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“Hmm. Okay. Well, I’m here when you want to talk.” With that, he turns on a random, country Christmas station on the radio. We drive in silence, and I send up a brief prayer that he’ll still talk to me after today. Bryce reaches over and takes my hand, lacing our fingers. It’s a small gesture, but I know he’s worried about me. For a moment, it does the job he wants it to do. I feel a brief sense of calm.
We get to my parents’ place, and my stomach is in knots. I feel so sick; my body’s shaking, and I’m doing all I can to keep it together. There was so much coordination and work done to get his gift here today. So many phone calls, and I worked like hell to make sure he didn’t know what was going on behind the scenes.
I get out of the truck and lean against it for a moment. I send my mom a quick text with trembling fingers to let her know we’re here. Bryce walks over to me and puts his hand on my cheek. I lean into it with my eyes closed.
“Are you sure you’re all right? You look a little pale, Kitty Kat.” Bryce’s lips form a thin line, and his brows furrow.
“Yeah, I just need some fresh air for a minute. Stay with me?” I just need my mom to text that they’re ready, and then we can go in. Hopefully, she’s by her phone.
“Of course. I’m not going anywhere.” Bryce tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear and kisses the top of my head.
My phone pings. I look at the message and see her say that everything’s set up.
“All right, let’s go.” I tell him.
He grabs my hand, and we walk up to the front door. I step through the door first and immediately turn around to see his reaction.
Bryce steps over the threshold and looks up at the people standing several feet away. He stops, his mouth drops open, and his eyes become glassy.
“Mom? Dad? How? What?” His voice is shaking, his lips tremble, and a tear slides down his cheek. I know how much he missed his parents, it’s evident by his reaction to seeing them standing in front of him. He walks over to his mom and dad and gives them both hugs and kisses. I see his shoulders shaking and I know he is beyond emotional over this.
He mentioned so many times how he wished he could visit. All that told me was that I needed to get them out here. I thought Christmas would be the best time to do so. My parents were more than happy to help give them a place to stay for a few days. Getting a hold of them was an entirely different story.
“I don’t understand. How are you here?” Bryce is still reeling at the idea of his parents standing in front of him.
His dad turns to him and says, “You should as that young lady there.” He points to me.
Bryce whips around to face me. He takes a few steps towards me and stands in front of me. Without saying a word, he crashes his lips against mine, devouring me. This kiss is full of heat. This kiss is electric, and my body surges from the touch of his lips. He tastes like cinnamon. My heartbeat’s racing, and my body’s on fire.
When he finally pulls away, he places his forehead on mine and looks directly into my eyes. “Thank you. Thank you so much for giving me this.” He’s crying. I reach up and wipe his tears like he does for me all the time. His arms circle around me, giving me all of him at that moment.
When we pull apart, we turn to find everyone staring at us. My mom has her hands clasped by her face with a huge grin stretching from ear to ear. My dad smiles and nods at the both of us. His mom is wiping her own tears off her face, and his dad smiles as he wraps an arm around his wife. Everyone seems to have enjoyed that moment along with Bryce and me. Bryce clears his throat, and his embarrassment is made clear by the redness creeping up his neck.
“Come here, dear.” His mom holds her hands out to me. I walk over and embrace her. “Thank you for this. You have no idea how much it means to be able to see my son.” She pulls her head back, and I can see she’s holding back tears too. She kisses my cheek, and then I feel his dad hug the both of us.
“You are very welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Hawthorne.”
“It’s Ruth and Greg. Please” Greg says, waving off the formalities.
Once they let me go, Bryce comes up behind me and pulls me into him. We all walk into the family room, and I offer to get everyone drinks.
As everyone settles in, I head to the kitchen to help my mom prepare Christmas dinner.
“I think he liked your gift.” My mom observes, turning her head towards me while she mashes the potatoes. “You know, I haven’t told you yet, but I am really proud of you for doing that.” She leans over and gives me a kiss on the cheek.
“I didn’t do it for anyone to be proud of me, Mom, I did it because I know he missed them.” I shrug, my lips turn down in a frown. This wasn’t about me. “He won’t go back there because of personal stuff, so I brought them here. Seemed logical.”
“I know, but that meant a lot to him. I mean, that kiss!” My mom is a hopeless romantic. To her, the moment he kissed me, was enough to make her swoon.
“Mom! Enough!” I throw up my hands, my cheeks flushing pink.
“Okay, okay. Seriously, Katrina, he’s nice. That man cares a whole hell of a lot for you. You know that, right? You’ve been so different with him. So much happier. When I see you, you walk on air. That only started when he came into your life.” My mother is right. Bryce has completely given me a new lease on life.
“I know, Mom. I … I really care about him.” Confessing that feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
“He cares for you too.” She leaves it at that.
I walk back into the family room to be greeted by laughter and chatter. I stand in the doorway, watching Bryce with his parents. He sits in between them on the couch. They look so happy to be with him again. They’re obviously so proud of their son; it’s written all over their faces.