Kate sat back into the chair and sighed as she sat the phone back down on the hook, what was she going to do her mother had guilted her into coming home for Christmas.
"Whats the matter with you? You look like you have been hit by a truck!" Jodi said as she walked into the den and sat on the desk facing Kate, "Is everything ok with Mama Manfredi?"
"Yeah everything is fine, she is so excited about me coming home this year for Christmas, she said all of my brothers are dying to see me." Kate replied with a sigh.
"Then whats the problem, trust me seeing all of your brothers is never a problem, especially Joey." Jodi giggled as Kate rolled her eyes,
"Unfortunately I may have elaborated a little in my letters home, they think that I am seeing someone and they want him to come home with me, and if I don't have anyone to come home with everyone will think I am a loser, and that this whole farm thing was a huge mistake." Kate moaned as she covered her face with her hands, "What am I going to do Jodes?!"
"Oh Kate, don't worry we will think of something, you aren't leaving for 3 weeks after all." Jodi said as she got off the desk and gave Kate a hug, "Alot can happen in 3 weeks." As Kate started to smile they could hear the front door open,
"Anybody home?" Dave called as he came into the hall.
Jodi giggled as Kate straightened up in the chair and fixed her shirt, "Were in here," Jodi called as Dave came to the door.
"Hey ladies, whats up? Kate you look like you have been hit by a truck" Dave asked with a grin,
"Oh thats nothing, she usually looks like that after she gets off the phone with her mother." Jodi replied with a giggle as Kate started to blush.
"Its just that my mother is like any other Italian mother, and she drones on and on about my brothers thats all, after every call I feel a bit washed out." Kate said as she stood up, "Plus with Christmas coming its worse."
"Well she can't be that bad, you turned out wonderful." Dave smiled as they walked out of the den, "So are you planning on going home for Christmas?"
"Yeah, I am going in 3 weeks, I haven't seen my family in almost a year. If I don't get home soon we may have my 4 brothers here looking to take me home to my Mother for Christmas." Kate replied with a laugh.
"4 brothers, and you are the baby. I pity your boyfriends growing up." Dave said as they walked down the hill towards the barn, Jodi started to giggle behind them.
"Yeah, yeah it was." Kate sighed as she opened the barn door.
One week later Kate sat on the couch on the shearers quarters veranda, she was waiting on Jodi to walk up with her for supper. Tess had invited the boys over for a barbq and a couple drinks since it was Saturday.
"Sorry, I wish I was like you and could be ready in a flash." Jodi cried as she came through the door and sat next to Kate.
"Well not everyone needs to primp for an hour, just because Rob is coming." Kate replied with a grin, "Don't suppose you would loan me him for Christmas to come home with me?"
"Not on your life, this is our first Christmas together. I think though that you should ask Dave, I am sure he would do it. He said that he was just going to hang around here this year anyway." Jodi said as she pulled her boots on.
"Yeah right, what am I going to do, say Hey Dave I lied to my family and said that I have this amazing boyfriend, but since I don't would you come home with me and pretend to be it." Kat said with a sigh.
"It wouldn't hurt, its not like you aren't in love with him anyways, and all he could say is no." Jodi replied as she stood up, "Now come on I am hungry."
As they reached the house they could here the laughter coming from inside, they walked up the steps to see Alex kissing Stevie under the missletoe that Tess had placed in the hallways,
"Jease can't you two get a room." Jodi called as they came in the door.
"Its too early in the day for that," Stevie replied with a grin as she grabbed Alex's hand and they walked into the kitchen.
"Everything smells great Tess, are you sure you don't need any help?" Kate asked as Tess placed a bowl on the table,
"Thanks, and I am pretty sure that I have everything under control, so why don't you four go out back, Nick is already out there, and Dave just called he and Rob are on their way." Tess replied. As they started to walk to the back door Tess called, "Oh wait Kate will you help me for a minute?"
"Uh sure, what do you need help with?" Kate said as the others left the kitchen and she walked back towards Tess.
"Nothing really I just wanted to talk, I know this is really none of my business but Jodi kind of let it slip out about your family expecting you to have someone to go home with you." Tess replied with a sheepish grin,
"Well I guess that everyone would find out eventually anyway." Kate sighed as she sat down in a chair, "I really can't do anything about it, I will just have to tell them that this person doesn't exist, then listen to how I should have stayed in the city and married a good italian boy instead of heading off into the middle of nowhere to work on a farm."
