“You need another bed, precious,” he says.
“Oh, yeah, why’s that?”
“This one is too small. My feet are dangling. If I’m going to spend any amount of time here getting my girlfriend off, I need more room,” he says.
“Well, we can’t all have a California King.”
“True,” he chuckles. “I can’t wait to get you into my bed again.”
“Same here.”
His eyes bore into mine and we grin at each other like fools.
My boyfriend. I still can’t get over it.
I always look forward to starting my day at the bakery, but today is bittersweet. It wouldn’t take much to convince me to stay in bed, pressed up against Holt’s strong body for the rest of the day. Scratch that. This feels so amazing, I could easily slide right into the New Year nestled into him.
“What are your plans for Christmas?” he asks.
Holt pulls me closer until our lips are a breath apart.
“My parents are coming on the twenty-second and they’ll be here until the day after Christmas. Mom loves helping at the bakery during the holidays and Dad loves chatting up customers. For the past two years, he’s dressed up as Santa Claus and walked up-and-down the main street distributing samples and enticing people to discover more. He says it’s all in the spirit of the season. I’ve tried to stop him, but it’s in vain. Secretly, I must admit, it works. His strategy brings a flood of new clients off York Boulevard.”
“That’s funny. Your parents sound like quite the pair.”
“You have no idea, but I love them so much for supporting my dream.”
“Do you take a break after Christmas?”
“Yes. Donuts aren’t top of the list for New Year’s celebration. And, New Year’s resolutions usually put a kink in my business. Which is why I don’t even bother opening the first few days of January because everybody’s on a diet. So I’m off for a bit after the Christmas rush,” I explain. “Why?”
His ocean-blue eyes brimming with tenderness lock onto mine.
“What?” I ask in a low voice.
“Spend New Year’s with me,” he rasps.
I didn’t expect that.
“My family, my cousins and a bunch of friends spend the holidays in Catalina Island. I share a house there with my brother. My cousins have the same arrangement. My friends have their own place. We all live close by and it usually ends up being a big non-stop party.” His lips brush against my ear and he whispers, “I want you there.”
God, I could melt into this bed.
“Really?”
“Really.” He strokes my cheek softly. “My whole family knows about you.”
They know I exist?
“Your whole family?” I repeat, dumbfounded.
“Yeah. Beckett and Jace were in the know, but eventually, I was going to tell my parents and Jagger. That’s until my overly excited child usurped the news when she spilled the beans on Daddy’s new lady friend.”
I can’t help but laugh.
“Naomi is a trip,” I say.
“She is. She’s going to be so happy we’re back together.”
Oh, my God.
“Let’s make it official,” Holt murmurs.
“You mean it?”
“I do.” His thumb slides back and forth across my lips. “From the moment you strutted—and stumbled—into that shop rocking a sexy eighties look like nobody’s business, you’ve occupied most of my dreams––the naughty and the clean ones. The events that unfolded in my life lately made me realize we had a great thing going—”
“We did.”
“We still do, precious.”
I nod.
His gaze darkens. “Shitty drama, I couldn’t control, robbed us of seven weeks. I can’t go back…” He tangles his fingers in my hair and pulls me closer. I don’t even know how that’s possible considering we’re already fused together. But I’ll never object to feeling his warm body against mine. “That’s the past. I don’t want us to waste any more time. For me, it’s crystal clear you’re my future. I stand by my words, Everly. I want you in my life and I want you in my child’s life. We might spend Christmas apart, but I want my lips on you when the clock strikes midnight as we ring in New Year’s.”
Sweet delight pulses through me.
This man.
Kicking off a new chapter of my life with my incredible new boyfriend? What more can a girl ask for?
I’m overwhelmed with emotions.
My eyes get misty. “I can’t think of anything I’d want more.”
His lips crash against mine and like always, it sends an irresistible rush coursing through my body.
CHAPTER 38
Everly
Epilogue
One year later
“Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas! Welcome to Sugar Glaze Shack!” Daddy greets. He’s enjoying himself way too much. “Come on in. Only two more hours of shopping left,” he waves in a group of customers.
Can you believe it’s already three o’clock? Thank God we close at five today. This is the first quiet moment we’ve had since we opened at seven this morning. So far, it’s been too busy to even think. The shop has been swarming with desperate souls in search of their holiday treats. No matter how bone-weary I am, the sheer energy of people getting ready to celebrate the most amazing holiday of the year is enough to carry me through.
“I’m Father Christmas,” Daddy continues, “and this is princess Naomi, my little helper.”
“Welcome!” Naomi waves.
“Are you here to get your sugar fix on?” Dad asks.
A group of customers nod animatedly.
“Good thing we’re the best pushers in the City of Angels,” he says. I roll my eyes. “Marion on cash two will help you. Go on now before everything sells out.”
“Father Christmas?” I know he gets it from Naomi. “He isn’t even British.” “What’s wrong with Saint Nic or plain old Santa Claus?” I ask my mom when she walks by carrying a tray weighing heavy with a fresh batch of donuts.
“You know he gets a kick out of this,” Mom laughs.
“Yeah, but this year he’s gone overboard. And what’s with this pusher business? People will get the wrong idea.”
“I don’t blame him. You’ve outdone yourself this year with your new flavors, honey. Everything is so addicting,” Mom says.
Pride washes over me.
“The team worked really hard.”
“They have a fierce leader.”
“Thanks,” I blush.
“You guys knocked it out of the park. Look at all those people lined up outside waiting for these sinful donuts,” she says, lowering her light brown eyes.
“Yeah, we can’t bake these fast enough.”
“Where do you want them?”
“Over there,” I point near the window. “In the case that had the sold-out gingerbread cake with cranberry glaze ones.”
“Okay.”
She displays the two flavors of sugar cane donuts with so much care and attention, it’s endearing.