Page 13 of A Perfectly Splendid Christmas (On the Way to Christmas)

“So you kissed her?” Garrett grinned at Drew across the table Monday afternoon while they ate lunch in the teacher’s lounge.

Drew nodded and heat roared through his veins at the memory of how it felt to brush his lips against hers. “Yes. Thank goodness

her niece noticed the mistletoe.”

“Surely that means you’re finally dating. Good for you.”

Drew shook his head as he swallowed a bite of his ham and cheese sandwich. “No, we still haven’t talked about it. She started

to ask me why I didn’t ask her to prom, and we just haven’t had a chance to connect and finish the conversation. She was busy

with her family the rest of the weekend.”

“Wait.” Garrett set his bottle of water on the table. “What’s the story with prom?”

Drew frowned. “I was planning to ask her, but my best friend at the time beat me to it. Then they started dating, and Kacey

and I grew apart. If I’d mustered up the courage sooner, I could have asked her out myself.”

“You know what you have to do. Tell her how you feel now.”

Drew’s phone buzzed. He flipped it over and found a missed call and a voice mail. He listened to the voice mail and his mouth

dropped open.

“What is it?”

“It’s about the teaching job in Charlotte. They want me to come in for an interview next Tuesday.”

“You applied for a job in Charlotte too?”

“Yeah, it was a whim.” Drew took another bite of his sandwich.

Garrett nodded. “Well, I’ll miss you, buddy, but Charlotte could be your future.”

Drew let his friend’s words soak through him, and hope lit in his chest.

Kacey perused her work email Friday morning. She found one from her supervisor and began responding just as her phone started

to ring. Her friend Jackie Campbell’s name was on the screen.

“Hey, Jackie. What’s up?” Kacey leaned back in her desk chair.

“I heard you were looking for a roommate. Is that right?”

“Yes, it is. Ginny Sorrentino got married, so I’m staying with my mom until I can find something affordable in Charlotte.”

“I might have the solution to your problem. My roommate is moving out January first. Would you like to come back to Charlotte?

You’ll have a nice big bedroom and your own bathroom.”

Kacey sat up straight. “What’s the rent?”

Jackie gave her all the details, and the rent and utilities were within Kacey’s budget.

“I know you don’t go in very often, but it’s right near your office too,” Jackie added.

“This sounds too good to be true.”

“It’s not! You’d be doing me a huge favor, because I can’t afford this on my own, but I love the location.”

“Well, it’s perfect. I’m in.”

“Fantastic. I’ll call you after Christmas, and we’ll work out the details.”

“Thank you for thinking of me,” Kacey said before disconnecting the call. She stared down at her computer screen, and a mixture

of gratitude and sadness filled her. She’d been worried she wouldn’t find a new roommate in the city she’d grown to love,

but she was going to miss her family. And her heart began to break at the idea of leaving Drew behind. What if Charlotte wasn’t

her future anymore?

As if on cue, her phone buzzed with a text from him:

Dinner tomorrow night? My treat.

She grinned as she typed back:

Yes. Only because you’re paying.

Pick you up at 6.

Don’t be late.

She sighed and rested her elbows on her desk as she pondered moving back to Charlotte. How would she ever recover from losing

Drew a second time?

“I have some news,” Kacey said as she sat across from Drew at the Little Italy Italian restaurant the next night.

Drew closed his menu. “I do, too, but you go first.”

“Okay,” she began. “So, it looks like I’m going back to Charlotte after Christmas.”

His smile faded. “So soon? What happened?”

She explained how her friend Jackie called and asked if she wanted to move in January first when her roommate moved out.

“That’s great, Kace.” His smile seemed forced, and didn’t quite meet his eyes.

“Yeah, I lucked out. What’s your news?”

“I got the music department head job in Newton.”

“Oh wow.” She tried to sound excited as disappointment overcame her. Would she even see Drew when she came back to visit her

family? She tamped down the thought and leaned across the table to place her hand on his. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks. It’s a big raise.”

“That’s fantastic. When does it start?”

“After the holidays.”

“So you need to sell your house and find a place to live there.”

Drew nodded. “Right.”

Kacey fiddled with her napkin. “We’ll keep in touch, right?”

