Authors note: I wrote this mainly for my best friend as a Christmas gift. It has not been properly beta'd or spruced up. Just a raw story as gift in hope she enjoys it and maybe some of you.
I can't help but smile as I walk hand in hand with the most beautiful woman I have ever set my eyes on. Five Christmas's ago I meet her in this exact bakery we are coming to. It was a drowsy rainy day but one that would leave a mark on me forever.
My mother had already called me five times before the crack of dawn to insure I was coming to Christmas dinner and I was ready to slam my head against a wall. I pulled on an old pair of blue jeans and a festive sweater my grandmother embedded with Emmett on the back. " Great, you look like Rudolph puked on you," I thought as I looked into the mirror.
The roads were slick as I made my journey to the parents house an hour away. I never understood why they choose to live in such a small town until then. A small bakery caught the corner of my eye and it shocked me that it was open. My mother was never the coffee type so I knew if I wanted any I would have to take a chance and stop then.
As soon as I entered the quaint business I felt at ease and oddly like I was supposed to be there. The most delicious smell of peppermint and chocolate drifted from the back followed by the most breathe taking site ever. Whoever this woman was practically bounced from the back, a fresh pot of coffee in hand and a tray of sugar cookies in the other.
Now I'm no sap but she had me hooked with just one glance as I noticed the slightest bit of cocoa on her cheek. She didn't wear a ton of makeup like most small town girls but her eyes sparkled with the deepest of lavender. The cascade of her hair around her shoulders made my mind swirl with thoughts of how it would feel against my chest. Great day to wear a sweater that makes you look four I thought , make sure to thank grandma.
"See something you like?" She questioned as she moved about the small bakery,her movements perfect. The small quirk of her smile and question threw me off guard as I tried to regain my composure. "Just that pot of coffee you toted in," I squeaked out. Why did I have to sound like such a damn wus?
"Sure, I will take your word for that. So just a cup of coffee?" Each word rolled off her tongue and I found myself drifting off again. "Yeah, just that one." She moved slowly to pour my cup of coffee, the sway of her hips almost hypnotizing me. " That will be One sixty one," her voiced broke me from my thoughts again.
"Thanks," I wanted to say so much more and know more about her but I could not get it out. Instead I left a five dollar bill and started to leave, feeling like a elf that even Santa did not want. As I reached the door though it was like an angel decided to speak to me, "The name was Rosalie by the way." " Nice to meet you then Rosalie, mine is Emmett."
Th following year was spent with many more trips to the bakery. Sometimes Rosalie was there and other times she would be gone for days. I would always feel a pang of loneliness when I didn't get to see her, even if we really never talked. Just knowing I was around her was comforting in the oddest of ways.
Christmas rolled around again and the same routine followed my day. Dinner and present swap with the parents except I already knew I was going to stop at the bakery again. I made sure to dress in nice grey dress pants and a button up shirt, refusing to be Santa's little helper again.
When I entered the shop I was surprised to see Rosalie was not her self and figured it was probably from having to work on Christmas. Of course she has a family and with her beauty a boyfriend perhaps. " I'm sorry Emmett, I just am not having the best of days." Her eyes were no longer bright but filled with tears and I instantly felt the need to fix it.
"Tell me what's wrong?" I was confident as I finally had the nerves to speak to her and that one sentence was as much as I had said in a year. The next moment was a shock though as Rosalie moved around the counter, her soft hand finding mine. "It's just a hard time, my fiance I mean ex Royce was here and he is awful Emmett. I should have known better." Her usual angelic voice was filled with pain and it was making me angry.
" I don't know why Rosalie but I feel so protective of you. Did he hurt you? I will hunt him done now." Peppermint coated my senses as she shook her head, the gold of her hair falling below her shoulder. " No, he did not hurt me Emmett." I was feeling brave as I clasped my hand around hers, the perfect fit of two pieces finding one another.
"Please do not cry Rosalie, you are far to amazing for someone who doesn't see how amazing you are. You need someone who will realize how stubborn,and gorgeous you are. How you always smell of peppermint and how you have smiles for certain people. Or how you would rather tinker with your old truck out back on break then gossip." I was foaming at the mouth practically as I spewed off like some John Hughes movie. Hell she made me a sap from nothing.
Obviously it worked though as Rosalie stayed quiet, simply giving me a kiss on the cheek and wiping her tears away. "Merry Christmas Emmett and Thank you," Rosalie mouthed as she closed her eyes and moved to the back. I had spilled my guts out practically and she left me standing there.
I was bitter and pretty damn angry after that for a few weeks. I was Emmett McCarty and no woman had ever turned me down. It was a good month before I went back to the bakery and when I saw Rosalie all that hostility went away. We talked more and she apologized but the subject of my feelings never came back up until Christmas jumped on us again.
Now it was sort of a tradition, I knew I was going to stop at the bakery but this time it would be different. This Christmas would be when I finally grew some balls and asked Rosalie out.
She was waiting on me when I opened the door, a fresh pot of Verona brewed for me and a smile that would strike your heart silly. God she was amazing. "The usual handsome.?" I loved when she called me handsome because I never heard her say it to anyone else. " That and a date with you." There I had asked and she could either say yes or I would look like the biggest damn loser ever. "Does that mean now?" She was biting her lip in the cutest way as she asked and Jesus if she hadn't surprised me again. "Sure, if you think you can deal with the McCarty family." "Emm, if I can deal with you then I know I can tackle them."
My family loved her and vice versa, I knew I loved her even then. She made my mom carefree and my dad laugh, not to mention she understood my brothers better than me. I spent the next year making her fall for me but instead I was falling for her.
Our fourth Christmas came but Rosalie did not work, she rode to the family dinner with me. I pulled into the old bakery parking lot and just like that second year I spewed my guts. " I love you Rosalie Hale." The sparkle was back in her eyes as she leaned in to brush her lips along mine, myself never getting enough of the taste of her. " And I love you Emmett McCarty."
So here we are, back at Christmas number five and walking hand in hand with Rosie. I wanted to bring her back here to where it begin. Where I walked in lost at the time, my life almost in shambles as I found her. The simple act of needing coffee after a long night of drinking saving my life, along with my angel: Rosalie.
"Rosie babe, can you pick us a cookie please?" I asked as I moved back behind her, my surprise falling perfectly in place. "Sure," Rosalie pressed her lips together in concentration as she moved along pausing all at once and I new she had seen it. I was hanging on to air as Rosalie stood still, before grinning and turning. "YES EMMETT." You see, I had called the bakery ahead of time and asked if they could do a special order for me."Will you marry me Rosalie?" Coated sugar cookies in the large display case.
My angel... she had said yes. Merry Christmas to us.