Christmas Kisses and Wedding Wishes.
A Sequel to "Christmas wishes and Mistletoe kisses"
Summary: set almost a year after the events of the first movie, once again preparations for Christmas are in full swing. The Christmas Eve gala was such a resounding success that the foundation has decided to host it at the Sinclair estate again. And of course, Abby would be decorating the estate once again.
After the new year, Abby's business took off so fast that she had to hire a team of five people in addition to her ride or die right hand, Desiree. And of course with all that business came the money and in less than a month, she was able to afford to rent a charming little office space downtown, right across from the town square where they light the Christmas tree every year.
"How's that look, mom?" Max's voice filtered into Abby's mind as she worked on her mock ups for her newest project, another house in Windsor hills.
It was the first of November, and they were in the process of taking down the Halloween decorations, and putting up the Thanksgiving decorations in their office.
Abby smiled at her son.
"Looks amazing, bud."
"Not surprising at all, look at his mom." Her father said as he walked in, wearing a proud grin as he looked at both of them.
"Hey, dad ...what are you doing here?" Abby asked.
"I'm here to take Max home." He said.
Abby furrowed her brow in confusion at him.
"Why?"
Desiree gave her a withering look.
"Because! You have a date with Nick tonight, remember?" She said as she strode over to Abby and pulled her up from her desk.
"Now, let's go. You're date's in a little over an hour and I've seen what happens when you're left to your own devices to pick out an outfit for a date." She said as she slipped her arm through Abby's.
"Ugh! A closet FULL of clothes and I can't find ANYTHING to wear!" Abby said as she and Desiree stared at the pile on her bed.
She and Nick had been seeing each other for almost a year now, so it wasn't like this was their first date or anything.
However, that fact did little to quell the anxious excitement that was churning inside of her.
"Why do you always get so nervous? You still act like you did the first time you two went on a date!" Desiree exclaimed.
"I don't know I just .. I guess I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know? Sometimes I can't help but wonder what he sees in me. I mean look at him! He's handsome, rich, well known and well traveled and I'm just ... Me."
"Girl please! You should see how that man looks at you, he's head over heels for you." Desiree replied
"So was Max's dad." Abby said, her voice barely audible.
Desiree's expression became empathetic.
"Hey, I know how painful that was for you, and I know how this can be scary since you haven't really dated after Mr Jerk face left you. Nick isn't like that, he didn't even run when he found out you had a kid. He's a good one, Abby."
Abby blew out a sigh.
"Logically, I know that, but emotionally, it's hard, you know?"
Desiree took her hands in hers and gave them a gentle squeeze.
"I know, that's why I'm here to help, I did minor in design in college, if you remember."
Abby laughed
"Yes, I remember."
"Let's find you something that will knock his socks off. She said with a wink
"Nick for the last time, you look dashing! Now get, or you'll be late picking Abby up!" Caroline said as she caught him checking himself over in the mirror over the fireplace.
"Right ... You're right ... I should get going." He said as he looked at his watch and with that, he strode off to the garage.
Caroline shook her head endearingly, a rueful smile on her face. When she had told Abby that Nick would love her as much as she did, she had no idea how right she would end up being.
She had never seen her son fall so hard for someone before and while she'd never seen him so happy, she also knew that it scared him because he was so used to being in control.
But love was the opposite of control; love was chaotic, love was messy, and love was impractical. All things Nick Usually abhorred, which is why she figured, this was so hard for him.
But she also knew it was why it was GOOD for him, too.
Nick blew out a sigh as he dug his keys out of his pocket, his hand shaking so badly that his keys jingled softly in his hand.
A frustrated growl escaped him as he jammed his thumb down on the unlock button on the key fob.
Part of him hated feeling so off center, so ... vulnerable. But as the image of Abby's beautiful face filtered into his mind, he knew that he wouldn't have it any other way now.
Abby and Max, respectively, owned his whole heart, and there was no turning back now.
"I almost forgot I had this." Abby said as she looked herself over in her bedroom mirror.
Desiree had chosen a beautiful off the shoulder floor length navy blue velvet dress that that rippled like water around her feet, but at the same time, hugged her figure in all the right places.
"Wow, Abs, when he sees you in that, he's going to be drooling over you."
"You're sure it's not too much?" Abby asked nervously.
"Where are you going, again?"
