Page 28 of Mission: Merry Christmas
He cocked his head playfully. “Just open them.”
She opened the red package first, tearing through the paper like a ten-year-old. She lifted the top of the box and pushed back the tissue paper. “Flannel?” She held the garment up in front of her. “Onesie pajamas?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I’m getting ready to crank the air conditioning down as low as it will go, so when Nico gets here in the morning and sees all these snowflakes you made along with the snowballs, I want it to feel like snow weather in here, too. That’s half the fun, right?”
“That’s a great idea.” She lifted the garment from the box. “Oh wow. They have feet!”
“They seemed appropriate for a family Christmas morning.”
Family.“They’re perfect.” She fanned her face trying to resist the tears that threatened to fall.
“Are you crying?”
“No. Maybe. Just happy, fun tears. This was really sweet.” She hugged them to her chest. “I love them so much.”
“You might be tough on the outside, but there is a soft, gooey center inside you, isn’t there? And not just for lizards.”
“Real funny.” He did bring out something soft inside her. Something she’d never felt before.
“If I’d had time, I’d have had a lizard embroidered on them.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“Because you’re getting to know me,” he said. “Really know me, like no one else. You are the best thing my sister has ever done for me.”
“A happy accident in a seemingly disastrous chain of events,” she said, trying to dismiss the comment, but she knew what he meant. “I feel the same way. I should be a wreck. No job. No home. No idea where to begin to repair my situation, and yet I’m enjoying the moment. It’s because of you.”
“You can open the other present in the morning. It’s a ski jacket. It matches mine. And Nico’s, and my sister’s, and brother-in-law’s. There’s one for each of us. From Santa. We’ll all be wearing puffy jackets with fur trim.”
“We’ll look festive.”
“We sure will. Morning is going to come early. We better call it a night.”
She stood, clutching her pajamas. “Good. I can’t wait to put these on.”
He reached out and squeezed her hand. “I’ll see you in the morning?”
“Count on it.”
“Oh, I am.” There was no teasing in that comment.
She was tired of following her own rules, so she reached up and kissed him gently on the lips. “Thank you, Drew.” Athlete or not, her heart was making up its own rules with every breath she took, and she was taking a liking to both—the rules and the guy.
***
When Avery’s alarm went off at six o’clock Christmas morning, her nose was so cold it stung. It really did feel like a cold, damp, winter morning. She put her feet on the floor, thankful for the footies.
“Ho, ho, ho,” followed the knock at her bedroom door.
She opened the door and struck a pose, modeling the fun pajamas he’d gifted her. “Best gift ever.” She realized his pajamas matched hers. He should have looked ridiculous, but to her, he looked amazing because he wanted to create a perfect Christmas for his nephew. What woman could resist that? “Oh my gosh. You didn’t tell me we were going to be twins. This is great.”
“Once a twin, always a twin,” he teased. “You look better in yours.” He gave her a quick up and down. “Never in all my life would I have thought red plaid flannel pajamas could be sexy, but…” He reached for her hand and twirled her. “You look like a present.”
“I am.” She looked into his eyes. “Yours. Merry Christmas?”
“The best Christmas present ever.” He pulled her into his arms. “I cannot wait to unwrap you.”
She snuggled against him.
