#Dallas Car Rental

[dallasexoticcar]

Elevate Your Driving Experience with Exotic Car Rental in Dallas

Dallas, a city known for its vibrant culture, thriving business scene, and remarkable landmarks, offers more than just the conventional Texan experience. For those seeking a taste of luxury and adventure, Dallas Exotic Car Rental stands ready to elevate your driving escapades. With an impressive fleet of high-end vehicles and a commitment to unparalleled service, Dallas Exotic Car Rental is your gateway to an unforgettable journey through the heart of Texas.

Unleash the Thrill of Exotic Driving Imagine cruising through the iconic streets of Dallas in a sleek Lamborghini, commanding attention at every turn. Or perhaps you prefer the elegance of a Rolls Royce, exuding sophistication as you explore the city's attractions. Dallas Exotic Car Rental brings these fantasies to life, allowing you to temporarily inhabit the world of luxury and performance that these vehicles offer.

Diverse Fleet for Every Taste Dallas Exotic Car Rental boasts a diverse fleet of exotic vehicles, ensuring there's something for every car enthusiast. From a Ferrari's raw power to a Bentley's refined luxury, the fleet caters to varying preferences and occasions. Whether it's a special event, a business trip, or simply a desire to indulge, these exotic cars are poised to exceed your expectations.

Impeccable Service and Convenience Renting an exotic car with Dallas Exotic Car Rental is not just about the vehicle but the entire experience. The company takes pride in delivering impeccable service that caters to your needs and desires. Their user-friendly booking process streamlines the rental experience, allowing you to focus on the excitement of your upcoming adventure.

Exploring Dallas in Style Exploring Dallas takes on a whole new dimension with an exotic car at your disposal. Cruise down the iconic Dealey Plaza, where history and modernity converge, or feel the energy of the Dallas Arts District in a way that only a luxury car can provide. Whether visiting landmarks like the Reunion Tower or enjoying the city's thriving nightlife, an exotic car rental transforms your journey into a personalized, stylish affair.

Creating Unforgettable Memories Dallas Exotic Car Rental offers more than just transportation; it's a conduit for creating lasting memories. Picture yourself and your loved ones posing for photos with a stunning vehicle that epitomizes class and extravagance. Whether it's a birthday surprise, an anniversary celebration, or a romantic weekend getaway, these cars can turn ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.

Attention to Detail What sets Dallas Exotic Car Rental apart is its unwavering attention to detail. From the moment you step into one of their vehicles, you'll notice the meticulous care that goes into maintaining their fleet to the highest standards. Every vehicle is a symbol of luxury and a testament to the company's dedication to providing top-notch quality.

Experience without the Commitment Owning an exotic car might be a dream for many, but it often comes with significant financial commitments. Dallas Exotic Car Rental offers the perfect solution by allowing you to experience the thrill of driving these elite vehicles without the long-term financial burden. This makes it an ideal choice for locals and visitors looking to add extra excitement to their time in Dallas.

In The End Dallas Exotic Car Rental opens up a world of luxury and exhilaration, inviting you to take the wheel of some of the most coveted vehicles on the planet. With their outstanding fleet, exceptional service, and passion for creating remarkable experiences, they redefine how you explore and enjoy the vibrant city of Dallas. Whether for a special occasion or a spontaneous adventure, an exotic car rental from this esteemed company promises memories that will last a lifetime. So, the next time you find yourself in Dallas, consider indulging in the extraordinary with Dallas Exotic Car Rental.

[mtbexotic]

Experience the Thrill of Exotic Car Rental in Dallas

If you've ever dreamed of driving a high-performance vehicle, exotic car rental Dallas makes it possible to experience luxury like never before. Whether you're planning a special celebration, attending an important event, or just want to indulge in the thrill of a supercar, Dallas offers an array of top-tier options that will exceed your expectations.

From the aggressive design of the Lamborghini Huracán to the sophisticated elegance of a Ferrari 488 GTB, renting an exotic car in Dallas gives you access to some of the world’s most renowned sports cars. These powerful machines aren’t just about looks—they deliver an exhilarating driving experience that makes every mile feel like an adventure.

Booking an exotic car rental Dallas is straightforward, with many rental services offering easy online reservations and convenient delivery options. Before you rent, make sure you understand the terms, such as mileage limits and insurance options, to avoid any surprises.

Whether you're navigating the lively streets of Dallas or enjoying a scenic drive, an exotic car rental in Dallas ensures that you’ll turn heads and enjoy the road in style. Don’t wait—reserve your luxury car today and make your next journey unforgettable!

[limorentalnyc101]

Top Tips for Securing Affordable Limo Rentals NYC for Any Occasion

When it comes to celebrating special occasions or simply making a grand entrance, nothing beats the elegance and convenience of a limousine. However, finding Affordable Limo Rentals in NYC that meet your needs can be challenging, especially with the variety of services available. Whether you need a limo for a wedding, prom, corporate event, or just a night out on the town, here are some top tips to help you secure the best deals without compromising on quality.

1. Plan Ahead and Book Early

One of the best ways to secure affordable limo rental NYC is by planning ahead. Booking your limo well in advance allows you to lock in lower rates before prices spike, especially during peak seasons like wedding and prom seasons. Early booking also gives you a wider selection of vehicles to choose from, ensuring that you get the perfect ride for your occasion.

2. Compare Prices and Services

Don’t settle for the first limo service you find. Take the time to compare prices and services offered by different companies. Look for a limo rental in Queens or other boroughs that provide competitive rates. Some companies offer special packages or discounts, especially if you’re booking for a longer duration or multiple vehicles. Make sure to ask about any hidden fees, such as fuel surcharges, gratuities, or additional mileage charges, so you can accurately compare costs.

3. Opt for an Hourly Car Service

If your event doesn’t require a full day rental, consider opting for an hourly car service NYC. This option is particularly cost-effective for short events or if you only need transportation for a few hours. Many limo services offer flexible hourly rates, which can significantly reduce your overall costs. Be sure to inquire about minimum rental hours and any other conditions that may apply.

4. Be Flexible with Your Schedule

Flexibility can often lead to better deals. If you have some leeway with your event schedule, try to avoid peak hours or days when limo demand is highest, such as weekends or holidays. Weekday rentals are often more affordable, and some companies may offer discounts for mid-week bookings. By being flexible, you increase your chances of securing a lower rate.

5. Check for Special Offers and Discounts

Keep an eye out for special offers, discounts, and promotions. Many limo companies in NYC provide deals for first-time customers, group bookings, or during off-peak seasons. Signing up for newsletters or following your preferred limo rental service on social media can also keep you informed about exclusive deals. Additionally, some companies offer loyalty programs or referral discounts that can help you save even more.

6. Verify the Company’s Reputation

While affordability is important, so is the reliability and reputation of the limo service. Before making a reservation, check online reviews and testimonials to ensure the company has a track record of providing excellent service. A reputable limo rental Queens or other parts of NYC will have positive reviews, professional drivers, and well-maintained vehicles. Don’t hesitate to ask the company for references or to see their fleet in person if possible.

7. Tailor Your Limo Experience

Customizing your limo experience can also help you save money. For instance, if you don’t need extra amenities like a stocked bar or specialized lighting, ask the service provider to exclude these options for a reduced rate. Tailoring the experience to fit your specific needs ensures that you only pay for what you truly want.

8. Consider Group Transportation

If you’re traveling with a group, consider pooling resources to share the cost of the limo rental. Splitting the fare among friends or family members can make the experience more affordable for everyone. This is especially useful for events like weddings, proms, or corporate outings where group transportation is necessary.

Conclusion

Securing affordable limo rentals in NYC is entirely possible with the right approach. By planning ahead, comparing services, and being flexible with your schedule, you can find a limo service that offers both luxury and value for any occasion. Whether you're looking for a limo rental in Queens or need an hourly car service in NYC, following these tips will help you ride in style without breaking the bank.

For more information on securing the best limo rentals, check out our services at Dallas Luxury Limos. We’re here to help make your special occasion unforgettable! Call us at (917) 722-1119

SOURCE: https://newyorklimoservice1.blogspot.com/2024/08/Top-Tips-for-Securing-Affordable-Limo-Rentals-NYC-for-Any-Occasion.html

[limoservicesdallas]

Choosing the Best Party Buses Dallas with Limo Service Dallas

When planning a memorable event, selecting the right transportation can make all the difference. In Dallas, party buses offer a unique and exciting way to celebrate any occasion. You can find the best party buses to ensure your event is unforgettable. Here’s what you need to know about choosing the perfect Dallas party bus for your next celebration. Why Opt for a Dallas Party Bus? Unmatched…

[black-car-service-dallas-tx]

The Evolution of Luxury Car Services: From Taxis to Black Cars

The landscape of luxury transportation has undergone significant transformations over the years, evolving from traditional taxis to the sophisticated black car service Dallas we see today. This evolution reflects changes in consumer expectations, technological advancements, and a growing demand for premium experiences. Here's a closer look at the journey from taxis to black cars.

1. The Era of Traditional Taxis

Origins and Early Use:

The concept of hiring a vehicle dates back to the 17th century with horse-drawn carriages. However, it was in the early 20th century that motorized taxis became commonplace in urban areas.

Taxis offered a convenient mode of transport for city dwellers and visitors, providing point-to-point service on demand.

Characteristics:

Traditional taxis were known for their iconic designs, such as the yellow cabs in New York City and the black cabs in London.

They operated on a meter-based fare system, providing an affordable and accessible option for short trips.

2. Introduction of Limousine Services

The Luxury Upgrade:

As wealth increased and the desire for luxury grew, the limousine emerged as a symbol of opulence and status in the mid-20th century.

Limousine services catered to a niche market, offering spacious interiors, professional chauffeurs, and exclusive amenities for special occasions and corporate events.

Key Features:

Limousines were often equipped with high-end features such as leather seats, entertainment systems, minibars, and privacy partitions.

These services were primarily used for weddings, proms, business travel, and by celebrities.

3. Rise of Chauffeured Car Services

Expanding the Market:

The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of chauffeured car services, which filled the gap between traditional taxis and luxury limousines.

These services offered a more refined experience than taxis, with professional drivers, cleaner vehicles, and higher levels of customer service.

Business and Leisure Travel:

Chauffeured car services became popular for airport transfers, corporate travel, and special events, providing a reliable and comfortable alternative to taxis.

4. The Emergence of Black Car Services

Defining a New Standard:

The late 1990s and early 2000s marked the emergence of black car services, particularly in major cities like New York and Los Angeles.

These services were characterized by their fleet of luxury black cars, including models from brands like Lincoln, Cadillac, and Mercedes-Benz.

Technology Integration:

With the advent of smartphones and the rise of app-based booking platforms, black car services became more accessible and user-friendly.

Companies like Uber and Lyft introduced premium options such as UberBLACK and Lyft Lux, offering high-end vehicles and professional drivers at the tap of a button.

Key Advantages:

Black car services provided consistent quality, punctuality, and a superior level of comfort compared to traditional taxis.

The use of technology enabled features like real-time tracking, cashless payments, and advanced reservations, enhancing the overall user experience.

5. Current Trends and Future Innovations

Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Options:

With increasing environmental awareness, black car services are incorporating eco-friendly vehicles into their fleets. Hybrid and electric cars are becoming more common, offering sustainable luxury transportation options.

Enhanced Customer Experience:

Modern black car services focus on providing a seamless and personalized experience. Features such as in-car Wi-Fi, advanced climate control, and bespoke amenities cater to the needs of discerning travelers.

Companies are leveraging data analytics to anticipate customer preferences and improve service delivery.

Integration of Autonomous Vehicles:

The future of luxury car services may include autonomous vehicles, which promise to revolutionize the industry by offering enhanced safety, efficiency, and convenience.

While still in the testing phase, self-driving cars have the potential to become a standard feature in luxury transportation.

Conclusion

The evolution from traditional taxis to black car services highlights the industry's response to changing consumer demands and technological advancements. Today's black car services combine the best of luxury, convenience, and innovation, offering a superior travel experience for both business and leisure. As the industry continues to evolve, we can expect further enhancements in sustainability, customer experience, and technology, ensuring that luxury car services remain at the forefront of premium transportation.

[scarlettwatson340]

Arrive in Grandeur: Black Car Rentals Service in Dallas/Fort Worth

Experience unparalleled luxury with Black Car DFW, the epitome of black car rental service in Dallas/Fort Worth. Explore the city lights and embrace timeless sophistication. Black Car DFW: Where every journey is a statement of prestige. Book now for a ride that transcends transportation, delivering an experience of opulence at every turn. Read more at https://blackcardfwtx.com/

[dfwexecutivecar]

DFW Executive Car Service Are you looking for most executive car services and airport Limousine services for your business or personal use, if yes then you are exactly on right place because we perfectly understand how to gratify our client’s needs? Our services are very unique because we strive hard to leave a positive and long-term impression on our clients. DFW Executive Car Service is offering the most luxury transport service that will take you to DFW International airport with full protocol and dignity within a specific period of time given by our customers. 2. Premium limo service Dallas Texas Our limo services provide complementary wait time at a most affordable cost which is rarely seen in any other Airport Limo services. As you know we are operating in Dallas for several years and because of our hard work, we are proudly offering one of the finest Premium Limo Service Dallas, Texas along with high-level customer services. Most of our clients are repeated clients due to our outstanding services they order our services again when needed. Wedding Transportation Dallas DFW Executive Car Service provides the best wedding cars in town decorated elegantly with white ribbons and bows with flowers to add that final touch. All of our Wedding cars are the latest models, plain black in color, without any adverts. They really stand out from the crowd. Spacious and personal inside for the bride and father, with room in a second wedding service for up to 5 bridesmaids it is the perfect wedding transportation in Dallas and a great way to arrive at your special day. Being so spacious we can also accommodate your photograph in the car to capture some great photographs along the journey. Luxury limousine Texas DFW Executive Car Service is one-source that provides you the facility of Event Transportation, Airport transportation and specializing in Corporate Class ground transportation. We will provide you the perfect Luxury Limousine Car Services in Texas especially for occasions like weddings, graduations, concerts, and other corporate events. This was just a small introduction to our services; now let’s talk in depth about the benefits which you will get after ordering our premium Luxury Car service Dallas, Texas. Executive car rental Executive Car Rental Services is one-source that we provide you the facility of Event Transportation, Airport transportation and specializing in Corporate Class ground transportation. We’re pro-active in working with event managers and meeting managers for the business of all types; it doesn’t matter, what is the size of guests, we are able to provide all types of transportation for your events or meetings. DFW Executive Car Service has a team which will take care of the safety of your stuff and meeting speakers or guests.

