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IT WAS LATER THAT EVENING, not long before all of us were to meet in the living room for drinks before dinner was served, when Alex and I finished dressing.
“These cufflinks are killer,” he said.
“And ironically, they’ve saved lives. Here, let me straighten your tie for you. Nice suit, by the way.”
“You bought it for me.”
“And it’s a good fit—I like how it comes in close at the waist. And, God, here I go again. Just seeing you in a suit always makes me want to ditch everything and just get into bed with you. When it comes to you, I have such a suit fetish, it’s not funny.”
“I hear Santa wears a suit.”
“Not the same thing.”
“Turn around for me,” he said. “Let me see what you’re wearing.”
I twirled around, and as I did, my ivory-colored Alexander McQueen gown with floral jewel embroidery fanned out. Tonight, I’d decided to wear my hair exactly as Alex loved it most—cascading down my back in a tumble of curls. And I was wearing the necklace and earrings he’d given to me earlier, which were spectacular.
“You like?”
“What’s not to like—you look hot,” he said. “How did I get so lucky?”
“When it comes to you, I ask myself that every day. Now, look,” I said as I gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “I’m going to go see if Blackwell’s suit fits her, as well as the shoes. And if they do, we’ll be down to join the rest of you ASAP, OK?”
“You’ve got it.”
* * *
“HELLO?” I SAID WHEN I knocked on Blackwell’s bedroom door. “It’s Jennifer. Are you dressed? May I come in?”
“Of course,” Blackwell said. “The door’s open. And please tell me that you’ve brought cases of champagne with you, because I believe that I might need a few glasses before tonight starts.”
“How I wish that I did have some,” I said as I stepped inside. And when she turned and we looked at each other, her lips parted at the same moment that I raised my hand to my own lips.
“Look at you!” Blackwell said. “Alex finally did it—he bought you the iconic Harry Winston diamond wreath necklace and the matching cascading diamond earrings. Oh, you lucky girl. So elegant! And your dress—perfection. As is your hair and makeup—Bernie has taught you well. You’re going to be the star of the evening. Even I can’t get over those jewels.”
“I’m more than just lucky,” I said. “I’m deeply in love.”
“And yet none of your good fortune has changed you,” she said. “You’re still the feisty girl I met at our ruinous interview two years ago. None of it has gone to your head, and I can’t tell you how much I admire you for that.”
“I’m still a simple girl from the bowels of Maine,” I said.
“Well, there’s that...”
“And look at you,” I said. “The suit fits! Do you like it?”
“I love it,” she said. “It’s striking. And the shoes are divoon. So, thank you, my dear. To think that you sketched out the suit and the shoes for me with a senior designer at Dior means more to me than you’ll ever know, not to mention the sheer amount of time you spent to make this happen for me—and somehow without me even knowing about it. Now, come over here and give me a hug, because—and I will say this only to you—I might need one.”
Blackwell needs a hug? What does that even mean?
“What’s the matter?” I asked her as I crossed the room and gave her a hug. “Something’s wrong. I sensed it at breakfast.”
“Why don’t we sit down on the bed? I think I need to have a good chat with someone whose opinion I hold in high esteem, and that would be yours.”
“You can share anything with me,” I said as I sat down beside her. “You know that I’m a vault.”
“In fact, I do know that. You’re one of the most trustworthy and honorable people I know, especially when it comes to how you treat your friends. I’m fortunate to be among them.”
“Why do you look so upset?”
“I think that I might be getting a little too old for this,” she said. “I think I might have come to the point where I’m too cynical to enjoy any of it.”
“What are you referring to?”
“Marcus,” she said. “What he’s seeking—or what he appears to be seeking. Is this just a weekend flirtation? Or is it something more substantial than that? I certainly don’t know, and not knowing has rattled me. I don’t know what to do with him. I’m conflicted, which I never am. You know me—always so confident. Always so certain. But I can tell you right now, that’s not the person I am tonight.”
I placed my hand over hers, and could feel the vulnerability coming off her in waves. I’d never seen her like this before. What on earth was she going through? “Talk to me,” I said.
She did—and when she did, she opened up her heart to me.