"He's taking me to Le Meilleur
"Then you're perfect!" She said
"I've never been somewhere so ... Fancy before ... I'm so nervous! What if I embarrass him or something?" Abby said as the doorbell rang.
"It's him... Oh man ... I feel like I'm gonna faint!" Abby said, fanning herself as she paced back and forth across the room.
"For the LAST TIME you'll be fine! Now come on, you don't want to keep him waiting." Desiree said as she put her arm through Abby's and led her to the front door and opened it.
As soon as Nick caught sight of Abby, the whole world seemed to fall away and there was only her.
To say she looked gorgeous was a GROSS understatement.
He suddenly realized that she was saying something to him, but he couldn't seem to focus.
He gave his head a brisk shake, and her words finally started to register in his muddled brain.
" ... Like I was saying... if it's too much I can totally go change ..."
However she didn't get to finish because he suddenly pulled her against him and his lips met hers in a kiss that made stars burst forth behind her eyelids .
The need for air finally became impossible to ignore, and he broke off the kiss, albeit reluctantly.
They remained close, their lips still barely a breath away from each other, both slightly out of breath.
"You ... You never answered my question ... About how I look ... My outfit..."
"I can't think of a word in ANY language that's appropriate for how amazing you look." He interjected, his voice husky.
And Nick was fluent in six languages, so that was saying something.
Abby suddenly felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she remembered that they weren't alone.
They both stepped back with bashful smiles on their faces as they turned to Desiree.
"Sorry." They said in unison.
Desiree laughed.
"Don't you two ever apologize! I think you two are simply adorable!" She gushed as Nick looked at his watch.
"We'd better get going if we're going to make our reservation." He said as they bid Desiree goodbye.
The drive to the restaurant was filled with comfortable silence. Abby stared out the window, a front had come in last night and had dropped about a foot of fresh powder. The moon was full and it gave the landscape a surreal, otherworldly glitter.
If someone had told her that in less than two years, she would have a thriving interior design business, and would be dating a man who was the head of one of the largest companies in the US, she'd have laughed at them.
But here she was ... Doing just that. Sometimes she felt like pinching herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.
Nick's hand over hers brought her out of her thoughts.
"We're here." He said as they pulled up to the valet.
He slid out and strode around, opened her door and held out his hand.
She smiled at him as she placed her hand in his and he escorted her into the restaurant.
"Thank you for tonight, I know it's been a while since we've had any time together, it's just ... I've been swamped with work." She said as they walked up the steps to her door.
He chuckled.
"I am aware about how running a business can be, remember?"
A blush dusted her cheeks as she smiled shyly at him
"Oh yeah ... I keep forgetting. " she said with a laugh.
When she'd first met Nick, he was a cold, distant workaholic. A pang of guilt rippled through her as she remembered calling him "imperious ".
She now knew that nothing could be further from the truth. It took a while, but she finally broke down the walls that he had so skillfully erected around his heart.
They lingered at her front door, both not wanting this evening to end.
"Well ... I guess I should be going." He said, even though his words contradicted his actions as he stepped close to her, leaving almost no space between them. His arms finding their way around her waist.
She looked into his eyes and found her own look of longing reflected back in them.
He gave her one final lingering, spine tingling kiss before reluctantly backing away from her.
Before Abby knew what was happening, her mouth was moving, and her heart spoke before her brain could do damage control.
"Stay!" She blurted out.
He stopped and turned around. Did she say what he thought she just said?
"What?"
"Stay." She said, her voice sure and even.
Nick stood there for moment, clearly taken aback at her sudden declaration before he spoke.
"Um ... I mean ... Are you sure?" He said, mentally cringing as his words came out as an uncharacteristically hoarse croak.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. Max is staying at his grandpa's tonight, we have the whole house to ourselves." She deadpanned.
He still seemed hesitant, and it caused her to suddenly panic.
Maybe he wasn't ready for that big if a step?
Maybe they weren't on the same page about the nature of their relationship?
"Of course if you don't want to... That's totally okay too!" She said quickly, trying to do damage control.
He looked at her as though she were mad.
"Are you kidding?"
He chuckled and his face reddened as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Would you think I was a bad person if I said that I've been dreaming about this moment since you first kissed me outside your apartment almost a year ago?"
She laughed.
"If that makes you a bad person... then ... I'm a bad person, too." She said as she smiled sheepishly at him.
Then, seemingly to throw caution to the wind, she grabbed his hand.
"Now ... get your butt in here." She said as she pulled him inside.