[mylegacyrides]

Luxury Car Rental in Dallas: A Taste of Opulence on Texan Roads

When it comes to experiencing the epitome of luxury and style, Dallas, Texas, is no stranger to providing top-tier amenities to its residents and visitors. Among the many high-end offerings in the city, luxury car rentals have gained immense popularity as a way to elevate your driving experience and make a statement while cruising through the streets of the Lone Star State.

Discovering the World of Luxury Car Rentals in Dallas

Dallas is a city that boasts a vibrant mix of culture, business, and entertainment, and it's no wonder that people often seek to make a statement when they travel here. Whether you're in town for a special event, a business meeting, or simply exploring all that Dallas has to offer, a luxury car rental can add a touch of opulence to your experience.

The Fleet of Dreams: From Exotics to SUVs

One of the standout features of luxury car rental services in Dallas is the impressive fleet of vehicles at your disposal. From high-performance exotics to spacious SUVs, there's a luxury car for every taste and occasion.

Exotic Cars: For those seeking a taste of adrenaline and pure exhilaration, exotic cars like the Lamborghini Urus or the Corvette C8 Stingray offer the perfect solution. These machines are designed to captivate both the driver and onlookers alike.

SUVs: If you prefer a blend of style and practicality, the SUVs available for rent in Dallas are sure to meet your requirements. Vehicles like the Bentley Bentayga, Range Rover Velar, or the BMW i8 offer a unique blend of luxury and versatility for your journeys.

Unmatched Convenience: Luxury Car Rentals Made Easy

The process of renting a luxury car in Dallas has never been easier. With a variety of options, including online booking and phone reservations, you can secure your dream car for a day, a week, or even longer, depending on your needs.

Experience the Unforgettable

Luxury car rentals in Dallas are not just about getting from point A to point B; they are about making a statement and creating unforgettable memories. Be it a romantic weekend, a special occasion, or a leisurely cruise through the Texan landscapes, luxury cars offer an unmatched driving experience.

In Conclusion

When you find yourself in Dallas, don't miss the opportunity to experience the taste of opulence that luxury car rentals can bring to your journey. These stylish and high-performance vehicles are designed to make an impression and turn your time in Dallas into a truly memorable experience. So, why settle for ordinary when you can have an extraordinary ride in the heart of Texas? Treat yourself to a luxury car rental in Dallas and explore the city in style.

[nationwidecarservice]

Travel with ease from Dallas Love Field Car Service

Travel with ease from Dallas Love Field Car Service. Experience seamless travel from Dallas Love Field with Nationwide’s top-tier Car Service. Whether arriving or departing, our professional chauffeurs ensure a smooth ride, setting the tone for a stress-free journey. With our nationwide network, you can expect the same excellence wherever you travel. Our commitment to personalized service,…

[dallasexoticcar]

Dallas Exotic Car Rental

Dallas Exotic Car Rental is a premier exotic car rental service. Offering a curated selection of luxury vehicles, the company caters to individuals seeking a unique driving experience. With a commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, Dallas Exotic Car Rental ensures every ride is memorable and unparalleled.

Visit Our Website

[cellythefloshie]

;; A Secret for Christmas 𝓗𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓗𝓸𝓵𝓲𝓭𝓪𝔂𝓼 from cellythefloshie

Summary: Katie had long abandoned trying to search for new romance, especially during the holiday season. But when her son’s teammate, Jeremy Swayman, joins them for the holidays, Katie can't ignore the memory of the night they once shared together in Boston a year prior. Will Jeremy’s persistence chip away at her defenses? Will Katie risk it all for a chance at a lust she never expected? Sequel to: Mama Bear. Kinks & Tropes: Age Gap (24 v. 41). Divorcee. Alcohol Consumption. Secret Hookup. Protected Sex. - If I missed something, yell at me. ABOUT THE OC’s: Katherine: AKA Katie. Face Claim: Bryce Dallas Howard. 40's. Mother of Parker Waylon-Stacy. Parker: Face Claim: Michael Provost. Boston Bruin's Forward. Dorthey: AKA Dottie. Face Claim: Kate Hudson. Best friend of Katherine. Word Count: 13k+ A/N: Another year has passed, and in almost that exact time, we return to Katie and Jeremy. I am not lying to you when I say that this fic has been planned since January. It has been a painful wait for me to have to wait to write/post this. For months I would return to my outline and read it with great excitement. I am so deeply satisfied to be able to finally share this with you all, and to have this fic be the last one I will write for 2024. (Though, a New Years fic has been queued, this is the last one I will be writing until 2025). I hope you're just as excited to return to Jeremy as I was! --- This fic was minimally edited.

Christmas didn’t feel like Christmas anywhere but home, Katie thought as she sat in bumper to bumper traffic, her hands wringing at the steering wheel. A symphony of honks sung their carols around her, but they went unheard as she daydreamed of home. 

The stockings hung in their usual spots, their names stitched neatly in gold thread—hers and Parker’s. She could almost hear his small voice from when he was just a boy, asking if Santa would really know to leave presents if they didn’t have a chimney.

Every corner of her home was dusted with memories—Parker’s laugh echoing down the halls, the smell of cookies burning when she got distracted by Dottie and the kids in the living room, the way he used to shake the snow off his boots, leaving puddles by the door. 

But this year, those memories were left behind, but not forgotten as Parker wasn't going to be able to come home for Christmas. The Bruins had a game the night before Christmas Eve, and they’d hit the road again just four days later. Katie had been forced to choose between the traditions she treasured and something new. As Stubborn as she was, there was never really a choice. She would always choose Parker. 

The drive to the grocery store and back took nearly two hours—a journey that gave Katie plenty of time to dwell on Parker’s idea of a "family holiday." When he’d told her he’d rented a house big enough for everyone, she hadn’t asked many questions. She trusted her son. But that trust began to waver at 5 a.m. on the morning of her flight when Dottie showed up at her door with her husband and her kids all left waiting in their Escalade. 

“Surprise!” Dottie had chirped, her tone almost too cheery to handle before a cup of coffee. But Katie smiled all the same. Having her best friend with her for the holidays, especially when she would have to deal with her ex, was a gift all in itself. 

And the surprises didn’t end there. 

For the entirety of the flight, Katie couldn’t fathom how Parker imagined cramming all eight of them into an Airbnb. But when the car pulled up to the property, Katie’s jaw dropped. This wasn’t some tiny apartment or cramped rental house. It was a sprawling villa, complete with a wide wraparound porch, floor to ceiling windows  and twinkling lights that sparkled in the crisp winter air.

The beauty of the home still left Katie in awe as she pulled up in front of it for the second time. The driveway curved through a yard blanket edge by freshly fallen snow. Snow that crackled beneath the slow roll of the car's tires until they  eased into a stop in front of the garage door. Katie leaned her back against the headrest, admiring how Christmas lights reflected off the snow capped roof. Smiling proudly at what Parker was able to accomplish, she turned slightly to look over at Dottie who sat in the passenger seat. 

Her phone was out, her fingers tapping feverishly against her phone as she tried to finish the work assignment she had promised not to touch when the plane landed in Boston. Katie shook her head slowly, her smile growing wider. There were two things Dottie would be doing from the grave, her final work assignment and polishing off an expensive bottle of chardonnay. Because while she worked hard, Dottie played harder. 

“You done?” Katie raised a brow up at her best friend, “because I'm not letting you touch it again once we get inside.”

Dottie was quiet for a moment, a small sigh rocking her shoulders before she let her eyes leave the bright glow of the phone screen. 

“Alright, alright, I'm done enough,” Dottie assured, her thumbs hovering over the screen as if she wanted to write just one word more. 

“Done enough?” Katie half laughed, “Last time I heard that I found you hiding in the bathroom at the twins hockey game.” 

Dottie laughed, raising her hands up in mock surrender, “I promise you won't find me hiding this time. Work-free holiday starts as soon as we pop the wine.”

“Then I guess we should get inside and open up a bottle,” Katie smiled and watched as Dottie tucked her phone away in her purse to free up her hands. They had a lot to bring in, and they were both firm believers in taking all the groceries in one trip. 

Fresh snow kissed Katie’s bare ankles as she stepped out of the car, the drifts spilling over her boots with every hurried step toward the front door. Dottie followed close behind, both of them cradling paper bags threatening to topple with each stride. A shiver climbed Katie’s spine as she stomped up the steps, rushing to the unlocked door she couldn’t open with her full hands.

Her boot met the door in three swift kicks, and as it swung open, a gust of warmth greeted her cold, rosy cheeks. 

“Thank you,” she spoke in a sing-songy tone as she was met by Parker's smile that quickly faltered. 

“Mom, you gotta stop doing this. You could have gotten me to help carry this in,” he pleaded with her, a single arm scooping on the bags from her hold. She hated it when he looked at her like that. Like she was frail. Incapable. Old. 

“I'm forty-one Parker, not a hundred. I can still carry in the groceries. Besides, Dottie helped,” Katie spoke pointedly as she stepped out of her shoes and led the way into the large kitchen that was like it was out of a dream. From the dark green walls and ebony cabinetry to the stacked ovens complete with French doors, Katie was going to be the last to complain about having to cook nearly twelve meals for eight people over the three days they would be spending in the home. 

“We've got more than enough hands here, Mom,” Parker continued as he placed the bag down on the marble countertops. “Between me and-” 

His words were broken by the slamming of the front door. Katie's neck quickly snapped in the direction of the sound. They hadn't abandoned Dottie. She stood beside her, her arm already lost in the depths of the paper bag as she blindly searched for one of their bottles of wine. Her brows furrowed as she leaned over the counter, craning her neck to see who's heavy steps clunked over the hardwood floors. 

Her face fell into a frown when her ex-husband, Ronnie, came into view, his winter boots and jacket still on and his arms carrying an array of luggage. Not once, during their twenty years of marriage, had he been so chivalrous as to carry her bags or help her with her groceries. Katie’s face fell into a sneer, there was no hiding it. 

“Dad! You made it,” Parker smiled as he stepped away from the counter to meet his dad who struggled with the bags. 

Monica strutted in behind them, her smile wide as she caught up with Ronnie. Her arms opened as she stepped towards Parker, taking her into an embrace he didn’t seem eager to return. Katie caught the tightness in Parker’s jaw, as he offered a half-hearted pat on her back. She knew he was trying–for Ronnie’s sake, if nothing else–but it was clear Monica hadn’t won him over. 

“By what miracle were they not going to make it?” Katie mumbled under her breath to Dottie who turned and hid her smile in the fridge as she started to put the groceries away. 

“Snow storm?” Dottie hummed. 

“Plane crash,” Katie bit out, sending Dottie into a laughter she could not contain. 

“So we’re not playing nice this weekend?” Dottie arched a brow, her voice laced with curiosity.

Katie smirked, her tone dry. “To their faces, sure.”

Dottie chuckled, shaking her head. “You know that makes you sound terrible, right?”

“There’s only so much fake smiling I can manage before I break something,” Katie said with a shrug.

With her back turned to the doorway, Katie worked with Dottie to fill the empty cupboards and the fridge with the groceries they bought from the store. Soon, the kitchen looked like someone called it home, and it was only the turkey left to put away. Cradling it in her arms, Katie opened the fridge, only to find another turkey sitting on the top shelf. 

“We didn’t buy two turkeys did we?” Katie asked, her brows falling in confusion. 

“No, we just got the big one,” Dottie confirmed, her one hand wrapped around the neck of a wine bottle as she searched for a bottle opener. 

“Then what’s this?” Katie stepped to the side and did her best to gesture the turkey with her full hands.

Dottie shrugged, and Katie let out a sigh. Was it horrible that they had two turkeys? No, but it was making Katie question her sanity because it wasn’t in there when they left for the store. 

“Parker? Where’d you get this other turkey?” She called out, but her son didn’t hear her. He no longer stood in the doorway with his father and Monica. He was lost somewhere in the house – probably showing them to their room - or maybe, he was the source of the laughter she could hear in the living room. 

Placing the turkey down in the fridge next to the other, Katie closed up the fridge and followed the shill laughter of Dottie’s twins, and the thunder of footsteps against the hardwood floor. She walked through the entryway, her socks getting wet from the trail of her husband’s footprints. If she was still his wife, she would have nagged him to clean up the mess he had created, but she promised herself that she wouldn’t let his bad habits get to her over the holidays. Instead she walked right through them, leaving her own soggy footprints behind as she walked to the living room. 

“Whoa,” her lips fell open in awe at the sight of the large Christmas tree that stood in the corner of the room, just to the right of the fireplace that blazed with the dance of fire. That hadn’t been there before they left either. Its branches were still free of ornaments, but the glimmer of white lights set it aglow.

“When did Parker have time for all of this?” Dottie gasped out from behind her, pushing past to stand with Brandon and Brayden who knelt on the floor, opening up the boxes of brand new ornaments. 

“He didn’t,” Megan said, her voice drifting lazily from where she was curled up in an armchair by the fire. “Jeremy did.”

Katie’s attention snapped to the teenager, whose wistful gaze was fixed on the snow falling softly outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. The faint, dreamy sigh that followed spoke volumes. Katie didn’t need to ask—she recognized that tone all too well. But Katie couldn’t give herself time to dwell on it, her body had already gone still at the realization of what Megan had said. 

Suddenly she was hot, sweating, with nerves as her stomach jumped up into her throat. She had to have heard her wrong. Megan hasn’t said Jeremy. She couldn’t have. Katie refused to believe it, it must have been her mind playing tricks on her. 

“Where’s,” Katie's mouth was dry, and she paused, forced to swallow, “Megan, where’s Parker?”

“Upstairs with Uncle Ronnie,” Megan waved off, her eyes falling back to her book. 