“I’ve already had my chance at love, Jennifer,” she said. “It was with Charles—he was my first and only, you know? And we were married for over twenty years. I thought that we’d be together forever, but look at how well that turned out—him cheating on me with the very woman he’s married to now. And her name is Rita, for God’s sake. Just imagine that—Charles going for a woman named Rita! And why did he do so? I know why. First, he obviously was tired of being with me. Second, she’s a good ten years younger than I am, so what am I to make of that? That my shelf life is up at this point? Let’s just be honest here—it might be up. I am, after all, in my mid-fifties. And how often does a woman in her mid-fifties find love?”
“All the time.”
“Not for somebody with my standards, they don’t. And don’t ask me to lower them.”
“I never would.”
“What Charles did to me might have happened two years ago, but I’m here to tell you that it still stings. It still hurts. The deceit still lingers in ways that I should have shaken off a good year ago, but as much as I try to do so, I can’t. At least not completely. I hate how he hurt not only me, but also our two daughters. I despise him for that. And yet somehow, throughout our marriage and right up to the very end when all of his lies were revealed, I trusted him with all of my heart. So tell me this—how am I to trust anyone again after what that sonofabitch did to me? I’m not sure that I can. And yet Marcus is bound and determined to come here again tonight to see me. I’ve tried my best not to lead him on, but that’s been nothing short of an unmitigated failure, because I admit it—I do find him attractive. He’s bright, he’s funny, he’s good looking, and he’s interesting.” She sighed. “I’m at a loss.”
“What you need to become is the person you were before Charles,” I said.
“I don’t even know who that woman was at this point. We all change with age—I certainly have. All of us are altered by our experiences, our triumphs, and our challenges, and by the accumulation of our disappointments. Charles gutted me. What if another man does the same thing to me, whether it’s Marcus or somebody else? How am I going to get through that? What I’m facing tonight really has nothing to do with Marcus—he’s a lovely man. And I sense that he could be a good man. But what if I’m wrong and he isn’t? What if it’s all smoke and mirrors when it comes to him? What I’m facing tonight has to do with trusting someone again. Allowing someone in beyond the fortress I’ve built around myself over these past two years. You and Alex and my daughters are perhaps the only people in my life who know who I really am as a person. Many rightfully see me as a full-on bitch known and feared as the façade that is ‘Blackwell’. And I take full responsibility for that. But those closest to me know that there’s another side to me, and it’s that side that was blindsided the moment I met Marcus. It’s not fair for me to play along with him if I’m feeling like this. So, when he arrives tonight, I’ve decided to just shut down whatever has been brewing between us once and for all. For his sake—and also for my own.”
“Are you sure? Barbara, it’s so clear to all of us that you two have a connection. And you must know that something like that just doesn’t come around very often. Are you sure that you want to throw that away just because you’re scared that he might hurt you?”
“I see no need to go through being hurt again.”
“Who’s to say he will hurt you? And how do you even know if anything will come of this? You’ve only known each other for three days—how much weight can either of you put on that? Both of you are in the midst of a try-out phase, so just listen to me. You yourself have said that he’s a bright, funny, good-looking, and interesting man. Isn’t that worth exploring? Don’t you deserve to at least see where this goes? It might go nowhere—and fine, if it doesn’t, both of you will know sooner rather than later, and you’ll just move on with no hard feelings. You’ll just part ways. But what if there is something between you two? How can you possibly deny yourself of that? You’re still a young woman.”
“The hell I am.”
“Fine, you might not be Daniella’s age, but does that mean there isn’t a partner out there for you who is your age? Does one’s love life end at mid-life? I think we both know better. I believe that Marcus has said that he’d been cheated on by his own wife. What kind of scars do you think that left on him? And yet look at him now—making an effort to get back into the game with a woman he finds attractive, funny—and from the looks of what I’ve seen on his face today and last night—stylish, and beautiful. Yes, he’s only known you for a few days, but I can tell you this—the moment I met Alex in that elevator after my disastrous interview with you, it was like lightning struck me. I don’t know how or where it came from, but there was an instant attraction and connection. And then there was the way that he helped me pick up my flyaway resumes. How gallant was that? The rest is history when it comes to Alex and me, but still, consider how we came to be. I didn’t make any of it easy for him at first because I’m nothing if not bull-headed, but eventually I let down my guard—and look at how well that turned out. We’re not only married, but we’re crazy in love with each other. So, why can’t the same happen for you? Why would you ever deny yourself a second chance—especially one that might turn out to be better than what you experienced with Charles?”
