"Is that something you girls do?"
I laughed. "No. She's just got a lot of them, so I came to raid her closet for something to wear to that party tomorrow."
"Oh, at the gym?" he asked.
"Yeah. Hey, I know you were heading home in a few days but I didn't know if you… I wanted to make sure you knew you were welcome to… come here, to come spend Christmas here, with me, with us, at my brother's. They have an extra bedroom upstairs, and they won't be here for Christmas, but I, you know. I'll be here. Me and my parents and family and everything. I didn't think you could even consider coming because of your grandpa and everything, but I wanted to make sure you knew you were more than welcome to come here."
I made myself stop rambling and pause long enough to wait for him to say something.
"Sure," he said, after what seemed like a year.
"Sure?" I asked.
"Sure, yes, Laney. I'll come spend Christmas with you, if that's what you're asking."
"Yes, it is, I'm asking, yes to that asking."
He laughed at my disjointed sentence. "Well, yes, then, I am. I'm answering yes to that, too."
Chapter 6
The following day
December 22nd
I was ever so comfortable in my friendship with James, and yet the thought of seeing him in person brought on all sorts of nervous feelings and self-doubt. I started realizing how much I needed to clean my apartment and how much I hadn't put thought into my wardrobe options for Christmas. I normally just wore jeans and a sweater. It would have been nice to dress up for him, but I wasn't going to wear Abby's dress again. It was too dressy for a laidback family Christmas.
I thought I didn't have feelings for James, but the instant he said he was coming over, I started making plans to get myself and my apartment all fixed up for his arrival. I still had another day to prepare. He would leave tomorrow morning, travel all day and spend the night with my brother. I probably wouldn’t see him until Christmas Eve morning.
I had been cleaning all afternoon, so I was late getting out the door for the party.
Bank Street was crowded. There were tons of people already there when I arrived. All of the students who went to the boxing gym were invited, along with their families. There were extras, too. Marvin was a famous, well-loved boxer in his day, and Billy was currently on top of his game. The party was packed. It was Wednesday, but it felt like a Saturday. This was the first year this party was happening, and judging by the size of the crowd and their enthusiasm, everyone thought it was the best idea ever.
The place had been transformed. The boxing ring was torn down and there was a dancefloor in its place. There was a speaker system set up along with a DJ booth where Quentin (one of the boxers from the gym) was set up and spinning records.
The action was already in full swing when I walked in. The lights were low, and there were people everywhere with music and talking. There were Christmas decorations and lights, and I got caught up looking all around. I recognized just about everyone I saw. My family owned the hardware store across the street, and we were all tied in with this gym and these people.
Billy was a world class athlete. He was the most popular guy there. He and Tess had gotten there an hour before I did. I knew because Abby called me from Marvin's office earlier, telling me who all was there and asking when I would arrive.
I had helped them decorate, and Abby said I should get there as soon as I could to see how good it all came out. Tess was near the door when I came in, and she smiled and rushed up to me when she saw me. She was wearing a red dress. It wasn't cut like mine, but I said, "We're twins," as she reached out for a hug.
"Hey, you look beautiful. But gosh, where have you been? We've been waiting for you for like an hour."
"Marvin said to get here between six and seven."
"It's past seven," she said, wide eyed and serious.
I smiled. "Barely. Like three minutes."
"Well, your man was here at six, and we waited and waited. Abby was freaking out, looking for you. But then, Marvin said he could go upstairs and use the shower since he had been on the road all day. So I’m not even sure if he's back down here yet or not."
"Who are you talking about?" I asked, even though I knew instinctually that she was talking about James.
"James," she said, looking at me like I should know better than to be late.
"James isn't coming until tomorrow night," I said.
"Oh my gosh, you didn't know he was…" Tess stopped talking when Abby came up to us. Tess knew she had made a mistake, and she stepped back stiffly with a stunned expression.
"Heyyyy, oh my gosh, Laney," Abby said coming up to me. "What took you so long?"
"I thought it was starting at seven," I said, barely containing my nerves and excitement. "I can't believe so many people are here."
Abby pulled me along, and I followed her. It was dark in this part of the room except for the moving lights. Quentin's cousin owned a party rental place, and he set up some stage lights and a disco ball. I had seen the room earlier, but none of this stuff was on. It looked like a different place now.
I recognized the song that was playing. It was Merry Christmas Baby by Otis Redding. I knew this for sure because I loved Christmas music and I loved Otis Redding. It was a song I had heard a hundred times. I sang along with it as we walked through several groups of people. I was absentmindedly singing about Santa coming down the chimney at half past three when I caught sight of him and my heart stopped.
I already knew that James had come in early. Tess had spilled the beans—or at least I'd been able to put the pieces together by what she said. And yet seeing him there, in the same room as me, came as a shock. I hadn't seen him in almost a year, and in that time, he had physically changed and he had become one of my best friends. It was unbelievable to think that the man standing next to my brother was the same James I had been talking to on the phone.
I definitely had some sort of feelings for him. I felt an instant rush of emotion that made me have to fight back tears. I looked at my brother. I was smiling and trying to act normal as I glanced at him and then back at James again. I had no idea I would react this way when I saw him. My heart raced as I walked that way. I imagined myself running to him and falling into his arms. I saw the whole scene in my mind before reminding myself that I was not going to do that.
James saw me.
He was smiling at me, but I had no idea what he was thinking. He was smiling at me. He was smiling at me. Oh, gosh, he was smiling at me.
I didn't anticipate feeling all these things. I knew I liked him, but I did not remember how handsome he was—not even close. When I was committed to Michael, I was committed. I could appreciate when a guy was handsome looking, but I never got butterflies or giddy feelings because of it. Today was different. I saw James's face and form in a different way now that romance was an option. I felt flush, like blood was rushing all around my body so fast that I might explode. I smiled and tried to act casual.
"You're early!" I said, yelling out to him as we got closer.
"I left this morning," he said with a little shrug.