Katie moved quickly, taking the stairs two at a time despite her arms feeling heavy and her legs unsteady. The laughter from the living room faded as her pulse roared in her ears. When she reached the landing, she blindly collided with a solid figure. 

Two strong hands caught her by the arms, steadying her before she could stumble back. Katie held her breath as she shut her eyes, praying to whoever would listen, that she had run into Parker, or for the first time in years, she wished that she had collided with her husband. But she knew it wasn’t either of them. 

She didn’t need to look to know who it was holding her so carefully in place. She’d feel this touch before– gentle but firm, it was a comforting touch she’d never forgotten. On so many nights it had crept into her dreams, leaving her craving more but Katie had told herself she could never feel again.

“Mom!” Parker’s voice broke through her thoughts, his concern heavy as he came up behind the figure that still held her. “Are you okay?”

Katie swallowed hard, her mouth dry as she let herself look up. Jeremy towered over her with a soft smile, and just past him was her son. 

“I’m fine,” she managed to say, her voice softer than she’d expected. 

Jeremy’s hands lingered for just a moment longer before they fell away. She felt the absence of them instantly, the cool air of the house passing over her skin in the absence of his warmth.  

“I just… Megan mentioned we had a guest?” Katie’s voice wavered, but she steadied it with a quick breath. 

“Oh, yeah,” Parker said, his grin sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry mom. Sway’s staying with us for Christmas. I thought it would be okay.”

Katie blinked, her stomach tightening. Of course it wasn’t okay, but on the surface, she had to pretend that it was. Because if it wasn’t, Parker would ask why and Katie would never be able to answer him…

Jeremy spoke, his tone warm, “I brought an extra turkey, and set up the tree, anything else you need, Ms. Stacey, just let me know. It’s the least I could do.”

Katie’s legs pressed firm together as his words, suddenly feeling weak right through to her very core. To anyone else, it would have sounded like Jeremy was being kind, but Katie knew that anything truly meant anything.

“Thank you, Jeremy. That’s very thoughtful. If you’ll excuse me, I should start dinner.”

She descended slowly, her mind spinning. Each step felt heavier than the last, her composure threatening to slip as she reached the bottom.

Dottie was waiting for her at the bottom of the steps. Her wide eyes met Katie’s as the twins chattered excitedly about the tree. No words passed between them, they didn’t need to, not when Katie’s eyes said it all. 

Yes, this was Jeremy. The Jeremy she had slept with for just a year before. Back when he had been nothing more than a stranger to her– and before she discovered he was the goaltender for his son’s hockey team. 

Dottie gave her a knowing look as she directed her twins towards the living room. “Go help Parker with the tree. Mom’s going to help Aunt Katie,” she said, falling into stride behind Katie. 

They said nothing, the kitchen quiet except for the soft hum of the refrigerator and distant laughter from the next room. Among them, she could hear Jeremy’s laugh, a sound Katie had once thought she would never hear again. 

The bottle of wine thudded against the countertop as Dottie uncorked it with practiced ease. She didn’t ask questions, she didn’t push, just poured two glasses and slid one into Katie’s waiting hand. 

Katie wrapped her fingers around the glass, staring down at the swirling red liquid as if it could solve all her problems. Taking a long steady sip, Katie drowned her senses in the flavor of the sweet red wine and tried to  ignore just how complicated her Christmas had become.

The warm glow of the chandelier above the dinner table bathed Katie in soft light as laughter and clatter of silverware filled the room. Brayden and Brandon, full of boundless energy, captivated everyone’s attention, and Katie couldn’t help but smile as she watched them. Christmas Eve was everything she had hoped for—a cozy, festive evening with her family, even if her definition of family included her ex-husband, his new wife, and her son’s teammate, Jeremy.

Despite the cheerful atmosphere that had fallen around the table, Katie couldn’t ignore the knot that tightened in her stomach. Jeremy’s presence, as he sat directly across from her, was both thrilling and unsettling. When he had joined them, he’d offered a soft smile, his voice low and warm as he spoke. “Everything looks great” he had said, and his gaze lingered just long enough to make her breath catch, before reaching for a dinner roll. Katie had nodded, a tight smile tugging at her lips, the brief exchange sending a ripple of warmth through her that she quickly tried to ignore. And she was thankful for his quiet demeanor. He didn’t ask questions, didn’t seem to push for conversation, and she appreciated that more than she expected. 

Katie kept her attention on her plate, chewing slowly and forcing herself to smile when someone looked her way. Though, it was hard to ignore the site across the table. Megan had seated herself next to Jeremy, and was leaning in close to him as she spoke in a soft whisper. Whatever she had said, Katie couldn’t quite hear, and Jeremy responded with a polite but brief nod before returning his attention back to his plate. The poor girl was doing her best to get Jeremy’s attention, but it was already devoted to Katie, though she was trying to ignore that fact. She avoided looking directly at Jeremy, but when she did, his gaze was always there, steady, like he was waiting for her to look back. And when they did meet, they met briefly, Katie’s pulse hastening as she found herself glancing away quickly, as if caught off guard by his quiet intensity. 

Instead of letting her eyes linger on Jeremy, she turned her gaze to Ronnie, seated at the head of the table, and Monica, who sat at his side, basking in the center of attention. 

Monica’s voice rose about the rest, her stories even louder than the laughter of the twins as they were entertained by Jeremy. "Ronnie’s taking me to the Maldives after the holidays," she said, pushing her blonde hair with a casual toss. As she did, the light caught Monica’s oversized diamond ring, its glimmer flashing in Katie’s eyes.

Katie’s gaze flickered to her own left hand, tracing the memory of the simpler rings Ronnie had given her– the ones that were never as big, or never as extravagant as Monica’s. They hadn’t had the money for such luxuries, or for the kinds of trips Monica seemed to collect like trophies. Watching Ronnie’s lavish midlife crisis, and his new wife with all the things they never had, made Katie’s shoulders slouch forward. Choking back a sigh, she reached for the bottle of wine at the center of the table.

The motion drew Monica’s sharp eye, like an eagle flying high above her prey. Her voice cut through the hum of conversation. "We were so sad when you couldn’t come to the wedding, Katie," she said, her tone pitched just loud enough for everyone to hear. "It was such a beautiful ceremony. You would’ve loved it."

Katie’s stomach churned, but she forced a smile, her eyes darting briefly to Ronnie, hoping for some sign that he’d put a stop to it. "I’m sure it was lovely—" she began, but Monica didn’t let her finish.

With a flourish, Monica extended her arm across the table, wiggling her fingers. "Look how gorgeous this ring is," she said, her smile gleaming, "And this is just my travel ring."

Katies brows knit together as her jaw slacked. "Travel ring?" Her words faltered, her mind scrambling for a response. She looked from Monica’s beaming face, to Dottie–but there was also something pulling her attention toward Jeremy—his eyes on her again, his lips slightly parted as if he had something to say but was waiting for her to speak first.

Her heart stuttered, and for a moment, the noise around her faded, leaving only the sensation of his gaze. Katie’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, before she pulled them away and looked to her ex husband with a pleading stare, silently begging him to get Monica to stop. 

"Oh yes, isn’t it wonderful?" Monica beamed. "Ronnie is so thoughtful. But don’t worry, Katie. One day, someone will love you as much as he loves me."

The sudden crash of silverware on a plate made Katie flinch, and she turned to see Parker, his dinner abandoned, and his hand dropped to his side in two fists. He leaned forward, his voice thick with disgust. “You know who you’re fucking talking to right?” 

Katie’s heart swelled with pride, but she quickly tamped it down though she wanted nothing more than to smile. She was so proud of him for so many things, but nothing made him prouder than this. She wanted to applaud him, but she couldn’t. Not now, not at Christmas when she needed everyone to get along. She shot him a soft look, her words a low but firm plea for calm, “Parker, language.���

Parker didn’t back down. “Mom seriously? She can’t say that kind of shit to you.”

He was right. Monica shouldn’t be saying anything like that. Not to her. No ever. The tensions between them were the highest they had been since they met, and it was clear that no amount of effort on Monica’s part would change that dynamic with Parker, not after everything. 

“Mom,” Parker spoke insistently, waiting for his mother to say anything to defend herself. 

Katie sighed and topped off her glass of wine, her gaze flickered briefly to her son. “She’s right Parker,” she said quietly. “She and your father are very much in love. It should be celebrated. Not all are so lucky to find love so late in their lives… or so early.” She punctuated the words with a long sip of wine, and from the other end of the table, Dottie’s soft laugh echoed through the tension. 

As the laughter faded, so did the conversation and the table fell into silence. The clink of forks and knives returned, and any words said were exchanged in whispers. Katie’s chest tightened as she took another sip of her wine, her fingers gripping the glass a little too tightly.  The sting of Monica’s words still lingered below the surface. Katie wasn’t sure what she had expected when she agreed to sitting down with everyone for dinner but it certainly wasn’t this– a cocktail of bitterness and forced civility. 

Her gaze wandered the table: Parker sat stiffly beside her, his fork clenched in his fist as he stabbed at his food. Ronnie and Monica whispered conspiratorially, their heads close together, while Dottie and Ben coaxed their kids to eat a few more bites.

Katie’s eyes stopped on Megan, leaning toward Jeremy with a bright smile. “If that happened to me, I think I’d die of embarrassment,” she said, her voice carrying just enough for Katie to catch it.

Jeremy didn’t respond. He didn’t even look at Megan. His gaze was elsewhere, steady and unflinching—on Katie. Not with pity or judgment, but quiet understanding. He shifted slightly, closing himself off from Megan’s proximity and angling toward Katie instead. The subtle movement felt deliberate, almost protective.

Katie’s breath caught, and she quickly looked away, her eyes falling to her empty wine glass. She wasn’t going to get through the night sober.

Blindly reaching for the bottle, her trembling fingers brushed against something warm. She froze, realizing it was Jeremy’s hand, just as he reached for the same bottle. His touch was barely there–just the faintest of feelings as they had met by accident. 

Katie watched as his thick fingers coiled around the neck of the bottle and poured himself more wine. But his touch had lingered just long enough that Katie could still feel it, as the legs of his chair squealed against the floor. Jeremy stood slowly, his expression neutral, as he reached out across the table and filled her glass with wine. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Jeremy didn’t reply, just settled back in his chair with a quiet confidence that made her chest feel less tight. But then, as he sat, she felt the faintest pressure against her ankle. His foot, deliberate and slow, traced a line up her calf before retreating. 

Katie’s breath hitched, her grip on her wine glass beginning to falter as it suddenly felt heavy in her hand. It dropped to the table before she could try to catch it, the sound of the shatter had Katie snapping back to reality. 

“I’m sorry,” Katie gasped, scrambling to cover the spill with her napkin as if it would stop it from bleeding into the table cloth. 

“Mom, are you okay?” Parker asked quickly, his hand joining the mess of napkins at the center of the table. 

Katie forced a smile, her voice shaking, “Yes, just clumsy tonight.”

Dottie chimed in, her tone calm and reassuring. “It’s the stress,” Dottie was quick to say, “I keep telling you– what do I keep telling you?”

Katie nodded, grateful for the lifeline Dottie had thrown her. “It’s the stress,” she echoed, her gaze briefly meeting Jeremy’s before it dropped down to the table. 

From beside her, Parker leaned across the table, toward Jeremy, his voice carrying just enough for Katie to hear. “Mom and Dottie are weird like that—you’ll get used to it.”

It was almost enough to draw a genuine smile from her, almost. She brushed her hair back, her fingers lingering against her temples as if she could rub away the growing headache. “I think I’ll turn in early,” she murmured, her voice fragile but resolute.

“You should,” Parker said, his tone firm in the way only a son looking out for his mother could be. “There’s a hot tub out back—just go relax. We’ll take care of everything here.”

Katie hesitated, her instinct to refuse warring with the exhaustion pulling at her shoulders. She reached out, smoothing Parker’s hair with a soft touch. “Thank you, sweetheart,” she said, her voice thick with emotion she didn’t dare let show.

As she pushed back her chair and rose, she felt Jeremy’s eyes on her again—steady, watchful. She avoided meeting his gaze, but as she turned to leave, her steps faltering slightly, his quiet presence lingered behind her like an unspoken promise.

In the hall, the muffled sounds of the table faded, replaced by the echo of her own breathing. Katie pressed her palm flat against the cool wall, closing her eyes for a moment. Maybe the hot tub wasn’t a bad idea after all. She just needed to find a way to let the tension in her chest dissolve, even if it was only temporary.

And as she walked toward the back door, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Jeremy would somehow end up being part of that reprieve, whether she wanted him to be or not.

The crisp winter air nipped at Katie’s cheeks as she stepped onto the back deck, her breath curling in soft, misty clouds in front of her. She pulled her robe tighter around her body, the crunch of snow underfoot lost on her ears as she heard the sound of bubbling water ahead.

The hot tub was a small oasis in the frigid night, steam rising in soft tendrils against the dark sky. Katie hesitated at the edge, her eyes scanning the yard for any sign of life, but it was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the house settling. She exhaled slowly, peeling off the layers she’d brought with her until she was left in her swimsuit.

The water welcomed her like an old friend, the heat seeping into her muscles as she sank into its depths with a sigh. For the first time that evening, the tension in her shoulders began to melt away, replaced by a soothing warmth that wrapped around her like a blanket.

She settled into the corner, facing the sliding glass doors that led back into the house. The glow from inside cast a soft light across the deck, but it felt distant, as though she had managed to leave all the chaos and noise behind.

The sound of the water bubbling and the gentle rustle of wind through the trees dulled her senses. She leaned her head back, the steam curling around her face, and closed her eyes. For just a moment, she let herself drift, the night wrapping her in its stillness.

Katie let the calm envelop her, wrapping around her like a cocoon. For the first time since her plane had lifted off that morning, she felt at peace. She savored it, knowing it was fleeting—knowing it would dissolve the moment she slid the door open and stepped back into the noise of children’s laughter, Monica’s relentless self-importance, and the inevitable chaos of Christmas.

"You don’t have to go back inside yet," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the steady hum of the water. She felt the tension creeping back into her shoulders at the mere thought of rejoining the fray, but she pushed it down, letting the warmth of the water soothe her nerves.

