#the christmas cottage

[roseunspindle]

Jared Padalecki: What I've Seen Him In

Cheaper by the Dozen - Bully

New York Minute - Trey Lipton

The Christmas Cottage - Thomas Kinkaide

Gilmore Girls - Dean Forrester

Supernatural - Sam Winchester

[lillysilverus]

[believingispowerfulmagic]

The Christmas Cottage

Summary: In Storybrooke, there is a special cottage. It is said that couples who spend a night there at Christmastime will be blessed with happiness and true love for the rest of their lives. Regina Mills doesn't believe in such fairy tales...until she is forced to spend a night there with her ex-boyfriend, Robin Locksley, ahead of their best friends' Christmas wedding.

Able to finally find closure for how their relationship ended years earlier, they decide to give their friendship a second chance. Having Robin back in her life as well as being back home makes Regina question if she is happy with her life and if she has the courage to make the decisions she needs to in order to be truly happy.

FFN | AO3 | Wattpad

Excerpt (Chapter 1: Time):

Regina thanked her driver as she opened the car door. She shivered as the December cold filled the car. Stepping out into it, she closed the door behind her and quickly hurried toward the front door of the building in front of her. Reaching out, she wrapped her gloved hand around the golden handle and pulled the door toward her. The scent of pine wafted past her, coming off the festive wreath hanging on the door. It sent a pang through her heart but she pushed it aside as she strode into the warm building.

She stopped at her mailbox, opening it and finding it empty. Figuring her fiancé already checked it, she closed the door and continued into the main part of the lobby. It was decorated for the season with wreaths hung on the walls and in between the elevators. An evergreen bough entwined with colored lights lined the desk where security sat and a tall artificial tree sat in one corner, its lights twinkling and fake presents resting underneath it. To complete the festive atmosphere, holiday music played over the speakers and in the elevators.

It all seemed such a stark contrast to how her day had been. She was still trying to process everything that had happened as she passed their night security guard, Thomas. He tipped his hat to her as she headed straight for the elevator bank, in no mood to talk to anyone but her fiancé. Maybe then it would all feel real.

As she rode up in the elevator, her mind was a jumble of thoughts and she got lost in trying to sort them out. She jumped as the elevator arrived at her floor and the doors opened. Taking a deep breath, she exited the elevator and headed down the hallway to her apartment. Regina pulled out her keys and opened the door, stepping inside. "Daniel? I'm home."

He didn't respond but that wasn't unusual. Daniel often continued working after he left the office and he liked to listen to music when he did so, meaning he likely hadn't heard her. She knew he was home because the mail sat on the table where they kept it. Regina looked through the items and determined nothing needed her immediate attention.

After hanging up her coat and scarf, she headed down the hallway and entered the bedroom they had converted into Daniel's office. It was painted white with wood floors and decorated with framed black and white photographs of famous buildings. His drawing table was located by the large window in the room, giving him a gorgeous view of the Manhattan skyline as he worked.

Daniel sat there, earbuds in his ear as his head bopped along to whatever song he was listening to. His pencil flew across the paper in front of him, sketching out a building Regina knew was going to be magnificent once it was built. She hated to interrupt him when he was in a groove but she needed to talk to him, so she gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

He jumped and twisted his body to look at who had disturbed him, relaxing when he saw it was her. Daniel took out the earbuds and smiled at her. "Hey, babe. You just get home?"

"Yes," she replied, kissing him. She studied the building he was drawing, noting that it didn't look familiar. "Is this new?"

"It is," he confirmed. "With luck, this is going to win the bid and become the new centerpiece for the Belfrey Center in Seattle."

Excitement and pride filled her, pushing her other feelings to the side. She knew his firm was going to submit a bid to Midas Industries but there hadn't been a decision about which architect would be the one to design it. Daniel had been talking about it for almost two months and she knew he had been campaigning hard to be the one they chose. His hard work had paid off.

"Congratulations!" she said, rubbing his back. "This is a big deal!"

"Well, we haven't secured the contract yet," he said. "This is just for the bid."

"You were still chosen out of all the architects in your firm to create the bid. That means that they respect and value your work. Even you don't get the bid, this is the start of big things from you. I just know it," she told him.

He grinned. "Thanks. How was your day?"

The question brought her crazy and confusing day back to the forefront of her mind. Her good mood disappeared as she grew somber. "It was bad."

"Bad? How?" he asked, frowning.

"Albert Spencer died," she replied. "He had a heart attack last night. Or at least that's the assumption since the janitor found him stiff and cold at his desk this morning."

Daniel's eyes widened a bit. "How awful! What happens now?"

She sighed, leaning against the wall as she felt fatigue take over. "I think they're still working that out. We spent the day contacting all his clients. They are thankfully understanding and were expecting our work for them to pause for the holidays anyway. So now I guess it's just the funeral and then figuring out who will be working with his clients after the New Year."

"Are they going to replace him? Make someone else partner in his stead?" Daniel asked. She could see the wheels turning in his head and it made the knot in her stomach tighten even more, not loosen.

