“Good. Well, I have to go. I love ya,” Trevor huffs in defeat. I still think he thought I would change my mind and come home, but I’m not going to come home. I’m already home.
“I love you too.”
After we hang up, I get ready for the day. The house is filling up with delicious smells and my stomach rumbles. After a quick shower, I decide to give Levi another present. He loves my hair up and very little makeup and that’s exactly what I do. The bite mark on my neck isn’t bad, just a little red. No one will really notice.
I curl the end of my ponytail, put on a quick coat of mascara and lip gloss, and that’s it. I look in the mirror and thought that I look so plain and I don’t know why Levi likes this look. I just shrug, slip on my jeans and t-shirt, and head down to the guys.
“Wow, you guys really know how to get a girl fat.” The table is full of food. Every breakfast food you could think of is on that table.
“Presley, you look stunning.” Victor stops what he is doing as he stares at me.
“Aw, thanks, Victor, but I don’t have any makeup on.”
“Amanda didn’t wear all that stuff either, and you shouldn’t. I think you’re beautiful.” He walks over and hugs me. I think about the last time my dad said I was beautiful. I can’t even remember.
“Thank you, Victor.” I feel a lump in my throat, but I swallow it down. “Let’s dig in, guys.”
Levi kisses my temple as he pulls my chair out for me. We begin to eat and the food is so good.
“I’m so full.” My jeans are tight because I couldn’t stop eating.
“I have to agree with you, Smarty,” Levi says.
“Let’s leave the dishes and open presents,” Victor suggests and heads into the living room. Victor sits in his chair and Levi and I sit on the couch.
“I meant to tell you, Presley, that you need to be careful with that curling iron of yours.”
“Why do you say that, Victor?” I didn’t think my curling iron is that big of a deal.
“That red mark on your neck. Looks like you burnt yourself. You need to be more careful.”
I gasp slightly, and cover the bite mark that Levi had given me this morning. I know that my face is turning red and Levi is trying not to laugh.
“Um, yeah, I will be more careful,” I finally am able to choke out of embarrassment.
“Let’s see what we have.” Levi gets up and grabs the stockings off the mantle.
It’s the first time I notice them. There are four: Victor, Amanda, Levi, and me. Each of them are full. Levi hands me the one with my name on it and I smile. I feel like a real part of the family. When I looked inside, it’s full of my favorite candy bar. Just candy bars.
“If I wasn’t so full, I would dive into this stocking right now,” I moan with pleasure.
“I agree,” Levi says. I look into his stocking and it’s full of 3 Musketeers candy bars.
“Is that your favorite candy bar?” I didn’t know that about Levi.
“Yep. Mom would get me one every single time we went to the store. If I was good, of course.” He has a sad smile on his face.
“Levi, let’s get to the gifts.” Victor smiles at his son and Levi gets back up. I was able to sneak down last night, and put the box under the tree for Levi. I can’t wait for him to open it.
Levi hands me a box and two cards. He hands Victor two cards. Then he picks up the box and cards for himself.
I open my box from Victor, and inside is a stunning green cashmere sweater.
“Do you like it?” Victor asks.
“I love it. Thank you so much.” I open my cards. One is from Victor with a gift card in it to the mall in the city. The other is from Levi. It has two gift cards in it, one to a lingerie store and one to a shoe store. Inside he wrote: A gift for you and me. I roll my eyes at him and he chuckles.
Victor loves both of his gift cards that Levi and I got him, and he’s excited to go hunting again. Levi’s face grows worried. I know he is thinking about his dad alone in the woods. I just pat his hand, and hope that he realizes that Victor won’t push himself too fast, too soon.