Just as she began to reclaim the fleeting relief, the sharp sound of the sliding door broke the stillness. Her heart sank. With a sigh, she cracked her eyes open, fully expecting to see Dottie or Parker checking on her. But the figure stepping into the glow of the deck lights wasn’t who she expected.

It was Jeremy.

Her body tensed, her calm shattered in an instant. She shot upright, the sudden motion sending ripples across the surface of the water, the heat lapping against her skin. He walked toward her, his long strides careful, purposeful. Each step followed the faint path he had left in the snow, his breath visible in the cold air.

Katie’s pulse quickened. A part of her wanted to sink below the surface, to disappear into the steam and pretend he hadn’t found her sanctuary. But she couldn’t move—his presence rooted her in place.

He stopped just short of the tub, crouching in the snow until he was at her eye level. For a moment, he said nothing, just held her gaze with an intensity that made her breath hitch. Then, without a word, he extended his hand, offering her a glass of wine.

“I don’t think I should have another,” Katie told him, sinking deeper into the water, until it was only her head that bobbed above the surface. 

Jeremy smirked, holding the glass just out of her reach. “Considering your last one ended up all over the table, I don’t think this one will hurt.” 

Her arm emerged cautiously from the water, ripping the surface as she reached for the glass. Their fingers brushed, and this time, neither of them pulled away. They both held the glass, a sudden grounding force that had Katie easing herself out of the water. Her swimsuit clung to her skim, emphasizing the soft curves of her body. For a moment, and his warm eyes dragged over her body,  Jeremy looked as though he might climb in, fully dressed. 

But instead, he leaned in closer, his voice low and intimate, meant for her ears alone. “You left the dinner table because of me, didn’t you?”

Katie’s face flushed red hot. 

“There were many reasons I didn’t want to be seated at that table,” she said, her voice steady despite the way his gaze held her captive. For the first time all evening, she didn’t look away. Instead she allowed herself a moment to take him in–the quiet intensity of his eyes, the subtle curve of his lips, and the he seemed entirely at ease yet so focused on her.

“You weren’t one of them” she continued, her tone softening. 

Jeremy’s grin deepened, soft but unmistakably wicked. "Good, because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since you walked in tonight."

Her pulse quickened, the admission sending a ripple through her resolve. But she managed to hold her ground, her voice quieter now. "We can’t… do this."

Jeremy’s grin turned playful, though his eyes remained serious. “Dottie and Parker were busy in the kitchen-”

“You know that’s not what I meant, Jeremy,” Katie said, her tone growing firmer. 

“I know,” he admitted, exhaling as he let the glass fall into her hold alone. Then, he sat himself down on the hard plastic of the hot tub. His hand dipped down into the water, swirling it idly. “Anything else I can do to help you relax?”

Katie hesitated, gripping the rim of the tub as if it would keep her from doing anything stupid. “We can’t,” she repeated. 

“Why not? You didn’t seem to have any problem with us before.”

Her breath hitched. “I didn’t know who you were before.”

Jeremy’s brow lifted, his smirk returning. “Oh, so you only sleep with strangers, that’s it? Kinky.”

“No, no that’s not-” Katie stammered, her words tangling her tongue as she tried to protest. 

“Is it that you think I’m too young for you?” Jeremy pressed, his teasing tone refusing to let up. 

Katie groaned, the sound low and frustrated. His words hit a nerve. Her chest tightened at the thought—how similar their relationship was to the one Ronnie had with Monica. She hated that she could compare herself  to the man who had once made her feel small and uncertain of herself.

“I knew you were younger,” she shot back. 

“Then I don’t see the-”

Her voice dropped, heavy with finality. “I don’t sleep with my son’s friends.”

“That’s a shame,” Jeremy spoke, his tone low and edged with humor, “you would’ve been the perfect gift for me to unwrap for the first night of Hannukah.” Slowly, Jeremy pushed himself to his feet, and brushed the snow from his pants as he prepared to leave. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me, Katie.”

With that, Jeremy turned, retracing his footprints back into the house. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Katie alone once more. She stared down at the wine glass in her hand, watching it swirl as she twisted it between her fingers. The dark liquid swirled hypnotically, tempting her into taking a sip, to dull the tensions that crept back into her shoulders. But she knew better. Wine had a way of loosening her resolve, and the last thing she needed was to make the same mistake twice. 

Katie tipped the glass, slowly pouring it into the snow. The deep red stained the pristine white, fading to pink as the liquid seeped in. She smiled softly at the colors, a fleeting moment of calm, until the door creaked open again, followed by an exaggerated gasp.

“I can’t believe you just wasted perfectly good wine,” Dottie explained, her tone somewhere between mock horror and genuine disapproval.

Katie chucked, shaking her head without looking back., “How long have you been watching from the window?”

“The whole time,” Dottie smiled devilishly, “Thought you and lover boy were about to give me a show.”

Katie groaned, sinking further into the warmth of the hot tub. “You’re the worst.”

“I’m the best,” Dottie corrected, perching on the edge of the tub like a cat ready to pounce. “So? What did he say?”

“Nothing appropriate,” Katie groaned, leaning back in the comforting warmth of the hot tub. 

“I like him!” Dottie announced with a grin. 

“Of course you do,” Katie deadpanned.

“So you’re going to bang, right?”

“Dottie!”

“What?” Dottie said innocently, though her grin only grew. “He’s hot, he’s into you, and you’re clearly into him. Win-win.”

“He’s Parker’s friend,” Katie reminded her, her face falling into a semblance of a frown. “And practically his age. If Parker ever found out… he’d never talk to me again. It can’t  happen, not here, not now. Especially not here, not at Christmas.”

Dottie’s teasing expression softened. “I get it. I  do,” she said, her tone gentler. “Parker’s your whole world. He’s been it since the moment he was born. Your number one priority, and he’s done all of this for us this year because of what you’ve sacrificed to get him here–a loveless marriage, a career that paid well but wasn’t your dream job. You’ve sacrificed everything for that boy. Just once, can’t you put yourself first? For me? Please.” Dottie punctuated her words with a soft pout. 

Katie sighed, reaching for her robe as she climbed out of the hot tub. The icy air hit her like a slap, sending a shiver down her spine. “It’s not that simple, Dot,” Katie said, pulling her robe tightly around her. “This isn’t like buying a purse at TJ Maxx as a treat or not going to my ex-husband’s wedding.”

“No,” Dottie agreed, “It’s so much better. He’s a good guy, Katie”

“I know he is.”

“And a good lay,” Dottie spoke pointedly, as if Katie needed to be reminded. 

Katie froze, her cheeks heating despite the cold. The memory of Boston was etched in her mind–the way Jeremy’s hand felt on her skin, the heat of his lips on hers. It had been intoxicated, a high she hadn’t been able to replicate since. 

“He was,” Katie admitted quietly. 

“And the opportunity may never come again. So why waste it?” Dottie challenged one last time, before she was gone, disappearing into the house. 

Katie stood there for a moment, staring after her friend. By the time Katie reached the door, her mind was racing. She knew Parker was reason enough to say no, but deep down, she couldn’t help but wonder how much longer she could keep saying no– to Jeremy, and to herself. 

Katie stood in front of the mirror in her room, twisting a damp strand of hair around her finger. The heat from the hot tub had left her skin pink and glowing, a small consolation after the tension-filled evening. She sighed, pulling on the soft flannel pajamas she’d bought for everyone weeks ago—a coordinated tradition she’d insisted on, despite Parker’s protests about dragging family traditions across the country for Christmas.

Everyone except Jeremy.

She tugged at the sleeves of her red-and-green plaid top, smoothing out imaginary wrinkles as her mind lingered on him. If she’d known he’d be here, she might’ve sent him a pair too. Or maybe not. Matching pajamas felt too… intimate.

Katie shook her head, banishing the thought as she grabbed the pile of neatly wrapped presents from the top of the dresser. She’d even bought one for Monica, a gesture that left a sour taste in her mouth. The wretched woman didn’t deserve a gift—not when Jeremy, so sweet and thoughtful, would go without. Her frown deepened as she glanced at each tag one last time before heading upstairs.

The Christmas tree’s glow bathed the living room in soft, warm light. The house had grown quiet, the others retreating to their rooms as the night stretched on. Katie knelt by the tree, arranging her presents carefully beneath the branches. Her fingers lingered on a ribbon as she gazed at the growing pile of gifts.

This was supposed to be a time for joy, for family, for simple traditions. But tonight felt different—complicated, like an invisible thread pulling her toward something she wasn’t sure she wanted.

With a sigh, she padded downstairs to her room, her bare feet quiet against the cold floor. She wasn’t ready for bed, not yet. Not when there were a few stolen moments left for herself.

Grabbing her book from her bag, Katie settled into the basement’s common area. Beyond the bathroom door, she heard the shower running, but she paid it no mind. The soft pages of her book soon drew her in, offering an escape from the thoughts she wasn’t ready to face.

Katie wasn’t sure how long she’d been sitting there—minutes or hours, time blurred by the quiet escape of her book. She didn’t look up until light spilled into the room, stretching across the floor and casting her shadow. 

“Parker, is that you?” she called softly, tilting her head to catch a glimpse of the figure beyond the bathroom door.

Katie’s gaze drifted upward, and at first, all she saw was the stretch of a shadow across the floor, long and shifting as if testing its reach. Her breath caught as the figure emerged from the light—a broad silhouette that sent a prickle of heat to her cheeks before her mind even registered who it was.

Jeremy stepped into view, a towel slung low around his hips, his hair damp and dripping. The droplets of water rolled down Jeremy’s chest, catching the light in a way that made her stomach twist. He didn’t seem to notice her staring—or maybe he did, and he was just taking his time, leaning casually against the doorframe as if oblivious to the effect he was having on her. Katie’s breath hitched, her earlier curiosity replaced by a sudden wish she’d stayed silent.

At first, neither of them moved. The hum of the bathroom light buzzed faintly, a subtle intrusion into the heavy stillness between them. Katie swallowed hard, the weight of his gaze pressing down on her as if daring her to speak first. Her mouth opened, words poised on her tongue, but nothing came out. Her brain screamed at her to look away, to act normal, but her eyes betrayed her, tracing the path of a water droplet as it slid down his collarbone and disappeared beneath the edge of the towel.

“Didn’t realize anyone was still up,” Jeremy said, his voice low as he ran a hand through his wet hair. “Did I wake you?”

“No,” Katie replied, holding up her book. “Needed a distraction to wind down.”

“A distraction from what?” he asked, stepping closer, one hand securing the towel at his waist.

“Everything,” she admitted, closing the book and setting it aside.

“Even me?” Jeremy’s voice was softer now, a faint edge of something unreadable in his tone.

“Especially you,” She didn’t mean for it to sound like a confession, but the way his brow lifted told her he’d heard it that way.

Rising from her chair, Katie moved toward him, her pulse quickening as the space between them disappeared. “I feel bad. If I’d known you were coming, I would’ve…”

“Would’ve what?”

“Gotten you a gift to unwrap,” she said, her words catching on a breath. For a moment, she hesitated, the tension between them thick and unspoken. “But I guess…” Her lips curled into a small, teasing smile. “I’ll have to do.”

“Come here,” Jeremy murmured, his voice barely audible, and before she could decide whether to step back or lean in, his hand moved—leaving the towel at his hips precariously loose.

Her stomach fluttered as his fingers found her waist, warm and firm through the thin flannel of her pajamas. The fabric bunched beneath his touch, the sensation sending a shiver skimming down her spine.

Jeremy lifted her effortlessly, the movement fluid and sure, his strength impossible to ignore as her pulse quickened. Katie’s breath caught, her hands instinctively finding his shoulders, while her legs wound around his hips. Her fingers brushed against his damp skin, warm and slick from his shower, and the contact sent a shiver coursing through her.

She barely had time to process the rush of feeling his body against hers, before she leaned in, her lips seeking his.

The first brush of their mouths sent a jolt through her, soft and electric. Her hand cupped his face, her fingers slipping into his damp hair as she deepened the kiss. A soft sound escaped her, unbidden and raw, as her body seemed to melt against him, surrendering to the moment.

Jeremy’s grip shifted, one hand leaving her waist to slide down and settle firmly against the back of her thigh. The possessiveness of his touch sent heat spiraling through her, igniting a spark that made her dizzy. Without breaking the kiss, he carried her with purposeful strides into the bedroom that had been assigned to him for the holidays.

A single arm reached out blindly as she sought out the door. Her knuckles hit the door frame first, sending a stinging pain through her hand as it found the door and shoved it back with the flick of her wrist. It was her body that secured it shut, Jeremy pressing her back firmly up against it, trapping her frame between the door and the strength of his body. 

“Lock it,” she panted against his lips, “lock it.”

Katie wanted to be sure that if she was going to fall into bed with Jeremey again, she wasn’t going to make the mistake of getting caught. 

A single hand strayed away from her for but a moment, the sound of the lock engaging was like the strike of a match that ignited the smoldering ashes inside her into a burning rage. Inside his room,  nothing beyond the door mattered. It was just her and Jeremy. 

With her body pressed up against the door, and the door locked, Jeremy’s hands traced the curves of her body. They dipped down as they traced her waist, and out over the swell of her hips before gripping at the softness of her thighs as he drew her away from the door with an effortlessness that left Katie gasping. 

It never ceased to amaze her how Jeremy carried her like she weighed nothing at all. He didn’t hesitate, didn’t falter, not even when his towel slipped or his steps tangled in the fabric. He only chuckled softly, against her skin, his hot breath washing over her cheek warm and reassuring as his lips teased her with the ghost of a kiss. 

Katie’s fingers brushed against his damp skin, feeling the strength beneath, the steadiness in how he held her. He didn’t complain—didn’t call her too heavy, or too demanding. Those words, the ones Ronnie had thrown at her like weapons, dissolved into nothingness in Jeremy’s arms.

Instead, Jeremy’s grip on her was firm but gentle, his touch reverent, as though he cherished the weight of her against him – he welcomed it even, as he sat down on the bed and welcomed her into his lap. He didn’t make her feel like a burden. He made her feel wanted.

