Friends Without Benefits

by Dena Blake

  “That’s my cue.” Glo tossed her apron into the laundry room. “Your father and I are going to Jeff and Judy’s for dinner. We’re eating and opening pajama gifts over there tonight so the kids can get to bed early.” She stood between the two of them and took Emma’s shoulder with one hand and Dex’s with the other. “I expect to see you two later. After you’ve talked.” She nodded. “I’ll save you some spaghetti.” She gave each of their shoulders a squeeze before she brushed past Emma and met Bill at the door, where he stood waiting with her coat. “And bring a plate of cookies.”

  Emma waited until they were out the door before she turned her attention to Dex. She looked good, so good Emma couldn’t take her eyes off her. “Well, this is awkward.” Emma rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know what my mother was thinking.”

  “I asked her if I could come.”

  “You did?” The surprise in Emma’s voice slipped out involuntarily. “I mean, why?”

  “I miss you, Em. Your smile, your laugh, your eyes. I’ve missed you every moment of every day since you left me standing in the street.”

  The vision of that day popped into her head, and her stomach knotted. She wanted to go to Dex, take her in her arms, and tell her she’d missed her more than she could say. Instead, she forced herself to back up and lean against the counter. They still had a huge problem to deal with. “What about Grace?” She knew what Brent had told her but still wanted to hear it from Dex.

  “Grace and I are taking a break from our friendship for a while.” She propped herself against the opposite counter and grasped the edge of the granite. “Turns out I need to work on my independence from her and she needs to work on her communication with Brent.” Dex let out a heavy breath. “I was an idiot not to have seen it sooner.”

  “Oh.” A surge of hope filled Emma, and she had to physically calm herself by taking hold of the counter too.

  “Oh? That’s it?”

  Emma tilted her head. “Well, I’m not going to disagree with you. You were an idiot.” She suppressed a smile.

  “I’m really sorry, Em. I should’ve never let you drive away that day.” She kneaded the counter with her fingers. “What I felt for Grace wasn’t love. It was some kind of fucked-up sense of obligation. A lifelong codependence. That’s done now, Em. I promise.”

  “Don’t you say that if you don’t mean it.” Emma’s voice trembled, emotion ready to spill out any moment.

  “I meant every word.” Dex pushed off the counter and crossed the kitchen, closing the distance between them. “I never knew what love really was until I met you. I’ve never felt for anyone the way I feel for you, and if you’ll have me I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you.” She took Emma’s face in her hands and kissed her gently.

  Each one of Emma’s senses zapped to life as the kiss deepened. She felt at home again, with Dex, right here in this very moment.

  She broke the kiss and let her forehead rest against Dex’s. “I love you too.”

  Dex wrapped her arms around Emma, and she melted into her. Tears mixed with kisses as they held each other for close to an hour. Emma never wanted to leave the warmth of Dex’s arms again.

  “I’m such a mess.” Emma laughed as she wiped the tears from her cheeks and stared into Dex’s eyes. “I’m so glad you’re here.” In a matter of minutes her life was good again. Her bah-humbug Christmas had morphed into the most wonderful holiday ever.

  Dex glanced at the counter and shrugged. “I had to come. Who would’ve made the cookies?”

  Emma chuckled. “I’ve never loved Christmas cookies more in my life than I do right now.”

  Dex’s eyes sparkled as the lights from the Christmas tree reflected in them. Emma could never forget how the sunbursts danced brightly in the emerald-green pools whenever they locked with hers. She had no idea why she’d ever let anyone take that gaze away.

  * * *

  The game wasn’t even half over, and Dex was losing badly at Super Mario Kart. Emma’s nephews Tyler and Jake had been taking turns showing Dex the rear ends of their cars. Now that Emma had joined the game, she’d taken the lead, and Dex was still dead last. The competitive streak definitely ran in the family. Emma huddled closely on the couch as the game ended and smiled up at Dex.

  She shook her head. “Do you always win?”

  Emma scrunched her nose. “Pretty much.”

  She leaned near and kissed Emma, tingling as she thought about the bet they’d made. Dex was getting smarter. She’d made a wager that would benefit them both later that night, and she couldn’t wait to pay up.

  “Come on, boys. It’s time for presents.” Glo stood in the threshold of the door and shooed them out. “You two as well.”

  Dex had brought presents for the boys as well as one for Emma’s parents. She and Emma had exchanged their gifts for each other throughout the night and into the early morning. Then they’d lain in bed, wrapped up in each other, watching the sun rise through the bedroom window. Waking up with Emma was the most precious gift in the world.

  They’d spent the rest of the morning working at the homeless shelter serving Christmas dinner. Emma had stood right alongside Dex dishing out food and mingling with people and was a natural. Juni and Josh had been there as well, and they’d gotten to know Emma better. Juni had told Emma she’d been rooting for her all along and was so glad to see her and Dex together. It seemed that Juni was Emma’s biggest fan. After they finished and were headed to Emma’s parents’ house, Emma had told Dex she’d found the whole experience totally fulfilling, and they’d made a pact to do it together every year.

