The living room is flooded with wrapping paper and discarded boxes from everyone’s Christmas wishes. Of course, Mom, Elli, and Shea spoiled us, and even Sofia. While I’m not sure what Elli was thinking when she bought her a Fendi bag, Sofia is gushing over it anyway. I don’t even think she knows what a Fendi bag is, which I find very funny. Amelia and Shelli do, so of course, they squeal and make a huge deal as they model their bags for everyone.
“This is so sweet. Thank you so much,” Sofia says with such emotion in her voice as she holds the bag, petting it as she sits deliciously in my lap. We haven’t been too far from each other since I got home yesterday. But I have to say, having her sweet ass in my lap is the best present of all.
Elli beams over at her. “You’re so welcome, hon. I thought the brown would go great with your eyes, and then the stones on it would go with anything you wear. Every girl needs a designer bag.”
Sofia looks over the bag and nods excitedly, though I’m pretty sure she has no clue what my aunt is talking about. “Yeah, wow, it’s stunning.”
“It really is,” she says, but then Shelli steals her attention.
I watch as Sofia moves her hands over the bag. She glances to me and lifts her brows. “I have to carry this, don’t I?”
I shrug. “I mean, I’m pretty sure she spent a couple grand, so you’ll need to when we come to visit her.”
Her eyes widen so much I can’t help but laugh. “A couple grand?”
“Oh yeah. Easy.”
She places the bag down slowly in my lap and grabs her phone out of her bra. A few seconds later, she looks at me with her mouth hanging open. “Four thousand dollars, Ryan,” she whispers, her eyes crazy, and I laugh.
“Yup.”
“She bought three!”
“Did I mention my family is a little over the top?”
She looks back at the bag and then up to me, her eyes still bugging out. “A little over the top?”
As I chuckle, I lean into her, kissing her neck. When she leans back, sighing softly, my heart can’t take it. God, I love her.
“Here you go, kiddos,” my mom says, and then she hands us both gifts. Sofia looks pained as she opens it, and I just laugh.
“What? What wrong?” Mom asks, her face so full and happy.
“She’s—”
But Sofia cuts me off. “Nothing! I’m so excited. I’ve never had a Christmas like this.”
“No?” Mom asks, and Sofia shakes her head.
“No, we really didn’t have money for Christmas, so I’m a little blown away.”
Shea chuckles. “Welcome to the family, Sof.”
My heart swells in my chest at the sweet and shocked look on her beautiful face. She looks down at the gift my mom got her, and when Sofia pulls out a pair of stone-studded teal Nikes, Mom claps her hands. “I know you don’t wear heels, but I wanted you to have something special. So I had those made for you.”
Tears well up in Sofia’s eyes, and then she is off my lap, hugging my mom tightly. “Thank you. They’re amazing.”
Mom’s eyes lock with mine as she hugs Sofia. “You’re so welcome, hon.”
When Sofia comes back to me, I set down my new pair of skates and wrap my arms around her as she sits. “Please don’t tell me how much these cost, and do not let me Google it.”
“Done.”
“They’re amazing.”
“Just like you,” I whisper against her jaw, and she beams at me.
With her eyes bright, she puts the shoes back in the box and then asks, “Ready for your gift?”
I furrow my brow. “What? I didn’t know you got me something.”
“Yeah, she did!” Posey says from the chair with Shea. She is such a daddy’s girl. His arms are around her as they both wear the new gloves Elli got them. Before I can say anything though, Sofia’s up and out of my lap, running out of the living room where it looks like Santa and Frosty threw up. My aunt goes so overboard, it’s disgusting. Decorations galore. And the tree? I’m pretty sure she makes Martha Stewart jealous. This isn’t even her house, and she spent four days decorating so it would look perfect for Christmas. My mom is a party planner. She can decorate with the best of them, but Elli, she does Christmas.
None of that matters when Sofia comes into the room with a large rectangular box that is bigger than she is. No wonder it wasn’t under the tree. With the widest grin and bouncing with excitement, she hands it to me.
I look up at her and then at the box. “Hmm, I wonder what it is?”
She smacks me as Shea and Posey laugh. Everyone else is too busy opening presents and not paying a lick of attention to the beautiful girl standing before me. “Shut up. Open it.”
I open the top and reach in to pull out one hell of a stick. My favorite, a Bauer Vapor. “Man, Sofia. You didn’t need to do this.”
“Yes!” she says, clapping her hands. “I had Shea and Posey help me, and apparently, I suck at hockey sticks.”
“She sucks at hockey,” Posey calls to me, and Shea nods.
“I’m offended by her lack of knowledge,” he adds. “You do realize it’s your job to teach her?”
I laugh as I hold the stick out. “I’m gonna take her to a game as soon as my aunt comes through with tickets.”
“Why’s it always me?” Elli asks, but I’m not listening.
I notice it’s already taped up. “Did you tape it, Shea?” I ask. It looks like his work, the way he taught me to do it, but it’s not as perfect as he does it.
“No! I did! He taught me to do it, and I wrote your name and your number and then a little heart because I’m icky-sweet, according to Posey.”
I think my heart stops in my chest.
Gazing at her, I’m floored as Shea says, “It took four tries, but she got it, and I think it’s pretty good.”
“Not as good as Dad’s, but good,” Posey adds, but I’m taken by the expression of Sofia’s face. That proud and satisfied grin that hits me right in the gut.
I reach for her, pulling her to me. “I thought you were saving money for your mom? I thought we said we wouldn’t buy anything for each other?”
“Don’t worry about that,” she says, waving me off. “I wanted something that you can always have that reminds you of me. Please don’t break it.”
I chuckle loudly as I move my mouth to hers. “I will, but I’ll make sure to keep it forever. All the pieces.”
She beams up at me as she tucks her hands under my neck. “You love it?”