"Well there really is no need of that," Tess replied as she sat down next to her, "I think that you should ask Dave, I am sure that he would do it, besides if you ask me he needs a little push if you know what I mean."
"That all sounds easy, but come on he looks at me as a girl not someone desirable and sexy. Besides I would feel like a total dork, I mean how much of a loser am I already lying to my whole family." Kate said.
"Who is lying to their family?" Dave said as he came to the kitchen door with a case of beer in his hands,
"Uh no one." Kate said startled as she stood up, "Here let me take those."
"Now come on ladies, you can't pull the wool over my eyes. You know that I will eventually get it out of one of you." Dave replied as Kate took the beer.
"Oh Kate and I were just talking about her family and her going home for Christmas thats all." Tess said as she stood up and walked over to the stove.
"Why don't you want to go home for Christmas? I know that it is lovely around here but wouldn't you rather go home and see your family?" Dave said as he looked over at Kate who was finishing putting the beer in the fridge.
"Not really this year, but it is something I have to do." Kate replied with a sigh walking towards the door, "Now if you will all excuse me I have to use the little girls room." Dave and Tess watched as Kate walked out the room almost in tears,
"Is it something I said?" Dave asked as he went to go after her, Tess put her hand on his shoulder.
"Just let her go, and it could have to do with something you said. But I have an idea on how you can fix it."
"Thats why Kate ran out in tears, she is worried about how her family will react to her coming home alone. Her parents have always given her a hard time about going to work on a farm, now she thinks it will just be another disappointment for them." Tess sighed as she took a sip of her glass of water.
"I didn't realize that Kate's family hadn't wanted her to come here, she always seems so happy you would never know. Do you think that if I volunteered to go home as her boyfriend she would want me to go?" Dave said as he looked over at Tess, "I mean I was just planning on staying around here for Christmas, but going to the city and spending it with Kate wouldn't be bad either."
"I think that would be a great idea, I think that would mean a lot to Kate." Tess grinned as she stood up, "I wouldn't mention too much of our conversation, just see what she says. Kate can be very guarded at times."
"Trust me, that is one thing I know." Dave replied as he stood up and walked out of the kitchen to find Kate.
Kate sat under a tree looking out over the yards of Drovers, what a mess now Dave had heard about her lying to her family. Why did she have to lie to her family and tell them this. Going home to hear how Marissa and Linda her childhood friends had married nice Italian boys and were having lots of babies would be bad enough. She could hear her Mother now, 'You will never find a nice Italian boy out in the middle of nowhere, you should come home.' Kate sighed as she wiped a tear from her cheek, she looked up as she saw Dave walking towards her.
"Hey Katie-san, sorry about barging in before, I seem to be really good at that." Dave said with a small smile as he sat down next to her, "Hey there is no need for tears, whatever it is it will be ok, trust me." He said as he leaned in closer and wiped away another tear from her cheek.
"You can say that, you haven't met my family." Kate sighed as she leaned back against the tree, "I am their big disappointment, the baby daughter that went off to work on a farm. When I should have been married to a nice Italian boy and have atleast one baby by now. Now I get to go home alone and get the lectures from my mother, and hear all about my old friends and my cousins and how happy they are and how I will never be happy." Dave turned to look at her, he had never seen her look so vulnerable all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and protect her.
"Well I might not be Italian, but I do believe I am a nice boy, how about I go home with you?" Dave asked as he looked into her eyes, "Trust me I know a thing or two about how messed up families can be, so your Mother should be a piece of cake." He smiled as Kate let a little smile escape to her mouth.
"But I thought that you were just going to spend Christmas here with everyone else." Kate said as Dave wiped another tear from her face,
"Well I could do that any year, this year I see a good friend who needs some help and if she'll have me I would like to help." Dave replied as he stood up pulling her with him, "Besides I won't take no as an answer."
"I think I have everything that I need, I am going to get my gifts in the city, if I forget anything I can just pick it up there." Kate said as she closed the lid on her suitcase, "I can't wait to get this week over."
