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“Only one year and we will be reunited,” she said with a smile.
“One long year.” I sighed. “But it will be worth it in the end. The four of us are gonna do everything together.”
“Totally,” my best friend replied, pushing her blonde hair over her ear. “Absolutely everything.”
We eventually wandered back to the kitchen and found that the men were carrying trays of food to the dining room.
“Is it food time?” I asked excitedly. Lately I was always hungry and this food smelled amazing. Gabe nodded and waved some bread in front of me like a lure to lead me to the table where we would be eating. He hardly needed it, I was already on my way in, Lexi in tow.
“Oh, my God, Gabe. This looks amazing,” Lex said as she sat down next to Dean.
“Seriously, dude,” Dean agreed. “You missed your calling as a chef.”
Gabe laughed and shook his head. “I’ll stick to being a hobbyist chef, thank you.” Then he picked up a dish and began to scoop some mashed potatoes onto my plate.
“So, what’s new with the two of you?” I asked as I began to eat. “Not like I talk to youevery week,” I said, laughing.
“Not too much,” Dean said. “I’m up for a promotion already, though I’m not sure if I will take it. We’re talking about buying a boat… Oh and we’re pregnant.”
“Dean. A boat in the city? You have to be…”
A minute too late I realized what he said.
“Congrats you two,” Gabe said, standing to shake Dean’s hand. I jumped to my feet, screaming with excitement and Lexi joined me.
“You knew you were gonna tell us, didn’t you?” I said, laughing. “That’s what you meant by doing everything together. I meant go to concerts and you’re over there thinking about being parents together.”
Lexi nodded, grinning with pride, though not as much as Dean was.
“Next Christmas we will have some babies to take to the cabin. Shame they are still working on repairs this year.”
“Yeah,” I said back. “But absence makes the heart grow fonder. And I can’t wait to start a whole new set of traditions withourkids. Mom and Dad would be so proud, Dean.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “They would.”
The night wore on and we played charades, watched the snow fall on the city, and drank hot chocolate until we could drink no more—Lexi and I forgoing the rum, of course.
When Lexi and Dean had gone to the guestroom to sleep, Gabe and I finally found ourselves alone again. Gabe pulled me into him, kissing me slow and deep.
“You know,” he said. “If you’d told me a year ago on that drive down from New York that this was where I’d be now, I’d have called you crazy.”
“Me too,” I replied. “I couldn’t stand you from the minute you walked in.”
“You were no bucket of candy canes yourself,” he said, laughing, then leaning in to kiss me once more. “But I’m glad this is where we ended up. Our story is some perfect Christmas magic.”
I nodded, laying my head against his shoulder.
“It really is,” I agreed. “Merry Christmas, Gabe.”
“And Merry Christmas to you, Jenna.
THE END
