Christmas may have come and gone, but that isn’t stopping our group of misfits from celebrating together, like our own little family. Even if it is a week late.
It’s a supposed tradition for everyone to get together before Christmas break ends to exchange gifts and run a movie marathon. This year, they’re doing it at the girls’ apartment.
My friends back home never did anything like this. Sure, we would go out to eat after games, and Andre and I would hang out at my place more often than not, but the dynamic of my new friends here is surprising. In a good way.
They care about each other in a way that surpasses just friends. In every way that counts, they’re a family. And I think I’m a part of that family now. Or at least, I hope I am. I want to be.
Ava is rushing around the apartment when I get back from stopping at the grocery store. With two full bags of food in my hands, I watch her switch on each set of Christmas lights strung over nearly every surface. The edge of the island, the tops of the kitchen cabinets, hell, even the TV has been decorated with multicoloured lights.
It’s nice to see her smile like this again. Rebecca’s drop-in outside of the girls’ apartment tore Ava right up. She left my house on cloud nine, and I found her two days later, hurt and betrayed.
My first instinct was to track down the woman who thought it was okay to blindside my girl like that, but I knew that would only make it worse. So I held her as she cried over someone who was far from deserving of her tears, and then she woke up the next morning with that happy gleam in her eyes again.
I’m still worried, but I’ve laid off. Ava is strong, and I know this won’t break her.
“You look like a Christmas elf,” I say, dropping the bags on the counter before walking over to her as she moves on to the tree, fiddling with the candy canes hanging from the branches.
“A cute one, I hope.”
I gather her in my arms and pull her to my chest, kissing the top of her head. She smells like peppermint, and I take a long inhale. “Damn right. The cutest.”
She relaxes in my hold. “I debated wearing a cute little elf hat, but I figured it would be a bit much.”
“Do you have one?”
“Of course I do,” she guffaws.
I smirk. “Wear it tonight. I’ve also wanted to bang an elf.”
She spins in my arms, staring at me in disbelief. “Really?”
“No. But I still want you to wear it.”
“You’re a goof.” She giggles and slips out of my arms, going to the Bluetooth speaker on the coffee table and turning it on. It rings out, saying that it’s connected to her phone, before Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” starts to play.
I cock a brow. “Really?”
Ava’s eyes twinkle, the flecks in her eyes nearly glowing. “It’s a classic.”
“Would it be cheesy if I said that all I want for Christmas is you?” I ask, my voice low. Feeling incredibly sentimental, I close the distance between us and plant my hands on her hips, pulling her flush against me.
She glances up at me and smiles softly. “Yes. But it seems that I like cheesy when it comes to you.”
“I missed you.”
It was only a couple of days, but I did. The moment she left, the only thing I wanted was to bring her right back and never let her leave my side again.
“We’re helpless,” she whispers.
“I can’t find it in me to care.”
I bend down, and she pushes up on her toes, our lips meeting in a slow kiss. Her fingers slide up my chest and tangle in the hair curling behind my ear, toying with it. It makes me shiver, pressing harder against her, bringing her even closer.
Someone knocks at the front door, but I trace her bottom lip with my tongue, refusing to let her go. As soon as she parts those soft lips for me, I’m diving in, sucking on her tongue and swirling, drowning in her taste but refusing to come up for air.
The knocking starts again, this time harder.
Ava’s hands drift down the sides of my neck, pressing into my shoulder muscles before lying flat on my pecs. Slowly, she starts to push herself back.
I chase her mouth with short kisses until she starts to laugh and softly swats at my chest. “I need to answer that.”
“Go answer it, then.” I smirk, pressing my fingertips into her waist, loving the way she turns to putty in my hands. I’m able to steal another kiss before she breaks away.
The silver bells hanging from the doorknob jingle as she pulls open the front door. She beams at the guests waiting on the other side. “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas, beautiful,” I hear Adam say. The compliment grates my nerves.
I move fast, coming up behind Ava and pulling her back to my chest, lacing my fingers across her stomach. “Merry Christmas, guys.”
