Side by side to the hopefully not-bitter end.
“Merry Christmas, everyone,” Julie said, her voice extra chipper. “Shall we open presents?”
“It is indeed the most glorious of Christmas mornings.” Peggy walked over and encompassed them both in a hug. “We’re so very happy for you two. We know we’ve been a bit pushy—” Julie cleared her throat, and her mom sighed. “Fine. A lot pushy.”
Peggy placed one hand on his cheek and the other on Julie’s. “It’s just because we saw what you two couldn’t, as ludicrous as that is, and we all love you and want the best for the both of you.”
Mom chimed in, as well as both grandmothers, and while Niki didn’t say anything, her canary-eating grin and hint of neener-neener said enough. Gavin was mature enough not to let that get to him, so he scratched his forehead with his middle finger, same way the two of them did when they were teens.
“Here’s the thing,” Julie said. “I’m sure you all have questions, and I have several of my own. But there are presents to be opened, so let’s table the topic of Gavin and me for later.”
Darlene scooted to the edge of the couch cushion she was occupying. “But there is a you and Gavin?”
“There’s always been a Julie and me,” Gavin said, failing to keep his frustration out of his voice. Once, at a press conference, he’d joked to the media they had nothing on his family when it came to prying into his personal life.
It’d worked like a charm, too. The room had collectively chuckled and moved on. He doubted his family would be so easily distracted, same as they weren’t going to like the answers he and Julie gave. Best to enjoy the morning and save the disappointment for later.
Silver lining: maybe that’d make it easier to climb on a plane this evening and fly to meet the team in Jacksonville, where he’d have to stand on the sidelines and watch his team play without him.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Various crumpled pieces of wrapping paper littered the floor of the Frosts’ living room, and happiness abounded, the Christmas spirit nice and strong.
As far as gifts went, Julie was beyond happy with her new items. One in particular, and her fingers sought out the serotonin charm hanging from the necklace Gavin had gifted her with last night. He hadn’t said much as everyone had been unwrapping, chatting, and grinning their faces off at them, seated side by side on the loveseat—no surprise, Darlene, Mom, Grams, and Granny Frost had moved around the room so the two of them could take the loveseat.
“Was that the last present?” Rashad glanced around the room at everyone with their new fuzzy socks, jewelry, and countless other treasures.
“Not counting the Frost Christmas Card, which is the gift that keeps on giving,” Dad snarked, raising his mug of coffee in the air. Everyone chuckled, and Rashad wrapped his arm around his wife and pressed a kiss to one of her pinkening cheeks. It’d taken a while, but she was now able to see the humor in the situation.
The familial camaraderie was extra strong this Christmas, and Julie marveled at how blessed they were to have one another. How amazing was it that all because two sets of couples fell in love and became the closest of friends, they’d formed an exponential family with enough people to pack a room.
“What do you think?” Granny Frost asked Grams as she ran her fingers down her new, extra colorful scarf. The turquoise and pink highlighted her flawless umber skin, suiting her the way jewel tones always did. Seventy years old, and nary a gray hair in sight.
“It’s as beautiful on you as I knew it would be,” Grams said, and the two women embraced, causing more happiness to billow up inside of Julie.
Rashad and Nikita were discussing the merits of Nike socks, with Rashad claiming he might have to steal a pair, even though hers would never fit his large feet. Pots and pans clanged in the kitchen, signaling that Darlene and Mom were about to start cooking their Christmas feast. While a lot of their families’ staples were the same, the main difference was the sweet potato pie.
The Frosts had brought it into their lives, and she couldn’t wait to sink her teeth into a piece.
“Do you ever think about moving back to Crystal Springs?” Julie asked Gavin, resting her head against his shoulder. “Not anytime soon, of course. I like my life in Arizona, but then I come here, and I think about how I want to see my kids onstage in the pageant someday, how nice it was to have so many grandparents around, and I want to give that to them, too. It was one of my favorite parts of growing up.”
Gavin had tensed at some point, and the resounding silence had her straightening and studying the guy at her side. His expression was blank, his shoulders slumped, and tension radiated off him.
Julie placed her hand on his knee. “Is everything okay? You don’t seem to be shining with the same Christmas spirit as everyone else.”
He ran his fingers over his forehead, bunching and smoothing the skin. “I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Well, tell it to take a backseat. This day comes only once a year.”
“Every day comes only once a year,” he retorted, and she frowned at him. She also did her best to stifle the sting his snippiness caused. As she began to pull away, he covered her hand with his. “I’m sorry, Jules. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me. Maybe I’m just hungry. I’m gonna grab some breakfast and see if that helps.”
Unsure what else to do, Julie nodded. Last night they’d grown closer than ever, so why did he suddenly feel so far away? Her eyes burned, and if they dared to tear up, she’d stab them right out, Oedipus style.
Eyeballs were super cool to dissect, though, and if she did stab hers out, she’d never get to cut up anything to analyze again.
Two steps toward the kitchen and Gavin abruptly spun back around. She sucked in a breath, and with any luck, the tears vacuumed themselves back into their ducts. Even though nothing in the laws of science made that possible.
“Do you want me to grab you anything? I never did let you eat your plate of food last night.”
If the others wouldn’t overhear, she’d make a joke about being hungry for something else. Surely they’d have time to do it once more before his flight tonight, because as satisfying as it’d been, she doubted she’d ever get her fill. “Thanks, but I ate half the candy in my stocking, so I’m already regretting that. Don’t worry, I’ll forget about the regret in a few hours and eat too much all over again.”
And then we’ll burn it off the fun way.
The right side of his mouth lifted, but the other side didn’t get in on the smile, leaving it less brilliant than usual.
Before she could fixate too much on the flip in his mood, Niki plunked herself in the spot he’d abandoned. “Did you like the present I gave you two last night? All that time to yourselves, and it sounds like you made the most of it.”