Blake had plenty of other chances to kiss me over the next week as we planned Taylor and Weston’s party. Their wedding in Kauai was set for Valentine’s Day, so we didn’t have a lot of time to get the invites out. Plus, Blake was leaving for two weeks, which meant two days before Christmas, when I should have been finishing my shopping, we were sitting in my TV room trying to nail down party details before he left.
At least, one of us was trying. Blake’s ideas went as far as suggesting we have the party. Beyond that, he wasn’t very . . . how should I say it? Detail-oriented.
“We still need to choose the invites.” I took my laptop off the coffee table and opened it, clicking on the website I’d been looking at earlier.
“I’m no good at that sort of thing. I’ll leave the foofy stuff to you.” He stood and stretched. “I’d better get back to Weston’s and pack.”
“Foofy?” I raised my eyebrows. “And why haven’t you packed yet? Your plane leaves in . . .” I checked the time on my computer. “Four hours?! You’d better get on it!”
“It’s just throwing clothes into a bag. It’ll take about a minute.”
I set my laptop beside me and followed him to the door, where he stopped with his hand on the knob. He faced me and opened his mouth, shut it, then opened it again, clutching the doorknob with the same intensity of a surfer riding out a choppy wave.
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” he said finally. “Or tell you . . . or, I don’t know . . .” He opened the door and stepped outside and then looked back at me. “You probably already have an idea of what it is, so maybe I’ll wait till I get back.”
“Okay . . . ?” I had no idea what he wanted to say to me, but he’d brought back to mind all the questions I’d had the night of Parker’s party. Was Blake into me? Did he want to kiss me?
He stepped back inside, and I thought maybe I’d get a definitive answer when he wrapped me in a bear hug, but it fell somewhere between awkward and awesome and only increased my confusion. He released me then grasped my forearms. “I’ll see you soon.”
I thought maybe a kiss was coming, but no. He let go and jogged to his car, yelling, “Merry Christmas!” and waving before he pulled away from the curb. I tried to work up some disappointment that, once again, he hadn’t kissed me, but within half an hour I was back to planning Taylor’s party and had forgotten all about him.
The following day Caroline and Preston arrived from Arizona, where they'd spent a few days with his parents, and Parker came over for Christmas Eve. Between my shop and planning two parties, I’d barely spoken to Caroline over the past week and I hadn’t seen or heard from Parker at all. In fact, I’d been so busy I could hardly keep my eyes open after we finished dinner.
We had a family tradition of watching Scrooged on Christmas Eve—Daddy preferred funny over sentimental and Bill Murray over Jimmy Stewart—so I put on my Christmas pj’s—another family tradition—and curled up on the sofa to watch. Parker sat next to me, wearing the matching Christmas pj’s Caroline had bought him and Preston and insisted, amid much protest, they wear.
“Tired?” he asked.
I nodded and forced my eyes back open. “I was slammed at work this week, and every spare minute I’ve had I spent with Blake trying to plan this luau.”
I closed my eyes again, hoping he wouldn’t ask about Hailey. Part of the reason I was so busy at work is because she hadn’t shown up the past two days. Xander had a cold and she didn’t want to take him outside even though I said I didn’t mind her bringing him in.
In the end it may have been better that she hadn’t come in. Having twice the work to do on my own was almost easier than having to fix her mistakes. It was definitely cheaper since I didn’t have to throw out any ruined flowers. Hailey had been working for me for six months but still didn’t have the hang of flower arranging or even managing orders while I was gone. I hoped she’d pick things up soon. I had more orders coming in every day, and I really needed someone who could run the shop while I was gone over Valentine’s Day for Taylor’s wedding, or I’d have to hire a contract florist.
I realized my thoughts had drifted to Hailey, and Parker hadn’t said anything, so I opened my eyes again. He was staring at me with a look I couldn’t figure out.
“Sounds busy,” he said and shifted away from me.
