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I KNEW BRAD HAD HIS big meeting with Mr. Pierce on Friday night. We had been working toward it for weeks, and when we parted ways the night before, I knew he was focused on the upcoming battle.
We arranged to meet afterward, but I wasn’t sure where. As Brad’s assistant, I had access to his schedule. I located the office of Mr. Pierce’s legal team and did an Internet search for bars in the general vicinity. There was one that looked promising, an Irish pub.
Waking up on Friday, I spent the morning worrying a track in the middle of my apartment. I couldn’t eat or drink anything but coffee. I couldn’t focus on any task for more than a few minutes at a time. I went downstairs and out the front door to take a walk. It was cold, and I bundled up.
It was a school day, so I passed groups of kids waiting for the bus. They laughed and chased each other around, out into the street and back onto the sidewalk. I looked around for any parents who might be watching them but didn’t see anyone.
“Stay out of the street,” I told them, assuming the role of the only grownup in the area.
“Sorry,” they said, gathering on the curb for a moment before falling back into their game.
I walked on, not wanting to be creepy. It was one thing to participate in the “takes a village” idiom, it was another thing to take a deeper interest in the activities of kids I didn’t know. I circled the apartment building, and by the time I returned, they were gone.
Checking my watch, I saw that there were still two hours until Brad’s meeting. I texted him to wish him luck and to ask if he wanted to meet up after.
Sure, he responded quickly.
I sent him the address of the pub, along with a little side note. I haven’t been there to check it out. Could be good, could be bad.
It’ll be great, he wrote, leaving off the most important part: We would be together.
By the time the pub opened, I was outside waiting. I couldn’t sit at home anymore, and at least the pub was a public place where I couldn’t pace like a maniac. I went inside and was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance. Everything was dark walnut with high-backed chairs surrounding elevated tables. There were a couple televisions scattered around, but nothing too intrusive.
The place was decorated for Christmas, with tasteful red and green lights strung up around the mirrors behind the bar. A Christmas tree sat beside a stone and brick fireplace that was designed to look like it was old. There were stockings tacked to the mantle, and between the fireplace and the tree, a tea table held a platter of freshly baked cookies.
There was practically no one else in the place, though I was followed in by a handful of people I could only assume were regulars. They all took up residence at the bar, where a handsome young man poured drinks to get them started.
I grabbed a seat at one of the tables, reaching for the drink menu. After a moment, a waitress came around, and I ordered an eggnog. I wasn’t trying to get drunk, but I needed something to calm my nerves. That and I didn’t want to look like a parasite, taking up space in their restaurant without paying for it.
I didn’t have to wait long because by the time I was halfway through with the drink, the door opened and Brad walked through. I leapt to my feet, ridiculously happy to see him even though we had only been apart for a matter of hours. It was half the monumental meeting he had just been through, and half the fact that I really did miss him.
He spotted me without any trouble, closing the distance between us with energetic steps. Our bodies collided, the pressure sending ripples of warmth outward from my heart. He bent to kiss me, sliding one hand around the small of my back to hold me in place.
I floated my arms up to circle his neck, even raising one foot off the ground in a mock Christmas rom-com pose. Across the bar, I thought I could hear the waitress sigh. I didn’t even have to ask him how it went. I could tell by his mood and by the electricity in his kiss. He won.
We came apart but hovered so closely together that our noses nearly touched. His presence was like a soothing balm to my sunburned heart. We had been through so much together and had finally emerged on the other side, wounded but alive. No matter what life threw at us, I knew that we could weather it together.
“I take it you won,” I said.
“Spectacularly,” he responded, kissing my nose.
“Can I make a Christmas wish?” I asked.
“Of course,” he answered, finally looking up to appreciate the decorations in the tiny pub.
“I wish for us,” I said, guiding his eyes back to mine with a patient smile.
He matched my enthusiasm but with a hint of confusion that encouraged me to elaborate.
“I think it’s time we had ‘the talk,’” I explained.
“Oh,” he responded, releasing me from our embrace and taking a seat opposite mine.
I climbed back up onto the tall chair to sit opposite him, reaching across to take him by the hand. “I know you’re worried about my ability to handle the next crisis. And I will admit that I didn’t do so well when I was facing Nikki’s lawsuit. But I learned a lot from the experience.”
He opened his mouth as if he was about to speak, but I cut him off.
“I learned that it wasn’t really as terrifying as I thought it would be. I survived it, and you survived yours, and together, we survived the case against Mr. Pierce.”
“I would say we did better than surviving it,” Brad commented.
“My point is,” I continued, “I’m stronger now, and I have a better understanding of the world you live in. If you’re still interested in a long-term relationship...” I trailed off, suddenly hoping that I had judged correctly. If he wasn’t interested, I was going to feel awful, and I set myself up for the crash of the century.
“I know we’ve been putting off this conversation,” he said, leaning forward. I wished that he would put me out of my misery, but there were a few things he seemed to want to say first. “And for good reason. I’m not sure we could have come so far if we tried to iron everything out at the beginning.” He narrowed his eyes at me, suddenly realizing that I was holding my breath. “Yes. I’m interested in a long-term relationship.”
I exhaled stoutly, nearly choking in my relief. He patted me on the back in a parody of the Heimlich maneuver. I felt my eyes water, though not because of any foreign object lodged in my esophagus. I was overwhelmed with emotion, and that split second when I wasn’t sure if he would say yes had done a number on my psyche.
“I love you, Teddy,” Brad continued after assuring himself that I was okay. “I think I’ll always love you. And as long as you’re okay with letting me help you, I’d love to see how far we can take this.”
I couldn’t contain myself. Hopping down off the chair, I ran to his side of the table and threw my arms around him. It was pure joy, white hot and burning. In the space of a single afternoon, all the pieces of my life fell into place. I wasn’t going to be a spinster forever. I could have my own family, my own children, and my own little slice of heaven. Brad was the perfect Christmas gift, and I didn’t need anything more.
“Speaking of Christmas,” I said, pulling out of the hug.
“Were we speaking of Christmas?” he asked, confused.
“Yes,” I assured him. “What are we doing for Christmas?”
“Well, I was thinking I’d like to unwrap my present.” His eyes were glowing with that secret pleasure that I knew only too well. He touched my hair, sweeping it back behind my shoulder to make it clear exactly what he was talking about.
“We could spend Christmas morning alone together,” I suggested, telling my heart to calm its flutter. “But afterward, we each have families that want to see us.”
“Of course,” he responded with a sigh. Apparently visiting his parents wasn’t nearly as interesting. “My family is getting together around two for Christmas dinner.”
“Okay,” I agreed. “And we can impose on Corey for Christmas Eve.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Brad held his hand up to the waitress. “Since we’re here.”
“Sure,” I agreed, walking back to my seat. I still had half a daiquiri to drink and nowhere I had to be.
“What can I get for you?” the waitress asked.
“Two fingers of scotch,” Brad answered.
“Right away,” she chirped, turning to give Brad’s order to the bartender.
“I have a Christmas gift for you.” I leaned over the table, as if that kind of intel were the secret variety.
“Oh really?” he asked.
“Yeah, I think you’re really going to like it.”
“I have one for you too,” he confided. “And I know you’re going to like mine.”
I laughed, unable to tell if he was talking about sex. Knowing him, it was probably a little bit of both. Maybe some expensive jewelry and also a dip in the hot tub. I wouldn’t put it past him. All jokes about unwrapping me aside, I actually had plans for a special evening, and I was looking forward to seeing his reaction.