“As I said, I’m scared,” she said in a low voice. “Because I think that my time for finding love again has passed.”
And when she said that, I knew that Blackwell had once again just bared her soul to me. She really did believe that her time was up when it came to meeting someone who might eventually come to love her. She was in a dark place right now.
And it was my job to lift her out of it.
“What do you have to lose from getting to know Marcus?” I asked.
“Just getting to know him? Nothing, I suppose.”
“Then how about if you just start there? Do you think that he’s worth the trouble? If not, then I do agree with you—move on. But right now, if we just forget about what Charles did to you and focus on your initial impressions of Marcus, what do you feel inside? When you strip Charles away, do you really believe that you should be finished with Marcus? Or do you think that when all of us are back in Manhattan, that you should see him a few more times, and decide where you go from there? Look, I get that you have every reason to be scared and to feel vulnerable after what you’ve been through, but don’t let your fear of starting over again derail what might be the best thing that has ever happened to you. Because this might be it, Barbara. You’re attracted to him, which is great. What’s better is that your attraction isn’t just physical, but also intellectual. Being open to possibilities doesn’t equate a commitment, wouldn’t you agree?”
“I suppose it doesn’t.”
“How long has Marcus been divorced from his wife?”
“Five years.”
“Then all the better, because none of this can be considered a rebound situation for either of you. That period is long gone. So, how about just proceeding with caution, but also with a fair bit of willingness to be open to him and to give him a chance? Because while you might not believe it, Barbara, you do deserve a second chance. You deserve to have a partner in your life, to have someone to go home to and to grow old with. If Marcus turns out not to be the one, then fine—onward you go. But if he is the one, think about the implications. You will be able to enjoy an entirely new life. My suggestion is that you let go of Charles and every rotten thing he ever did to you, and move forward. The past is the past, and you’re facing a potentially exciting new present. It’s time for you to tend to yourself and your own happiness. Screw Charles, because Marcus might be the one who leads you to a happier future.”
“He is rather something,” she said as she squeezed my hand.
“Then see what comes of it,” I said. “If it’s nothing, move on. And even if it does come to that, then your takeaway is this—you’ve still triumphed because at least you can say to yourself that you did give it an effort and that you are open to more opportunities when and if they should come.”
“As if they’ll come,” she said.
I kissed her on the cheek. “They will if you allow them to. But why not start with Marcus first? It’s only been three days—what harm can come from getting to know him better? It’s not as if you’re completely invested in him at this point. You’ve both just started this journey of yours.”
“I will say this,” she said. “He’s going to have to pursue me—it sure as hell isn’t going to be the other way around. I come from a completely different generation than you do, Jennifer. I will not chase after him. If he wants to spend time with me, then he’s going to have to work for it. And when I say that, I don’t mean that he’s going to have to work hard. I just mean that he’s going to have to engage me as the gentleman he’s already revealed himself to be. I’m old-fashioned when it comes to those sorts of things. If he wants to be with me, then he’s going to have to show me that he wants to be with me.”
“Fair enough. And since he’s around your age, I’d actually expect that from him.”
“I’ll demand it.”
“But hasn’t he already done so?” I asked. “I mean, come on—you haven’t been pursuing him at all since we’ve been here. Instead, he’s been pursuing you.”
She looked thoughtful for a moment when I said that, and then she just shrugged. “I guess he has been.”
“Men,” I said as I leaned back on the bed. “And relationships. Why do so many of us have to deal with the kind of insecurities that surround both, no matter how strong we think we are as women?”
“Good question.”
“Well, here’s your answer—it’s because we’re human. And you’re human, Barbara. Follow your heart tonight. Be spontaneous. Take risks. Become alive again. If he surprises you, surprise him right back. Breakfast was a bit stiff between you two this morning, but you can fix that now. All of what happens next is up to you, because I can tell you that he’s already there, ready and waiting. So, what do you want? Have a think about that before we go downstairs. In the meantime, I’m going to haul my fat ass off this bed and give you a hug and a kiss, and tell you that I love you. So, come on—that’s right. Get up off the bed and give me a hug and a couple of air kisses. I might call you my surrogate womb in jest, but you truly are the mother I never had. And I do love you, Barbara. I only want the best for you.”
“You were wonderful just now, you know?”
