Page 68 of The Seven Month Itch
Chapter 32
Justice
“If you bite your lip any harder, you’ll draw blood, sweetheart.”
I press my hands into my thighs in a failed attempt to keep calm and not ask Terrence where we’re going for the third time in ten minutes. One cannot tempt a lover of Christmas with promises of a magical getaway without said Christmas-lover transforming into Buddy the Elf.
The blindfold over my eyes leaves me in darkness and full of questions. “One hint,please.”
Soft lips press to my forehead with a tenderness that’s meant to soothe but only fuels my curiosity. “Patience is a virtue, princess,” he whispers with a smile in his voice. He enjoys the thrill that comes with a good surprise. Me? Not so much.
Minutes pass before our sedan comes to a stop. “This is as far as I can take you, but your destination is only a short walk from here,” the driver says.
A short walk? Where are we?
Terrence is out of the car and thanking the driver. The trunk opens and closes. Crisp air shoots a chill to my toes when the door opens and strong arms pull me to my feet by my waist. I have to strain but hear holiday music in the distance and jump at a large vehicle passing by. Terrence kisses my neck and chuckles. “Now you can look.” He removes the blindfold.
My eyes adjust to the sunlight. This can’t be real. I take a step back. Somehow, our town car left Vail, Colorado, and ended up in a European village nestled between mountains. The buildings look like replicas fromA Christmas Princeand make me wonder if we’ll run into His Royal Highness of Aldovia on our way to wherever our destination is.
I’m speechless.
Terrence takes me into his arms and grins with satisfaction in his eyes. “I know, baby.” His kiss is soft but has an intensity that could heat the entire town. Whatever he planned is special, and it’s just for me.
“I haven’t taken you on a proper date in seven months. Need to change that.” He grabs our bags and gestures for us to walk.
“Terrence. This place is unreal. It looks like—”
“One of the many Hallmark movies you’ve yet to watch taking up space on the DVR?” He raises an eyebrow. “That was the plan. The day is yours to fulfill your holiday movie fantasies. A stroll through the streets to look at shops while sipping hot cocoa. Ice-skating under the lights. We won’t see carolers this far into January, but I have a Christmas playlist in case of an emergency. Ready to be Stephanie Tanner for the day?”
I laugh at that. The fact that he calls Jodie Sweetin by herFull Housecharacter’s name is a testament to the many holiday movies he’s endured. “Don’t act likeMerry & Brightisn’t one of your favorites.“ I catch a hint of a smile out of the corner of my eye. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“It wasn’t terrible,” he says in a mumble.
Though I took a vow of silence—and promised on my pass to Heaven like that’s a thing—to never utter a word about his Hallmark-watching ways, Terrence enjoys it. Our journey into the land of holiday movies began years ago around Christmastime. It’s now a tradition to dedicate two weekends in December to matching flannel pajamas and cramming in all the Christmas movies we can. Save the family farm. Meet the love of your life stranded on the side of the road. Retreat to your hometown after heartbreak in the big city. It’s all fair game. The plots are cheesy, but they’re our thing.
The view takes my breath away when we turn the corner. We’re in a fairy tale come to life. If an inn somewhere in the Swiss Alps had a real estate baby with a luxury resort, the offspringmightlook as dreamy as this place. I don’t know where this building starts and ends.
I turn to Terrence and stare, unable to hold back tears. “You know how to make a girl feel special.”
“If this gives you a glimpse of how much you mean to me, I will die a happy man. Come on, let’s go drop off our bags.”
We spend five hours as tourists in this unbelievable village, and it only took two minutes to fall in love. Holiday movies have nothing on the real thing. Not that I’ve been in one. There’s something about the touch of Christmas magic and tasting its goodness. We might be in January, but it’s here, full of hope and wonder.
I didn’t want the day to end, and not because Terrence spoiled me with hot cocoa and marshmallows. This man awakens my soul. There’s no shield I need to put up because who I am is good enough. DVR full of Christmas movies and all.
I take one last glance at myself in the mirror and press my hair to make sure it stays in place. We have six o’clock reservations “somewhere special.”
Gosh, why are my hands so sweaty?
I open the bathroom door, and Terrence freezes when he takes in my red dress. Unlike the one I wore when we went dancing, this one is a touch more modest with sleeves to my elbow. It still has a slit that lands right above my thigh. I blush under his gaze.
His swallow is audible. “You’re gorgeous.”
I smile and dip my head. The way he looks at me, with the same fondness he had in his eyes on our wedding day, is too much. The world might see a man who looks like a professional athlete or a model, but I see his heart.
“Turtlenecks look good on you.” Terrence makes belly button lint look sexy, but that’s beside the point. His sweater stretches across his wide frame and flexes against his forearms when he readjusts his watch. His gray slacks mold to his meaty thighs. If I weren’t intoxicated by the aftershave wafting into the bathroom, my knees would’ve given out by now.
He takes my hand, and we set off for the elevator. Restlessness gets the best of me. I don’t mind dressing up from time to time—though I’m more of a flats and leggings girl—but all of this is overwhelming. My husband doesn’t need to spend thousands to win me back. He has me.
