew he was going to try. We were expecting him next week, assuming that he would miss Thanksgiving entirely. But it seems he got to come a little sooner than planned. Maybe the guy was just fooling us all so he could make his grand entrance.”

  My heart warms again as I watch Robyn and her kids reunite with her husband, a soldier who sacrifices holidays with his family like these to serve our country.

  But as everyone welcomes him home with hugs, kisses, and even more tears, my soul feels restored.

  This is what I was missing from my life. Family. Warmth. Heart. The type of people that welcome you with open arms no matter how much time has passed.

  And Dylan is helping me see how lonely I’ve been. And what I could have if this works out between us.

  After everyone says their hellos, Robyn takes Brandon’s hand and calls out to Anne. “Hey, Mom. I’m going to go show Brandon something in the shop out back. Can you hold down the fort for me?”

  She smiles and nods and then turns back to the stove as Dylan whispers in my ear, “They’re going to bone.”

  “Well, wouldn’t you too if you’d gone that long without seeing McKenzie?” his mother replies, apparently overhearing just exactly what Dylan was saying.

  I laugh, but Dylan doesn’t. Instead, his cheeks pink slightly beneath his scruff. “Well, if I’m being honest, yeah.”

  “Dylan!” I swat him again, my cheeks now turning red.

  “Exactly. So shut up and let your sister be happy. This was definitely a pleasant surprise today.”

  A few hours later, Anne is putting the finishing touches on dinner as we all wash up and start bringing plates to the table, beautifully decorated with gold chargers, burgundy place mats, and a plethora of fall décor. When all of the plates have been served to the table, it looks like something out of a magazine.

  “This looks incredible, Anne. Thank you again for having me.”

  She wraps her arm around my shoulder, squeezing me tightly to her. “You’re very welcome. And welcome to the family.”

  Everyone settles in and starts filling their plates. My eyes are clearly bigger than my stomach, but I make sure to get a scoop of everything so I can sample all of Anne’s cooking.

  “Don’t forget to save room for pumpkin crunch cake,” Dylan leans over and whispers in my ear as I moan around a bite of the best homemade mashed potatoes and gravy I’ve ever tasted.

  “I’m probably going to have to take mine to go. I can’t stop eating.”

  “Eat up, buttercup. There’s plenty of food,” he says on a wink. “Maybe I’ll just have to eat cake off of you later.”

  I almost choke on my bite, staring at him while he smiles around his fork.

  “So, how did you two meet?” Anne asks from further down the table. Every head turns in our direction, instantly making me nervous.

  I take a sip of water and then answer as I turn to Dylan and he just stares at me, waiting for me to reply. “We met at the grocery store, actually.”

  “Seriously?” Robyn croons from across the table.

  “Yeah. Apparently Dylan had been watching me walk around the store and finally said something to me.”

  Dylan clears his throat. “Would you like to tell everyone why you caught my attention?”

  I raise a brow at him, surely assuming he doesn’t mean for me to tell his entire family that it was my ass that he couldn’t stop staring at. But then it dawns on me what he means.

  “Ah, yes. Well, I like to snack while I shop.”

  Ethel raises her hand. “Guilty of that myself.”

  “And I kind of have an obsession with cookies.”

  “Cookies are amazing,” Robyn adds as everyone chuckles.

  “I love cookies. And candy. And donuts. And cake,” Kylie interrupts as she lists of all of my favorite sugary addictions as well and everyone laughs again.

  “So I called out to her over the meat counter and offered her a drink of water. She couldn’t resist my charm,” Dylan teases.

  “Aw, you guys had your very own meet cute!” Robyn exclaims, just as my eyes widen and the title of my book takes shape. I need to write this down before I forget.

  “Ha. I guess you’re right.”

  Conversation flows easily during dinner as everyone shares stories about Dylan—his football accolades (courtesy of his dad), his embarrassing teen years (courtesy of his sister), his dating mishaps (courtesy of his brother), and of course naked bath pictures (courtesy of his mother.)

  When we’re through, I excuse myself to the restroom, making sure to grab my purse with my notebook in it, jotting down my title idea as well as a few other details I’ve decided to add to the story for quirkiness and depth—ideas that have sparked because of spending time with Dylan’s family today.

  Even though everyone is stuffed, Anne slices and serves her famous pumpkin crunch cake and I can’t not take a bite.