"Well don't forget to get your favorite friend something nice in the city, here is my list." Jodi replied with a grin as she handed Kate a piece of paper, "Only if you get time ofcourse. Once you get there I am sure that you and Dave will be very busy. Rob said it is quite funny Dave is really nervous about going."
"I can only imagine, he is such a brave guy to volunteer to spend the week with my family. Especially when he doesn't even notice me any other time." Kate sighed as she lay back on the bed, "He will probably go running to the hills by tomorrow."
"I don't know Kate, how many other guys do you know who would volunteer to spend Christmas posing as someones boyfriend. If I were you I would look out for the missletoe." Jodi giggled as Kate threw a pillow at her.
Dave pulled his suitcase out of his bedroom and into the kitchen, Rob and Alex were sitting having breakfast.
"Morning men, sleep well?" Dave asked as he headed to the coffee pot,
"Sure did, you?" Alex replied as Dave joined them at the table grabbing a piece of toast.
"Pretty well, I am still a little nervous about meeting Kate's family but hey that is what friends are for." Dave replied as Rob cleared his throat,
"Thats one of the things we wanted to talk to you about, we know that you may not notice it but you do know that Kate really likes you right." Alex said as Dave took a sip of his coffee, "In our opinion Kate would be great for you Brewer, we think that maybe you should take a closer look on this trip." Dave stayed silent as the information that Alex had just shared sank in, he hadn't really thought of Kate in that way. He had noticed how attractive she was, especially when she was angry or passionate about something. When he saw her under that tree crying all he wanted to do was protect her. Dave finished his coffee, and pushed his chair back.
"Well I must be going I told Kate I would pick her up soon, have a Merry Christmas guys. Thanks for the advice." Dave replied as he grabbed his suitcase and headed for the door, "Oh and don't be too naughty while I am away don't forget Santa is watching." He grinned as a piece of toast came flying towards him from the table.
Dave took a deep breath as he drove up and parked in front of the shearer's quarters. He didn't even have to beep the horn and Kate was already flying out the door dragging her suitcase behind her. Typical Kate, always on time and ready. He jumped out of the ute and ran towards her,
"Here let me get that for you, the last thing we need is you pulling a muscle before I even get you home!" He grinned as he grabbed the handle from her hand, he brushed her hand as he took it from her, if he didn't know better he thought he felt a spark. "Anyways how about we get this show on the road." Kate looked up at him and smiled,
"Sounds good, and I know I will do this over and over again, but thanks so much for doing this. Hopefully spending Christmas with my family won't be too bad."
"As I said before no need to thank me, thats what friends are for. Besides I can't think of anyone I would rather spend Christmas with." Dave replied as he held the door to the ute open for her. "Now my lady, your chariot awaits."
Two hours later they were zooming down the highway towards Adelaide. Dave chuckled to himself as he watched Kate, it was like she had ants in her pants she was moving around in her seat so much. She looked really pretty today, more grown up than she did in her work clothes on Drovers. Dave turned on the radio and started looking for stations,
"Leave this one on I love this song," Kate said as he found a station singing 'Baby it's cold outside', "I know it will never be cold here at Christmas but this song makes me think of sitting next to a fire with a cup of hot coco."
"Anything to get you to stop moving around in your seat, you would swear that you had never been in a car this long." Dave smiled as Kate grimaced.
"Its not that, I just hate long car rides thats all. Usually I stop every once and a while to stretch my legs." She replied as she looked out the window.
"Well you should have said something long ago, how about we stop for some lunch soon?" Dave asked, "I think there is a turn off about 10 minutes up the road."
"Sounds good, we just can't eat too much, my Mother will have enough food to feed an army tonight." Kate said with a smile.
"Well as long as she serves your lasagna recipe I will be happy." Dave replied as Kate blushed and he turned off the highway.
Kate couldn't believe how good Dave cleaned up, she always knew he was good looking, but he looked especially so today. She looked out her window as Dave drove up and parked outside a small pub,
"Here we go, lunch is now served." Dave grinned as he jumped out of the ute and got her door open before she could.
"Such a gentleman, how come you don't always act like this?" Kate joked as he helped her out of the ute.
"Well its not every day I get to accompany such a beautiful woman home now is it? Besides this is how I treat all my girlfriends." Dave replied as they walked up the steps to the pub, Kate speechless. "How about you grab us a table and I get us a couple drinks?" Dave asked as they entered the bar.