Her chest tightened–just as her legs did around his thighs–and she bit her lip, a wave of emotion catching her off guard. He made her feel wanted. The feeling of needing him–and being needed– was all consuming, so unexpected, Katie had to fight back tears as her eyes danced over the soft expression on Jeremy’s face. 

She couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes flickered down to meet hers, a quiet smile playing at the corners of his mouth. There was no blame, no irritation, only quiet determination and an unmistakable softness that made her feel like the most precious thing in the world– and she would be for as long as she let herself be in his arms. 

Her touch was trembling as it left his shoulders, the tips of her fingers traced up the back of his neck and into the wet curls that hung there. Slowly, her grip tightened, twisting the soft strands between her fingers. Jeremy’s head eased back into her pull, and his mouth fell open in a ghost of a slack jawed moan. 

The sight of him left Katie breathless, her entire body tensing at a single fact; she was the one doing this to him. 

With her heart pounding so hard Katie thought her ribcage might rattle, her hips began to roll. The soft cotton fabric of her pajama bottoms was the only thing keeping her dragging her aching core over the expanse of his thick thighs. Her body quivered, her eyes fluttering shut, at the feeling of his hands on her hips. His fingers dug into her soft flesh, pulling her body in close, further up his lap so she could feel the stiffness of his cock between her legs. 

Jeremy whispered against her cheek, his hot breath washing over her with every word. “I’ve been thinking about this all day.”

Katie wanted to groan as angled her hips over him, her clothed core dragging up his length as a distraction from her racing mind that had wanted nothing but to ignore the very thought of his body against hers. Even as she was so close to having him, the last thing Katie wanted to do was think. So, she did the only thing she knew would cloud her mind in the best ways. She acted. 

With her fingers still tangled in the curls of his hair, Katie’s lips swallowed every word that threatened to spill from his mouth with a kiss. The kiss was deep and hungry.  Katie could taste the sweetness of his toothpaste on his tongue as her own parted his lips and stroked only his teeth. 

Jeremy’s body vibrated with the vibrato of his satisfied hum, his kiss meeting the eagerness of her own before it left her lips and left a heated trail across the angles of her jaw and down. His tongue stroked along her neck slowly, priming the delicate skin there for the careful graze of his teeth. 

“Don’t,” Katie gasped out, her grasp on his hair tightening. As much as she liked it, the risk in letting her mark up the curves of neck was too great. If it was another time, another place, when her family wasn’t going to greet her in the morning, maybe Katie would have let him. 

“Alright, alright,” Jeremy assured with soft understanding against her neck before he peppered soft kisses where her neck met her shoulder, “I’ll be good. No teeth,” he continued as he hands coasted over her hips and found the bottom of her shirt, “but this, this comes off now.”

His hand then dropped to the top of her thigh, stroking over the thick expanse slowly. “And so do these.”

Licking her lips, Katie raised her arms up slowly. For a moment, she saw only darkness as her shirt was pulled up and over her face. It was lost somewhere in the room. The floor, the foot of the bed—she didn’t know where it ended up. All she knew was that as quickly as her shirt came off, she was flipped onto her back.

A gasp escaped her, one that quickly became a soft moan as the heat of Jeremey’s mouth traveled over the curves of her body. His kiss started as a simple peck against her neck, but as it continued downward it became a sloppy kiss over her collarbone. Hockey hardened hands were coarse but gentle over her breasts as he caressed them, bringing them together and giving them the brief attention of his kiss before he was kissing her stomach and the peak of each hip. 

His every breath washed over her, heating the cotton of her panties as he lay between her legs. Katie lay there, biting her lips as she waited for the touch of his hands to flutter over the fabric, but her eyes went wide as she only felt his mouth. Jeremy kissed over her clothed core slowly, his teeth tugging at the fabric that snapped back against her body with a satisfying sound. 

“Jeremy,” she breathed out, her head leaving the pillow to look down at him as he smiled from between her legs. 

His tongue traces slowly up and down the length of the fabric, her legs tensing at the teasing stroked. Slowly she bent them, her hips widening for him. Then, as if she had welcomed it, Jeremy’s fingers traced along the edges of her panties. He teased the sensitive flesh there, pausing only to trace over a small constellation of freckles, before he dipped two fingers inside. They hooked the crotch of her panties, surely feeling the wetness of her arousal there as he pulled them aside. 

Jeremy tucked the fabric off to the side, placing them carefully to assure they wouldn’t slip back into place. His two fingers dragged up and down her slick cunt, dragging the wetness of her core up to her clit before circling slowly. 

A spark of electricity ran its course through Katie’s body, straight from her core to her finger tips, sending her hips bucking up into his touch. Each circle of his fingers was like twisting up a wind up toy, building the pressure up closer and closer but Jeremy wasn’t ready to let her reach her release. 

Dragging his fingers down, he parted her and slowly slipped his digits inside. Her warm embrace welcomed him as Katie angled her hips down, welcoming the slow and steady pulse of his fingers. Jeremy worked her slowly, his fingers seeking out the most sensitive part of her, sending her dripping down his fingers with the careful roll of her hips. Getting her so close with the mere touch of him, until he pulled them free and sat up on his knees in the bed. 

Their eyes met, Jeremy making sure she was watching, as he brought his glistening fingers to his lips and tasted her. 

Katie fought back a moan. 

“You taste as good as I remember,” he hummed, the rumble of his words forcing Katie to take in a sharp inhale. They left her holding her breath until her lungs burned, suffocating, as he dragged her panties down the length of her legs and lost them among the rest of her clothes on the floor. 

Katie lay still in the bed, her eyes fixated on the ceiling as she felt Jeremy’s weight leave the bed. The sudden sound of his suitcase zipper had her jolting on the bed, her hand raising to her chest, only to be calmed by the rip of the condom wrapper. He was gone just long enough to work it onto his cock before Jeremy was crawling back onto the bed, his body hovering over hers. 

“Let me spoil you,” Jeremy spoke in a dreamy whisper, his hand raising to stroke her hair back over her shoulder. He leaned in, and Katie welcomed his kiss with a desperate one of her own. Her hands clutched to his back, one travelling up into the curls are the nap of his neck as Jeremy worked blindly between her legs. His cock fumbled up and down, searching for her core, and only did he find it when she angled her hips up. 

Her core flexed at the mere feeling of him, Jeremy letting out a satisfied hum into her mouth as he kissed her. His mouth didn’t leave hers, not even as his hands stroke down the curves of his waist in search of her hips. His firm hold held them in place as he angled his hips, his cock hitting the safe place his fingers had teased her. 

Katie’s lips fell agape in a gasp. 

“See,” Katie could hear the satisfied grin on his face in his words as he spoke, “I remember just what you like.”

“You do,” she panted, her hand coming up to rest over her lips to muffle her own words in fear that someone might hear her, “you do.”

“What do I do, Katie? I want to hear you say it.”

“You make me feel so good. You-You-” she stuttered through her words, her entire body weak as her climax became closer and closer to being all consuming. She was so close her words left in a rush of air from her lips, “you make me feel beautiful…”

“You are beautiful, Katie,” Jeremy spoke out in a breath, his words firm and genuine as he gripped at the pillow beneath her head. It anchored him as he leaned in burying his face in her hair and placed a simple kiss there. 

His hips collided with hers a little harder, each impact filling the room with a flat smack, pushing his cock to the very limits of her body. It left her reeling, her core clenching around his cock as her fingers clenched into fists around the sheets. 

“My beautiful,” he panted, his teeth gritting as he buried his face further into her hair, until he was placing a sloppy heated kiss to the curve of her neck. It was a kiss that became a strangled groan as he came, “my beautiful gift.”

They lay there together, still and panting for a moment, Katie’s hands releasing the bedsheets and finding Jeremy’s body. It became heavy over hers as she relaxed, her fingers tracing down the strength of his back like raindrops. And when they fell back down to the bed, and Jeremy had stroked her mess of red hair from her face with the gentle touch of his hand, Jeremy eased his weight from her, and his cock out of her. 

The cold air began to settle over her naked body, the sweat that was either his or her own, was left feeling like ice as she was left with nothing but the void of him. Katie brought her legs together slowly, and her arms reached out blindly for the blanket that was left wrinkled over the bed. She drew it into her chest, hugging it to her naked frame and the vulnerabilities that came with being in his bed. 

Rolling over, Katie watched as Jeremy moved towards the trash bin in the corner of the room. He stood there, still naked, with his back to her as he pulled off the condom and crouched down to bury it at the bottom of the bin.  

Katie’s head lulled, her eyes taking dreamy blinks as he moved through the room. She knew she should have been getting dressed. That she should have already snuck back into her own room. But there was something about Jeremy that made her feel calm, comfortable, and it had her burying her head in the pillow just to stay a little longer. 

When Katie glanced back up, her eyes met the sight of his pajama pants draped low on Jeremy’s hips, the red-and-green plaid matching the family set perfectly. It was an absurd sight—this six-foot-something man lounging in her carefully coordinated Christmas tradition. Her gaze lingered on his Adonis belt and how it disappeared into his pants, but her curiosity quickly got the better of her. 

“Did Parker get you those?” she asked softly, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite the unease still sitting in her chest. 

Jeremy nodded, looking down at the pants like they were some rare artifact. “Yeah. Said he didn’t want me feeling left out.”

Her heart squeezed painfully at his words. Parker was thoughtful like that, always looking out for everyone—even her. And how did she repay him? By sleeping with his teammate, not once, but twice. Her stomach did a flip in her stomach, bile creeping up the back of her throat – or maybe it was a sob. Katie couldn’t help but feel guilty. Leaning her head back against the headboard, she brought her hands up to cover her face.

“Hey,” Jeremy said gently, reaching out to brush her knee. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” she asked, her voice muffled behind her hands.

“Regret this,” he said simply, his tone so full of warmth it made her chest ache.

Katie pulled her hands away, letting out a bitter laugh. “He’s my son, Jeremy.”

“And I’m not,” he replied, his voice steady but careful.

She blinked, fighting back the hot acid of tears that began to build in her eyes. “But you’re—”

“I know,” he cut her off, his voice dropping lower, like he wanted to spare her the burden of finishing the sentence.

“Is that why you’re here?” she asked, her words trembling as she tried to keep her composure. “Because he’s my son, and you knew I’d be here?”

Jeremy hesitated, his silence weighing heavy in the room. He ran a hand through his hair, damp curls sticking to his forehead. 

“It’s a half-truth,” he admitted finally, his gaze locked on hers. “I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t asked. It beats spending the holidays alone. But I won’t lie, Katie—you were a factor in me saying yes. I wanted to see you. And… you never called.”

Her breath hitched. She looked away, her lips pressing together in a firm line. Her shoulders sunk under the weight of everything she’d been carrying. She had gone on dates since their nights together. Men closer to her age. Friends of friends, her own coworkers, and men she had met on trendy dating apps. But none of them had looked at her the way Jeremy did—with respect, with adoration, like she was the only thing in the room worth noticing.

 “I couldn’t,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Not even when I wanted to.”

“You wanted to?” Jeremy spoke, his voice breaking. 

Katie nodded slowly, her throat tightening as tears welled in her eyes. She hesitated, her gaze faltering before finally lifting to meet his stare that was fixated on her. 

Jeremy’s grin softened into something tender as he reached for her, cupping her face in his hands. He kissed her, his lips warm and gentle, and she melted into him, her hands sliding over his as she held him there, savoring the moment.

“Stay in bed with me tonight,” he murmured against her lips.

“I shouldn’t,” she whispered, pulling back just enough to look at him, her resolve wavering.

“We can lock the door,” he offered, his tone light but his eyes searching hers. He knew the risk. They could get caught by anyone at any moment, but to him, she was worth the risk. “I want to wake up next to you on Christmas morning.”

Slowly, she slipped out of bed and crossed the room to the door. She turned the lock with a quiet click, the sound oddly satisfying.

When she turned back, Jeremy was watching her, his smile growing as she climbed back into bed beside him. She settled against his chest, his arms wrapping around as if this wasn’t the very first time she had crawled into bed with him for anything more than just sex. 

“Goodnight, Katie,” he whispered, pressing a kiss into her hair. 

“Goodnight, Jeremy,” she replied softly, her eyes closing as the warmth of his embrace lulled her to sleep.

There was no morning light filtering into the basement bedroom when Katie stirred. The only light, the soft green glow of the digital clock on the bedside table. Katie stirred awake, only because she heard footsteps overhead, the first signs of someone else being awake. It should have panicked her, but with the haze of sleep still heavy on her, Katie was quickly distracted by the  steady rise and fall of Jeremy’s chest beneath her cheek. His arms were exactly where she had left them when she had fallen asleep, securely around her waist.

Her breath caught for a moment as she shifted slightly, careful not to disturb him. Her eyes landed on the clock across the room—it was early, but not too early. Upstairs, where a single set of footsteps wandered in careful steps, Katie was sure it was one of the adults that was awake, not the children. And with the assumption, Katie gifted herself a rare moment of peace– one she wanted to savor.

Katie lifted her head just enough to look at him. His features were softened in sleep, his jaw slacked in such a way that a soft snore left his lips. Without thinking, Katie leaned in, pressing a feather-light kiss to his chin, the scruff of his jaw rough against her lips.

Jeremy stirred, a low hum escaping his throat before his eyes fluttered open. A drowsy smile spread across his face as he took her in. “Merry Christmas to me,” he murmured, his voice husky with sleep.

“Someone’s awake upstairs,” she murmured gently, pressing a soft kiss to his chest before reluctantly pulling away from his warmth and slipping out of bed. “I can’t linger, but you…” She glanced back at him. “You need to wait before coming up. Give it a few minutes—maybe an hour, just to be safe.”

Bending over, Katie collected each of her articles of clothing from where they had ended up in the room. Her shirt had been tossed on the floor, a heat on the carpet that she almost tripped on as she reached for her pants that were left tangled with the top sheet at the foot of the bed. She held them both in her arms, hugged her body, as she searched for her panties. 

“I’ll give you a 10 minute head start,” Jeremy offered her, his words firm and free of sleep, drawing her attention back to him. Katie saw his smile first, his warm brown eyes taking her in as she stood frantic and naked in his room. Then coming between them, was his hand raising her red panties in the air like a trophy. 

