Page 68 of The Mistletoe Trap
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A sea of faces grinned knowingly at him and Julie as they entered the living room. A big-ass, fully lit tree stood there blinking, stacks of colorful presents underneath just begging to be unwrapped, and somehow the spotlight still landed on them.
Gavin halfway expected their families to handcuff them to a table while they conducted their interrogation about everything that happened last night. Next up would be questions regarding what it all meant.
Something for which he and Julie hadn’t come up with an answer, since their morning had been unceremoniously interrupted.
Honestly, he’d rather answer questions about whether or not his shoulder would be recovered in time for playoffs, and what the Mustangs’ chances were. Hell, add in getting sacked or experiencing the disappointment of millions of fans after throwing an interception.
Julie tipped onto her toes, tucked her chin on his shoulder, and quietly said, “I just want to point out that this is pretty much all your fault. You distracted me with those damn sexy lips while I set my alarm. Turns out, I set it for p.m., not a.m.”
Without taking his eyes off his family, as if they were in a gunslinger duel and looking away might mean getting shot first, he inclined his head her way. “I’m tempted to distract you again. Unfortunately, the press wants answers, and like with my job, I’m fairly certain I’ll get fined if I don’t comply.”
“Shall we?” she asked, lacing her fingers with his. A move that would unquestionably give everyone the wrong idea about what he and she were to each other, yet he hung on anyway. They’d gotten through their lives together thus far, so he figured it was only fitting they’d face this the same way.
Side by side to the hopefully not-bitter end.
“Merry Christmas, everyone,” Julie said, her voice extra chipper. “Shall we open presents?”
“It is indeed the most glorious of Christmas mornings.” Peggy walked over and encompassed them both in a hug. “We’re so very happy for you two. We know we’ve been a bit pushy—” Julie cleared her throat, and her mom sighed. “Fine. A lot pushy.”
Peggy placed one hand on his cheek and the other on Julie’s. “It’s just because we saw what you two couldn’t, as ludicrous as that is, and we all love you and want the best for the both of you.”
Mom chimed in, as well as both grandmothers, and while Niki didn’t say anything, her canary-eating grin and hint ofneener-neenersaid enough. Gavin was mature enough not to let that get to him, so he scratched his forehead with his middle finger, same way the two of them did when they were teens.
“Here’s the thing,” Julie said. “I’m sure you all have questions, and I have several of my own. But there are presents to be opened, so let’s table the topic of Gavin and me for later.”
Darlene scooted to the edge of the couch cushion she was occupying. “But there is a you and Gavin?”
“There’s always been a Julie and me,” Gavin said, failing to keep his frustration out of his voice. Once, at a press conference, he’d joked to the media they had nothing on his family when it came to prying into his personal life.
It’d worked like a charm, too. The room had collectively chuckled and moved on. He doubted his family would be so easily distracted, same as they weren’t going to like the answers he and Julie gave. Best to enjoy the morning and save the disappointment for later.
Silver lining: maybe that’d make it easier to climb on a plane this evening and fly to meet the team in Jacksonville, where he’d have to stand on the sidelines and watch his team play without him.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Various crumpled pieces of wrapping paper littered the floor of the Frosts’ living room, and happiness abounded, the Christmas spirit nice and strong.
As far as gifts went, Julie was beyond happy with her new items. One in particular, and her fingers sought out the serotonin charm hanging from the necklace Gavin had gifted her with last night. He hadn’t said much as everyone had been unwrapping, chatting, and grinning their faces off at them, seated side by side on the loveseat—no surprise, Darlene, Mom, Grams, and Granny Frost had moved around the room so the two of them could take the loveseat.
“Was that the last present?” Rashad glanced around the room at everyone with their new fuzzy socks, jewelry, and countless other treasures.
“Not counting the Frost Christmas Card, which is the gift that keeps on giving,” Dad snarked, raising his mug of coffee in the air. Everyone chuckled, and Rashad wrapped his arm around his wife and pressed a kiss to one of her pinkening cheeks. It’d taken a while, but she was now able to see the humor in the situation.
The familial camaraderie was extra strong this Christmas, and Julie marveled at how blessed they were to have one another. How amazing was it that all because two sets of couples fell in love and became the closest of friends, they’d formed an exponential family with enough people to pack a room.
“What do you think?” Granny Frost asked Grams as she ran her fingers down her new, extra colorful scarf. The turquoise and pink highlighted her flawless umber skin, suiting her the way jewel tones always did. Seventy years old, and nary a gray hair in sight.
“It’s as beautiful on you as I knew it would be,” Grams said, and the two women embraced, causing more happiness to billow up inside of Julie.
Rashad and Nikita were discussing the merits of Nike socks, with Rashad claiming he might have to steal a pair, even though hers would never fit his large feet. Pots and pans clanged in the kitchen, signaling that Darlene and Mom were about to start cooking their Christmas feast. While a lot of their families’ staples were the same, the main difference was the sweet potato pie.
The Frosts had brought it into their lives, and she couldn’t wait to sink her teeth into a piece.
“Do you ever think about moving back to Crystal Springs?” Julie asked Gavin, resting her head against his shoulder. “Not anytime soon, of course. I like my life in Arizona, but then I come here, and I think about how I want to see my kids onstage in the pageant someday, how nice it was to have so many grandparents around, and I want to give that to them, too. It was one of my favorite parts of growing up.”
Gavin had tensed at some point, and the resounding silence had her straightening and studying the guy at her side. His expression was blank, his shoulders slumped, and tension radiated off him.