"Sounds good, lets sit outside though." Kate replied still thinking about what he had just said, "I'll meet you outside." Kate walked over to the patio area and sat down, she looked around her. There weren't many people here for lunch time, there was a table with a couple blokes stareing at her but she looked away as fast as they were looking at her. She heard the sound of chairs pulling back and closed her eyes hoping they weren't coming over here.
"Hey pretty lady, these chairs here taken?" One of the guys asked, she looked over at him leering at her, she could smell the alcohol on him, "Its a real shame a pretty lady like you sitting here all alone."
"Uhh someone is coming to join me, so why don't you just go away." Kate replied quietly as they started to walk closer, she could feel her eyes getting wider.
"Come on mates you heard the girl, you had better back off." Dave said sternly as he came through the doors to the patio,
"Says who?" The scuz bag said.
"Well I guess that would be me, her boyfriend and if you don't back off we may have a bit of a problem on our hands, and what with it being Christmas and all I am sure you don't want that." Dave replied as he walked towards the table placing their drinks in front of Kate, he took her hand, "Now my love how about we get another table away from the crowd shall we."
"Turn left here, its the fifth house on the left." Kate said with a little nervousness in her voice, Dave turned onto a long tree lined street with well maintained houses.
"Wow this is a nice neighbourhood, I definately see why you wanted to come to Gungellan, I mean who wouldn't want to give all this up." Dave joked as he tried to get Kate to loosen up.
"Yeah whatever, once you meet my family you will see why. So you remember all of their names right? Tony, Michael, Rob and Joey and my mother Anna, my father died 10 years ago" Kate replied as Dave slowed looking for the house, "And if anyone asks we have been going out for 8 months, and we don't plan on getting married anytime soon."
"Oh we don't well that ruins all my fun." Dave grinned as Kate rolled her eyes, "And yes Kate I remember all the names, and Joey is the one that Jodi went out with in highschool. I also remember that your mother will probably be watching our every move so it is probably a good thing that we aren't going out." Kate sat next to him mouth agape, he leaned over and pushed her chin up, "Don't sound so shocked I do tend to listen to what you say you know, you are more than just a pretty face."
"Oh well yes, uh come on before they swarm our car." Kate replied as she started to blush, before she could move Dave got out of his side and ran around to open her door taking her hand and helping her out of the car. "Wow a gentleman twice in one day I am surprised."
"Well I am full of surprises plus with your family looking at us out the window I thought that it would look good." Dave winked as he took her hand and they walked up to the front door.
As Kate went to press the door bell the door swung open and she was pulled into a warm embrace.
"Oh Kate it is so good to have you home, I didn't think we would ever see you again." Her Mother cried as she hugged Kate tight,
"Mama please, don't be so dramatic." Kate said with a smile as she stood back and looked around her, she turned around and took Dave's hand pulling him into the house closing the door behind him. As the door shut she could hear 4 pair of feet coming down the stairs, she looked up and smiled as she saw her 4 older brothers coming towards her.
"Its about time you got here, we thought we were going to have to send out a search party." The eldest Tony cried as he pulled her into a hug, "Poor Mama was saying the rosary for heaven sakes."
"Yeah Kate, did you forget your way here or something?" Her second brother Michael laughed as he hugged her, passing her off to her brother Rob next,
"Hey kiddo, and don't frown at that you will always be kiddo to me." He joked as he let Kate out of his hug, she turned and smiled at her last brother Joey, the first baby of the family as he was called, because Kate was born two years after him.
"Hey baby girl good to see that country life seems to agree with you." He grinned as Kate smiled, "Now that the hugs are over with are you going to introduce us?" He asked motioning over to Dave who had moved into the corner of the hall, watching with interest.
"Oh my God I am so sorry." Kate cried as she ran over and took his hand, leading him closer to her family. "Everyone this is Dave, my boyfriend." She squeezed his hand as the silence in the hall seemed to last an eternity,
"It is very nice to meet all of you, Kate has told me lots about you." Dave said with a smile as he went to shake hands with her brothers, "Tony, Michael, Rob, Joey, it is very nice to meet you. Mrs. Manfredi thank you so much for allowing me to spend the holidays with your family." As he stood back he took Kate's hand again giving it a small squeeze.