“Merry Ho-Ho, Lee. Where should I put these?” Matt steps forward, holding a massive Santa sack out in front of him.
“Are those presents?” Ava squeals. Matt nods and starts to look around the apartment.
“He almost forgot them. We were halfway here when we had to turn back around,” Tyler puts in from behind him.
“Hey, way to throw me under the bus. I got them here, didn’t I?” Matt rolls his eyes, and the guys come inside.
He drops the bag beneath the tree, beside the expertly wrapped gifts already there. As the living room starts to fill with everyone, I make sure to snag a seat at the end of the couch, beside Matt.
“Did I hear something about presents?” Morgan comes strolling out of her bedroom. Finally.
Matt smirks, eyeing his girl up like his next meal. I wonder if that’s what I look like when I check Ava out. Probably.
“Not for you. You didn’t help get this ready at all,” Ava says from beside the couch, a tray of cookies in her hands.
“Like you would have let me help, anyways.” Morgan swipes a cookie off the plate and moves over to sit down on Matt’s lap. Ava rolls her eyes, sets the cookies down on the coffee table, and sits down next to Adam on the other side.
Yeah, right.
I stand from the couch and pick her up, carefully placing her in my lap once I’ve sat again. She lifts her brows at me over her shoulder. “What?”
She hums, disbelieving.
“The PDA is fucking gross,” Tyler grunts, sitting down on the floor in front of Adam.
“You just need to get laid,” Matt says, taking his attention away from Morgan for the first time since she plopped down in his lap.
“I do get laid.”
“Are we talking in terms of your hand or a living, breathing woman?” Adam chuckles.
“I’m not talking about this with you,” Tyler snaps.
Matt roars a laugh. “Your hand, then.”
“I’ll kick your ass, Matthew.”
“Ooh, I love it when you say my full name.”
I press my face to Ava’s back and laugh, a warmth spreading through me. These guys are complete idiots, but they’re my idiots.
“Look on the bright side, Ty. Oakley’s little sis is more than ready to move mountains for you. Give it a few years and I’m sure you could reach out and ask for a coffee date,” Matt teases, his eyebrows dancing. Morgan smacks his arm.
I take back my previous sentiment. “Tyler’s not going to touch Gracie. Now or ever,” I grind out. “She’ll snap out of her fascination soon enough. She’s a smart girl.”
“Underage girls aren’t really my type, Oakley,” Tyler snips.
The thought of my sister even thinking about one of my friends in a romantic way makes my skin crawl. No way in hell would I ever let that happen. Not in this lifetime.
“It’s just a cute, harmless crush, so don’t go teasing her about it. Any of you,” Ava threatens, pointing an accusing finger at the guys.
“I agree. I had a crush on Ava’s brother for like two years,” Morgan admits with a shrug.
“You what? Why didn’t I know about this?” Matt demands, his eyes narrowed.
Ava laughs, covering for Morgan while she stumbles for an explanation. “I think all of my friends liked Ben. Don’t worry, Matt.” Ava pats Matt on the arm. “Plus, I think he’s going to propose to his girlfriend soon.”
“Eep! A wedding is on the horizon,” Morgan sighs dreamily.
Adam laughs. “Hear that, Matty boy? Morgan wants to get married soon.”
“She didn’t say that,” he sputters.
“Read between the lines, bro,” Adam chides.
Matt spins Morgan in his arms, his expression completely open. He bares his soul to her like it’s no big deal. “You want to get married soon?”
His girlfriend just laughs, fussing with his hair. “That depends. Are you going to propose to me soon?” Matt’s lips part, but no words come out. “I would marry you any day. But maybe let’s graduate first, yeah?”
Ava stares at me over her shoulder, and I pull her close. She rests against my chest and sighs, content.
Yeah, these are my people.
Exhausted, I sigh as soon as the door shuts behind Adam and Tyler, and the nearly engaged couple heads off to Morgan’s room.
“I think I’m in a food coma,” Ava moans.
I shift my gaze from the glimmering lights hung over the front door to Ava’s outstretched body on the couch. Her eyelashes flutter as she tries to keep her eyes open.
