Page 22 of Once Upon a December
“Merry Christmas, Felix.” Dawson smiled, “I’m sure we’ll meet again soon.”
“Merry Christmas.”
Chapter Ten
Gibson wiped sweat from his eyes as he balanced precariously on a ladder. He was hot despite the near freezing temperatures so he also unzipped his coat while he was at it. He would have just taken the damn thing off but the truth was he’d never been on a ladder before today, didn’t even own one, and was pretty sure if he let go of the death grip he had on the thing that he would plummet to his death.
Which would be so damn ironic even God himself would probably laugh.
For over a decade, Gibson had ignored everything about the holiday season. What he hadn’t been able to ignore, he’d openly ridiculed and despised. He’d avoided all contact with everything concerning Christmas because all of the joy and merriment had only reminded him of his loss. His parents had died, his uncle had been severely scarred and his family had never been the same all because of a freak accident that had occurred because they went out to a Christmas party on an icy, December night a lot like this one.
Tonight, he’d stayed in just as he always did. He’d wanted to go to that party for Felix. He’d wanted to be there for the man he loved. But he just hadn’t been able to do it. Not yet. Maybe someday but not yet. The very idea of getting into his car on today of all days gave him hives. He knew he had issues that he still needed to face when it came to the passing of his parents. He’d gone to therapy for years after it first happened but then, as he’d gotten older he’d found he didn’t have the time or the energy to keep it up. It had simply hurt too much to continue rehashing his pain. He’d stopped going and he’d stopped talking about the accident as well.
Until he’d met Felix.
Felix made him want to be better. A better man. A whole man. He knew that meant he’d have to face his past as well as his present and the currently sad state of affairs where his relationship with his brothers and uncle was concerned. He would too. Gladly. He’d do anything for Felix. Anything but go to that damn party because even when he’d gotten the brush off from his boyfriend and decided going was the only way, he simply hadn’t been able to put on his tux and walk out the door.
He’d become physically ill when he tried. Eventually Gibson had forced himself to take a cold shower. Once he’d had his head back on straight, he’d come up with the only answer he could.
He’d spent all evening doing the one thing he could think of that might show Felix just how much he meant to him.
With his hat in his hand and his heart on his sleeve, he’d gone across the street to visit Felix’s parents. He’d been shocked when Mrs. Michaelson let him into her home and offered him some hot coffee without hesitation. Mr. Michaelson had watched him warily as they all sat together but once he’d apologized, profusely, for his terrible behavior the first time they’d met Felix’s father seemed to relax a little.
Gibson had explained himself to them, to complete strangers, and then he’d done something he’d never done in his life. He’d asked them for their help. He wasn’t a man accustomed to needing the help of others so he’d nearly choked on the words but for Felix, he’d gotten them out.
Luckily, Felix got his kind, helpful, understanding nature from his parents because the Michaelson’s hadn’t forced him to beg or gloated. They’d simply exchanged a knowing look and then nodded. They’d agreed to help him without question and for that, he would owe them eternally.
He only hoped what he’d done, with their help, was enough.
Gibson surveyed his yard and his home. It had never looked like this. Never. In fact, he’d gone to great lengths to ensure that nobody in the neighborhood had a yard that looked like this just so that he wouldn’t be forced to drive past the cheerful décor. Now his was the house that stuck out like a sore thumb because Christmas had come calling.
All around him, lights and decorations twinkled against the backdrop of the night sky. It had been too late to buy his own which was why he’d asked to borrow them from the Michaelson family. They’d even loaned him the ladder he was standing on as he took in the complete makeover of his home.
White lights edged the rooftop and eaves of the house. More lights were thrown over the bushes and he’d just finished hanging the last of the strings from the biggest tree in his yard. Below him on the ground there were life size figurines of Santa Claus, Rudolph and all the other reindeer. Giant boxes wrapped to look like presents sat near his driveway. Even the small walkway lights had been changed to red and green to reflect the holiday season.
Gibson had decorated his home for Felix. He’d wanted to show him that he could change, even if for now it was just a little bit at a time. He needed to show Felix that he was trying, that he was willing to go all out if need be, to keep his man in his life.
Tomorrow, he intended to call Felix and ask him to come over. He wouldn’t bother him tonight. Tonight Felix was at the Frost Financial Holiday Party and no doubt he was having fun with the hundreds of guests and being showered in compliments for a job well done. He deserved to have his night and Gibson would never ask him to leave it behind. Not even if he was desperate to see his boyfriend, to pull him into his arms and kiss him and touch him and tell him again just how much he loved him.
Because he did love him, so much.
Felix made him a better man. This, all of this, was proof of it. Felix had drawn him out of his shell where he hadn’t even realized he’d been hiding. Maybe he wasn’t as reclusive as Roman had become but he had been hiding nonetheless. Well no more. He’d told Bran that it was time to grow up and put the past behind him when they’d last spoken and the same was true for himself.
It was time to move forward and he only hoped that he would have Felix at his side when he did.
Carefully, so that he didn’t fall to his death, Gibson stepped down off the ladder. Once his feet were finally back on the ground he felt a little steadier and he took in a deep lungful of the cold night air. Since he knew it was late and the Michaelson’s were likely already asleep he folded the ladder up and carried it to his garage. It was a nice neighborhood, he didn’t think anyone would try to steal it if he left it out for them but he really hoped that they might be part of his family someday so he took the extra care and stored the ladder in the garage with the hope that tomorrow he and Felix could return it together.
Lost in his thoughts, he tucked the ladder away, hit the button to automatically close the garage and was halfway back up the walkway to his front door when he realized he wasn’t alone. Gibson jerked to a stop and stared. A familiar blue Prius was parked against the curb in front of his house and standing beside it on the very edge of his property was the most gorgeous man he’d ever seen, wearing a black suit and champagne colored tie, staring at him with watery eyes and a shocked expression.
“Felix.” He gasped.
“Oh God. Gib? What did you do?” His dark gaze swung around the yard before settling back on Gibson.
“I decorated. For you. Merry Christmas, baby.”
Felix’s bottom lip trembled slightly and without a word he started up the drive. Gibson opened his arms and when his boyfriend rushed into them he wrapped him up and held him tight. Felix buried his face against Gibson’s chest and Gibson nuzzled his nose against his hair, taking in that spicy, warm, masculine smell that was completely Felix.
They stood there like that for a long time before Gibson shook himself out of the moment.