“Of course.”

“Your friendship means so much to me. I’m sorry we missed out on so many years.”

“I am too.” He reached across the table and took her hands in his. “I promise I’ll do better this time.”

“Me too,” she said softy.

Drew walked into Garrett’s classroom Monday afternoon.

Garrett looked up from his desk. “Hey, man, what’s up?”

“I got the job in Newton.” Drew sank down on one of the chairs in the front row.

Garrett’s face lit up. “That’s great.”

“Thanks.” Drew rested his right ankle on his left knee. “My father, who only cares about money, said I should take it.”

Garrett stood up and walked around the desk before sitting on the edge of it. “But it sounds like you don’t want to take it.”

“Not really.” Drew pursed his lips and crossed is arms over his chest. “Tomorrow I’m going to Charlotte to interview for the

music teacher position there.”

“And that’s the job you want,” Garrett said.

“Yes. I want to go there with Kacey and start a life with her.”

“Have you told her this?”

“No, not yet. I want to get the job first.”

Garrett nodded. “And what if you don’t get the job?”

“Then I’ll have to think of something else.”

“Good,” Garrett said. “Oh, you had asked me about IT jobs with the school system. You have a friend who is looking for one,

right?”

Drew nodded. “That’s right.”

“I have a lead for you.” Garrett handed him a piece of paper. “Have your friend call Rich Monroe. He has an opening.”

Drew took the paper. “Thank you. I’ll give Travis a call.”

“I can’t believe you convinced me to close the bakery today and go shopping with you,” Dani said Tuesday morning as she walked

inside the small mall located a few miles from the town of Splendid Lake with Kacey and their mother. “You know I need to

work.”

Kacey faced her sister, pulled a thick envelope out of her purse, and handed it to her. “Merry Christmas, sis.”

“What is this?” Dani asked, her blue eyes wide.

Kacey shared a smile with Mom and then looked at her sister again. “Just open it, Dani.”

Her sister opened the envelope and gasped at the bills stuffed inside. “I-I can’t take this.” With her eyes misting over,

Dani pushed the envelope back toward Kacey.

“No, I insist. I was saving for a down payment on a condo, but my friend Jackie called me and said she’s looking for a roommate.

So, I wanted to give you and Travis this money so you can buy the girls gifts and then use the rest for bills until something

works out for Travis. Please take it. This is my Christmas gift for you.”

Dani’s lip trembled as she pulled Kacey in for a tight hug. “You’re the best sister on the planet, Kacey.”

“You know it,” Kacey teased, and they laughed.

Dani put the envelope into her purse. “Did you know Drew called Travis and gave him a lead on a job?”

“When?” Kacey asked.

“Yesterday. There’s an opening with the school system. Drew told him to reach out to someone for an interview.”

Kacey clapped. “That’s great!”

“I know. Travis called and it sounds like a great opportunity.”

“What a blessing,” Mom said.

Warmth filled Kacey’s chest. Drew was such a wonderful man.

“Let’s go shopping,” Dani said.

Kacey pointed toward a music store. “Let me go in here to find something for Drew and then we’ll head to the toy store for

the girls.”

“What are you going to do about Drew when you go back to Charlotte?” Mom asked.

Kacey frowned. “I haven’t figured that out. He was offered a job in Newton.”

“Maybe you can try long distance?” Mom suggested.

Dani held her finger up. “Or you can work remotely from Newton.”

“When are you going to admit that you two are meant for each other and that you need to find a way to work it out?” Mom asked.

Kacey shook her head as they walked into the music store. “We both promised to keep in touch, but he hasn’t said anything

about being more than friends.” The truth was she couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss the night of the festival. She’d

never felt such an explosion of desire in her life. The memory sent a flush of bashful pleasure through her cheeks and made

her light-headed. And she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe her future could be in Splendid Lake with Drew instead of

in Charlotte.

“I think you need to tell him how you feel and then figure out a way to make it work,” Dani told her.

Kacey smiled. “Maybe I will.”

“Merry Christmas!” Kacey exclaimed as Dani, Travis, and the girls walked into her mother’s house Christmas morning. She leaned

down and hugged her nieces. “You need to go over to the tree. There are presents there for you.”

