His For Christmas Page 4

  “Yeah.”

  “Poor Joe.”

  While Josh Groban sang Christmas songs to them, they wrapped a Ripstik for Alex, a Barbie scooter for Esme and a retro skateboard for Janie. This year was all about the wheels from Uncle Derek. Anabelle had bought an assortment of clothes and accessories as well as age appropriate toys.

  “I saw my mom today.” Anabelle ripped tape off the dispenser.

  “How was it?”

  “A little strange. I can tell she’s trying but it’s still odd. She didn’t ask about the wedding even though I flashed my ring like Beyonce’s Single Ladies.”

  Derek chuckled. “I’d have liked to see that. Did you dance with splits, sashay and hair toss?”

  “Practically, but I got back zilch in terms of reaction.” Anabelle sighed. “Maybe she’ll come around.”

  “Hmmm. Give her time. You’re her only daughter, she’ll come around.”

  “You think so?”

  He nodded. “Positive.”

  “Maybe. Stranger things have happened. Did you know she actually smiled at Gladys Perkins?”

  He laughed because he was aware of the rivalry between the two. “Did she say anything?”

  “I’m pretty sure they had a conversation but I was in shock and don’t hear the details but I did catch the tail end of a lunch invitation.” She shook her head. “It’s official now. Hell has frozen over.”

  “Maybe it’s because she’s hot and heavy with Ethan’s dad.”

  “She doesn’t say much about it but he must have a hard on for a challenge because I can’t imagine she’s the least bit easy.”

  “Will she be okay with you spending Christmas Eve with my family?”

  “She’ll be fine. She has a group of friends that spend the day together. I usually spend the holidays with Charlie and her family so it’s fine. She won’t miss me.”

  “Okay.”

  She finished the last of the packages and piled the gaily wrapped presents under the tree.

  “I love our tree.”

  “I do, too.” They’d gone to the corner lot for their tree. The twinkling lights were a merry addition to their loft.

  He no longer thought of the loft as his. It was theirs.

  After she stacked the wrapping paper and supplies on the coffee table, she snuggled next to him on the sofa. They listened to Josh’s rendition of Silent Night and watched the lights flicker and dance. A feeling of peace and happiness filled him, the stress of the last couple of days disappeared with her in his arms.

  He brushed a kiss against her hair. “Happy?”

  She nodded and snuggled into his arms. She rubbed his thigh with her fingertips. After a few strokes, it became problematic because even with ‘Ave Maria’ on, instead of feeling properly full of peace, he felt more horny than anything else.

  Higher and higher she went and if she didn’t stop soon, she’d find his present to her.

  “Umm…sweetheart?” He wanted to be romantic and in the holiday spirit but his flesh was weak in her proximity. For the love of all that was holy…he was only a man.

  “Yes?”

  He cleared his throat. “You may want to stop that.”

  “Stop what?”

  “You know…that stroking.”

  She turned to face him, her eyes wide with mischief. “Why, Derek, does that bother you?”

  “A little.” He shrugged. “I’m trying to be good here. Can’t have you thinking I lack self-control if I fall on you like ravening beast every chance I get.”

  “Oh sugar, you can fall on me whenever you want.” She climbed on his lap to face him. “In fact, I pretty much love it.”

  He exhaled with a relieved grin and held her hips to his so she could feel how excited he was in her presence. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and touched her forehead to his.

  “I’m a lucky bastard, then.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  Their first several kisses were light, a playful salutation of gratefulness for their blessings, but that didn’t last long. He leaned for a deeper taste, but she pulled back.

  “Did you write a letter to Santa?” Her grin was naughty.

  “Nope. No need.”

  “Why not?”

  “He already gave me my present.”

  “And what was it?”

  He shook his head. “Not what.” He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “Who.” He kissed her left cheek. “You, Anabelle.” Her right cheek, a kiss. “You’re all I ever wanted.” He kissed her cute nose. “And pretty soon, you’ll officially be mine.”