The tightness in his jaw and my own exhaustion kept me from asking what was wrong. Obviously it was something I’d done, but I didn’t have the energy to pull from him what it was. Instead I focused on the movie while my eyelids drifted shut. I forced them open again and again until I couldn’t fight the heaviness anymore.
I woke up hours later to Parker covering me with a blanket.
“What time is it?” I mumbled.
“Late,” he whispered. “Everyone else went to bed, but we couldn’t wake you up.”
I took a deep breath and prepared to sit up but snuggled into the fuzzy blanket instead. “I think I’ll sleep here and wait for Santa.”
Parker sniggered and then leaned down and planted a kiss on my forehead. “Merry Christmas, Eliza.”
The smell of bacon and the sound of pans clanging roused me the next morning. I rolled off the couch and stumbled into the kitchen to find Preston making breakfast.
“Where’s Caroline?” I asked.
“Still in bed. She’s not feeling great,” he answered while flipping the bacon. He didn’t seem too concerned, but before I could ask any questions there was a knock at the door and Parker let himself in.
I’d never worried too much about how I looked in front of Parker, but I was suddenly very cognizant of the fact I was in pajamas, had no idea what my hair looked like, and without a doubt had stinky breath. I tried to escape to my bedroom, but there was no way I could get there without passing him.
“Good morning!” he chimed when he saw me.
“Merry Christmas,” I replied and ran my fingers through my hair. They got stuck, which gave me a pretty good idea of the rat’s-nesty condition of my curls. “What’s in the bag?”
“Get dressed, and I’ll show you,” he ordered.
I lifted my chin and drew a bead on him. “What if I don’t want to?” I really wanted to change out of my pj’s and run a comb through my hair, but I also really didn’t want to take orders from him.
He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll probably still show you.”
I took two seconds to consider his reply before saying, “I’ll be right back” and retreating to my room.
I passed Daddy on the way, gave him a hug, and wished him a merry Christmas. I paused outside Caroline’s door and thought about checking on her but decided sleep might be the best thing for her. Then I caught a glimpse of myself in the hallway mirror and decided a shower was definitely the best thing for me.
By the time I showered, put on full makeup, and found something cute to wear—none of which was necessary for a small family gathering—everyone else was at the table eating, including my sister. I hugged her then sat next to Parker. I looked around the table at all the people I loved and had the same feeling I got when a peony was in perfect bloom. I knew it wouldn’t last forever, but I was grateful I got to witness something so beautiful.
“Tell me what’s in the bag now,” I demanded of Parker as I put a Swedish pancake on my plate.
“Presents.” He passed me the lingonberries before I asked for them. “Eat, and then I’ll give you yours.”
I thought about defying him again, but I was too hungry. Plus, I didn’t want to take any chances he’d make me wait to open my gift.
As it was, he did make me wait, even after I gave him my gift. He passed out his presents to Daddy, Preston, and Caroline and let them open theirs first. He gave Daddy a cashmere lap blanket to keep him warm while he watched the sunset then gave Preston and Caroline a Chinese teapot that was mostly for Caroline, but Preston didn’t seem to mind.
Finally he gave me mine. The other presents had been prettier on the outside, but mine was obviously hand-wrapped. The red paper was slightly wrinkled and bulged at the corners where he hadn’t quite got them tight. A wide silver ribbon topped it, not quite a bow but close enough. I held it to my ear and shook it, but he grabbed my hand.
“It may not be in one piece anymore,” he said, so I stopped and tore the bow and paper off to reveal a box with Chinese characters on the outside.
“You brought me something from Hong Kong?”
He answered with a quick nod.
I wasn’t surprised he’d put so much forethought into my gift, especially after I’d seen how spot-on he’d been in choosing his gifts for Daddy and Caroline, but I was still touched.
I took the lid off the box and parted the tissue paper to reveal a vintage lightbulb with flowers painted on it. I pulled it out of the box by the ribbon attached at the top and let it spin in front of my face.
