The Christmas Playbook (Shadow Valley U)

Chapter 19 We spend Christmas with my friends. I don't want Mira to waste another second on her idiotic, hateful family. I don't want her to spend her holiday feeling any sort of judgment. My friends? My family? They don't judge. Okay, maybe Jack. But he has a bruise on his jaw-courtesy of Thorne-to dissuade him from any more comments. We're all packed into a corner of the second floor of the lodge. We can see the top of the lit tree out the huge windows, and there's a fire crackling. There are a few other groups up here, but Aaron and Willow came up early to snag the best seats.

I relax into the cushion, my arm around Mira. She's talking to Briar, seated next to us, and every once in a while, I pinch my leg just to make sure I'm not dreaming. After a whirlwind yesterday of yelling at Mira's family, making her scream my name over and over in our cabin, and sneaking out to the lodge for a late-night bite to eat by ourselves... it's Christmas. And I got the girl. Best. Christmas. Ever. Last night, huddled under the blankets, we discussed the future. We spoke in hushed tones, like it was some fragile thing to protect. Our future.

We could do long distance for this last semester then get a place together. Yes, that's fast. But... I mean, when you know, you know. Right? Part of me doesn't even want to wait that long, but there's some tiny piece, deep in my chest, that's terrified of rushing this and ruining everything. I've never felt this way about someone-and so fast. Mira is like some damn Christmas miracle. "Time for presents!" Mira stiffens. I meet her wide-eyed gaze, confused about her sudden anxiety. "What is it?" I whisper. "I didn't get you anything," she replies under her breath.

I try-and fail-to withhold my laugh. I kiss her temple. "Obviously, babe. Neither of us could've predicted this. Would it make you feel better if I said I didn't get you anything?" She nods and presses her lips together. We watch Thorne gift Briar some pretty earrings, and Willow give Aaron a new tie and socks-which is how you know they've been together the longest, in my opinion. "The second you start giving me socks is when I know we're out of the honeymoon period," I say in Mira's ear. She giggles. "Not that I'm complaining about that," I add.

"I've seen your vacation socks." She pokes my thigh. "You could use some new ones." "Gee, thanks." "I'm just saying, if that's what you picked to bring on vacation..." "Yeah, yeah. I've been a little busy." I roll my eyes. "Wow." Thorne's awed voice interrupts our conversation. He pulls out a hand-painted canvas of him and Briar, his lips parted in shock. "This- Briar⁠-" "Merry Christmas, Cassius." Her voice comes out low and raspy. "God, that's a sex voice if I've ever heard one," I say. Thorne ducks down and catches Briar's lips.

I should look away, and yet I find myself staring as the kiss deepens. I catch a hint of tongue⁠- "Get a room!" I shout. I lean forward and cover Jack's eyes. "There are kids watching." Mira elbows me. Jack shoves my arm away. Thorne flips me off, but at least they stop kissing. I sit back and grin. All in a day's work. Finally, it seems like things have come to a close. The chatter turns to the upcoming semester, the games left on our schedule, and... Gosh, am I really going to be saying goodbye to Mira in just a few days? "Come with me," I blurt out. She stares at me in shock.

"I mean, you know, we can find you something to do in Shadow Valley, right? It just seems silly to waste time..." My mouth dries. "Unless you want to stay where you are. That's fine. I didn't mean to assume that you should drop your life for, um... for that. For me. Not that you would be⁠-" "Rhys," Briar interrupts. "Jesus, shut up and let the girl answer you." All eyes are on us, and I swallow. This was the wrong place to ask her this. It was very impulsive, too. "Talk me through this," she says slowly. "You pack up and move in with me.

We can find you a job, or maybe you take a class if you want, or..." I'm fucking sweating. "I don't know. I just know I'd rather figure it out with you than not say anything and constantly wish you were with me." Mira's expression is stoic. Like, she's giving me absolutely nothing. Then, miraculously, a smile creeps across her face. "Okay," she agrees. "Okay," I repeat. "Yeah. We're doing this." She holds out her hand, and I take it. Instead of shaking it, like she expects, I bring it up to my mouth and kiss her knuckles. She laughs. "Merry Christmas to us, huh, babe?" Best Christmas ever.

Epilogue: Mira One year later Christmas in Shadow Valley is nothing like back home. Not only am I welcomed with open arms by Rhys's parents, but their house is calm and cozy. The scent of pine fills the air as Rhys's mom pulls me into a warm embrace. His dad shuts the door behind us and pats Rhys on the back, which quickly turns into a hug. It's been a while since we've seen them. Rhys is smack-dab in the middle of football season, which means there isn't a lot of time for leisure travel. We're lucky that we're even able to spend Christmas with them.