"Is that my Grand daughter Katherine? Is she actually home from the farm?!!" Came a loud voice from the kitchen as an elderly woman came from the doorway walking towards them, "And finally she brings home a man, come here my dear and let me see you." She walked towards them and gave Kate a hug. Pulling back she looked over at Dave, "Now let me see this man you have brought home with you, my my, you have done well my dear girl. What is you name sir?"
"Sorry, Nona. Nona this is Dave, Dave this is my Nona." Kate said with a smile as her Nona walked over and kissed Dave on the cheek.
"David welcome to the family, God knows we need another man around here. But their bark is worse than their bite trust me." She winked as she took Dave's hand, "Now come on you two you must be hungry, lets get something to eat. Boys get their bags from the car, and put them in Kate's room."
"I am sure that you will respect my house rules while you stay here. Just because we have a lack of bedrooms doesn't mean I allow anything under my roof." Kate's Mother said as she opened the bedroom door with Kate and Dave following behind her, "There are two SINGLE beds in here, so there is no need for you to sleep on the couch, besides my sons say I need to be more open minded."
"Mama, if you are really uncomfortable I am sure that Dave could share a room with one of the boys." Kate replied shocked and starting to blush,
"Mrs. Manfredi really I wouldn't want to ..." Dave started to say before Mrs. Manfredi put her fingers to his lips,
"I want you two to know that I trust you both, besides you are both adults, and I imagine that you have probably shall we say 'done it' anyways, now I will leave you to unpack and rest, supper will be ready at 7." She replied as she walked out the door closing it behind her.
"Ok, did hell freeze over or something?" Kate asked as she walked over and looked out the window, "My Mother would never allow me to have a boy in my room, ever."
"What's the matter, don't think you can spend the week listening to my snoring?" Dave grinned as he sat down on one of the beds, "So tell me did you and Jodi ever have slumber parties here?" Kate giggled as she sat her suitcase up on the other bed and started to unpack.
"Maybe, but with boarding school it was like a slumber party every night." Kate said with a wink as she walked over to the dresser.
"Manfredi you really do know how to make a man's mind wander. By the way your family doesn't seem too bad. The way you described them I was waiting for 'The Sopranos' or something." Dave replied as he laid back on the bed watching her hang up her clothes in the closet.
"Oddly enough, maybe the year away has changed them, but my Mother always nags me on the phone about everything. It must be you, once they get used to you they will let their real side show." Kate said as she pushed her suitcase under her bed and lay down looking at him, "It's like you are my knight in shining armour protecting me from my family." Dave smiled at her as she started to close her eyes and yawn, he could hear her even breathing as she fell asleep.
"If anyone needs protecting it may be me." Dave sighed as he looked at her, "Damn Alex for being right again."
Kate woke up and looked over at Dave sleeping, ever since they had left Drover's she felt like something had changed between them. It felt less like Dave was looking at her as a little sister and more for her. It scared the hell out of her. She tried to look away as Dave started to stir in the bed, he opened his eyes and smiled as he noticed her watching him.
"Been awake long?" He asked as he stretched and put his hands behind his head and looked over at her, "Hope I didn't wake you up with my snoring."
"Nah, I just woke up, and your snoring seemed to help me sleep if anything." Kate replied with a grin, she looked over at the clock on the dresser, "It's almost seven we should probably get ready for supper." She sighed as she sat up and laughed as Dave yawned again, "If you are really tired I am sure that I can excuse you from supper."
"What and miss all the excitment, besides I came here to be your boyfriend and I wouldn't be a very good one if I let you go down to the trenches yourself now would I?" He grinned as he sat up and looked in her eyes, he leaned forward and tucked a piece of hair behind Kate's ear, "Besides I am your knight in shining armour remember?" As he leaned closer Kate could feel her heart pounding so hard she thought it would burst out of her chest.
"Kate and Dave, supper is ready." Someone yelled pounding on their door, breaking the moment.
"I guess that was our cue," Kate sighed as she got up off the bed and started to walk over to the to the dresser, "Welcome to my family there is no such thing as alone time with us." Dave got up and walked over and stood behind her,
"I will make sure that we get some alone time, now come on lets eat I am starving." He grinned as he took her hand and led her out the door.