“I only spoke from my heart.”
At that point, the time occurred to me, and I looked down at my watch. “It’s late,” I said. “Marcus might already be here at this point. Are you ready to do this?”
“First, I need to check myself in a mirror, because my eyes might have become a bit bright during certain parts of our conversation.”
“Take your time.”
When she emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, I saw the Blackwell that I knew and loved—strong and confident, and with a sparkle of mischief in her eyes.
“All right,” she said. “Let’s do this, because you’re right. I became nearly paralyzed because I was overthinking all of this. So, thank you for talking me off the cliff, my dear girl. You’re wise beyond your years, which is one of the things that I’ve always admired about you. So, game on. Let’s see what comes of this.”
“Give me your hand,” I said.
“Why? So you can give me the flu? An STD? Rickets?”
Oh, she’s so back now...
“Just give it to me.”
She gave it to me.
“We’re going to enter that room together,” I said. “And don’t think for one single moment that I won’t ever have your back.”
* * *
IT WAS TEN MINUTES past seven when we entered the living room, and while there was no sign of Marcus, Justin was just coming through the front door and moving into the vestibule. Because the snow was still falling heavily outside, his black overcoat was covered in snow, which Alex brushed off him as Alexa stepped forward to greet him.
“You made it,” she said.
“I know that you’re leaving tomorrow, and no amount of snow was about to keep me from seeing you again.” He stopped for a moment and looked at her in her red evening dress. “You look beautiful, Alexa. That’s some dress.”
“Thank you,” she said. “And you look very handsome, Justin.”
Alex helped him out of his coat.
“Thank you, Mr. Wenn,” he said.
“Remember, it’s Alex.”
When Justin shrugged off his coat, Alex swept it away—and then it was just he and Alexa standing in the vestibule.
“How was your day on the slopes?” she asked.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Sure...”
“As embarrassing as this is going to sound, I was consumed by thoughts of you, I was more than a bit distracted. Generally, I’m an excellent skier, but today, I fell so often, my buddies thought I was drunk.”
“I’m in love with him already,” I heard Daniella—who was standing to my right—say softly. Cutter was standing next to her in a black suit with a cobalt-blue tie that matched the color of his eyes—and his hand was pressed against the small of her back, which suggested to me that whatever was happening between those two was only moving forward.
“You look cold,” Alexa said to Justin. “Come inside. We have a fire roaring in the living room. It’s warmer in here.”
“Not just yet,” he said. “Because I’m not sure if you know this, but hanging right above you is mistletoe. So, you know, that’s not only a tradition I need to follow through with, but let’s just say that it’s another way for me to warm up.”
When he said that, he leaned forward and gave Alexa a chaste kiss on the lips that was so sensitive and delicate, my heart reached out for each of them—especially for Alexa. She needed something like this, especially after having all of Daniella’s repeated conquests rammed down her throat for years.
“Sorry,” he said when they parted.
“Don’t be,” she said.
“I hope I wasn’t too forward,” he said. “I couldn’t help myself.” He looked around at all of us. “I promise that I meant no disrespect. I just think that Alexa is extraordinary. And since today might be my last day with her, I wanted to seal it with a kiss. I owe that to whomever hung the mistletoe.”
“Well, you are studying medicine at NYU,” Blackwell said. “And since Alexa is fresh out of college and is now living in the city with me, certainly you two can see one another again. Soon, Alexa plans to find an apartment of her own because she’s interested in working at Wenn Environmental. And from what I hear, Wenn Environmental is interested in working with her. So, I have a feeling that this won’t be the last time that you see my daughter. And I have to say that I approve of the gesture, Justin, because doing that took guts, especially since you were doing so in front of her mother. And by the way, just look at you—dressed in a Burberry suit for the evening. And so clean-cut. I’m very happy that you’re here.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Blackwell.”
“It’s Barbara.”
“Well, then thank you, Barbara.”
“Now kiss my daughter again,” Blackwell said. “Because schedules are difficult—and neither of you know when you’ll even see each other again.”
“Seriously?” Justin said.
“Go for it,” Alexa said.
“Yes, go for it,” Daniella encouraged.
And man, did that boy ever go for it. With one fell swoop, Alexa was properly dipped and kissed. When they finally came up for air and righted themselves, Alexa looked as if she was about to faint.
