I smiled, my body all tingles, then frowned. “Wait. What?”
He took my hand, paused us for a pic against one of the silver backdrops, like he was checking it off a list of things to do before we escaped, and ushered me outside and into his Jeep.
He’d worked three jobs over the summer to buy the fixer-upper, then months afterschool getting it ready to roll. He was proud of it. And I was proud of him.
“Marc, the dance is inside.” I had to protest because he’d left without asking me, but the look on his face was priceless, like this was his Christmas and he was the ultimate Santa.
“Ours isn’t.” He flipped the radio on low and holiday music settled into the silence as he drove to our mystery destination. His hand found mine, and he laced his fingers through.
I stared at our hands, then looked back to his face.
His brow furrowed. “Is this okay?”
“More than okay.” I rubbed my thumb along his and thought about how right this felt, how real. Why hadn’t we done it before?
The Jeep bounced over whatever backroad he’d turned down, jolting me against him. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, drawing me in closer.
Lights appeared before us out of the treed darkness, hung above a perfect little ice skating pond. I looked up at him with the largest grin. “You’re teaching me?” I laughed. “Tonight?”
He’d been pestering me for years, but it was only last year I’d finally agreed to it, letting go of my fear of falling. We’d just never gotten around to it.
“I told you I had to work.” He winked. “Old Man Jones said my next lesson had to be you or he was firing me.” The Jeep rolled into a spot, and he put it in park. “He tried blaming Mrs. Jones—called her a matchmaker—but I think he was just tired of hearing me talk about you all the time.” He laughed, then dipped his head, blushing a bit.
I did too. Okay, more than a bit. “I’m glad he put his foot down.”
“He is pretty wise.” His eyes twinkled. He reached for something in the backseat and got out, slamming the door behind him, before walking around to my side of the car and opening the door with a flourish.
His backseat retrieval had been a box of brand-new skates, gleaming with hope.
Just like us.
“Instead of flowers?” He grinned.
My face lit up. “Better than flowers.”
He shimmied the skates onto my feet, his hands working their way through the laces and further into my heart with a masterful precision before he pulled on his own.
“I really should’ve tried to break yours in for you.” He shook his head. “You’re going to be slipping all over the place.”
“I’m not worried.” My heart grew at least two sizes as I watched him. “You’ll catch me.”
Guards on, we walked the short distance to the rink. Mrs. Jones waved hello from a porch window, happy, pink-cheeked, beneath a soft puff of gray hair. Mr. Jones gave us a mischievous smile before disappearing indoors to see about some music. Marc’s boss, mostly friend, delivered on his promise within minutes and soft waves of holiday songs spun through the air before we’d even hit the ice. It made my heart happy that they’d found each other. The childless, surface-only curmudgeon and the down-a-father aimless boy. What a difference they’d made in each other’s lives. I shivered to think what direction Marc might have fallen without their relationship. Unlike my dad, when his had left, he’d never come back.
At all.
We still couldn’t decide if that was actually better, but at least I’d had a chance to say my piece. Well, not that I’d taken it. But if I’d wanted to . . .
Marc held my hand as I bobbled across the ice. “I can’t believe you’ve never learned.”
“I can’t believe it’s taken you this long to teach me, mister hockey star.”
I nearly tumbled, but he stopped the fall, steadying my body against his. Then, center ice, in the quiet of the night, with nothing but the whisper of music, the cool wind, and glowing lights to keep us company, Marc tipped his head down, and his lips met mine for the first time. My pulse raced, his jaw working its apple magic as his mouth moved with a soft pull against my own.
I swear I could taste the sweetness.
When he pulled away, his brown eyes gleamed bright, perfectly content.
My heart skipped with happiness. “This isn’t going to help my balance any.”
He laughed. “We’ve got nothin’ but time for that.”
And he leaned in for another kiss.
Chapter 5
Two Years Later
What once felt like endless time together had gone in a flash, before college hit with its hurdle of separation. He never thought he’d go, but hockey brought scholarship offers pouring in. We’d tried to stay close, but I was hours away, pursuing an architecture degree, my skills in organized creativity finally getting put to use.
We’d promised we’d see each other on weekends, but with his game schedule and my class load, we were lucky if it was once a month.
It was a Friday near midnight when my phone rang. “Where are you?”
“Well, hello, Marcus.” I laughed. “I’m in the dorm hall, um, studying.” The room echoed with ladies’ chatter, mocking my claim.
“Uh huh, sure you are.” The smile in his voice melted my insides. “And what drink is on the menu tonight?”
“Apple martinis.” I giggled, and the room erupted in laughter. “They’re sweet and they’re green.”
“What’s so funny?”
“I was just telling a story about you.”
“About me?”
“Uh huh. And apples.” The roomful of giggles rang endless at this point.
“Jillian, just how many drinks have you had?”
I shook my head as if he could see me. “A lady never drinks and tells.”
He lowered his voice. “I think that’s kisses and tells.”
Mine matched his husky whisper. “Whelp, it’s too late for that!”
I slipped off the couch and rolled onto the floor, huffing as I made my way beneath the Christmas tree we’d pieced together as a group the week prior.
“There.” I sighed. “Guess where I am.”
“You’re cracking me up, J. Where?”
“I’m in our spot. Under the tree. Lookin’ up at the lights.”
“And are they beautiful?”
“Oh, yes.” I sighed.
“Not as beautiful as you. Red has always been your color.”
“Green too.” I giggled. “Wait, how did you—”
I peered out from beneath the branches and the now-emptied room held the vision of only two feet, standing just beside the tree. I stared into the phone. “How did you do that?”
He laughed and slid beside me on the floor, the ornaments bouncing as he shifted on his side. One hand reached out and took the phone from mine, ending the call. He swept a piece of hair from my eyes and leaned in for a kiss.
“Mmm. You taste good.” He smiled as he pulled away.
“Like apples.” I nodded, wiggling my eyebrows, then tucked my head into his neck and exhaled. “You’re here.”