Page 12 of Once Upon a Holiday Vacation
A jolt of electricity shot through me at the contact. I looked up, meeting his gaze, and for a moment, the world around us seemed to fade away. His lips quirked into a soft smile, and I felt an answering grin spread across my face.
“Great minds, huh?” he said, his voice a touch huskier than usual.
I nodded, suddenly breathless. “It, uh, it reminded me of your eyes,” I admitted before I could stop myself.
Weston's eyebrows shot up, and I immediately wanted to crawl into a hole. But then he let out a warm chuckle. “Funny, I was thinking it looked like the sky on those nights we camped out in your backyard. Remember? When we were kids?”
The memory washed over me, bittersweet and comforting. “How could I forget? You convinced me there were aliens hiding behind the constellations.”
“Hey, I still stand by that theory,” he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
We both laughed, the sound mingling with the festive music and chatter around us. As our laughter faded, I realized we were still holding the ornament between us, neither of us in a hurry to let go.
We stayed a while longer, adding our own touches to the tree before eventually wandering off in search of other activities. We found ourselves in a crowded lounge where a karaoke night was in full swing.
The room was decked out in festive decorations, with a massive Christmas tree dominating one corner. Weston's eyes lit up as he scanned the song list. “Oh, we have to do this!” he exclaimed, tugging me towards the sign-up sheet.
I dug my heels in. “No way, West. You know I hate being the center of attention.”
He turned to me, his blue eyes twinkling. “Come on, East. I’ll be right there with you and besides, we're on vacation. Time to let loose a little.”
I couldn't help but chuckle. “Your version of 'loose' or mine?”
“Definitely mine,” he winked, and I felt my cheeks warm despite the cool air. “Come on,” he coaxed, nudging my shoulder. “Remember how we used to belt out songs in your bedroom? This'll be just like that, only with better equipment.”
I couldn't help but smile at the memory. “Yeah, but that was just us. This is... a lot of people.”
He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. “I'll be right there with you. We'll knock their socks off.”
My heart raced at his proximity. Part of me wanted nothing more than to say yes, to share that moment with him. But another part—the shy, bookish Easton who'd rather disappear into the pages of a novel—was terrified.
“I... I don't know,” I hesitated, fidgeting with my glasses.
“Tell you what,” Weston said, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. “I'll go sign us up, and you can decide when they call our names. No pressure, okay?”
Before I could protest, he was weaving through the crowd towards the sign-up sheet. As I watched him go, I couldn't help but marvel at how effortlessly he navigated the throng of people. He'd always been like that—magnetic, drawing others to him with his easy charm and infectious energy. In other words, the complete opposite of me.
“What am I getting myself into?” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.
“Ready to rock, East?” Weston's voice jolted me from my thoughts as he bounded back, grinning from ear to ear.
I gulped, my palms suddenly sweaty. “What song did you pick?”
“'All I Want for Christmas Is You,'” he replied, wiggling his eyebrows. “Thought we'd go full cheesy romance since it’s ourhoneymoonand all.”
I couldn't help but laugh, even as my heart skipped a beat. “You're ridiculous.”
“You love it,” he teased, nudging my shoulder.
All too soon, it was our turn. My legs felt like jelly as Weston grabbed my hand and led me to the stage. He must have sensed my nervousness because he gave my hand a quick squeeze.
“Just look at me,” he whispered. “Pretend it's just us in your living room.”
The music started, and I took a deep breath. Weston's clear voice rang out first, and as I joined in, something magical happened. Our voices blended perfectly, and the world around us faded away. It was just us, singing our hearts out, trading lines and sharing smiles.
When we finished, the lounge erupted in cheers. Weston threw an arm around my shoulders, beaming with pride. “See? Told you we'd kill it,” he said as we made our way to a nearby table.
I was still riding the high of our performance when a couple approached us. “That was fantastic!” the woman exclaimed. “You two have such amazing chemistry. How long have you been together?”
