Author's Notes: This is written as a gift to .voice (aka era_raydor on LJ) I'm sorry it's so late and so short. I hope it brings you a smile.
I'm sure many of you will note the resemblance to a certain recent photo of the lovely Ms McDonnell that inspired this story
Speical Thanks to: to both Kadi219 and lontanissima for their thoughts and suggestions. I really appreciate it more than you know. All mistakes are completely mine.
Sharon's iPhone sounded an incoming email just as she put the finishing touches on her first weekly budget report of 2015. After double-checking the last figure, she hit save then glanced over at the screen and saw the message was from Nicole. She swiped the icon and began to read, "Sharon, I was just sorting through my pictures from the holidays and thought you'd like these."
The first image was a group shot from the night of the Nutcracker. It was taken just after the performance, with the boys still in their costumes, behind them stood Dean and Nicole with Dean's parents to his right and Andy and Sharon to Nicole's left. She rolled her eyes as she remembered Rusty's smirking offer to take a picture of "the whole family."
The next was of Andy crouched down, one arm around each boy's shoulders. All three of them were wearing matching mischievous grins. If she recalled correctly, he'd just slipped each a five dollar bill and told them if they asked nicely their parents would let them get candy.
She scrolled down to see her and Rusty posed in front of the giant Christmas tree in the lobby of the theatre.
The next image was a bit of a surprise, it was a more candid shot then the rest and she had no idea Nicole had taken it. It showed her and Andy standing in front of the tree. He was pointing to an ornament his other hand on the small of her back. She was examining on intricate carving of the wooden angel, but he was focused on her. She could see how easily Rusty and Nicole might think there was more between them then just friendship. Well, honestly maybe there was more, but not what they thought, not yet anyway. Her thumb grazed across Andy's face on the screen as another incoming email sounded.
"Here's some more," was the brief note accompanying the next batch of photos. The first showed her with Emily, Ricky, and Rusty all caught mid-laugh. As she recalled, Emily had just scored a direct hit to Ricky's wardrobe and ego. They were all bundled up in their winter coats in the blazing sun, the ocean gleaming blue behind them, the breeze whipping at their hair. It was the afternoon of New Year's Eve and Nicole had gotten ahold of Emily through Rusty and somehow they'd convinced everyone that they had to spend New Year's at the beach. Dean's parents lived in Pacific Palisades and apparently it was a tradition not to be missed.
Next was an action shot of the Dean and Ricky running down the beach each holding a kite trying to get it airborne, the boys holding onto the strings assisted by Andy and Dean's father, Joe. That was followed by a shot of the kites high in the air while all six looked up with childlike glee.
She laughed at the picture of Rusty, Ricky, Dean, and Andy's son Tony elbow deep in building a sand castle while the boys, who had started the project, sat nearby playing a handheld video game.
A shot of her flanked by Emily and Nicole all raising their plastic champagne flutes in a toast was followed up with a matching shot of Dean, Ricky, Andy, Tony and Rusty toasting with their cans of Coke.
The next picture showed the sun hanging low in the sky behind their entire group as they readied for the last sunset of 2014. It was followed by a shot of Ricky, Emily and Rusty making faces at the camera, the orange glow of the setting sun reflected on their faces, then a beautiful image of Nicole, Dean and the boys all smiling happily.
Sharon sighed as she scrolled down to an image she vividly remembered being taken. She was standing snuggled into Andy's warm embrace, the breeze from the ocean blowing her hair off her face. She remembered how cold she'd felt as the sun sunk lower and lower in the sky. Even the black fur trimmed parka she usually saved for Salt Lake City hadn't been able to keep her warm. Andy had seen her huddled against the cold, rubbing her glove clad hands together. He'd draped an arm around her and she'd instantly turned to him seeking out his warmth. He'd chuckled and grinned down at her then pulled her closer and wrapped his other arm around her. That was when Nicole had called to them to smile and she'd snapped the picture. After that, she'd slipped her arms inside Andy's leather jacket and they'd stayed that way as they watched the sun set on 2014. A few times thoughts of just what it all could mean had tried to creep into her mind, but she'd firmly tamped them down and focused on the moment, the feel of Andy's heartbeat against her cheek, the taste of the salt spray on her lips, the crash of the waves breaking on the beach, the sounds of the boys laughter as Ricky and Tony chased them and tickled them into submission.
As she gazed at the photo, she wondered how she'd lived in Los Angeles her whole adult life and never before spent New Year's at the beach. It seemed there were still a lot of new things to discover even at this stage of her life. Glancing to the man seated just outside her office window she wondered what 2015 had in store for them. The new year was barely a week old, but things were changing.
As she watched, he switched off his monitor and rose from his chair turning toward her office. He knocked twice and opened the door leaning his head inside. "You ready to go?"
She put down the phone and closed her laptop. "Just finished."
He stepped the rest of the way into the office and shoved his hands into his pockets rocking back on his heels. "Italian?" he suggested.
"Sounds good," she replied sliding the computer into her briefcase and pulling her purse out of the bottom drawer.
He grabbed her jacket off the hook on the back of the door and met her near the desk holding it as she slipped it on. "One car or two?"
She sighed, it had been a long week and she was tempted to let him drive, but that would mean coming back to get her car tomorrow. "Can we drop mine off at home?"
"Sure," he answered passing her the handbag and shouldering the heavier briefcase himself. She turned off the light as she left the office and Andy pulled the door closed.
As they waited for the elevator, she heard the sound of another incoming email on the phone now tucked safely inside her purse. "Nicole's been sending pictures from the holidays," she explained.
Andy looked at her curiously as they stepped into the elevator.
Figuring these must be from later on New Year's Eve, she wondered if they would include a certain moment Emily and Nicole had delighted in stumbling upon. She was tempted to pull out her phone and check, but instead decided to wait until they could look through them all together. She smiled up at Andy and leaned over to bump her shoulder into his. Yes, things were definitely changing.