Page 72 of A Love Like Christmas Time
“We’re going back home,” she grins at me wildly. “We should celebrate.”
“I’ll celebrate once I’ve told our boyfriends when we’ll get home.” I grin and reach for my phone.
“Our boyfriends,” Nic teases, and the two of us burst into giggles. “You need to tell me everything.”
“There’s not much to tell,” I admit, my cheeks flushing. “Do you remember how you said the love you have for Henry is like pumpkin spice?” She nods, her face softening as our conversation replays in her head.
“Yeah,” she whispers. “Yeah, I do. What does yours feel like?”
“Like Christmastime.” I sigh and take another sip of my gingerbread latte. “Being with him is so…” I struggle to find words, but Nic waits patiently. “When he’s next to me, I’m filled with the same joy as when I decorate my house for Christmas. Deep-seated happiness that is engraved into my soul. When he hugs me, it feels like cozying up in front of a fire with a hot chocolate after spending the day in the snow.”
When Nic glances at me, her eyes are glistening. “That sounds wonderful,” she whispers and reaches for my hand. “I’m thrilled for you, Lauren.”
“And I’m so happy for you.” Emotions well up in my throat. After all that she’s been through, Nic deserves a guy as wonderful as Henry, who loves her wholeheartedly and is not afraid to show it.
Slowly but surely, I’m starting to believe that I deserve that, too.
It’s dark by the time I pull into my driveway. The sun has set, but heavy dark gray clouds have already been hiding the sky all afternoon, announcing the storm. Thick snowflakes are already falling, and I’m glad we made it back before it really hits.
I’ve dropped Nic off at her home, and now finally, my own house comes into sight, a beacon of light against the gray world.
Fuck. Emotions form a knot in my throat, and tears sting in my eyes. I can’t fucking wait to get out of the car and finally be back home.
As soon as the car stops, I tear the key from the ignition and jump out of it to all but run to my front door.
I’ve missed Taytay and Jenna so much. Even though I’ve only had them for a few weeks now, they’ve wormed their way into my heart, and I can’t imagine my life without them.
If I don’t wake up to one of them either farting in my face, slapping me with their cute little paws or meowing loudly in my ear, I feel like the day is already off to a wrong start.
With my bare hand trembling from the cold, I turn the key in my lock. As soon as the first ‘click’ resounds, I hear their muffled meows from the other side of the door. Letting out a shaky breath that turns white in the freezing air, I force myself to take a deep breath and get a check on my emotions.
Deep breaths, Lauren. Everything is fine. You’re back home.
I blink away the tears welling in my eyes, pull the door open, step inside quickly, and close it behind me.
“There are my babies,” I coo, and let myself fall to my knees. The two of them come running to me immediately, bumping their heads against my thighs and meowing their complaints at me loudly, as if they’re trying to say, ‘How dare you leave us with that crazy person.’
“I know, I know,” I whisper and scoop them up, kissing their adorable little heads. “It won’t happen again, I promise.”
Without letting them go, I toe out of my shoes and kick them aside, keeping my jacket on as I trudge to my living room and sit down on the couch for a quick little cuddle session. The boxes in my car can wait until after the storm if need be.
Suddenly, I hear the unmistakable sound of a car pulling up in my driveway.
“Huh?” My eyebrows furrow, and I set the two kittens on the couch, much to their protests. “I’ll be right back,” I assure them, but they follow me to my front door nonetheless, making sure I won’t leave them again.
Suddenly there’s a loud knock on my door that carries through my whole house. I fly down the hallway, my heart pounding loudly, drowning out any other sounds.
I pull the door open. It’s Caleb.
“Hi,” he says awkwardly. He’s got a scarf pulled up to his nose and is completely covered in snow. I didn’t realize how much worse the snowfall had gotten over just the past few minutes.
“You told me you were coming back, and Henry mentioned Nic being back,” he rambles, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. “I had to close the café anyway with the storm, and I really wanted to see you.”
Before he can continue or even step inside, I burst into tears.
Chapter 28
Lauren