“Somebody needs to get these two a drink,” Alex said. “STAT!”
* * *
“WHY ISN’T HE HERE YET?” Barbara said to me as one of the servers brought each of us another martini. Christmas dinner was ready to go, and the catering staff had returned to serve it to us—along with pre-dinner drinks. “He’s twenty minutes late, for God’s sake. What could be the hold up?”
“I’m sure that there’s a very good reason,” I said.
“It could have been breakfast,” she said. “I wasn’t exactly at my best.”
“Or it could be the snow. Have you seen how it’s piling up outside? Relax—he’ll be here. And don’t forget that he manages a hedge fund, for God’s sake. There are ridiculous pressures when it comes to tending to something like that. Who knows what might have come up for him today?”
“Well, at the very least, he could have had the decency to call.”
“But I’m not sure that he has any of our numbers. Does he have yours? Because I know that he doesn’t have mine.”
“Do you really think that I’d give out my number so easily?”
“Then there’s your answer. Something must have happened, and because none of us thought of exchanging numbers, he’s clearly unable to reach us. Marcus has been nothing if not a gentleman since we met him. I’m fairly certain that he would have called if he’d had any of our numbers. So, let’s just settle down, mix and enjoy our martinis, and wait for him to come. Because he will come. You’ll see.”
“My stomach is in knots,” she said. “I’m terrified. A part of me doesn’t want him to come.”
“Remember our conversation,” I said.
She took a deep breath and nodded at me. “You’re right. It’s time to move on. It’s time to let someone else in, even if that makes me want to throw up, which you can’t repeat to anyone—ever.”
“You know that I won’t. Whatever you’ve told me about how you’re feeling right now is strictly between us.”
“I’m a wreck.”
“But a beautiful one. Now, take a sip of your martini—liquid courage and all that.”
She did, and then she checked her watch. “We can’t hold up dinner forever. All of you worked so hard on what you’ve provided for us tonight. And heaven knows that nobody wants a dry bird, so we can’t let that happen.”
“The bird in question is swaddled in tinfoil,” I said. “That alone will help it to reabsorb its juices. I’ve got this. I promise you that it won’t be dry.”
“Now you sound like that fat Contessa woman.”
“Yes, and I believe that she’s the one who saved your ass last year?”
“OK, so fine, she did.”
I nodded at her drink. “We’ll give him fifteen more minutes. If he doesn’t show, then we’ll have dinner. So, in the meantime, just take another long, cool sip from your cocktail and enjoy it. Consider it medicine.”
“It is rather therapeutic,” she said.
“You think?” I saw the tension on her face, so I put my arm around her waist and leaned into her. “He’ll be here,” I said close to her ear. “He’s not about to stand my mother up. So, we can either run this into the ground if you want, or we can distract ourselves by going over to say hello to Madison and Brock. We haven’t even spoken to them yet, which is beyond rude.”
“Fine.”
“Hi, good-lookings,” I said as we approached them.
“Jennifer, your necklace and your earrings are amazing,” Madison said. “Holy God! I’ve been admiring them since you and Barbara first entered the room. They’re as beautiful as your dress.”
“Which actually fits her ass,” Blackwell said. “So, let’s all have a moment of silence for that.”
“Thank you, Madison,” I said, overlooking Blackwell’s comment—even though I was happy to hear her being herself again because it meant that she was coming back into herself. “The necklace and the earrings were my over-the-top Christmas gift from Alex. I love them.”
“They’re kind of mesmerizing,” Brock said. “I don’t know much about diamonds, but those look as if they’ve been set on fire. My cousin sure knows how to bring it.”
“That he does,” I said. “But enough about that. Have you two had fun today?”
“We’ve had a terrific day. From the presents to breakfast and to cooking dinner for everyone with Alex and you, it’s been a blast. And now all of us have gathered to eat dinner together. I personally want to thank you and Alex for that, Jennifer,” Brock said. “You’ve made my first Christmas with Madison something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
“Well,” Blackwell said. “Even I have to admit that that was beyond romantic. Because what I heard in your voice is that you clearly did mean that, Brock. So, may you two carry on. You’re a lovely couple.”
“Your suit is amazing, Barbara,” Madison said. “Just look at how well it fits. And the detailing is sublime. It’s so you.”
