Later Christmas Eve...
Eddie glanced at the dashboard clock and then down at Janet who had fallen asleep on his shoulder about a half hour earlier. She looked so peaceful and beautiful nestled against him. He replayed the night in his mind. The wolf, his reaction to her gift, and Janet's look of disappointment when she realized that she had upset him. He didn't intend to react the way he did it was just he had never received such a personal gift before from someone he was dating. He was venturing into un-chartered territory with Janet and if he was being honest with himself, it scared him a little. The way he could talk to her about anything and even more so, the way she seemed to so easily understand him was something he had never experienced with anyone else.
The snow had let up at about 3 a.m. and most of the Ridge had been plowed and cleared. Janet and he had spent the whole night talking, laughing and drinking hot chocolate. All of the women he'd dated and spent the night with, and he couldn't remember a more satisfying night than the one he'd just spent in his truck with Janet doing nothing more physical than holding hands and stealing the odd kiss. Eddie was quickly beginning to realize that this girl was becoming someone very special to him.
Janet stirred quietly beside him but didn't wake. He shifted his arm around her allowing her a closer, more comfortable spot against him. He looked at her wrist where she proudly wore the bracelet he had given her earlier that evening, and felt a rush of satisfaction at how happy it had made her. She had thanked him later with a kiss and told him it was the most thoughtful gift she had ever gotten. That had pleased him more than he would care to admit.
Eddie pulled up the blade of the plow as he finished the final street, Janet's street. He didn't really want to drop her home just yet and considered driving around for a while longer, but they were both tired and it was probably for the best. He stopped in front of her house and kissed her forehead to wake her. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"Are we finished already?" she asked sleepily.
Eddie smiled at her and nodded.
Janet's eyes sparkled as she smiled back at him, "You wanna know something? This is the best Christmas I've ever had. "
Eddie felt elated to hear this because he had been thinking the same thing.
"Merry Christmas Janet." Eddie replied as he lowered his lips toward hers for a sweet kiss.
They sat together in comfortable silence a little while longer, just enjoying the mutual feeling of closeness. A short time later Eddie walked her to her door pulled her close, kissed her good night and reluctantly left with the promise that they would see each other later that day.