Her hand lurched out to them, but Jeremy tugged them away with a playful chuckle, “You get 10 minutes, because I make my girl breakfast after a night cap.”

Katie crawled onto the bed, her movements deliberate as she stretched across his body, reaching for the silky red fabric he held just out of reach. Jeremy’s teasing grin only fueled her determination, and it wasn’t until she straddled his lap—her knees sinking into the mattress on either side of him—that she managed to grab hold of them. The duvet draped over his hips did little to shield the heat between them, her fist curling tightly around the panties as she froze, suddenly aware of the position she’d put herself in.

Her breath hitched, her chest rising and falling with a rhythm she couldn’t quite control. For a moment, she let her gaze drop, her pulse thundering in her ears as she took him in. The way he was watching her—smirking yet his face soft with amusement, and the way his hands rested lightly on her thighs—was too much and not enough all at once.

Shaking off the rush of emotions that threatened to consume her, Katie tilted her head, fixing him with a look meant to convey the control she didn’t entirely feel. “I’m not your girl,” she said, her voice low but firm, though the pounding of her heart betrayed the words.

“You were last night,” he chirped, and Katie’s entire body ignited with a heat that left her sweating as she climbed off of him, and out of the bed. 

“Enough of that,” she pointed a finger at him to try to get her point across, but as firm as she was, there was no hiding the color that flooded her cheeks. 

Katie quickly turned in place, hoping that he hadn’t seen the effect he had on her– which she undoubtedly already knew. She hopped into her clothes, one article at a time before tugging her shirt over her head and fixing the buttons just right. 

Behind her, Jeremy’s hum of amusement reached her ears. “Don’t pretend like you don’t like it, Katie.”

Her fingers froze mid-button for a split second before continuing their work. She didn’t dare look back, knowing his grin would only make it worse. Instead, she raked her fingers through her messy auburn hair, took a steadying breath, and reached for the door handle.

The lock clicked, and a gust of cool air washed over Katie as she left the seclusion of Jeremy’s bedroom and ventured into the rest of the house. She moved on the tips of her toes, pausing at her bedroom door. The bed inside was still perfectly made, untouched.

A lump caught in her throat, tight and suffocating. She reached out, pulling the door shut with trembling fingers. The sharp sound of the latch falling into place almost made her jump—or maybe it was the sudden crash of dishes upstairs.

Her heart leapt as her feet carried her quickly up the stairs, past the landing that overlooked the kitchen and dining room. “What the hell just happened?” she called out, her hands raised for emphasis.

Dottie popped up in the kitchen, bright and cheerful, her grin as radiant as the morning sun. “Morning, Porn Star!”

Katie recoiled, as if Dottie’s words had struck her square in the chest. Her breath caught, her body stiffening under the weight of the teasing. She stood frozen, heat rushing to her cheeks as her mind scrambled for a response. But Dottie, as carefree as ever, simply leaned against the counter with a smug grin, her words landing like a well-placed jab that didn’t miss its mark.

“I was hoping you’d have that reaction,” Dottie said, practically glowing with mischief. “Means you listened to me, for once.” She rested her chin in her hands, elbows on the counter, poised to devour Katie’s juicy secret. “So, how was it?”

Katie crossed the kitchen in a few quick strides, lowering her voice as she leaned closer to Dottie. Through clenched teeth, she hissed, “We are not talking about this right now.”

To Katie’s relief, before the conversation could continue, the twins tore down the stairs, their excitement carrying them straight toward the mountain of gifts under the tree.

“Ah, ah!” Dottie tutted, snapping them back in line with a pointed look. “You know the rules—breakfast as a family before presents!”

The boys didn’t argue. They knew better. Instead, they dropped into the same chairs they’d claimed at dinner the night before, their murmured chatter barely audible over the soft strains of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas floating from Dottie’s Bluetooth speaker.

Their father appeared moments later, kissing Dottie’s cheek as he passed through the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. The quiet routine of family life settled over the house, and for a moment, Katie almost let herself relax. She busied herself alongside Dottie, both of them working in sync to prepare a feast of eggs, bacon, sausage, French toast, and fresh fruit—a classic Christmas breakfast meant to keep everyone full until dinner.

It wasn’t an easy task for just the two of them, but they worked in a comfortable rhythm… until Jeremy emerged.

Cresting from the shadows of the basement, Jeremy strode into the kitchen, all smug smiles and sleepy-eyed confidence. His gaze locked onto her immediately, unrelenting, like a spotlight she couldn’t escape.

Katie bit her lower lip as she glanced at the clock on the microwave. Eight minutes. He’d waited all of eight minutes.

“You ladies need help here?” Jeremy asked, his voice far too cheerful for someone who had just rolled out of bed.

Katie hummed to hide the groan that threatened to rip up her throat. She had hoped he’d shuffle up half-asleep, groggy and disheveled, like a teenager dragged from bed. Instead, Jeremy radiated a just-been-fucked glow that buzzed with energy. A good night's sleep after sex would always be more effective than caffeine ever could be.

“We’ll manage,” Katie said stiffly, pressing her lips into a firm line.

“I insist,” he said with an infuriatingly easy grin, stepping into the space Dottie had conveniently vacated.

His elbow brushed hers as he slid into the chaos of their morning with a natural ease that made her stomach tighten. He moved like he belonged there, like this wasn’t the first time he’d stood beside her in the kitchen during Christmas breakfast.

Katie struggled to stay focused, her movements stiff and mechanical as she whisked the eggs. Beside her, Jeremy was too close, too casual, and far too smug for her liking.

And Dottie? She hid her knowing grin behind the rim of her coffee mug, her eyes twinkling as they darted between Katie and Jeremy. “You two look cozy,” she teased lightly, before turning toward the living room. “I’ll go make sure the kids don’t sneak any presents while you two finish up here–”

Unlike dinner, there were no forced pleasantries over breakfast. No conversations. Only sleepy morning greetings and yawns before the clink of clamor of cutlery against plates. And after breakfast was enjoyed, and the remnants of breakfast were cleared away, everyone gathered  around the tree for the long-awaited exchange of gifts. 

The twins dove straight into their stockings, a tradition upheld, the stocking filled by family instead now that the twins were too old for Santa. Each and every one of them had them, filled with trinkets, toys and novelties that would be lost and thrown away by next Christmas. 

Katie sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the couch, watching the joy light up on everyone’s faces, her own stocking untouched as it leaned against her lap. It remained untouched, as she stood up, leaving it half spilt on the floor as she carefully handed out gifts one by one. Her gaze softened as she watched the others unwrapped their gifts, her heart swelling at the simple happiness that surrounded her. Even her own gifts, unwrapped one by one, were thoughtful—reading socks from the twins, a bottle of wine from her ex and his wife, and a spa day from Dottie. But when Parker sat beside her, a small box in hand, she couldn’t be left more in awe by his sweet gesture of taking the time to single her out and exchange his gift to her one on one. 

“This one’s from me,” Parker said, his voice low and almost hesitant as he handed her the gift.

Taking it in both hands, Katie carefully peeled back the wrapping paper and lifted the lid, revealing a delicate necklace that caught the twinkling lights from the tree. Katie’s hand flew to her mouth as her eyes welled with tears.

“You deserve nice things, Mom,” Parker murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “You always have.”

Setting the box aside, Katie pulled him into a tight hug, her cheeks wet with tears as she whispered, “What did I do to deserve you as my son?”

She wiped at her cheeks, smiling through her tears, and held the necklace out to him. “Help me with it?”

Parker hesitated, glancing toward Jeremy. “Actually... there’s one more thing upstairs I forgot. Big Dog, you mind helping Mom?”

Jeremy didn’t need to be asked twice. He rose smoothly from his seat where he had perched himself, a simple observer of their Christmas morning. He knelt down behind Katie as she held the necklace in her hands. His fingers brushed over hers as he took the delicate chain. Katie’s next movements felt like they were in slow motion. Both arms reached up, clutching her hair up and opening her neck up for him. His fingers brushed against the delicate skin of her collarbone, sending a jolt of electricity through her body, as he clasped the jewelry around her neck. His touch lingered, longer after he let his hands all away– so long that Katie thought his touch might have etched into her skin forever. 

Katie raised her hand up, letting it splay flat over the pendant and where the ghost of Jeremy’s touch was still on her body. 

“Thank you,” she smiled softly. 

“He spent hours picking it out,” Jeremy said, his voice low, “Parker wanted it to be perfect.”

“It is perfect,” Katie murmured, her voice thick with gratitude. She couldn’t imagine anything better.

Jeremy chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Which is why my gift is going to look pathetic in comparison.”

“Your gift?” Katie tilted her head, curious. “Jeremy, you didn’t have to do that.”

“Don’t worry,” Jeremy smiled, “I got gifts for everyone.” 

He handed them out one by one, distracting everyone with their gift, before he stepped over to the tree and pulled out a small gift bag for her. “Just a little something,” he said, handing it to her. 

Katie dipped her hand into the bag, rustling the tissues paper, as she pulled out a leather bound journal. It had a beautiful golden floral pattern on the cover, and its crisp pages were accompanied by a set of sleek pens. Smiling, Katie opened the journal, only for her smile to waver when something began to fall from the pages. Quickly, Katie pressed her thumb down against the page, stopping the paper–no photograph– from falling to the floor. 

Katie’s heart gave a jolt as she flipped it over. Just a glance at it and she was taken back to the dark bar with warm amber lights in Boston. The picture was taken on the very night they had met. Her back had been turned to the camera, her drink meeting the very tips of her fingers as it was served to her. Jeremy had taken the photo. Why? She didn’t know, but now, he was sharing it with her. 

Her brows furrowed as she looked up at him, speechless. 

Jeremy looked around, at what? Katie didn’t look away from him to know, before he leaned in with subtle instruction, “I figured it belonged with the first page.”

Katie’s let her gaze drop, looking over the elegant front on the page that would guide her along the entry. But Jeremy’s messy scrawl had already overtaken the page. 

November 2021 – Boston. 

Katie,

For You, Wherever You Go.

Boston was the first place I met you in that hotel bar. From that moment I knew you were something special. You weren’t just passing through my life; you were leaving an imprint on it. One that I will carry with me always. And I hope I left the same impression on you. 

This journal is for all the places you’ll go and everything you’ll see—whether I’m with you or just cheering you on from wherever I am. But know this: my favorite journey started the moment I met you. 

Katie’s lips fell apart, a shaky breath leaving them as she struggled to find the words today. Then,  she spoke in a soft whisper. “Jeremy–”

Before Katie could thank him, Parker returned, slightly out of breath from his sprint up and down the stairs.

“His gift goes with mine,” Parker said, his smile boyish and proud.

“Oh?” Katie replied, curiosity lacing her voice. She passed the journal off quickly to Dottie, trusting her to guard its secrets.

Parker handed her a simple envelope, Mom written in neat, capital letters across the front. Katie opened it carefully, not wanting to tear the card. Before she could even pull it out, Parker began explaining. “Plane tickets. So you can come back to Boston and watch me play.”

Her breath caught, her hands trembling slightly as she closed the card and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Pulling back, she gazed up at him, her smile soft and full of pride. “It’s perfect. Everything is perfect.”

From the cozy house he had chosen for their holiday to the thoughtful gifts he’d chosen for everyone, Parker had planned every detail with care. Katie’s heart swelled with gratitude and a twinge of guilt for ever doubting that Christmas could be special anywhere but home.

The moment was interrupted by Dottie’s enthusiastic call. “Alright, everyone in front of the tree—family photo time!”

The twins groaned loudly, dragging their feet away from their new mini sticks. They had been gearing up to play hockey with Jeremy as their goaltender, but they knew better than to argue. Reluctantly, they joined their sister and dad by the tree. Ronnie and Monica took their places to the left, leaving room for Parker and Katie on the right.

In their matching pajamas, everyone lined up, leaving Jeremy sitting awkwardly in an armchair nearby.

“I can take the picture,” Jeremy offered, raising his hand.

“No,” Katie said quickly, her voice firmer than intended. Her gaze flicked to him, softening under the weight of his curious eyes. “You should be in the photo too.”

“Oh, I don’t—”

“We insist,” Dottie chimed in with a knowing smile.

“You can stand next to me!” Megan piped up eagerly, but Jeremy was already moving.

“Looks like I can squeeze in right here,” he said softly, stepping behind Katie.

The warmth of his body pressed lightly against her back, grounding her. Then, his hand found its place at the small of her back, where her shirt met the waistband of her pants. The touch was subtle against the skin that played peek-a-boo there—so casual it could be dismissed as accidental by anyone else—but Katie felt the slow, deliberate circles his palm traced.

It wasn’t just a touch. It was a silent message. A thank you. Maybe even something more.

The careful gesture drew her eyes back to him, a fleeting glance that warned him not to get caught. Jeremy’s lips twitched with a hint of a smirk, as if to say, I couldn’t help myself.

Wearing a small smile of her own, Katie turned her attention back to the camera. Around her, the room was filled with the warmth of Christmas morning—the hum of quiet laughter, the sparkle of lights on the tree, and the lingering scent of fresh coffee and pine.

For the first time since her divorce, the holiday didn’t feel like something to get through. It felt like a gift—a quiet, unspoken promise that maybe, just maybe, this was how it was meant to be.

The flash went off, capturing not just the moment, but the secrets she would forever keep, wrapped in the glow of a Christmas they’d never forget.

TAGLIST: @mp0625 , @starshine-hockey-girl , @wingedwheelprxncess , @kurlyteuvo , @couldawouldashoulda50, @callsign-denmark , @xciciix , @puckmaidens , @hockeyboysimagines , @hagelpoint-3821

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[outerbankies]

happy early thanksgiving! are nl rafe and reader celebrating a california friendsgiving this year or do they give their families yet another chance? :)

i meaaaaaan - since you asked, and since thanksgiving is a new light national holiday!

—

new light: smaller acts - rafe cameron

nl masterlist

“I don’t think there’s much we can do, Mr. Cameron. I’m really very sorry.”

Ward’s travel agent, Stephanie, had exhausted every option; at least, all of the ones she could think of combined with every suggestion Rafe could think of to throw at her. Denver, Dallas, Atlanta—every connection flying into anywhere near the Outer Banks for Thanksgiving was getting cancelled. 