  “Holy shit,” I mumble around a mouthful of the best pumpkin dessert I’ve ever tasted.

  Anne and Dylan laugh at me as they sample their own slices at the kitchen island. Grandpa Russ is passed out in the recliner, Dylan’s dad is close behind him, Robyn and Brandon are curled up in each other on the couch eating their dessert, with Kylie and Jaxon close by. Ethel is back at her puzzle, and Dylan’s brother had to go to work. He’s an EMT, so he doesn’t get the entire holiday off.

  “I told you. It’s one of the only pumpkin things I can stand.”

  “I definitely see why.” Sliding my fork through the cake, I make sure to get a bite of every layer and a big dollop of the homemade cream cheese frosting on top. I close my eyes as the cake hits my tongue, finally opening them to see Dylan staring at me with his fork poised in front of his mouth.

  “I swear, I could watch you eat all day.”

  I snort, nearing choking on my dessert. “Is that so?”

  He nods before taking his bite and chewing completely. “Definitely.”

  Once we’re painfully full now, we prepare to say our goodbyes. Dylan grabs my coat and purse for me while helping me slide my arms in the sleeves.

  “You’re coming home to my place, right?” he whispers in my ear as he stands behind me, pulling my coat closed around my body.

  “Yup. Packed my overnight bag and everything.” It will be my first time staying at Dylan’s place. He’s always come to mine since I live so close to the store and he usually comes over after work.

  “Well, McKenzie, it was so lovely to meet you,” Anne says as she pulls me in for a hug. With a tight squeeze, she releases me and then looks at me with a motherly intuition I’ve seen in her eyes several times tonight. “I look forward to many more holidays with you.”

  I fight back tears at her second mention of spending the holidays with their family. And deep in my heart, I know that that’s my hope too.

  “Nice to meet you everyone,” I say as I exchange hugs with the rest of the Porter clan.

  With one more wave, Dylan guides me to my car in the dark and helps me inside, directing me to follow him to his place.

  Once we arrive, I can’t help but admire the quaint house Dylan purchased for himself in an older neighborhood in town.

  “Welcome to my home,” he says as he unlocks the door and lets me walk through first, my eyes adjusting to the light as soon as he flips a switch by the door.

  The living room is to our right, complete with a black leather sofa and big screen tv. A few pictures line the dark brown walls, and a bookcase lines the wall that borders the kitchen. Locking his front door behind us, we walk through the entry way towards the back of the house. I take in his dining room and kitchen, which is small, but functional. His house is simple, just like he said he like
s his life. And I love that it speaks true to who he is.

  “It’s very…”

  “Simple, I know. But it is who I am,” he says on a shrug and then leads me down the hallway into the back of the house where the rooms are. We pass by two bedrooms and one bathroom until we arrive at his room, clearly the most used space in the house and the room he’s spent the most time making his own.

  “I love this view,” I whisper as I make my way over to his sliding glass door, admiring the twinkling lights of the town around us and the stars in the sky. Dylan’s house sits on a slight hill, so you can see part of Castle in the distance.

  “It was the main reason I bought the place.”

  “I can see why.”

  “Thank you for today,” he rushes out, forcing me to turn to him and seek out his eyes. There’s a vulnerability there that I’ve never seen before, but reminds me of what he looked like when he asked me to spend the holiday with his family in the first place.

  “I’m the one that should be thanking you.”

  He sighs. “Why is that?”

  Wrapping my arms around his neck, I stare into those blue eyes that continue to captivate me every time I see them staring back at me. “Because you gave me something today that I’ve never had before—a true family holiday.” Taking one more breath of courage, I bare my honest feelings. “I’m not going to lie, Dylan… I wanted this to be casual, just two people getting to know each other and not putting pressure on it because I haven’t had the best luck in dating before, hence why I’m still single. But after spending time with your family today and how comfortable and alive you make me feel, I can see more with you and it terrifies me a little bit.”

  His eyebrows pinch together. “Why does it scare you?”

  “Because it means I have something to lose.”

  He leans his forehead on mine, still staring into my eyes. “I understand that. And I feel it too. But I’m glad it feels like more to you because I swear, it felt so right having you there today.”

  I close my eyes and breathe him in. “I felt that too. And apparently your mom feels the same way.”

  Dylan chuckles, pulling me in tighter to him. “She’s convinced she can see the future.”