We flew in this morning, and we fly out this evening. The quick trip is worth it, though. The smile on Rhys's face is genuine, and with his mother doting over us, we may never leave. I follow after her and answer all her questions about the online classes I've been taking while Rhys and his dad discuss the rest of his season. "Where are you two going after this?" his mom asks. I tune everything out as soon as I step into the living room. Rhys surely answers her question, but I don't hear a thing. "Wow," I whisper.

Rhys wasn't kidding when he said that Christmas with his parents was the best thing ever. I half expect Santa Claus to come down the chimney at any given second. Rhys's arms come around me and I fall back onto his chest. "I told you. Pretty cool, huh?" he says. I scan the garland on top of the mantel with a ridiculous number of ceramic Santa Claus figures lined up perfectly. I smile at the thought of the Christmas gift that we'd purchased in the airport for his mom. Nothing like last minute. Rhys said she'd love to have a Santa who was dressed as a pilot, and I argued.

But now that I'm standing here, staring at her collectables, I take it back. A warm fire crackles in the fireplace, coating my cheeks. I move closer to the Christmas tree. I softly run my fingers over the cute years-old handmade ornaments from the guy at my side. "Oh my gosh," I giggle. "Please tell me this is you." Rhys's cheeks turn pink, and he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Come on, Mom. Really?" "Don't be embarrassed," she says. "It's cute." "It's not cute," he grumbles.

I smack his hand when he reaches for the rabies-looking hand-drawn reindeer with a picture of him as a child for the face. It's hilarious. And okay, fine. It's cute. He was a cute kid. I hope our kids end up being as cute as him. Butterflies fill me at the thought. I want to do the same thing Rhys's mom did. I want our tree to be filled with their cute Christmas ornaments from over the years. I'm not pregnant. We haven't even talked about something like that. If I wasn't on birth control, I probably would be, considering Rhys can't keep his hands off me. Would it be a bad thing? Kids.

With him. Christmas morning with rosy-cheeked kids tearing into gifts. "Why are your cheeks red?" Rhys furrows his brow. "Huh?" I roll my lips. "Oh, I don't know. The fire is... warm." I've been with Rhys long enough now to know that he doesn't believe me. His mouth hovers beside my ear, his voice low and raspy. "Were you having a dirty thought, Frostbite?" I snort. "From looking at your creepy reindeer? No." "Then why are you acting jittery?" His nose grazes the side of my jaw.

I quickly glance at his parents, but his dad is organizing the gifts under the tree, putting them in piles for Rhys and me, while his mom scurries off to the kitchen. "Wait." Rhys leans back slightly. "Are you feeling uncomfortable because you've never had a Christmas like this?" A laugh bubbles up out of my throat. "You mean, am I feeling uncomfortable because Christmas with your family is more like stepping into a Hallmark movie versus Christmas with mine where it puts Home Alone to shame?" I shake my head. "Not at all.

This is perfect." "Then what is it?" I scan the room again, the soft glow of the tree lights warming me from the inside out. Presents are piled high, and mistletoe hangs above the archway leading into the kitchen. "Babe?" he sighs. "We should've flown to see your family last night, huh? Christmas Eve at your parents'-" I quickly interrupt him. "That's not it." I glance to see his dad helping his mom with the coffees she's grabbed for us. They stop under the milestone and kiss. I turn back to Rhys, his warm brown eyes searching mine. "I want this one day," I admit. "Want what?

Christmas at my parents'? We will spend every Christmas here if that's what you want." I smile. He's always so willing to do anything to make me happy. "No." I shake my head. "I mean, yes. But I'm talking about this..." I nod to his parents, to him, and then to the living room. "I want kids and a warm, inviting home. I want Christmas morning to be as magical as it feels right now with little spitting images of us, opening presents, feeling loved and cared for." Rhys freezes with his hands intertwined in mine.

I search his face, afraid I said too much, but then that amused grin slides onto his face, and I breathe again. "Spitting images of us?" he muses. "Like, you want me to give you a baby?" My lips twitch with a smile. I shrug and act cool. "Two." His eyebrows shoot up, a flirty glint twinkling within his eyes. "Two babies?" "Babies?" Rhys keeps a hold of my hands but snaps his attention to his parents. His mom's eyes are wide with shock. "No!" I shout. "I'm not pregnant!" Before he even opens his mouth, I know exactly what Rhys is going to say.

"Not yet," he wiggles his eyebrows and moves us under the archway. I tilt my chin and see the mistletoe above our heads before looking back at him. His parents are chatting excitedly in the background, but my gaze never wavers. "You've gotta marry me first," I tease. Rhys bends low, his lips grazing mine. "Good thing I already have a ring." "A ring⁠-" Newest update provided by ⓝovelFind.net Before I can question him any further, Rhys kisses me deeply, both of us uncaring that his parents are feet away, discussing what they want to be called when they become grandparents.

In the very near future...