Stephanie had been Rafe’s last resort. He’d already flashed every credit card he had at every ticket counter in the entire airport, he’d tried using his airline status and the points he’d built up (if there was one thing his father had taught him, it was the importance of airline status), he’d even looked up trains to farther airports that could fly you guys out to an airport even farther from the OBX, he’d worry about rental car options if you could get anywhere within driving distance. Rafe had gone down every avenue he could think of, his urgency increasing as he watched reality sinking in on your face that Thanksgiving in the Outer Banks was just not happening for you two this year.

“How about if you sent us up North?” he tries, his last-ditch effort even though he’d already checked there, too. When you both arrived this morning, you blissfully unaware and Rafe having been tracking the storms all week, he’d kicked it into gear as soon as the slight delay had turned into cancellation. He thought you’d be safe when you checked in for your flights last night with no issues, but no dice.

Three hours later and with no happy ending in sight, Rafe would take a four-leg journey with layovers that barely gave you enough time to run between gates, squished into a middle seat at the back of the plane, with no less than three crying babies just for good measure, if it meant seeing that smile of relief on your face when you realized he’d figured it all out for you. 

But you don’t even look hopeful anymore, not stressed or worried either, but resigned and melancholy, sitting across from him with your legs propped up on your carry-on bag. 

“We don’t need to be seated together,” he adds.

“I really wish I could, Rafe,” Stephanie sighs, but Rafe can hear she’s stopped typing in the background. The fact that he even got a hold of her today was a miracle, and he’s sure Ward’s loyalty over the years gave him a boost. “There’s just nothing that won’t cost you both an arm and a leg. Everything’s oversold, you’d be standby only. And even if I did book you on something, cancellations and delays are likely in this weather.”

“I appreciate you trying, Stephanie, I really do,” Rafe sighs. “I can let you go now.”

“I’m really sorry I couldn’t do more for you two,” she says sympathetically. “I hope you enjoy your holiday regardless.”

Rafe wishes her likewise and hangs up the phone, surprised to see you already standing to gather your bags.

“So nothing?” you confirm.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” Rafe says, nudging your hand away when you try to grab your own suitcase. He tucks a tendril of hair behind your ear, loose from how many times you’d pulled your hair back and tugged it down and pulled it back again. “I think even if we paid these last-minute prices, nothing is going home in these storms. I’d hate for us to end up halfway, spending Thanksgiving at some airport hotel in Atlanta.”

You nod in understanding, and he can tell you’re mentally picturing it, adjusting your hold on the bag over your shoulder, attempting to keep your head high. “How dare you not control the weather, Rafe Cameron.”

“You know I would if I could,” he answers easily. “Are you okay?”

Waiting to fly home until only the day before Thanksgiving had been a risky move in general, but you had an important meeting yesterday you just couldn’t get out of. Big wigs flying in from other offices, with no regard to their employees’ travel plans over the holiday weekend. So flying out first thing Wednesday had been the best bet to make it just in time for Kelce’s party (while really pushing it—like, Rafe saw you put your makeup in your carry-on bag pushing it) and of course for the actual holiday. 

Rafe had been keeping an eye on the storms as soon as they’d been forecasted, hoping the reports would be wrong and you’d manage to make it anyway. Will had texted him a news clip and Rafe had downloaded so many weather apps it was ridiculous. And he didn’t want to worry you with any of this during the week of your presentation, but maybe managing your expectations would’ve broken the fall today.

Rafe didn’t much care for everything that came with being home for any holidays, and he already hates himself a little for the feeling of relief he knows he’ll get as soon as he lets Ward know he’s not coming. But he cared for you more than he cared about any of that. And you wanted to be home.

You shrug, biting your bottom lip in a way that screams self-preservation. The airport’s a zoo, people are yelling and babies are crying, announcements of cancellations and gate changes blast through the crackly speakers.

“I don’t know yet,” you answer. “But can we leave?” 

Rafe leans forward and presses a kiss to your forehead. “Let’s go home.”

—

On the drive home from the airport, the two of you picked the dogs right back up from where you had left them only a few hours ago, meant to stay with one of Rafe’s friends, Stephen, for the weekend.

It wasn’t until Rafe had tucked you in on the couch with a chunky knit blanket and one dog in your lap and the other at your feet that your walls finally started to come down. The realization must have began to sink in that this might be it this year—you, Rafe, Sadie and Captain on the couches, eating whatever take-out sounded the best and was actually open.

“I’m gonna call my mom,” you say to break the silence, digging for your phone in the pile of fur and yarn.

“Maybe… let’s start with your dad,” Rafe suggests gently, causing a tiny smile to force its way onto your face. He’s standing in front of you, and you take his hand when it reaches out toward you, giving it a grateful squeeze before turning back to your phone.

“She’s gonna call me as soon as he tells her anyway, and I just wanna get it over with,” you say certainly, squeezing his hand one more time before pressing your phone to your ear. 

Rafe waits before you as your mom answers the phone after only a few rings, not really sure what his best move might be, but knowing it wouldn’t be anything that takes him away from you.

“Mom,” you finally say, your face crumpling immediately. “Our flight got cancelled. No, we won’t make it. We tried so hard—there’s this stupid storm, Mom—”

You cut yourself off because of the lump in your throat, but Rafe doesn’t take the phone from you until you press it into his hand, walking off with Captain trailing behind you and Sadie watching you go over the back of the couch.

“Mrs. Y/l/n?” Rafe says, trying his best to be heard over her never-ending monologue. “It’s Rafe.”

“Rafe? What happened? What does she mean you aren’t coming?” your mom asks. Rafe can picture her, crystal clear, a hand on her hip in the dining room, wearing a cashmere sweater as she checks the table is perfectly laid for tomorrow’s festivities. “Ha! This is a joke. Was she joking?”

“No,” Rafe says. “I wish she was. But the airport was brutal. That storm is gonna nail the Carolinas all weekend, and there’s just no way we’ll get through it. I promise we tried everything, and we’re really gonna miss you guys this year.”

It’s quiet for a while on the other end, and all of his friends who were afraid of their girlfriends’ fathers should be glad they’ll never have to deal with Shannon. 

“I’m passing the phone to her father,” she finally says after a momentary silence. “I can’t hear this. Actually, I won’t.”

Rafe balks at this. “Wait—”

“Rafe? What’s going on?” 

Rafe sighs, rubbing a hand over his eyes. That now pointless early-morning wakeup was starting to get to him. “Hi. Mr. Y/l/n. I’m sorry. I don’t know how much you heard, but our flight got cancelled.”

Your dad hums, and Rafe can picture Will, too, probably in a pair of sweatpants and fresh off of a conference call, poking his head out of his office at the sound of your mom’s concern. He’s suddenly struck by the fact that he actually is gonna miss seeing both of them this weekend, prodding questions aside.

“I was really hoping you guys would miss the weather,” Will says, sounding a lot calmer than your mom at least. Rafe wonders if he hadn’t filled your mom in on this possibility either. 

“It sounds like everything going back East just collapsed. We can’t get in through Florida, Boston, New York. Anything, ” Rafe explains. He cranes his neck to hopefully see up the stairs, but you’d disappeared into the bedroom, so that’s where Rafe heads. “I swear I tried everything I could think of to get us out there, Mr. Y/l/n. It just isn’t happening.”

“I’m sure you did,” Will says. “Don’t worry about that. We’re gonna miss you both.”

“We’ll miss you, too,” Rafe says, his heart dropping when you emerge from the ensuite bathroom with tears still streaming down your face. 

“But really. Nothing?” Will presses, last-ditch effort evident in his tone. “I doubt the plane will be much help, but you know we’d spot your tickets.”

“And I might have actually let you if I could be sure it’d get us there,” Rafe says, welcoming you into his one open arm, pressing a kiss into your hairline when your hand grabs at his shirt. 

“Alright,” Will sighs. “Put my daughter on the phone now, would you?”

“Yes, sir.”

—

Rafe had barely left your side since the two of you returned home, letting you cry it out in his arms once you finished talking with your dad, not hearing any apology you had about your display of emotions, the fact that your stupid work commitment had been the catalyst for all of this.

And then fell asleep for a little, waking from the nap you had planned to be taking on the plane today after your ungodly wake-up time this morning only when you heard him on the phone with his own family. That phone call seemed a lot shorter and a lot less emotional than yours, so you knew he must have been talking to Ward.

“Are you a relieved at all?” you ask him, before you're even fully awake, picking at one of the buttons on his henley as he finished up his call. 

“Honestly?” he says, putting his phone on the side table by the bed before rolling onto his side and facing you. “Yeah, a little. But I’d rather deal with your mom’s friends asking us when we’re getting married than see you this upset.”

“I more meant with Ward.”

“Ward’s a known entity,” he says casually, but you know he’s probably glad to be off the hook. You hated traveling back home on your own, but you knew Rafe’s little storm cloud would reappear the moment you touched the dock. “I never had to deal with the Island Club ladies confronting me at the pharmacy and the grocery store about when I’m ‘finally settling down��� before you.”

“Maybe they’ll think we’re actively eloping instead,” you say. “I’ll post a beach picture so everyone thinks we’re in Hawaii or something.”

“Maybe you wear something white,” he says, tugging at the hem of your shirt. 

Silence stretches between the two of you, your jokes as a coping mechanism disappearing as quickly as they came. 

“How can I make it better, baby girl?” Rafe asks.

“Get your pilot license like you’ve been talking about for years so you can fly us through this storm before Kelce’s party tonight.”

“I texted him while you were asleep,” Rafe says. “I was gonna tell him to take it easy on you when you called to cancel, but he’s not gonna make it home either.” 

“No,” you say, propping yourself up on your elbow suddenly. “What?”

“Yeah,” Rafe confirms. “He did the same runaround. He told me he just barely made it onto a flight this morning, but they deplaned right before they were supposed to take off.” 

“Hmph,” you groan, the visual of your best friend alone in his high-rise apartment on his favorite day of the year making you feel even worse. You’ll have to call him eventually and bully his plans for the holiday out of him so you can make sure he’ll at least be treating himself to some nice take-out and calling his mom. 

None of this was right. You should all be three sheets to the wind at one of your favorite bars right now, or trying to sneak into Gretchen’s basement without a lecture from her dad that you’re all way too old for before the pregame. You should have spent the evening doing your makeup while Rafe sits on the tub in your bathroom and watches, fetching things from your suitcase when you need them, refilling your wine and nodding along to all of the island gossip you’d been able to catch up on. 

You should be gossiping in the kitchen with your mom, with Rose, with Sarah and Wheezie, while Rafe gets his fix of time with your father and serves his sentence of time with his own, respectively. Rafe should be whispering wisecracks about your little brother’s douchey boyfriend that’s somehow managed to hang around for this long in your ear during cocktail hour, and you should be shaking your head in disbelief as John B regales you with another insane story about his antics with his friends. 

You should have gotten out of that meeting, the one that went extremely well that you can’t even be happy about anymore. You knew Rafe wanted to ask about it, but after dinner with some higher-ups you’d raced home and thrown yourself into the last-minute packing before passing out.

You should be almost anywhere but where you are, but at least you’re still with Rafe.

“I know,” Rafe says. “I know it sucks. I wish I could fix it, baby.”

“Again, I find it so rude you can’t control the weather or fly us through it yourself. I’ll be sure to require that when I’m scouting for my next boyfriend,” you say. 

“And when might that be?”

“Probably after the holidays, when I have the time.”

You squeal when Rafe’s hands grab at your middle, his fingers digging in until you’re pressed as close to him as you can be. Captain jumps on the bed, worming his way in between you two.

“You say something so mean when you know I can’t be mad at you,” Rafe says against the shell of your ear. 

You giggle, humming contentedly when he presses a kiss to your neck. “You love me.”

“I do.” 

“So,” you say. 

“So,” he echoes. 

“We called our parents, you talked to Kelce,” you say.

“Did you text the girls?” he asks.

“Yeah,” you say, reaching for your phone and swiping through what had come in since you fell asleep. “And Dylan’s been blowing me up, so my parents must have told him.”

“At least we don’t have to sit through a meal with Everett,” Rafe says, cracking a smile at your offended look. “Come on. I’m sorry, but your brother’s boyfriend sucks.”

Everett does suck, and you’ll collect all of the silver linings where you can get them. No Ward, no Everett, no Chloe and no Griffin. 

“I wonder who would’ve had the guest house this year.”

“If your mom gave it to me again, we might have had to brave my dad’s,” Rafe says.

“What’d your dad say? On the phone earlier?”

“That he’ll miss us. He sends his best, said he knew you’d be upset,” Rafe says. “And that Rose will miss your pumpkin pie. I wanna call my sisters and John B tomorrow when they’re done with dinner.”

“Sounds like a plan,” you sigh, taking note of the rest of the texts from your friends, sending hearts and crying faces in the group chat when Topper complained about how the OBX is a ghost town this week and Blythe couldn’t join him later like they’d planned. He must have gone home earlier, what you wish you would’ve done. “We have to call Kelce, too. Maybe we can try to eat dinner at the same time with him on FaceTime.”

“Oh yeah. What do even wanna eat?” Rafe asks.

You groan, rolling onto your back. “My grandma’s peach pie.”

“Fuck,” Rafe answers. “I forgot about that.”

“It might be fun to do a small spread,” you venture to say. “I mean, I don’t know what the store will look like at this point. But do you think we could put something together?”

Rafe nods, and you can already see the grocery list forming in his head. He grabs the notepad he keeps beside the bed seconds later; your boyfriend might be the last person on earth who doesn’t use the app on his phone. “‘Course we can, even if we have to fight someone for the last sweet potato.” 

You sit up in excitement, an idea forming. “Should we invite people over?” 

Rafe raises his eyebrows, tapping the back of his pen against the pad. “Like who?”

“I don’t know. Anyone who’s around?”

“Sure,” he shrugs.

“Really? It’s okay if it’d be too much, we can totally just cook for two, or order in, or—”

“I love that you said ‘we’ can cook,” Rafe says. “You know you’re just going to take up counter space.”

You snatch the pad of paper out of his hands, hitting him on the arm with it. “I’ll set the table and straighten up the house, I promise.”

