“Sounds expensive.” He smiled.
“Somehow, I’m making my dad pay for it,” I replied. “And however long it takes us to plan it, I’ll eventually ask what those tattoos mean and what his favorite color is and all that inconsequential crap. Because the important things are already covered.”
“Like what?” he asked.
“Well, he thinks Valentine’s Day is a bullshit holiday, so do I. He watched the movie Ghostbusters with me and enjoyed it, big plus for me. And Frodo? He’s a good man, with a good heart that said he’d go into battle with me. And he meant every word.”
He stood there for a moment then walked to me and offered his hands to lift me from the couch. “Katherine…” he said and kissed me on the lips. It wasn’t romantic, it was familiar. “Merry Christmas."
I walked to the door and, with my back to him, asked, “You really don’t remember hitting her?”
“No, Katherine. I really don’t.”
“I think you should know; I’ve seen your movies, Frodo.”
“You’ve seen Freddie’s movies,” he corrected.
“How come you quit?” I asked.
“Several reasons. I was lonely is probably the biggest. Next to that, and I think you’ll understand me when I say, sometimes it’s easier to fuck away the pain.”
“Yeah. I did that for a good, long while.”
I waited to see if he would share anything else. Then he finally said, “It would be good for Deirdre…lead her to another man, one who is good and kind, no surprises, no darkness in his soul…a good man.”
“When the time is right, I’ll lead her back to you, Freddie.”
Holst
Katherine was sound asleep, her naked shoulder and blond hair all I could see as I left the darkened bedroom and went into the kitchen. Katherine was a hell of a cook, but she loved to bake, and though she walked most places, no matter if the weather was poor, it was still a miracle to me she kept her figure.
I’d called my mother and asked if she and Al wouldn’t mind coming to us. Considering the drama filled Christmas Eve we’d had, I wanted Katherine to be comfortable, in our home…together.
While Katherine was down speaking to Frodo, I called my mother. I gave her the rundown of the day’s events, to which she replied with complete understanding, but also a warning: I needed to be honest with my future wife about how Chelle and I parted. The very real fear that I would become like my father was always somewhere, buried below the surface, and Chelle was like a shovel, determined to expose that man.
She was terrible for me.
Katherine was not.
Time and again, I’d had the opportunity, but there was never a right time, because there never would be. I hated to lie to her, and that omission of truth was never far from my thoughts. I didn’t want to believe the omission of truth was a lie, not if it didn’t hurt or affect anyone else. But if so, it bothered me. I couldn’t live with it. And now, as Katherine’s ghost was finally eliminated, it was time for me to come clean. And for that, as much as I may have sounded like an absolute pussy, I wanted the only family I had left to be there with me when I did.
Three in the morning, I went into Tori’s old room and began to wrap presents. I’d planned to do it the previous day, but other events had changed those plans. I’d ordered items from Sur Le Table and William Sonoma, not to mention my mother would be indulging Katherine in all kinds of culinary delights, including dried figs, dates, cherries, and pecans. I was absolutely sure she would love everything.
I also hoped they’d go into some kind of dessert.
But it was the very last items I wrapped that were the most important, more precious than any wedding ring, but something I would only give the woman who had my heart forever, and I believed Katherine to be that woman.
But only after I shared all there was to know about me.
Katherine
There was a single kiss on the back of my neck and long fingers trailing over my naked back. “Merry Christmas, Katherine.” Holst whispered the words, and they were the single best holiday greeting I’d ever heard.
“You know,” I said into my pillow, “I knew I should’ve bought those mistletoe panties I saw on the Internet. Seriously, they were perfect.”
“Really?” he asked, his lips moving to my shoulder.
“Yeah. There’d be less talking and more eating of my pussy.” I grinned.
“Katherine?” he asked as his head moved slowly down my spine.
“Yes?” I replied, praying that my Christmas would start very merry indeed.
“We aren’t going to Temecula today.”
“Why not?” I asked, now concerned.
“Because Temecula is coming to us.”
I stayed completely still, and Holst was frozen, right at the small of my back until…
“Jesus!” I screeched and jumped out of bed.
“They say he’s the reason for the season, actually.”
“You! Silence!” I pointed and looked for something to wear. I went with sweats and a long-sleeve tee, fuck the bra and panties. I didn’t have time for the bra and panties.
“Katherine.” He chuckled, observing my freak-out from the comfort of our bed.
“What the fuck am I gonna wear?”
“What were you planning on wearing today?” He flipped to his back and pulled the sheet up to his chest.
“Well, I was planning on wearing these black suede boots and this kind of long sweater thing with these red…Is your dick hard?”
“No,” he innocently denied the obvious erection with a smirk.
“Yes it is,” I accused.
“Nope.” He smiled. “It’s not.”
“Then what do you call that exactly?”
“A branch of mistletoe?”
“Unbelievable,” I murmured and stopped to take in everything that was happening at that moment. “Okay. So, when are they gonna be here?”
“Noon…ish,” he said.
I covered my face. “I’m meeting the parents, and it’s on my turf. That’s a good thing, right?”
“Katherine?”
“Yeah.” I exhaled in defeat and dropped my arms to my sides. Really, I was freaking out for no reason at all.
“Get back in bed.”
“Why? I have shit to do now.”
“You know why.” He grinned.
I looked at the outline of his nude body, then his relaxed, smiling face. “Okay.” I grinned and got back into bed.
When I was settled and just enjoying the fact we were in bed together after six in the morning, the mood shifted, and not in the sexual way I was hoping for.
“I really don’t want you to have any more surprises today. But I need to tell you something, and it’s important. I don’t think it can wait.”
“Holst?” He kissed my cheek with his eyes closed then opened them, staring right into mine as I told him. “I think it can.”
“Katherine…”
“Really,” I implored. “Do you honestly think it’s something that can’t wait a day?”
Holst’s phone buzzed with a text on the nightstand.
“Here…” I reached over and handed it to him.
He read the message and smiled at me. “You know I love you, right?”
“The way you’re starting off…not sure I’m gonna when you’re done.”
“They’re twenty minutes away.” He smiled, and I swear, I could’ve just punched that fucking beautiful smile right off his perfect face.
I once again jumped out of bed and went on turbo-autopilot-mode, finding a simple outfit of nice turquoise sweater that complimented my tan and blond hair, dark denim jeans and my black boots. Into the bathroom, I found my hair wasn’t too far gone from the styling of yesterday…surprising since yesterday was so fucked up. I salvaged it, threw on make-up, and gold earrings that matched the engagement ring nicely.