"I don't know," she replied. "Everyone was talking about it but I think the other partners aren't going to focus on that until after the New Year."

He nodded, rubbing her arm with a smile. "You're a shoo-in for it, you know. You're one of their best lawyers. Spencer had to know that or he wouldn't have kept you on his team."

She knew he had a point but still shook her head. "I think Spencer was grooming Arthur King to take his place and he's probably going to get it. Aside from Mal Draco, it's pretty much a good old boys club."

"That's not fair," Daniel replied, crossing his arms as he frowned.

"I know," she replied. "But think about it. How many women are in top level positions at your firm?"

He was silent before shrugging. "No company is perfect. I hope ours changes soon. But I can't focus on that. I need to focus on this."

Daniel tapped the paper on his desk and she nodded. "Right. Just like I can't focus on what the firm will do. I need to focus on Mary Margaret's wedding. Which reminds me—did you ask Thomas downstairs to put a hold on our mail and newspaper?"

"Oh." Daniel paused but the sheepish grin he gave her when he forgot about something and was embarrassed by it did not appear. Instead, he stayed somber as he said: "We need to talk about that."

"You're not coming," she said, backing away from him. She didn't pose it as a question—she just knew. Disappointment flooded through her as she pressed her hand to her stomach. "We've been planning this for months. I was really excited to go away with you."

"I know," he replied soothingly, rubbing her arms. "We can plan another getaway, one where there's no one else. Maybe we can spend Valentine's Day on a tropical beach."

"It wasn't just about us going away together," she replied softly. "I was looking forward to going to the wedding with you. For us to hang out with my family and friends in my hometown. You've hardly spent any time with them."

He sighed. "I know and I understand it's important to you."

"But," she prompted, hearing it in his voice. It made her feel even angrier.

"That's all your past," he said. "I'm more interested in our future."

Daniel slid his hand down her left arm until he could raise her hand up. She glanced down at the large square cut diamond sitting on a platinum band studded with smaller diamonds on her ring finger. Her heart melted a bit and she smiled softly. "Our future," she repeated.

"A future that will be even brighter if I nail this design," he said, letting go of her hand as he motioned to his drawing. He gave her an earnest look as he continued: "And that's why I need to stay here so I can work on it. I can't afford to be distracted right now."

Her ire rose again and she pulled her hand from his grasp. "My friends would just be distractions?"

"You know what I mean," he said.

"No," she replied, crossing her arms as she glared at him. "I don't. Please enlighten me."

Daniel sighed, carefully reaching out to rest his hands on her arms. "I meant that I would have way too much fun with you and your friends that I wouldn't want to ever go back to our room to work. And I have some tight deadlines I need to hit, so I would either not hit them or have to lock myself in our room and not spend any time with anyone."

"Oh," she said, her anger dissipating a bit. She should've known he had a good reason for what he said. Lowering her arms, she leaned closer to him as she said: "You should've started with that."

"Yeah," he replied. "I'm sorry if I made you feel like I didn't want to spend time with your friends or that I didn't care about them. I do. It's just now isn't a very good time."

She nodded, disappointed but more understanding. "I get it. I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too," he said, hugging her. "This will be our first Christmas apart."

[oldfarmhouse]

We hope your day was filled with good food, family tradition, laughs and maybe a couple of wines for good measure.

Photography: @marniehawson

Styling: @bellebrightproject @lynda.gardener

#christmashome #countryhome #verandah #weatherboardhome #weatherboardcottage #countrycottage

[adreamthatsworthkeeping]

I know I accepted the job yesterday, but I'm turning it down now because my new adventure is hooking up with my ex girlfriend and opening my own place but don't have real plans or capital and don't know how I'll support myself while we make it happen.

[daisylambs]

[heohl-art]

I blushed the whole time while drawing this one 😳😱💖

• Strawberries and Champagne... You and me? •

🌹✨

Them, a bath, in their South Downs cottage. Is that too much to ask? Probably...

I'm so (not) sorry for this, pleeease don't ban me😳

Bonus: close-ups and details✨

ps. I'm so ✨proud✨ of the bubbles and the whole lighting🥹🩷

[snowflakes-and-sleighbells]

[natureaestheticdreams]

@natureaestheticdreams for more

[mossy-woods]

[backroad-life]

Cottage Holiday Lights

[assassin1513]

🩵Hello December🩵

[metalmiez]

A cozy winter’s night at the South Downs

I am a participant of the super-secret Advent Calendar Event on Sendarya’s Discussion Server this year and on the seventh day, my artwork was published 🤗 So I finally can share this little cozy drawing of the Ineffable Husbands ❤️❤️❤️

Thanks to @sendarya to host this little project on her server and for the wonderful community it provides ❤️

Stay tuned for a second entry I provided 🤗

[cottageaesthetic]

[adreamthatsworthkeeping]

Who are getting these jobs where you accept and start immediately. Where's the medical, the contracts, the start in the new year, start in two weeks.

"I know it's Christmas day but I'm flying out to my new job in Iceland I just accepted"

[llovinghome]