Page 29 of Totally Shipped
After, I hold her in my arms.
I realize that I’ve never had a vacation. Moving to Samoa was going to be work, but in a tropical setting. But right here and right now.
Gray Tyson is on fucking vaycay.
CHRISTMAS DAY
DAISY
WHOA!
I can’t get my words out.
Keyara can though.
“I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!” she screams at the top of her voice. “Ia Manuia le Kerisimasi!”
I just keep gazing around at the space while Keyara runs circles. Gray squeezes my hand and I squeeze it back. He’s been holding mine ever since we left the beach.
“Guys,” I breathe out, smiling. “This is amazing.”
Tiny lights have been strung around the airplane glade. I have no idea how they’ve made them, but it’s just like having twinkle lights from a tree. Talking of which, some kind of tropical pine is in the center of the area with more tiny lights on it. I move forward, mesmerized, and realize the twinkle lights are actually little hammered cups of scrap metal that have been filled with some kind of tree resin. So amazing.
And also very handy, going forward. We can actually have lights other than the campfires.
Piles of dry grasses are heaped into pillows, and flowers are strewn around the ground, making a carpet of petals.
It’s beyond perfect.
A table has been set up, laden with all kinds of things to eat.
“Are those…”
Oh my chicken! Deviled eggs?
The whole scene is the most magical thing ever.
I drop Gray’s hand, and kiss him, then rush over to Leander and Killian, doing the same. Rex is swinging Keyara around and around, but when he stops and she skips off, I go to him and take his hands.
“You made us Christmas.”
He grins. “It’s our pleasure.”
I place my palms on his shoulders and lift myself onto my tiptoes, kissing him on the mouth.
“It’s perfect.”
He looks down, but with a smile on his face as Leander takes my hand, and leads me to the snack table.
“I know you’ll be disappointed about not having any monkey wine, but I have made an array of juices for you to choose from.”
Killian comes up behind me and kisses my hair, adding, “We’ve even got Rex to agree to singing some carols.”
“What? It’s a Christmas miracle!”
“Daisy, Daisy! We have to put our presents under the tree!” Keyara is smiling so brightly, we don’t even need the twinkle lights.
“Oh! The presents! They are still at the beach.”