“And so it is,” she said. “Jennifer outdid herself. And because she did, I have to say that I don’t even miss Chanel right now. I’m delighted to be wearing something new—and something that was made especially for me. Talk about couture,” she said. “I’ve never been blessed with something quite like this.”
“You’re a knockout,” I said.
“I hope that I am,” she said, and in her voice, I heard the underlying meaning in what she said. She wanted to make an impression on Marcus when he came—if he did come. Where was he? He was nearly thirty minutes late at this point. Soon, I’d have to just throw in the towel and get to Christmas dinner, because I needed to respect all of the work that Alex, Madison, Brock, and I had done today.
I was in a total quandary about when to pull the trigger and was about to conclude that Marcus might not come after all when Daniella said, “Hey! Here comes Marcus!”
Praise Jesus...
She and Cutter were standing next to the wall of windows that overlooked the house’s entrance. She lifted up a hand to wave at him through the windows, and when she did, I took Blackwell’s hand, excused us from Brock and Madison, and quickly spoke to her.
“Do whatever feels natural,” I said. “He’s late for a reason. He’ll tell us what that reason is when he steps inside. He’s no fool—he knows very well that he’s late—and he’ll likely be filled with apologies because of it. So, let him apologize, and if his excuse sounds valid, then immediately let him off the hook for all of it. OK?”
“I’m terrified right now.”
“Why?”
“Because we leave tomorrow. I might not see him again. And I think that I might want to see him again. But what if he doesn’t feel that same? What if this is it? This is why I’ve never put my heart on the line again, Jennifer. At my age, going through this sort of bullshit is hell.”
“He lives in Manhattan. I believe that you also live there. If you want to see him again, then make him want to see you again.”
“And how on earth am I to do that?”
“Just be yourself. Follow through with whatever your gut tells you.”
“And I’ve already told you that my gut wants to throw up.”
“Well, I’d highly recommend that you keep that shit at bay,” I said. “Otherwise, you’ll need a mint, which unfortunately I don’t have on me.”
“He has flowers,” Daniella said. “And the snow is so heavy, it’s pelting him, the poor guy.”
Alex went to the door and opened it. And when he did, Blackwell’s grip on my hand turned into a talon.
“Relax,” I said.
“Impossible.”
“He’s here for you, not for the rest of us. Think about that for a moment. So what if he’s late? Something important must have held him up, and there could be very good reasons for that, which I believe we’ll hear because, as you’ve noted, he is a gentleman and will want to let all of us know why he’s late. What matters is that he showed up. So, you know, let’s go over and greet him without any attitude.”
“Attitude?” she said. “I have no attitude. In fact, I think I’m about to faint.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m about to take your advice and let myself go. That’s terrifying to me.”
“Then turn your terror into electricity,” I said. “Get your spine back. Just be yourself, because that’s clearly the woman he’s attracted to. You’ve been your unreasonable self ever since you met him, and look at how he’s responded to that. He gets a kick out of it. He’s told you that you make him laugh. He’s clearly enchanted by you. Now, go over there and greet him.”
“Oh, holy hell!”
“Hello, Marcus,” Alex said as Marcus walked through the front door and entered the vestibule. “I’m happy that you’re here.”
“I apologize that I’m late,” he said as he shook Alex’s hand. “I would have called, but I didn’t have anyone’s number. And that’s my mistake—it’s on me because I should have asked for Barbara’s number this morning at breakfast, but for whatever reason, it didn’t occur to me. So, I’m sorry for any inconvenience that I might have caused all of you. I know that I’ve held up dinner, and I’m very sorry for that.”
“There’s been no inconvenience,” I said.
“I think that you’re just being kind, Jennifer, but thank you for that,” he said.
“Those are some flowers you’re holding,” I said.
“At breakfast, I asked you what Barbara’s favorite flowers were. You told me that they were white peonies. So I started to call around to see if I could find them, first to the local florist, which was a bust. But since I’m nothing if not determined, I got on the Internet and found a shop in Portland that had them in stock, if you can believe that. It took me a good hour or so to find them, and when I did, I had to convince the owner to open the shop and then I had find a driver who was willing to bring them to me in this weather. That’s why I’m so late. I regret that. But these flowers were important to me, and since I knew they were on the way, I had to wait for them. They were just delivered to me about ten minutes ago. And now I’m here with them.” He looked over at Blackwell. “So I could give them to you,” he said.
