Page 54 of Pretend You're Mine
Just what we were going to and just what this all meant came crashing down on me in the same time.
Naomi squeezed my bicep gently. “Xander?”
“It’s fine,” I quipped dryly, “Just don’t ask me to look at you for any length of time.”
She raised an eyebrow as she let her finger trail down her side under her coat. “What? This old thing?” she said with mock sexiness, batting her eye lashes at me.
“Good to see you in better spirits,” I commented.
“All part of the show, baby.” She put on a grin that would have fooled me if it weren’t for her eyes.
“Hey.” I caught her hand. “Don’t do that.”
Still that smile was lingering like an unwanted friend. “Do what?”
“Can’t we just be us?” I said.
And just like that, the first real twinge in her eyes showed. “Let’s just get through today, and then we’ll see.”
And then we’ll see… looked like that was the best I was going to be getting out of her. In any case, she was in better spirits. As we drove there, Naomi and I ooh’d and ah’d over the Christmas lights on the city buildings, big and small, as well as the odd horse-drawn carriage we saw clopping by.
“You have to admit,” I said, “LA does Christmas well.”
“L.A does Christmas well,” Naomi allowed.
“You should see my family’s party though. They go all out. And by an all-out, I mean….”
“Don’t tell me,” Naomi said. “I want it to be a surprise.”
“You and your surprises,” I said.
She turned to me with an incredulous grin. “No, you and your surprises. You’re the one who’s made every other date a surprise somehow.”
“You like them.”
She turned to face the window. “Maybe.”
Outside, a light rain had started up, as if the weather was trying to do a sad imitation of snow.
“Don’t worry,” I said as I pulled into the front of the hotel it was at. “I’ve an umbrella in the glove compartment.”
And so, with Naomi on my arm and my umbrella in hand, I conveyed us into the Ritz-Carlton.
The lobby was basically what you’d see if you opened the dictionary and went to the Christmas page. Wreaths coated every railing that could hold them, holly garlands everywhere else. Everything had a certain sheen to it; even the concierge behind the front desk.
“How may I help you?” she said in a no-nonsense tone.
“My family has one of your banquet halls booked. The Schmidts,” I said, and she nodded.
She consulted a list, then swept her hand to the left. “Right that way, third door on the right.”
As much as I’d steeled myself for what to expect, I still was in no way prepared for what greeted me inside.
It wasn’t just a Christmas fiesta, as my family had called it; it was Christmas madness. Fake snow floated everywhere, while metallic gold and silver bows and paper glazed most of the room. Towering in the middle of it all was a tree so hulking, there’d be casualties if it fell over. And then flitting by, every which way, were bow-tied servers with trays laden with food. Set up on a banquet table there was even more – duck, goose, apple and sausage stuffing, traditional Christmas Stollen.
“I’m getting full just looking at it all,” Naomi commented.
I was about to respond when I saw Aunt Edna headed determinedly our way.
“Let’s go this way,” I told Naomi, tugging her along.
I didn’t want anyone saying anything before I made the speech. That was when I wanted Naomi to find out.
Although, as I headed to the dessert table, which had previously looked mostly unattended, I saw the last person I wanted to – my dad.
“Xander,” Naomi said exasperatedly as I pulled her away, yet again.
She made as though to break free, but my grip didn’t budge. “Just trust me, okay? I’m getting us some wine and then I want to make a toast. I’ve been blackmailed into it, basically.”
That much was true, although I didn’t mention that, although there’d been mutual agreement on the brief bit I was going to say, I’d added in my own part.
So, I got us some wine, sat Naomi at our table and walked up to the podium.
“Everyone,” I said, expecting just the reaction I got.
With the room booming with the mix of the band playing Christmas tunes and my family’s loud voice talking, my voice was basically inaudible.
Positioning the microphone closer to my lips, I yelled, “Everyone!”
Over the next few seconds, the noise began to die down until it was only a murmur that I was able to comfortably to speak over.
“Welcome to the Schmidt family Christmas party.” I swung an arm around my surroundings. “As you can all see, my family takes Christmas sort of seriously.”
The room rumbled in appreciative laughter at that, although I wasn’t looking at the only person whose laughter I really cared about. I couldn’t look at Naomi, not until I said what I was going to.