  Her smile squeezed his heart. She might not be aware of just how soon, but he hoped she loved her surprise. He couldn’t wait to make her his and for the next few moments while Josh sang about heavenly delights, Derek had his own worshipful moment at the altar of Anabelle.

  Chapter 6

  “Want to play dress up, Aunt Anabelle.”

  Anabelle started at the unfamiliar form of address.

  “It’s okay, isn’t it? To call you Aunt?”

  Anabelle swallowed the lump that had swelled in her throat. “Of course, sweetie. I’d love it. I never thought I’d be an aunt and now I’m going to be an aunt to three.”

  Esme threw her warm body into Anabelle’s arms and she held the sweet girl tight. Alex wrapped an arm around Anabelle in comfort and pushed her glasses up her button nose. “Speaking for the squirt here, we’re pretty happy to have you as our new aunt.”

  “I’m not a squirt,” Esme shot back with a pout.

  Alex shrugged. “So, how about it? Wanna play dress up with us?”

  “I probably need to help the adults prep dinner downstairs.”

  “Nah. Mommy said it’s all under control but she needs you to keep us out of the way.” Alex shrugged her small shoulders as if the very thought that they could get into trouble was unbelievable.

  “Okay, then. What are we dressing up as?”

  “We’re playing wedding but first we need to put on makeup.”

  The next hour Anabelle showed them how she applied makeup and applied a light touch of makeup to their faces as well, nothing in the realm of ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’ but enough.

  “I look pretty,” Esme said, smiling into the mirror.

  “You’re not supposed to say that about yourself,” Alex said, although she maneuvered for a better spot in front of the mirror for a look as well.

  “Hey girls, what are you up to?”

  “Aunt Dani! Aunt Anabelle is playing dress up with us. Like my makeup?” Esme tilted her head and struck a model pose.

  “Sheesh, where did you learn to pose like that?”

  Alex shrugged. “Not from me. Must be from Janie.”

  “Janie did what?” Janie, all long limbs and preteen attitude, popped her head in the room and stood next to Dani.

  “Taught Esme how to strike a pose.” Alex pantomimed the three quarter turn and hollow clavicle slouch complete with the pouty lips.

  Janie rolled her eyes. “Yep. Totally me.”

  “Give me a second,” Dani said. “I’ve got some vintage dresses we can try on.”

  Esme and Alex went to their closet and pulled out beautiful ivory colored dresses.

  “These are your dress up clothes?”

  “Nope. They’re from a photo shoot Mommy had done of us.”

  “Very pretty.”

  The girls changed into the dresses and took turns twirling in front of the mirror.

  “Here, I found these dresses at an estate sale I went to with Derek.”

  “Wow. These are gorgeous.” Anabelle fingered the fine beading on the bodice.

  “Try it on.”

  It was too beautiful to resist and she didn’t waste time getting into the magical concoction while Dani tried on the knee length swing dress.

  “Anabelle…you look like a bride.” Esme beamed.

  Anabelle looked at her reflection and had to agree, it was gorgeous. “The dress fits perfectly.”

 
“Just what I thought.”

  She started at the sound of her mom’s voice and turned towards the open door. “What are you doing here?”

  “Girls, a little privacy please.”

  Dani and the girls quickly cleared the room. Claire closed the door behind them, holding what looked to be a shoebox.

  Silence ensued as Claire surveyed Anabelle from head to toe then handed her the box. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you but what’s going on? Why are you here?”

  “I was invited.” She waved toward the box. “Open it.”

  “Oh.” It was sweet of Derek to invite her mother to Christmas Eve dinner but why hadn’t he mentioned it?

  “A mother can’t really miss her daughter’s wedding, can she?” She opened the box and held out her mom’s beautiful Vera Wang shoes. Anabelle’s inner slut drooled at the jeweled work of art, she almost missed her mom’s question.

  “I’m sorry? What did you say?”

  “Your young man and his family and friends have worked hard this past week to put together a Christmas wedding.”

  “What?”

