Page 82 of Yours, Unexpectedly

This woman that I haven’t responded to. Shit.

“Bex… I—I love you, too.” I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and pull her forehead to mine. “You are like sunshine coming up over a frost covered field. You melt away the things that hold me back and I feel… free with you. I think I’ve loved you in some way since the first time I saw you six years ago. And I have a feeling I will continue to love you for the rest of my life.”

“Damn,” she whispers. “Your speech was so much better than mine.”

I rock my head back and forth against hers, grinning so hard my cheeks hurt. “Well you said it first, so I had to find a way to show you how much I meant it.”

She pulls back and raises her eyebrow, lips tilting up. “Still need that tea or do you think we can go back to bed now?”

“Are you propositioning me after I just confessed my undying love?”

“Of course I am. Let’s go, lover.”

I laugh and follow her as she pulls me back toward the bedroom, tea long forgotten. Before we reach the door I stop suddenly, hauling her back into me for another kiss.

“I love you, Baby Bardot.”

“I love you, killer.”

Those are the last words we say to each other, spending the next little while with our mouths otherwise occupied, before I fall into the best sleep of my life.

I have no idea what it’s like to spend the holidays without your family, but Anders seems to be loving it. It almost feels as though he needed this time with us.

I try to hide my interest, but I can’t stop watching him as he and Gabe decorate the little ugly sweater cookies Dad found at the grocery store. Once they’ve moved on to other activities, I get up and go look at their work. Gabe’s cookie looks like a five year old decorated it.

Anders’ cookie looks like it was professionally decorated. I scowl. Damn him for being good at everything.

I’ve never brought a boyfriend home for Sunday dinner before. Forget the fact that Anders has attended a number of Bardot family gatherings, tonight he’s here with me. Not his best friend Gabe, but me. His girlfriend. Whom he loves.

I scan the sky for flying pigs as we walk up the front steps.

“What are you looking at?” Anders asks, startling me.

“Oh, nothing,” I say, narrowing my eyes and doing one more sweep above us.

“Okay, weirdo. Can we go in now?”

Turning, I stick my tongue out at him.

“Watch it. I’ll put that tongue to good use if you don’t put it away.”

“Anders!” Admonishing him does no good—he just uses it as an excuse to keep going. I’m planning for my face to be on fire this entire evening. I wish Riz and Luci were here too, but it felt weird to invite them after whatever the hell happened with Gabe, so here I am. Alone.

Well, with Anders, I guess. But I miss my girls.

Anders raises his hand to open the front door but before he gets a chance, it’s flung open and my mother’s grinning face greets us. Her glasses are as crooked as her smile and the glint in her eye makes me extremely nervous.

“My cabbages!” she yells this even though we are standing mere feet from her.

“Hi, Mom,” I say, stepping up to give her a hug and getting lost in the curly hair that matches mine so well, only differing by the silver that sparkles throughout hers.

“And who is this handsome young man?” she asks, looking behind me.

I roll my eyes in reply. “Har, har. You know Anders”—I motion behind me—“tall, gorgeous red beard, best friends with your oldest son.”

“Oh, of course! That Anders! I must have been thrown off because he arrived with you instead of Gabriel.” She winks.

“Mrs. Bardot—” Anders starts.

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