Kate smiled as she looked around the table at all of her family, her Mother had thankfully not invited all of the rest of her family tonight. Also her brothers were so busy talking about everything else her and Dave and their relationship had been left for the most part out of the conversation. As she stood up to help her Mother start to clear the table,
"So just how long have you two been going out anyway? Kate is never very forthcoming with information all that we know is that she met someone." Tony asked as he stretched back in his chair, looking over at Dave.
"Well we met when Kate first moved out to Drover's but we have offically been together for 8 months, the time before I refer to my momentary lapse of judgment for not seeing how great your sister is." Dave replied with a smile as Kate sat back down next to him and he placed his arm around her.
"Your right Kate is a great girl, what do you do for a living by the way, do you have your our property or something?" Michael asked as he took a sip of wine.
"Actually no, I am the Vet for the area. I take care of all the farms in the area." Dave replied as he took the cup of coffee Mrs. Manfredi passed to him.
"A Vet, that means that you are a doctor!" She said as she sat back down at the table, "Kate you never said that he was a doctor, wait til your aunts hear this. I am very happy to welcome you to our home Dave, I hope that you will look upon it as your own." Kate could feel her heart racing, her Mother never reacted like this. She looked over at her brothers and could see think giggling at something.
"What is so funny by the way?" She asked squinting her eyes at them,
"To think that Mom finally has a doctor in the family, she would have been through the roof if you had brought home a priest." Joey laughed as Rob almost spilt his drink,
"Boys you know that that wouldn't be possible, besides atleast Kate brings home someone respectable instead of the solid stream of girls you all bring home. All of them combined have about as much sense as one of you." Their Nona replied from the end of the table where she had remained silent for most of the meal. "Now I am sure that our travellers are very tired, and would like to turn in for the night." Kate stood up and walked over and kissed her Nona, "Thank you, it means alot to me." She whispered in her ear. "Nona is right I am tired, come on Dave lets turn in Mom has 4 boys here to do her dishes for her." She smirked as her brothers let out a collective groan, "Good night everyone." Dave said as he stood up and followed Kate out the door.
The next day passed by in a blur for Dave and Kate, Dave more so. As the house was in undated with more relatives coming to visit, more likely coming to check out the doctor that Kate had brought home she joked to him. Kate was quite surprised, Dave got along with all of her relatives. He even sat and talked for an hour with her 3 great aunts, listening to their story about the old country. It was almost 4 o'clock by the time her relatives had all left, Kate came and sat down next to Dave in the family room.
"Why don't you two go for a walk, it would do you good to get out of the house. Besides you said you had to go shopping tonight, you won't get any fresh air there." Her Mother said as she came to the door way, "Kate why don't you take Dave and show him the park where you used to play." Kate sighed as she lay her head back on the couch,
"Come on I want to see where you used to play." Dave exclaimed as he jumped off the couch and took her hand,"Bring a sweater it looks like there is a wind though."
"That is very thoughtful, listen to him Kate he is very smart." Her Mother replied with a smile as she left the room. Kate looked over at him and grinned,
"Great tell me that isn't going to go to your head."
"Oh it is already starting to swell, now come on." He winked at her as he dragged her after him towards the front door.
"This would have been such a great place to grow up." Dave said as he looked around and they walked down the sidewalk towards the park, "It is like the ideal picture of suburbia."
"It was pretty nice, but my brothers all went to school here so they grew up here more then me. My parents thought it would be good for me to go to boarding school so off I went every September, leaving my friends and family." Kate sighed as she turned down another street.
"That doesn't sound very nice at all, I'm sorry." Dave replied as he followed her into the park,
"Well it wasn't that bad, I met lots of people. I met Jodi there after all, and she talked so much about Drover's it made me want to go to agriculture college, and then I moved to Gungellen. If I hadn't gone to boarding school I would never have met any of you guys" Kate said as she sat down on a bench and Dave sat next to her.
"Well then I must thank your Mother for sending you. I can't think of Drover's without you." Dave whispered as he pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear, "I can't imagine if I hadn't met you." He said that even quieter as he leaned forward and pulled Kate towards him. Kate could feel her heart beating a mile a minute. She thought it might explode as Dave lightly placed his lips on hers. She sighed as she pulled him closer deepening the kiss. They seemed to sit there together for eternity, finally they pulled apart and Kate could feel the biggest smile come over her face.
