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We hop out of the car, and I take some collective breaths. I just need to see her. The minute I see that she showed up, I know I will feel a sense of relief that I’m not just making this up, and she actually wanted to see me.
We walk into the diner, the bell above the door chiming to announce our presence. I look around and can’t find Becs. But then I feel this urge to look to my left again, there she is. She’s chosen a booth a little further back and Ellie is standing by her side, looking down on her, making Becs laugh.
I make my way over and the moment Becs sees me, her face brightens. It’s like looking at the sun when I see Becca. She is my beginning and my end, and I have no idea what I was doing on this earth before she entered my life.
Beau clears his throat and says a quick hello while I simply stare at Becca. Ellie greets me, at least I think she does, and all I acknowledge is that she has left Becca’s side and has grabbed a seat at a table nearby with Beau, while I just stand there.Say something, Shane.
Becs stands up and I see she’s wearing blue jeans that are tighter on the top and loosen toward the bottom. She’s got a sweater with cute little antlers on it, and her hair is styled with loose curls. She wears minimal makeup at school and tonight's no different.
She’s got some shiny gloss on her lips, and I can’t help but wonder if I will get some of that transferred on my lips when I kiss her goodnight.
Pull your head out of your ass, dumbass.She won’t kiss you if you don’t speak to her. Say something!
“Hey, Becs, you look amazing.”
I see a small blush flood her cheeks and she gives me a shy smile. I walk toward her and without thinking, I give her a quick kiss on her cheek, and we sit down. I pull out the paper I had tucked in my back pocket and hand it over to her.
She looks at it for a second and then she opens it. The moment she reads it over, she chuckles at the dumb joke I chose to bring to our date tonight. The sound of her laughter is like a balm to my racing heart. If I can be responsible for all her laughs, I know I’ve fulfilled my purpose in life. Seeing her smile is like that coveted gift on Christmas morning. And I want every single day together to feel like a gift.
From that point on, the night is full of laughs, food, and smiles. She’s smart, caring regarding her mom and brother, and has so many ambitions for the future.
She tells me all about her dream to become a doctor, in pediatrics, if possible, along with living in a big city at some point. She said her goal is to move to New York one day because she wants to experience the seasons, unlike her years in California where heat was the primary temperature all year long. She told me that if she could choose a school to attend after high school, it would be NYU.
I tell her about my goals of joining the Navy, as my father and grandfather were in the Navy previously. I tell her about the fact that my dad left years ago, and it was just my mom and me for the most part. I saw her features soften when I told her about my father leaving, but I reassured her I held no resentment toward him, and that we spoke and saw one another here and there when he wasn’t overseas for work.
I knew my parents did not part on good terms, but my mom usually kept that part of her heart locked up. I’ve tried on occasion to get her to open up as to why they truly broke up, but she shuts down, so I stopped pushing on the subject.
My curfew is fast approaching, and I know that goodbye is inevitable. But there is no way I am leaving this diner without asking one of the most important questions.
I feel my palms get clammy again.Is it hot in here?Someone must have turned up the heat. Becca notices my shift in mood and looks at me in concern.
“Shane, are you all right? You seem a little pale.”
She puts the back of her hand against my forehead, and I instinctively close my eyes. Just her touch calms me. Before she pulls away completely, I grab her hand, letting her arm lay across the table. Holding her hand feels right, as if we were made to fit in each other’s lives. I look at her eyes and I can’t help but smile.
“No, I’m fine. Actually, more than fine. I just hate that the night has to end. But I have to ask you something.” That look of concern returns to her features, and even that is adorable on her.
“Sure. I’m all ears.”
She tries to come off as nonchalant, but I can tell she’s worried about what I have to ask her. And I’m worried about how she’ll respond. If the past has taught me anything, it’s that this girl is cautious about whom she gives her heart to. So I need to do my best to show her that I will care for her and never let her down.
I grab her hand and flip it over and kiss the inside of her right palm where she has two little birthmarks on it. I look up right then and she’s giving me that smile again, the one where I can feel my heart belonging to only her.
“I wanted to know if you’ll be my girlfriend.”
She begins to lift up, and I think she’s about to bolt out of the booth, but in reality, she’s bringing her upper body over the table toward me. I instinctively do the same and we meet halfway. She kisses me, and I can feel her smile as she does so. I kiss her back and everything that may have felt wrong in my world just falls into place with Rebecca Stanley in my life.
Our kiss ends and we sit back down.
She looks up at me and says, “Let’s mix things up for Santa, and let’s be naughty together.”
She recites the corny joke I had given her on that card at the start of our date. She’s got the goofiest smile, and I swear I must have a matching one.
The next thing we do is get up and hold hands as we walk out of the diner as boyfriend and girlfriend, and I realize I got my Christmas miracle weeks before Christmas itself.
ChapterNine
SHANE