“You got me a Christmas ornament.” The bulb had a white background with delicate red blossoms and bamboo shoots covering it.
“You still collect them, right?” He cleared his throat and picked a piece of lint off his pants.
“I love it!” I jumped up to hang the ornament on the tree, finding the perfect spot right in front. When I sat back down, I wrapped my arms around Parker and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
“I wanted you to have a little piece of Hong Kong since you never made it over while I was there,” he said, holding me a heartbeat longer than he needed to.
I pulled away. “I can still go.”
He cocked his head to the side and considered my words. “I always thought traveling was more of a dream than a reality for you. Like when you were four and wanted to be a woodland fairy when you grew up.”
“And now I play with flowers all day, so I guess maybe I know how to make my dreams come true.” I jutted my chin at him then tucked it away again before he could say anything about my stubbornness.
“You’ve got me there.” A slow, maddening smile spread across his face. But there was something different about it. It lacked his usual big-brother arrogance, and it did something to me that his smile had never done before. It gave me the same feeling I got riding a wave all the way in. A combination of anxiety and excitement with a sprinkle of pure contentment thrown in.
“I know I do.” I put my chin out again and moved back to the arm of Daddy’s chair.
“When you’re ready to go, let me know,” Parker said, his voice a white flag. “I’ll tell you all the places you have to see.”
I was ready to go now, but I didn’t want Parker to tell me what places to see. I wanted him to show me. I wanted him to show me all the places I hadn’t been. My world had always felt like a cozy blanket on a cold day, and I’d never wanted to leave. Now it was suffocating me. All I wanted to do was get out from under it. I wanted to see the shores of a different ocean, meet people who didn’t know who I was, eat foods I’d never tried, do things I’d never done. And, suddenly, Parker seemed like the perfect person to go with me.
“You should go on a trip.” Daddy patted my back. “I’d be okay without you. I’d worry, but I’d be okay. You shouldn’t waste your whole youth taking care of an old man. I’m sure Caroline could do it for a few weeks while you see the world.”
Daddy had never said anything like that before. I looked down at him. It’s like he sensed my sudden claustrophobia, which left me feeling both grateful and guilty.
“Really?”
Before he could do more than nod, a heaving sound came from the other side of the room. I turned my head toward my sister just as she jumped off the couch with her hand over her mouth and ran to the bathroom. Seconds later the sounds of retching filled the air.
Preston stood and then took his time walking toward the sound of his wife’s vomiting. “Are you okay, Hon?” he yelled down the hall. Caroline answered him with more retching.
“Should I go check on her?” I asked Parker.
“I don’t know. Do you want to check on her?”
I shook my head as the sounds of barfing filled the air, followed by groans.
Ten minutes passed, and Preston came back into the room, supporting Caroline around her waist.
“Taking care of Daddy may be a little rough over the next few months,” she mumbled but with a smile. “And after that I’ll have someone else to take care of.”
I was running to her before she even got the words “I’m pregnant” out of her mouth. I threw my arms around her neck and rocked back and forth, finally letting go when she threatened to puke again if I didn’t stop trying to make her seasick.
Parker hugged Preston then Caroline, and Daddy sat in his chair clapping.
“Did you hear that?” I said to Parker. “We’re going to have a nephew!”
“Or a niece. It could be a girl.” He moved close like he was going to hug me.
“It’s a boy. I can tell already,” I said, hiding my disappointment when he didn’t follow through on his hug. There was also the disappointment of my trip. That wasn’t going to happen now.
But I was going to be an aunt, and Parker was going to be an uncle. We would be even more connected with a baby to spoil with love. I smiled at him and then directed my gaze at my ornament. He’d given us all perfect gifts, and I couldn’t imagine a Christmas without him. He knew us so well. Knew us and loved us. It would be a hard day if Parker got married and couldn’t spend as much time with Daddy and me.
I pushed that thought out of my head before it could ruin my perfect Christmas Day, but it was still there, waiting for the right time to shake up my perfect world.