“You want to go to bed?” I ask softly.
She hums and pushes up on her arms. “Are you staying?”
“If that’s okay?”
“Of course. Merry Christmas to me.” She winks.
I shake my head, the ghost of a smile tugging at my mouth. In a few strides, I’m in front of her. I bend over the couch, slide one arm under her knees, and cradle her back with the other as I lift her and walk us to her room.
“You don’t have to carry me. You were just injured,” she protests.
“I was. But I’m fine now, and I want to carry you.”
“Fine.”
I chuckle when she goes lax and snuggles her face into the spot where my neck and shoulder connect. “Did you have a good Christmas?”
“The best.”
The bracelet I got her dangles from her wrist, the charms making a soft jingle noise when they hit each other: a Converse sneaker, an old truck that I had to custom order from the lady in the store, and a star with her birthstone in the centre.
When we all exchanged presents, I wasn’t expecting everyone to get such elaborate, thought-out gifts. It shouldn’t have surprised me, seeing as how well everyone knows each other, but it was a good surprise.
“I have something else for you,” Ava whispers when I set her on the bed.
She doesn’t look at me as she gets off the bed and drops to the floor, digging around beneath the frame. When she pulls her hands back, they’re holding a large brown box.
“Morgan used the rest of the wrapping paper before I could get to this.”
“I don’t care about wrapping. You already got me a present, sweetheart.” A damn nice black-and-red hockey stick. It was both thoughtful and useful, considering I go through them like crazy.
She shrugs. “I got you two.”
There’s a shake in her hands when she stands and hands over the box. She’s nervous, and for some reason, that makes me nervous. And excited.
I sit on the edge of the bed and pat the spot beside me. Only after she’s sitting, her thigh brushing mine, do I open the box.
After I lift the lid, I peel back the snowflake-printed tissue paper and freeze. My swallow is audible.
“If you hate it, I can return it,” Ava rambles.
I will my fingers to move, and they brush the green jersey, over the letters stitched on the back. My lungs burn, but I swear I’m breathing. My eyes sting, but I blink away the feeling, keeping the name and number in front of me clear, visible.
Jamie #11
Ava touches my arm. “Are you okay?”
My laugh is wet, heavy with emotion. “Yeah, baby. I’m okay. Better than.”
“But you’re crying. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“This is the best gift I’ve ever gotten.”
She sighs, relieved. “You should have something that reminds you of all the good memories. He may be gone, but he’ll always be with you.”
This girl. This damn girl.
“I don’t think I could be any more in love with you if I tried,” I admit bluntly. I’m completely down for this girl. There’s nothing keeping me from her—no guard at the gates of my heart, no fears or secrets. I’m completely hers, and I feel so goddamn free. “There aren’t words to explain it. Fuck, I would drop my heart at your feet if I thought that would work.”
She leans her head on my shoulder and laughs, the sound shaky. “Don’t do that. I have no use for it on the ground.”
I turn to her, my gaze unguarded. Fucking soul baring. “This isn’t something I ever want to let go of.”
“So don’t let go. Please.”
Her words stroke something inside of me, something unfamiliar but reassuring. It turns me curious, hopeful even.
“Humour me for a second,” I say before I lose my edge and chicken out.
She nods, and I rest my cheek against her head. “Okay.”
“Once you finish school, do you want to stay in Vancouver?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t see why I would have to.”
“Not have to, Ava. Want to.”
A pause. “Where are you in this hypothetical situation?” she asks softly.
“Not in Vancouver.”
She blows out a breath. “Then no. I wouldn’t want to be here.”
A slow smile parts my lips as I turn my face into her hair. Hope rushes through me. Her words hold a promise that I couldn’t miss if I tried.
“I’m never going to dye my hair blonde, though,” she adds.
I pull back and snort a laugh. “Why would you do that?”
Her eyes glimmer with humour. “I’ve been looking, and almost every NHL player has a blonde girlfriend.”
I laugh and slide my arm over her shoulders, pulling her close. “Consider me the odd one out, then.”
There isn’t a damn thing I would change about Ava. Not one.