I pressed my hand against her back and gently moved her toward him.
“They’re lovely,” she said. “And they are indeed my favorite. Just look at them—it’s like spring again. How did you ever find peonies in December?”
“What matters is that I did.”
“Let me brush the snow off your coat,” Alex said. “You’re covered in it.”
When Alex was finished, he took Marcus’ coat and placed it in the nearby coat closet.
“Thank you,” Marcus said to Alex. “And it’s good to see all of you again. I want to thank all of you for turning what I thought was going to be a lonely holiday into a holiday to remember. I can’t tell you how appreciative I am that you’ve opened your home to me. And to see Barbara again—two times in one day. It’s like a gift. You leave tomorrow, right?”
“We do,” she said.
“Then tonight’s the night,” he said.
“What does that even mean?”
“Look above you,” he said. “I noticed it the moment I stepped inside. Mistletoe.”
“Oh, that,” she said. “Well, just so you know, it’s already been used by my daughter and her new suitor before you arrived, so its magical powers are moot at this point.”
He cocked his head at her. “Are they?”
And with that, Marcus Koch took Blackwell’s hands in his own and pulled her toward him so that he could seal the deal with a kiss full on her lips. And when he did that, the room gasped, because nobody was expecting him to go there so quickly—or for her to allow him to.
But she did—and I was so proud of her that I started to tear up. She could have pulled away if she’d wanted to, but she didn’t. Instead, she threw caution to the wind—just as I’d suggested—and gave herself over to him in ways that looked searing. When those two kissed—they kissed.
“Well,” she said when their lips parted. “I don’t know what to say, other than that my lipstick is all over your lips and that you might look as if you’re in drag. So, here, let me clean that up for you, because you can’t go on looking like that tonight. At this point, you’ll get lipstick on the turkey.”
“Yes I can,” he said. “Because maybe I like your lips on mine.”
And when he said that, he went in for the kill again, but this time his kiss was deeper and more passionate than the one that had preceded it.
With his arm wrapped around Blackwell’s waist, he pulled her in so close to him that he was able to plant the kind of kiss on her that shook the room into silence. When he released himself from her, I watched as they searched each other’s eyes, and then I looked at Daniella and Alexa to see their reactions, which I knew would be important to Blackwell.
And I was relieved when I did so.
Daniella’s head was resting against Cutter’s chest, her eyes were bright with tears, her lips were trembling—and Cutter was there for her. His right arm was strong around her waist and he was holding her steady as she tried to take all of this in.
As for Alexa, she was standing in front of Justin, who knew nothing about the magnitude that was unfolding between Blackwell and Marcus right now, but he nevertheless was sensitive enough to support Alexa with a hand on her shoulder when she welled up and suddenly put her face in her hands.
“Oh, my God,” Daniella said.
“Right?” Alexa said, her own eyes wet with tears.
“Is this even happening?”
“I think it is. Mom so deserves this.”
“Totes to the real!”
“Well,” Blackwell said as she pulled away from Marcus and lifted his hair away from his forehead. “Apparently, we’ve just caused something of a stink.”
“It would seem that way,” he said. “And under the fragrant mistletoe, no less. Who saw that coming?”
She placed the palm of her hand against the side of his cheek, looked into his eyes, and said, “Let’s just say that I’m happy that it did.”
She turned to look at all of us. And when she did, I could see by the light in her eyes that she’d succeeded in shedding all of her fear, and that she was now willing to give herself the second chance she hadn’t thought she deserved. Would something substantial come from this? Who knew?
What mattered most was that Blackwell had made a conscious decision to toss aside her fears about being a divorced woman in her mid-fifties who, in her mind, might not be worthy of finding love again. To me, that sounded ridiculous, but to her, it was so real, it had nearly been paralyzing.
And yet she’d done it.
She’d listened to me, she’d taken my advice, she’d buckled down, and she’d kissed Marcus not just once, but twice—and in front of all of us, no less. That alone told me that she was ready to move forward with her life, and perhaps to find the right man to spend the rest of her life with.
Hopefully, Marcus would be that man. But if he wasn’t, I knew from Blackwell’s actions alone that she was at last free from Charles and his deceit, and that she was ready to move forward when the right man came along.
If he hadn’t already.
# # #
