Page 39 of Forever His This Christmas

“I have to stop in California first,” she lied. “Meet me there on the twenty-first?”

“Alright, baby, what’s going on?”

“I’ll explain later. Right now, I just want to hear your voice,” she stated looking up plane tickets and sending Diane an email with the info on it.

“I’ll talk to you forever, always, anytime but you’re worrying me Lisa, more than when you ended things between us.”

“I promise you’ll find out once we’re in Colorado. I just need to tell everyone at the same time. Don’t worry my family loves you—probably more than me. Everything will make sense once we’re there. Don’t tell them I’m coming unless you get there before I do—then you can tell them and if you want to use the downstairs guest room that’s fine.”

“Baby, why would I want to use a room you aren’t in?”

“You just might—or you might leave.”

“Get it through your brain right now Lisa, no matter what you do, what you say, I am not going to run away from you. I know who you are. I know the person you are, and I know that you’re worried about something. I will be there no matter what though. I love you—I thought I knew what love was once, but I didn’t until I met you. Didn’t know how resilient it was until I met you, baby. I will do anything you want or need, so I will meet you in Colorado on the twenty-first and I will show you that I mean every word I’ve said to you.”

“I really hope so. I should go. I need to pack and get the tickets; I can’t wait to see you again.”

“That makes two of us,” he said letting her hang up as he tried to figure out what happened to change her mind and what she could possibly need to explain. He didn’t know but he knew that he’d never walk away from her, never let her walk away from them, not again.

***

Lisa put the phone down, nearly jumping when it rang and she answered letting out a breath, “Hi Diane.”

“Meet you and Abby in Colorado? What is going on?”

Lisa explained everything, including the pregnancy as she curled up on the couch. “I can’t go on like this—I can’t miss him this much anymore.”

“I understand honey. Are you sure you want to do it now though? The resort is always crowded on Christmas.”

“I know but if I put it off then I’ll have to tell Corey now and them later. I don’t know if I can do it once let alone two or three times.”

“I will be there next to you the entire time. I’ll meet you at the airport and we’ll go together.”

“That sounds perfect Diane,” she said and when they reached the airport, she hugged her tightly after Abby had.

“How are you feeling?”

“Nervous, scared, nauseous…just normal I guess,” she said trying to be funny as they hit the car rental desk. She got them loaded into the SUV and started out, getting messages from her parents and brothers asking her what was going on starting midway through the drive.

Her phone rang a bit later and she answered it using the car’s system to keep her hands on the wheel. “Hi Corey.”

“Hi baby, your parents have been grilling me about why I’m here. When can I tell them you’ll be arriving?”

“They’re listening in, aren’t they?” she asked with a grin.

“They are—but can we expect you this afternoon, this evening…never?”

“I should be there in about an hour and a half,” she said adding fifteen to their travel time. “I’d say just before five.”

“I can’t wait to see you again. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Corey.”

“Drive carefully; I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I’m always careful out here. I’ll see you all soon, okay?”

“Bye baby, I love you,” Corey said, and she felt a smile slip onto her lips.

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