Merry Ever After

Everything was festive until Mason suddenly announced, “My dad used to take me to get Munchkins on Sundays.”

I paused, then said, “I’m sure you must think of him every time you eat them.”

“Every time.” He looked down at his donut hole for a bit before he bit into it.

Noticing the sad look on her son’s face, Holly attempted to lighten the mood. “Mason is participating in a winterfun run tomorrow in town.”

I looked over at him. “You’re running in the cold, eh?”

“Yup. It’s gonna be so much fun, even though we’re gonna freeze our butts off.”

“You’re a lot braver than me.”

He grabbed another Munchkin and turned the tables onto me. “Who are you anyway? I mean…how did you meet my mom?”

Fair question.

“We met in a store, actually.”

“Bryce’s family owns Kline’s,” Holly added.

“I love that store! That’s where I saw Santa.”

I cleared my throat. “I’m so happy you have good memories there.”

“You wanna come watch my race tomorrow?” he suddenly asked.

I looked over at Holly for guidance. “That’s up to your mom.”

She batted her lashes. “It would be nice to see you again, if you’re free.”

I actually did have plans tomorrow, but as of this moment? They were officially canceled.

“I’d love to go.”

“Cool!” The boy got up suddenly from the table.

My head turned toward the entrance. “Where’s he going?”

“Not sure. But I wish he would have excused himself first.”

He came rushing back in and announced, “I know where I know you from now!”

My stomach sank, and I looked over at Holly, then back at him. “Where?”

He held out a book he’d been hiding behind his back. “You’re on the cover of Mommy’s book!”

Holly jumped out of her seat like a bat out of hell to snatch it from him. “Where did you get that?”

“You keep it in your bedside table. I found it the other day when I was looking for a tissue for my runny nose.”

She’d snatched it so fast I didn’t catch the full title, but the dude on the cover was shirtless, and all I saw was the word “alpha.” Damn. That was what she liked, huh? I could be down with that.

“Hate to disappoint you, buddy, but that’s not me.” I chuckled.

“Really? It’s not?” He giggled.

“I swear. It’s not.”

Holly literally placed the book under her ass on the chair, then warned, “Please don’t be going into my drawers, Mason.”

After he left to go play in his room, a few tense seconds passed before she turned to me.

“Well, that was super embarrassing.”

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I like that you have an…open mind.”

Her cheeks turned red.

“Can I see the book?” I teased.

“Not a chance in hell. That’s why I’m sitting on it.”

We eventually moved out to the living room and talked while Mason played with his toys. I told Holly a bit more about my family, going down the line of my siblings and naming all of my nieces and nephews. We discovered that we both grew up on the west side. So it was strange that we’d never encountered one another before.

At one point, she picked a small, wrapped gift from under the tree and handed it to me. “This is for you.”

“Not fair. I didn’t bring anything for you.”

“Are you kidding? I still owe you for the robot. And once you see it, you’re not going to be impressed. It’s nothing. Just something I threw together this morning.”

I ripped open the perfectly wrapped paper. It was a small box, and inside was a small, plastic tube-shaped contraption.

“I love it!” I laughed. “But…um, what is it?”

“It’s a gift-wrap cutter. I noticed you were a little challenged with the scissors. This will glide right along the paper and cut a straight line. I had an extra one that was still in the package.”

“Thank you. I’ll cherish this and think of you when I use it. Although, in all likelihood, even without it, I doubt I’ll ever wrap a present and not think of you.”

“I sort of feel the same way.”

As I looked into her eyes, I was feeling over the moon and just—grateful.

I can’t wait.

I can’t wait to get to know her better.

I can’t wait to kiss her, to hopefully someday act out every fantasy in that little book of hers.

For the first time in a long time, I was truly looking forward to the new year.

She looked over at the clock. “We’re supposed to be heading to my mother’s for Christmas ham. We’re already a little late.”

I grabbed my coat and put it on. “No worries. I have to head to my sister’s house anyway.”

“So, we’ll see you tomorrow for the run?”

I nodded. “Want me to scoop you guys up?”

“That would be nice.”

“Cool.”

She yelled out in the direction of her son’s room. “Mason, come say goodbye to Bryce!”

The boy ran out, and instinctively I knelt down and opened my arms. Maybe that seemed a little forward for a first-time meeting with him, but technically I’d felt connected to him longer than that. He wrapped his arms around my neck and whispered in my ear, “Thank you for keeping your promise. I love it.”