“And you’ll do it so well,” Rafe says, leaning in for a kiss. “I’m also putting you in charge of alcohol and rounding up the misfits.”

“I can do that,” you say, watching him continue to scrawl out ingredients for whatever he plans to cook while you take up counter space just like he said. 

You’ve been thinking all morning about how Stephen didn’t seem to have any plans this weekend, and about any of your local friends who also couldn’t get a flight out today. Even with a lot of them out of town, you’re hopeful you can partially fill up a table.

“Are we actually doing this, Rafe?”

“If I head to the store now, do you think you can call me with a headcount in the next hour? Do I need to get anything to help the table look pretty?”

“Yes. And no,” you say, already jumping up. “I have tons of stuff in the garage. I’ll just need help getting the boxes down. Oh, we might even get to bring in the extra chairs!”

“Then I think we’re doing this, Y/l/n.”

—

The two of you got barely any sleep last night. You’d shoved as many chairs as possible around your tiny dining room table, Rafe’s hand was cramping from the amount of potatoes he’d peeled, and you had several breakdowns about the tablescapes—and Rafe can’t remember the last time he had a better Thanksgiving. 

You’ve been practically buzzing around the house the last 24 hours, cleaning the entire house top to bottom, calling or texting anyone you could think of that might be alone today, handling any stressful part of this with the biggest smile on your face. 

Rafe doesn’t know how you managed to fill the table up as much as you did, to the point where one of your guests, Ms. Sanchez from two doors down—who always made sure to get your mail and water your plants while you were away—had to bring over a pair of extra chairs she had. Beside her is your friend from college Meredith, plus the guy she’s now dating, Henry. Beside them—and this one really threw Rafe for a loop, because he had no idea how you even managed to wrangle them—were two interns he used to work with during his time at Beau’s company, Sasha and Chase. They must have been as disinterested as you and Rafe were by the invite to Beau and Agnes’ gigantic, catered spread. Across the table is Stephen, who did in fact have nowhere to go today, and was extremely grateful to make the cut. 

“This is enough food,” you say out loud, taking into account everything Rafe had managed to whip up, plus any of the dishes others had brought. “This is enough food, right? Or should I run back out really quick and—”

“It’s enough, baby,” Rafe assures you. “If anything, your gigantic charcuterie gave us a nice cushion.”

Despite Rafe’s jokes, you had been a huge help in the kitchen today—about as huge as you could be before Ms. Sanchez, the first to arrive, had shooed you away and taken the metaphorical reins from Rafe’s hands. He was glad to give them, and he can’t even believe how much food they’d managed to fix up on such short notice.

“No, yeah, you’re right. It’s enough. There’s eight of us—this is plenty for eight. And thank god Meredith brought that champagne, or—”

The doorbell chimes again like it had been all day, the noise breaking through the sound of charmingly awkward small talk and the playlist you’d curated into the wee hours of the morning while Rafe finished following your pumpkin pie recipe. 

“I’ll get it,” you tell him, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek, pulling back with your eyebrows furrowed. You readjust your hair, brushing invisible crumbs off of your sweater. “Although, I have no clue who it is at this point.”

“Tell them to pull up a chair,” Rafe says casually. He finishes stirring the mashed potatoes just in time to peek his head around the doorway leading out of the kitchen, just barely catching the look on your face when you open the door.

“What the hell?” you ask, your arms thrown around Kelce in a grip that looks bone-crushing a millisecond. “Why are you at my house? Why are you here?”

Kelce laughs, and Rafe catches his nod, a smile on his own face now. “You didn’t actually think you could do Thanksgiving without me, did you?”

“But how did you… what? Oh my god. Rafe, Rafe! Look who…” you trail off, and Rafe smiles proudly, accepting another kiss to the cheek once you tug Kelce into the kitchen. “You did this.”

“I mean…” he shrugs. Kelce doesn’t skip the decimated charcuterie board on his way into the kitchen, fist bumping Rafe only after collecting the last few pieces of cheese.

“Nailed it,” Kelce says. “But a little upset she didn’t cry.”

“If it helps, I don’t think she had any left in her after thinking about you ordering take-out all alone.”

You look between the two of them, shaking your head in disbelief as Kelce kisses your check. “How did you even get out here? I checked flights this morning. There’s still nothing.”

“Nothing going home. But there’s plenty of flights coming here,” Kelce says. “And your boyfriend even split the price for the extra legroom seat with me.”

You hug Kelce tightly one more time before you start the rounds introducing him to everyone around the table, and he slots in as easily as someone like Kelce would be expected to, finding a seat between Stephen and Ms. Sanchez and a full glass of wine in front of him in no time, still in his plane clothes and everything. 

Rafe wipes his brow with the towel over his shoulder, before shutting the timer off on the oven and pulling the last dish out. He hears you come back into the kitchen, not turning when he hears you re-enter the kitchen.

“I think we’re about ready to eat—”

Rafe’s nearly knocked off balance by the way your arms encircle his neck, and his next worry after regaining his footing is that you might be about to cry again. You’d been doing so well on tears this morning, but only after the obligatory FaceTimes with both of your families had came and went. 

“You,” you say simply, pulling back. “You made this the best back-up Thanksgiving ever.”

“Baby,” Rafe says shyly. “Everyone in there is all you.”

“But you made all of this food, and you even got Kelce here, and really, Chase and Sasha technically, and—”

“We,” Rafe amends. “Yeah?”

“We,” you agree, and Rafe can see it written all over your face. This won’t be the last time you host Thanksgiving, and it might not even be the last time you do it in this house. The two of you are gonna have a million chances to have days like this one, to invite anyone you care for, to make the best out of a really shitty situation.

You and Rafe were a family now; you’d been his home for years. 

There was no Thanksgiving Eve blowout to leave you severely hungover this morning, no unruly or annoying younger siblings to tame on behalf of your parents. No moments between you and Wheezie making his heart melt, or between him and his father the make him yearn for your touch cross the room.

But Rafe knows he’ll have a more solid answer the next time he’s home and one of your mom’s gossipy friends asks when he’ll finally get around to proposing. And he hopes you happen to be at his side, his answer already evident with the jewelry adorning your left ring finger.

“Rafe?” you say, passing a plate off to Meredith, who’d come into the kitchen to help set the table.

“Sorry,” Rafe says, shaking his head, leaning in for one last kiss. “What did you say?”

“I was just… my meeting. It went really well. And I wanna tell you about it after dessert, okay?” you ask.

“Baby, that’s great,” he says, reaching around you to hand Henry a few hot pads. “I wanna hear everything.”

“You will,” you say, grabbing the last basket of bread and Rafe’s hand. “Now let’s eat.”

[lovinbarzal]

COFFEE & HITS | our song au

wyatt johnston x fem! barzal! reader

au masterlist | masterlist | a/n i love wyatt johnston🙈 this is how sugar and wyatt met! sugar goes to UNT Dallas! (i mentioned in ine of the posts that she released sour and it hasn't happened yet in this lol!) i also think this is absolute shit but i haven't released an imagine in so very long soo uh here it is!

Stress. That's how Y/n was feeling. She was stressed. She had just made a jurassic move from Michigan to Texas and she already had a big exam that would could cost her half her grade. All she wanted was a nice cup of coffee in hopes of calming down.

Which is why she found herself in Flying Horse Coffee Shop. She had only heard good things about the place so she waited in line. When she reached the front of the line, she ordered her black coffee before moving to the side.

Wyatt Johnston walked into Flying Horse Coffee Shop with Joe Pavelski. The two, along with their team, would be facing the New York Islanders later that night. The two were sent to pick up the team's coffee orders.

He saw her first. He saw her standing to the side texting in her phone.

She was texting her brother, Mat, who would be in Dallas later that night to play the Dallas Stars. She was in the middle of ranting about how hot it was when-

"Y/n Barzal!"

Her name was called for her order. She prayed that no one recognized her name. She had a good amount of fame from her acting career & her brothers hockey career.

"Wyatt Johnston!"

Wyatt snapped his attention away from the girl as he went to grab his orders not noticing that she was also reaching for hers.

Their hands grazed each others cause the two to quickly pull back.

"Sorry!" The two blurted as they both attempted to reach for their drinks against only for their hands to run into each other.

Joe watched from behind them with a smirk before pushing between them and grabbing the team's orders in the carriers.

"Grab the sugars and everything. I'll wait in the car." Joe said sending Wyatt a look as he walked away. Wyatt nodded before trying to go around the girl to grab the sugars.

The girl also walked to the sugars. He saw her put a lot of sugar in her drink making him wince slightly.

"Got enough sugar?" He joked with a smile making the girl blush before looking down.

"What can I say? I got a sweet tooth." She said looking up at him with a small smile and faint blush.

She looked back down before walking out of the coffee shop with Wyatt following closely behind.

She got into her rental car as she had yet to buy one before letting out a loud sigh and letting herself fall back on her seat with a smile.

Wyatt made his way to Joe's car with a smile. He opened the passenger seat and was shocked to see Joe sitting there.

"No way!" Wyatt exclaimed as Joe nodded. Joe was very much one of those guys who cared deeply for his car and he never let anyone other than his wife drive it. Wyatt excitedly ran to the drivers seat.

The two didn't see each other as they pulled out until-

BAM!

The two were quick to jump out of their cars. Both freaking out for different reasons. Wyatt just hit someone the first (and probably last) time driving Joe's car and Y/n just hit someone in a rental car.

The two ran to where their cars collided and gasped when they saw each other.

"I'm so sorry." Y/n spoke first rubbing her forehead.

"No, this is totally my fault! I wasn't watching where I was going!" He exclaimed looking to Joe who quietly watched from the passengers seat. He knew that he was gonna pay for both of the cats to be fixed but he wanted to watch this play out.

"No! I mean, no. I, uh, I'm not used to driving in these tight parking spaces. This was completely my fault." She shook her head before pulling out her phone. She was gonna need Mat since he should've landed an hour ago and she had no idea how to talk to mechanics.

"I'll pay for both of these." Joe finally walked over.

"Oh no! You don't have to! This was my fault!" She exclaimed not even noticing that tears were threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I've got it." Joe said rubbing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you." She sniffled. Even in tears, Wyatt swore she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

"I just am going to need you phone number." Joe said as Y/n nodded before trying to tell him her number, "Uh, can you give it to gim actually? My phone is in the shop."

"Sure." She said turning back to Wyat who stumbled to get his phone out of his pocket. She told him her number before the trio bid farewell.

As the two drove off they both realized that they didn't get each others name. They both tried to remember what names the barista called but both came up blank.

Y/n walked into her apartment with her coffee and was met with the toilet flushing. She grabbed the hockey stick that she kept by the door and slowly crept towards the bathroom. She screamed and almost swung the stick as the door opened.

"Y/n/n IT'S ME! JESUS!" Mat exclaimed blocking the stick from hitting him in the head.

"Shit, Mat!" She yelled tossing the hockey stick on the ground.

"I thought you were gonna head straight to America Airlines Center?" She said walking towards her kitchen.

"I was but then I asked Coach if I could come see you." He said sitting at her island.

"How did you get in?" She asked grabbing him a water.

"You do remember that I pay for this apartment, right? I have a key." He said making her eyes roll.

"Oh. I forgot." She shrugged. "What time do you have to be back?"

"I got to go in like 5. Wanna come? Our media girl is out." He said as she sighed.

"Yeah. Gimme a sec." She said going to her room to change. She put on the Barzal jersey and stayed in her leggings and air forces.

"Let's go." She had her camera around her neck.

"You look adorable. with your little pro camera." He said squishing her cheeks. She seatted his hands away.

"You're so weird." She said as the two walked out.

"Jesus fuck, Y/n/n. What did you do to the rental?" Mat said as examined the small (large) dent in the bumper.

"It's fine. The guy said he'd pay for it. You didn't get my text?" She said opening the driver door.

"I didn't. I think I blocked you again." He said making his way to the passenger side.

"Fuck you." Mat shrugged as the two made their way to American Airlines Center.

The two walked in and Mat was quick to walk to the locker room as Y/n made her way to where the media and camera crew people were. She got her pass and quickly made her way to the bench. She watched as the teams came out for warm ups. She didn't notice the boy on the otherside who was staring her down.

"Joe! Look! It's her!" He exclaimed as Joe skated next to him. It didn't take him long to look at the jersey you were wearing. Barzal.

Just like that he remembered your name, Y/n Barzal. He looked to Joe who nodded but right before he was gonna skate up he heard the horn. Warm ups were over. He saw you attempt to walk off the ice with the help of Mat.

The entire game was filled with Wyatt sending Mat dirty looks and (legal) checks. He was only sent to the penalty box once and that for accidentally tripping Bo Horvat. That was when she got a good look at him and realized who he was. She almost dropped her camera. She shook her head and pointed her camera towards him as he sent with a frown on his face and his arms crossed. He looked like a child. She let out a light laugh before turning her attention back to the Islanders.

Once the game was over (Islanders won), Y/n made her way to the visitors locker room which passed by the Stars locker room. She stopped for a second looking at the locker room before making her way to the other locker room. She almost didn't hear him as she was too far into her thoughts.

"Hey! Sugar! Wait!" He called from behind her making her stop and turn around.

"Sugar?" She questioned crossing her arms.

"You never told me your name and you put a shit ton of sugar in your coffee." He laughed making her smile.

"Y/n. My name it's Y/n." She said holding her hand out.

"Good to meet you, Y/n. I'm Wyatt." He said shaking her hand.

"I know. I mean, I, uh, saw your name on the jumbotron." She blushed in embarrassment.

"You sure do blush a lot." He commented making her blush even more.

"Thanks? I, uh, I have to go but it was nice to see you again." She said slowly taking steps back.

"Wait! Um, could I get your number?" He asked making her smirk.

"You already have it." She said raising a brow.

"Oh yeah." He mumbled looking down.

"Would you wanna go for dinner or something?" He proposed.

"Totally. It's a date." She laughed before receiving a text from Mat asking where she was.

"Bye, Johnston." She finished before running to find her brother.

"Bye, sugar." He said to himself with a small smile.

Joe watched the whole thing from the locker room. He knew from the look in his eyes that those two were gonna be infinite.