"I have been waiting a very long time to do that." Dave smiled as he took her hands in his,
"Not as long as I have I bet." Kate replied with a small laugh.
"Well I was told by a little birdy to look closer on this trip, and I think that I have found exactly what I was looking for." Dave said as he kissed her cheek.
"Is the little birdy about 6'5" and going out with a little birdy with red hair?" Kate laughed as Dave nodded. "It figures, Jodi told me to make a move and try to seduce you under the missle toe."
"Well I like that idea almost as much as my little birdy's idea." Dave replied as he pulled Kate to sit in his lap.
Kate sighed as she tossed and turned in her bed, she rolled over and looked at Dave sleeping a smile coming over her face. Ever since that day in the park it had been amazing, she was just waiting for someone to wake her up from a dream. The week had gone by in a blur, she had been so happy just knowing that Dave was in love with her Christmas and her family had gone on the back burner. Not that her brothers hadn't teased her plenty, saying that she had her head and the clouds and wondered when she was going to come back down to earth. Dave had taken everything in stride, he had even survived the massive Manfredi Christmas dinner with around 40 people at her house. She was worried a little about going back home to Drover's, she knew that her magical Christmas would hit the real world then. She kept having doubts about weather or not Dave would realize that it had just been the Christmas season that had made him like her, that she was just the same old Kate after all. She could see the sun starting to rise as she looked at the window behind Dave, a few more hours and they would have to head home. She sat up and decided to start packing quietly, she couldn't sleep anyways she may as well do something.
"Hey why don't you come back and lay down, I like having you look at me while I sleep." Dave said quietly as she jumped startled,
"Sorry, I couldn't sleep I didn't mean to disturb you." Kate replied as she sat back down on her bed, Dave reached over and took her hand.
"Well then why don't you try sleeping with me, here curl up beside me." He said as he pulled her towards him, curling his arms around her, breathing in the scent of her and smiling. "Thats better, now lets try to get some sleep." Kate smiled to herself as she felt his even breathing start again, letting her eyes close.
"Take it easy on the road, and make sure to call when you get home." Kate's Mom said as she walked behind them to their car, "I put a cooler with some sandwiches in the back for you to have later." Kate rolled her eyes as she walked towards the car with Dave.
"Don't worry Mama we will be fine." Kate said with a smile as she leaned in and kissed her mother, "Tell my brothers that I will miss them and they should be ashamed for not getting up to see me off."
"You know them, as they will sleep until night time." Nona said as she came walking down the driveway, "David it was very nice to meet you, and I am proud to have you in our family. It makes my heart feel good to see our Kate so happy."
"It makes my heart feel good too." Dave replied blushing leaning down and kissing her cheek, "Now I do believe that we had better be going before the traffic gets too bad." He walked over and opened Kate's door, "After you my dear."
"A gentlemen too, Kate be good to him." Her Mother cried as she kissed Kate's cheeks again leaned up to kiss Dave's cheek.
"Don't worry I will make sure he is taken care of." Kate grinned as Dave closed to door behind her.
"Ladies it has been wonderful meeting you, you should come our way next time." Dave grinned as he leaned down kissing both their cheeks. As he pulled out of the driveway Kate sighed,
"Great now they will be their by Easter."
Kate looked out the window as the scenery zoomed by outside of them. She smiled to herself as Dave snag quietly along to the radio, she looked over at him and grinned,
"Gee I didn't think of you as the type who sings along to the radio."
"Well my dear there are lots of things that you don't know about me, that is why I can't wait to get you home and we can start learning all about each other." Dave replied with a smile as he put his hand over hers, "I admit the past week was nice, but now I can't wait to start our real relationship, I have wasted too much time over looking you." Kate leaned back against the seat and sighed,
"You have no idea how happy that makes me, I was worried that once we got back you would realize that I was just the same old Kate." Dave signalled and pulled off the road putting the ute into park, he placed his hands on either side of her face and looked into her eyes,
"Trust me, to me you will never be the same old Kate ever again, now lets go home."
THE END