Page 67 of What Happens This Christmas
“I suppose I can’t take all of the credit.” She sighed. “You aren’t the easiest person to be married to.”
I laughed as she moved completely, her tits grazing me before she got comfortable again. It was impossible not to notice that her nipples were hard again, and I could attest to the workings of the fireplace. It wasn’t chilly in here. “You’re sure about canceling the party?”
“One hundred percent.”
I brought my hand to the back of her neck, massaging the area before heading up to her scalp and back down again. I could feel her body relaxing. “If this is about tonight…” I wasn’t sure why I was pushing back so hard against something I actually didn’t give a shit about.
I’d been to enough of these parties, thrown enough of these parties, to last me a lifetime. One that I knew would mean absolutely nothing without Candy in it.
Fantastic.I was going to start writing poetry now. Maybe it could be another hobby. A terrible one at that.
She tried shaking her head. “It’s not. It’s about me not wanting to put on a show for anyone anymore. I want to cancel it, that’s all there is to it.”
Her shoulders went rigid, and I furrowed my brows. “What aren’t you saying?” I asked, tapping her forehead as she tried to bury her head even further into me, moving up to my neck now.
“I feel lighter somehow. If that makes any sense.”
“I know what you mean. You said you’ve missed me, but I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve never been far.” She threw the words back in my face.
My chest tightened with a feeling I hadn’t felt in a while. It was satisfaction with everything I had. It seemed that Candy and her happiness were crucial parts of my feeling content.
Contentment came in a lot of forms, and mine came in the form of my wife. Mylife. We’d lost our way, but it would seem we found our way back.
“I told you that I’d become someone I didn’t fully recognize.” She was being cautious in her words, choosing them carefully. She didn’t need to do that with me. She should have known that at this point. “Did you…did you see it?”
“Hard not to notice everything about the woman I vowed to spend eternity with.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Would you have listened if I had?”
“Maybe.” Nope, that wasn’t the right answer. “But also probably not.” Now we were getting warmer. “There’s only one thing that would make this better.”
“Hmm?”
“Gingerbread cookies.” There was laughter dancing in her throat.
After everything I’d endured this holiday season with gingerbread men, it was safe to say that I couldn’t stand them. I was grateful that she had zero baking abilities, as did I. “Oh, bite your tongue.”
Chapter 29
Mistakes might’ve been made
Nick
There sat the manila envelope with a red bow on it that had been delivered from my lawyer. Apparently, an early present from Santa himself.
I picked up the letter opener on my desk and took one sharp slice through it, exposing the papers that would make me a single man again.
And Candy, a single woman.
At the prospect, anger tore through me. A loud thunder ricocheted from my chest. Even Rudolph with his shiny red nose that glowed like a bulb on our tree wouldn’t be able to see his way through the inevitable storm that would come knowing Candy was single again.
A quick scan of the pages, and I knew they were all there. Everything I had talked about with Mel. Too bad that didn’t mean anything to me.
Mistakes might’ve been made, but I was a big enough man to acknowledge that and remedy them.