  With weak knees, Anabelle sat at the kid’s craft table where makeup from their experimentation was scattered.

  “I assume he’s in a great hurry to make things official. Should I expect a grandchild in the near future.”

  “Not yet, mother. He knows I hated the stress of wedding planning.” She shuddered.

  “Why you worry is beyond me. I would have taken care of all the planning and all you’d have done was show up like the last time.”

  “Yes, but you had a grueling schedule and way too many people at the wedding. It felt unreal and so unlike me. My dream wedding is quiet and intimate with a few family and friends. It would have been too simple for you and you would have hated planning it.”

  “Hmph. Do you plan to stay in this room all night or are you going downstairs to attend your own wedding?”

  Anabelle slipped on the stunning shoes then followed her mom out of the room. “Thanks for coming.”

  Claire gave a curt nod. “Your young man is pleasant enough and he’s very talented.”

  Anabelle raised an eyebrow. Claire wasn’t normally generous with praise. “Yes, he is.”

  No one was downstairs so she followed her mother out the back door but didn’t see anyone outside either.

  “Where is everyone?”

  “Hush and follow me.”

  They followed a mulch trail to the barn where warm lights glowed from within. Anabelle caught a whisper of an acoustical guitar rendition of ‘Greensleeves’.

  “The barn?”

  “It’s not any old barn you’ll soon see.” Claire knocked on the door and turned to Anabelle. She tucked a stray hair back behind Anabelle’s ear. Claire pulled off her blue topaz earrings and handed them to Anabelle. “Here. Something blue. The dress is your old item and the shoes are on loan, but we need something new.”

  One of her mom’s floral friends, Mikael opened the door. “Congratulations, Anabelle. These are for you.”

  He handed her a bouquet of creamy white roses, red berries and Christmas greenery.

  “Thank you.” She beamed at him then turned to her mother. “My underwear is new.” She’d bought the set as a Christmas present for Derek to unwrap later. The look her mother sent her made her blush.

  “Then you’re set. Ready?”

  Anabelle nodded and Mikael swung the door open. Anabelle gasped at the transformation. Lanterns and candle filled mason jars at different levels. Evergreen boughs, red berries and pinecones had been strung in garlands and hung from beams. On an elevated podium in front of the small gathering, Joe played Christmas music on his acoustical guitar. The smell of Christmas filled the air.

  “It’s beautiful…and so romantic.”

  “Glad you like it because I designed it.” She flicked her hair and gave Anabelle a challenging look.

  “You?”

  “Don’t act so surprised, missy. I can do simple. I can do rustic.”

  “Yes, she can.” Charlie said, joining them. She held Esme by the hand and whispered to Anabelle. “You ready.”

  She nodded and they turned to the makeshift aisle lined with candle lit mason jars. On cue, Joe segued into Pachelbel’s Canon in D minor. Charlie walked down the aisle with Esme following behind at a slower pace as she dropped rose petals in her wake.

  Ethan stood at the end of the aisle with a book, looking more serious than she’d ever seen him. “What’s he doing up there?”

  “Didn’t you know? Dear Ethan is an ordained minister?”

  “Of course he is.” Ethan was her mom’s favorite child except for the fact he wasn’t Claire’s biological child. The two of them had adopted one another. Fitting considered Claire was in the midst of a special “friendship” with Ethan’s father, Tomas.

  Anabelle forgot all about Ethan because in that moment, Derek stepped forward and claimed her full attention. He stood tall and strong, his dark hair gleamed in the dim lights, his dimpled smile beckoned and simply put, he looked too handsome for words. Emotion hit her hard, made her eyes well with tears. She shuddered, on the verge of bawling with happiness.

  “None of that now.” Claire scolded although her eyes had a glassy appearance as well.

  Anabelle took a deep breath and released it. Arm in arm with the mother with whom she’d finally found a connection, she walked towards the man who taught her unconditional love existed.

  He beamed at her, his eyes did that twinkling thing it did, the one that made her feel like she was the most beautiful, the most fascinating woman in the world…and she melted.

