“I’m certain that helping my boss’s fiancé plan out an event behind his back doesn’t qualify me for a raise, but I will take you up on your bribe now.”
Ahh, yes. I promised him that I would get him in contact with Jenny, a realtor and parent of one of the kids in my class, to help in his search for a new home.
“Done and done.” I pull out her business card from my back pocket and hand it over. “She’s already expecting your call.”
He swipes it and holds it to his chest like the most cherished treasure. “Thank you.”
“Of course.”
I don’t know if it was fate or just good luck when Tyler found Dylan and hired him as his assistant-slash-apprentice, but he’s been a godsend who delivers time and again for both of us.
“Seriously, Dylan. Thank you for all your help. There is no way I could have done this without you. I’m not one to be a host for parties, but I know this will mean the world to Tyler.”
“You’re welcome. I’m happy to help. Tyler has been the best boss I could have hoped for, and I will do anything to keep him in this benevolent mood he’s been in recently.”
We both laugh at how generous Tyler has been since December hit. He’s the epitome of Christmas spirit.
“True,” I say as our laughter dies down. “Are you sure you won’t be able to join us for this?”
“I’m sure. Thank you for inviting me, but since Ev is in town, our mothers expect us to be there as much as possible for the next few days.”
Dylan’s best friend Everett is some sort of financial consultant. He’s been living in Texas for close to a year assisting a ranch in an expansion project to grow their horse breeding program. We’ve never met him, but Dylan talks about him so much I feel like we have close, intimate knowledge; like he’s been here the entire time.
I know Dylan is beyond thrilled to spend time with his surrogate brother, so I didn’t push too hard in convincing him to join us. I’m hoping we’ll eventually get to meet this elusive best friend of his, but nothing has come of it so far.
Who knows?
Dylan starts packing up his stuff so he can get out of here before Tyler gets home.
“Thanks again for your help.”
“Any time, Chance. I mean it.” He swings the strap of his messenger bag over his shoulder and turns back to face me. “I’m going to get out of here.”
I escort him out and then turn to clean up any evidence of our plans. Once I’m sure that everything has been put out of sight, I walk into the furnished spare bedroom so I can start wrapping gifts that I’ve purchased. I don’t have nearly as much as Tyler, but enough that I should get this done now so I have time to focus on the party next week.
A few hours later, the sound of drunken laughter follows the front door opening and closing.
“Shhhh…” Del’s voice is the first I hear.
“Why?” Tyler whisper yells.
“Covert ops, remember?”
“Gotcha,” Tyler says and then immediately bursts into giggles.
Yeah right.
These two are about as covert as tornadoes in an alley.
And the giggling? Apparently, their secret mission also included day drinking. What a surprise.
I exit the bedroom I had been wrapping in and round the corner to see the two of them fighting to hold each other up while wearing matching shirts that say I’m filled with Christmas Spirit, Oh, no, wait…that’s vodka.
Fitting.
“Please tell me you two weren’t driving.” My voice causes both of them to jump. Del quickly moves the bag in her hand behind her back as they both turn to face me.
It takes everything I have not to laugh at them. Subtle they are not.
“Jesus, Chance. You scared us,” Del says.
“No, we—hiccup—got a ride from Damon,” Tyler slurs.
Damon, the failed hookup turned friend turned best man for Tyler. Who would have thought that the guy he met at The Broken Record would be the one to spark our relationship and then later not only be one of Tyler’s good friends, but the best man at our wedding?
Not me, that’s for sure.
The first time Tyler told me he was hanging out with him and Del, I damn near had a heart attack. But that jealousy was allayed when he walked in the door, and I realized that whatever chemistry I had imagined was between them was nowhere to be found. Nope, just friendship and one I would never take away from Tyler.
They’ve become just as close as Tyler and Del are, without the added drama. Really, Damon’s a cool guy to have a few beers with and even our friendship has grown. Although, I’m much closer to his brother, Jude, who is an absolute riot.
I nod. “Okay, good. Well, I’ll leave you to your ‘covert ops’ then.”
Turning around, I hear a muted thump, probably one of them hitting the other. Choosing to ignore their shenanigans since they are here, safe, but drunk. I’ll let them figure out when they need me.
Heading back to the room, I take a look at the spread on the bed. Okay, maybe I was much closer to Tyler’s spending than I thought. You can’t blame me; every year I spoil Mason and Hudson, my nephews. It’s my job as their uncle.
Plus, this year I have someone just as, if not more, special to spoil with gifts.
My fiancé.
I love saying that. Almost as much as I know I’m going to love saying my husband soon.
Tyler assured me again and again that he doesn’t need anything for Christmas this year; that he already has everything he could ever want, but I’m not falling for that. In the famous words of Admiral Ackbar, “it’s a trap”.
Similar to Mason and Hudson, I definitely went overboard on Tyler this year. I couldn’t help myself. Every time I was out shopping and something caught my eye that I knew he would love, I bought it. Impulse buy after impulse buy, I couldn’t stop myself from imagining his face when he ripped open the wrapping paper to see what I had gotten him.
Some are more practical than others, but I have one gift I know will be the best of the pile. I slip the white tag under the red bow then move to set it on the top shelf in the closet, hidden away until Christmas morning.
I have everything that I could ever want in my future with Tyler, and this Christmas I’m going to prove it to him.
Chapter Four
“Uggghhhh.” I groan in pain as my eyes open against the sunlight.
Hangovers suck and one of these days I will do well to remember that before agreeing to afternoon vodkas and shopping with Del.
Speaking of the devil.
I shove at her half-dead body currently splayed across me on the couch causing her to moan and roll over.
How did we even get here?
“Morning, baby.” Chance’s voice rings out way louder than it should be above my head.
“Shhh…don’t be so loud,” I complain and bury my head between the cushions to block out the noise and light threatening my life.
Chance’s deep laughter makes me pop my head up again to glare at him, and I immediately regret the rapid movement. My brain feels like it’s been knocked loose and is rattling inside my head. I lift my hands to brace my skull and let out a moan of distress.
“What happened?” My question comes out with a side of whimpering.