Riley took Kelly’s hand. “I’ll help you find your gifts.” She guided her over to the tree.

Dani hugged Kacey. “We have big news.”

“What is it?” Mom asked as she joined them.

Dani looked at Travis as he grinned.

“I got the job with the school system,” Travis said.

“Oh!” Mom gasped. “I’m so happy to hear that!”

“Is it the job that Drew recommended?” Kacey asked.

Dani nodded. “Yes. Drew made it happen.”

“That’s amazing,” Mom said.

“Nana?” Riley called from the Christmas tree. “Will you come over here and help us find our presents?”

Mom smiled over at them. “Of course.”

“I’ll come with you,” Travis said as he carried a large tote bag filled with gifts over to the sofa.

“What are Drew’s plans for today?” Dani asked Kacey.

“He texted me last night and asked if he could come over.”

Dani smiled. “That’s good.”

“Aunt Kacey!” Riley called. “Come here and open your gifts.”

Dani touched Kacey’s arm. “You’re being summoned.”

“We’d better go.”

Kacey sat down on the sofa between her mother and sister and watched as her nieces opened their gifts from her and her mom.

Dani pulled out a box of cookies, and Kacey brought in glasses of eggnog while they continued opening gifts, laughing, and

enjoying each other.

When a knock sounded at the door, Kacey popped up from the sofa, retrieved Drew’s gift from under the tree, and then darted

to the door.

She pulled it open and found Drew standing on the porch. Above them the sky was white and it felt like snow was coming. “Merry

Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you.”

She opened the door wide. “Would you like to come in?”

“Actually, I was wondering if we could talk out here alone for a few minutes.”

“Oh. Okay.” She shivered. “Let me grab my coat.” She set his gift on the little table next to her mother’s rocking chair,

retrieved her coat from the closet, and pulled it on. “What did you want to talk about?” she asked when she returned to the

porch.

He hesitated and then drew out a ragged breath. “Remember Tuesday when you went shopping with your mom and sister?”

“Yes.”

“I told you I was busy all day, and the truth is, I had a job interview.”

She studied him. “I thought you already heard back about the job in Newton.”

“This interview was for a teaching position. I got the job, and I really want to take it. But I need to tell you something

first.” Drew paused and swallowed. “You asked me why I never asked you to prom. I was a coward. I had planned to ask you,

but I waited too long. The truth is that I love you, and I’ve loved you since I was sixteen years old. I was never brave enough

to tell you, but now I’m telling you that I love you and I want to build a future with you in Charlotte.”

Kacey heaved a breath as happy tears leaked from her eyes. “I love you, too, Drew.” Then she held her hand up. “Hold on a

second. You said you want to make a life in Charlotte with me? Where’s the teaching job?”

Drew smiled. “In Charlotte.”

“You applied for a job in Charlotte?”

“Yes, I did.” He cupped his hand to her cheek. “I wanted to find a way to be with you. I can’t let you walk out of my life

again.”

She sniffed. “Drew, I’m so honored that you did that for me. But the truth is that I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and I’ve

realized something.” She paused, and his smile wobbled. “My life is here now, and I belong in Splendid Lake. How would you

feel if we stayed?”

“Actually, I’m relieved to hear you say that.”

“But your job in Charlotte—is it a promotion? Are you giving up a great opportunity because of me?”

“No, actually.” He shook his head. “My supervisor heard that I was interviewing for jobs, and he offered me a promotion if

I stayed here in Splendid Lake. He wants me to be director of our little music department here, and it comes with a nice raise.

If you’re really happy staying here with me, I would love to accept his offer.”

“That’s amazing!”

“You’re amazing, Kace.” He pulled her to him. He dipped his head and kissed her. She looped her arms around his neck and soaked

in his nearness. When he deepened the kiss, Kacey melted against him. She was certain she was dreaming, but the heat rushing

through her veins was as real as the feel of his lips.

When he broke the kiss, Kacey placed her hand on Drew’s chest. She felt something wet hit her face, and she smiled when she

realized it was snowing. “I love you, Drew Murphy, and I can’t wait to start the new year with you by my side.”

“How about we start it right now?” He kissed her again while snow drifted down, swirling around them.