  Dex and Emma settled in on the couch, and Bill handed everyone a present, with the largest in front of Emma’s mom.

  “I bet I know what this is,” Glo sang out as she ripped the paper off the wooden creation. Her face dropped. “What exactly is this?”

  “Oops.” Bill jumped up, took it from her, and set it on Dex’s lap.

  “For me?” It was a cordless tool-charging station just like Bill had made for his garage.

  “Yeah. You said you liked mine.”

  “Wow. This is…” She swallowed to keep the tears from forming in her eyes. She set it on the coffee table in front of her, then bolted up and hugged Bill.

  He squeezed her and patted her on the back. “I’m glad you like it.”

  “I absolutely love it.” She hugged him much longer than necessary before she dropped onto the couch and stared at it. She’d never had anyone make her anything so special. Emma took her hand and squeezed it. This was turning out to be the best Christmas ever.

  Bill retrieved the other large present from under the tree and handed it to Glo. “This one’s for you.”

  She opened it and squealed. “My bird feeder.” She held it up for everyone to see. “It’s perfect.”

  Dex sucked in a deep breath. She loved her mother and father, but seeing them on Christmas Day wasn’t something she could ever count on. Here, she was in the midst of Emma’s family, and her heart was full. The love they shared for each other was overwhelming. It was the perfect holiday with the perfect girl and her perfect family. Dex couldn’t ask for anything more in her life right now.

  Epilogue

  The day couldn’t have been more perfect if Dex’s fairy godmother had conjured it up with her magic wand. The sun was shining, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The temperature had topped out at seventy-four degrees, and a mild breeze had kept the guests comfortable in their seats. The fall weather had cooperated perfectly for the outdoor ceremony. Dex and Emma had decided to keep the wedding small and spend the bulk of the money they’d saved this past year on their honeymoon, of which the destination was yet to be determined.

  The day had been perfect. Dex couldn’t believe how lucky she was, and the permanent grin on her face made it clear she was right where she wanted to be. Her eyes welled as she watched her lovely bride stroll onto the perfectly polished hardwood area centering the room. Dex had hit the jackpo
t. Emma was both captivatingly sexy and irresistibly sweet. Dressed in a simple white dress that fit her curves perfectly, Emma turned and blew her a kiss. The jolt zapped through Dex as it always did when she looked at her that way. They’d been together almost a year now, and Emma still took her breath away. Emma waved at the crowd of women who’d gathered in front of her and spun around. Dex winked at her, Emma sailed the bouquet into the air across the dance floor, and women scrambled for it. There would be no sadness today, no drunken sobbing, only tears of joy as the new chapter in their lives began.

  Dex’s world had shifted into a new realm of happiness, and Emma had been the cause. She guessed she should thank Grace for putting her in that pitiful, hopeless state at her wedding where Emma had found her last year. But the one she was really grateful for was Emma. She’d put up with more than she should have, more than most women would have. She’d put herself on the line and waited Dex out until her heart was finally free of Grace, and it had been worth it. Dex couldn’t imagine her life with anyone else.

  As the band began to play, Dex took Emma into her arms and spun her around the dance floor.

  “I’m not sure how, but it seems you won the bet this time.” Emma’s soft, silvery-blue eyes sparkled as she gazed at Dex.

  “I may have had some inside information.” They both glanced over at Juni, who was clutching the bouquet as she danced with Josh. “She’s a scrapper, that one. Always could take me down.”

  “I’d like to try to take you down.” Emma’s eyes darkened to the steely blue hue Dex adored.

  “No contest there. I surrender.” Dex kissed her, and all in her world felt right.

  She couldn’t wait for the party to be over. They would leave for their honeymoon in the morning, a road trip. The wager between them had been their destination—West or East Coast. The sign on the back of their car would read California or Bust. Emma had never been to San Francisco, and Dex was looking forward to showing her all the sights. But tonight they would go back to the place where, without even realizing it, Dex had first come to know the essence of Emma one bleary-eyed morning last September. Soon they’d be wrapped up in each other under a wonderfully warm fleece blanket in what was now their home, and she planned to live happily ever after in that very spot.

  About the Author

  Dena Blake grew up in a small town just north of San Francisco where she learned to play softball, ride motorcycles, and grow vegetables. She eventually moved with her family to the Southwest, where she began creating vivid characters in her mind and bringing them to life on paper.

  Dena currently lives in the Southwest with her partner and is constantly amazed at what she learns from her two children. She’s a would-be chef, tech nerd, and occasional auto mechanic who has a weakness for dark chocolate and a good cup of coffee.

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