  Chapter 7

  Christmas morning comes early in a house filled with young kids.

  “Uncle Derek. Aunt Anabelle. Time to wake up!” The door slammed open and two bodies hurtled through before they jumped on top of Derek.

  Anabelle was thankful Derek had made her slip on her nightgown last night while he put on his pajama bottoms. He’d muttered, “Trust me,” before unlocking the door after their last bout of lovemaking late last night.

  “I see what you mean,” she said to her new husband who was under the blankets providing a lumpy cushion for Esme and Alex to bounce upon.

  “Told you,” he said with a grunt after a particularly hard bounce from Alex.

  Janie came in slower and leaned against the open door.

  “Merry Christmas, Uncle Derek. Aunt Anabelle.”

  Anabelle smiled. Janie was more reserved than her two younger sisters. While her two sisters plunged without thought into action, Janie watched and observed first before participating. Maybe it was because she’d known loss in her young life and was more cautious whereas the younger ones had been very young when tragedy had struck and had adjusted more quickly.

  “Merry Christmas, Janie.”

  Esme and Alex continued to bounce up and down, shaking the bed and its inhabitants. “You coming? You coming?”

  “If I don’t die first, I might,” Derek muttered under the blankets. “Why didn’t you attack Joe first?”

  “We did. He was funny. He said thanks, by the way. He owes you one…whatever that means.” Alex pushed her glasses up her nose and tilted her head.

  Annabelle giggled.

  “He went downstairs to help Mommy and Aunt Dani with breakfast and told us it was probably safe to wake you up now. So here we are.”

  “Yes, you are.” Derek threw the covers off his head and she grinned at the static bedhead he’d gotten. “Let’s go open presents!”

  The girls squealed and ran downstairs.

  Derek and Anabelle followed a little slower, needing to visit the bathroom and take care of business before they made their way downstairs.

  “Grab a mug of hot chocolate and a cinnamon roll,” Dylan waved to the goodies on the counter, already settled around the tree with her excited trio of monkeys.

  “What a perfectly positioned tree, you have here Dylan.” Derek and Anabelle sat n
ext to a rumpled looking Joe who wore a wicked looking pillow crease on his cheek. Last night the kids had gone to bed early in preparation for Santa’s arrival but not the adults.

  “I concur,” Joe said and took a sip of coffee. “The placing is spot on, not the least bit crooked.” He leaned toward Derek. “By the way, thanks for the warning man. When you invited me for Christmas, you neglected to mention the spectacular wakeup call that came with the invite.”

  “Oops.”

  Joe bared his teeth at Derek and Anabelle laughed.

  “Okay. Who’s first?”

  After the last of the presents were opened and wrapping paper remnants were strewn near and far, the girls made an announcement.

  “There’s one more present.”

  All the adults except Dani and Joe looked surprised because there were no more presents under the tree.

  “What’s going on, girls?”

  “Follow us, please.”

  The girls led the group to the attached garage where a blanket wrapped object sat on the workbench along the wall.

  “Turn off the lights, Joe.” Janie called and flipped a switch so the blanket glowed. Alex, Esme and Dani crowded in front of the lump and took off the blanket before they stepped back.

  “Man, you guys actually fixed it?” Derek was stumped.

  The dream model house he’d thought was broken and in his workshop sat in front of them. It gleamed with new wood and paint. The details were a little different but it was finished.

  “It’s yours, Aunt Anabelle.”

  “For me?”

  The three girls nodded.

  “It’s beautiful,” Anabelle said next to him, in awe. She moved closer to the model to see more details.

  “We helped Uncle Derek build it…and then we broke it. So we came up with the Christmas wedding idea to make up for it but then the adults sort of took over so we decided to try to fix the model ourselves.” At Joe’s pointed cough, Alex added, “With Aunt Dani and Joe’s help, of course.”

  “Of course,” Derek parroted and sent a grateful smile to his sister and best friend.

  “Well, I love it! This and last night’s Christmas wedding…best presents ever!”