The next week went by in a flash. As she got back in the swing of things at work, Lucy was surprised and relieved to find that the familiarity of her routine was a welcome change after travelling from city to city. She missed Roman, yes - especially in the evenings - but after a day or so it didn't feel as lonely or strange as she was worried it might, it just felt normal. Well, close to it, anyway.
Just as they'd planned, Roman came over to her place when she got home from work Thursday evening and accompanied her on a leisurely walk with Skipper. They'd shared a quiet evening in, and kissed goodbye in the morning as they both headed off to their respective jobs. By Friday night she was exhausted from the flurry of jumping right back into work, and she opted to read one of the books she'd bought in Paris, cuddled up next to Skipper in the red sweatshirt she'd been given. Saturday afternoon she Facetimed Roman as he and Seth surprised Dean with a cake and sang him a boisterous rendition of "Happy Birthday." Lucy joined in happily, even throwing in a little harmony in the final notes.
"Happy twenty eighth, babe," Seth said with a huge smile as Dean blew out the candles.
"Here's to many more to come," Roman said, cutting into the cake and handing Dean a slice with a huge icing flower.
The four of them chatted for a few minutes before Lucy left them to their celebrations, meandering into her closet to pick out an outfit for the evening. She was going to see and review The Nutcracker, followed by a holiday themed cocktail hour. Usually she tried to attend anything she needed to cover for work during the week so that her weekends were her own, but she was trying to keep busy. The more things she had to do, the less time she had to think about…everything.
After the ballet, which was as beautiful as ever, if a little drawn out, Courtney and Liza met up with her at the bar. The place was cheerfully decorated with vintage Christmas blow molds, evergreen garlands with large velvet bows, and plaid tablecloths on every table. The three women placed their order at the bar and settled at a high top for their drinks.
"Oh, before I forget, Sydney said you should come by the coffee shop tomorrow if you get a chance," Courtney said as "Fairytale of New York" began playing from the speakers in the corner. Lucy swayed along to the folksy melody.
"Thanks, I've got tomorrow free. I'll swing by and maybe read there for a bit and pick her brain," Lucy said.
Their cocktails arrived a few minutes later, and they each tried each one as Lucy made a few notes before tucking her notebook away in her bag. The drinks were delicious, the atmosphere was festive, the company was some of her favorite people. And yet, deep in the recesses of her mind, she felt like something was missing.
Roman knocked three times eagerly on Lucy's door Wednesday evening. He'd survived the first full loop after coming home from tour, and was eager to spend the night with her. Her place had begun to feel as much like his home as his own house, so when she'd asked if he wanted to help put up her Christmas tree he was quick to say yes, thrilled that she wanted him to be included.
"Come on in- door's open!" he heard Lucy shout from the other side of the door. He opened the door and stepped through, laughing as he spotted Lucy amongst a sea of decorations all over her living room floor.
"Well look at you, little elf," he joked, though the image before him wasn't too far off. She had strands of shimmery garland and a long string of lights piled up on her lap, and all around her were fluffy bits of tissue paper and ornaments waiting to be hung. She was in an oversized emerald green sweater, sitting on a tree skirt beneath a tree that had to be at least seven feet tall, untangling the lights.
"Sorry for not getting the door, babe," she giggled, gesturing to herself, "I kind of buried myself in my little nest here."
"I can see that," he said with a chuckle.
Her apartment was decked out in decorations everywhere he looked. There were stockings for her and Skipper hanging above the fireplace, and evergreen garland covered in cinnamon sticks and dried oranges around every doorway. On the window sill was a ceramic Christmas tree with little bulbs that lit up, similar to one his family had growing up. She'd even changed out the throw blankets on her couch to fit in with the color scheme, and he noticed a stack of seasonal books sitting off to the side, probably waiting to be put on display.
Roman picked up an overflowing box of ornaments and placed it on the couch, making a spot to sit next to her on the floor. He spotted an errant piece of greenery and picked it up, holding it over her head.
"Is this mistletoe?" he asked with a sly grin.
"Actually, it's holly," she replied, smiling wide, "but I guess you can kiss me anyway."
And so he did, bending forward at the best to press his lips against hers, inhaling cotton, lavender, and hint of pine scent from the tree.
"So, how can I help?" he asked, picking up an ornament of a typewriter. He tapped on one of the keys and was surprised when it actually pushed in and moved the tiny type bar.
"Well, I think I've finally got these untangled," she said, lifting up the multi colored lights. She handed him the plug at the end, "but before we put them on the tree, we should probably make sure they work. Would you mind plugging them in right there?"
Roman followed her eyes to an outlet just to the left of him on the wall and plugged the lights in the socket. They both smiled when the whole strand lit up in warm tones of amber, pink, green, blue, and red.
"Perfect!" Lucy said happily, ducking out from under the tree as she stood, "with you here I think we can actually get them to the top without the step ladder."
"See? Keeping me around has its perks," he said with a playful smile, standing up carefully to avoid anything breakable and pushing up the sleeves of the cream colored hooded sweater he wore to his elbows.
"I'll say," she said, tossing a long piece of the garland around his neck with a coy smile, tugging him down for another kiss.
This one lingered longer than the first, as Lucy left an opening for his tongue which he instantly filled. He settled his hand on her waist, brushing his thumb against the soft fabric of her sweater. She hummed happily as the kiss softened before they broke apart.
"Mmm," Roman said contentedly, looking down at her slightly flushed cheeks and shining eyes, "it's good to see you, baby."
"You too, Ro," she said with a soft smile.
They got to work hanging the lights, starting at the bottom and wrapping them all the way up to the top to meet the star, which Roman thankfully did have the reach for. He placed it on the top and held its plug out between his fingers, looking down at Lucy.
"Want me to get the step ladder so you can plug it in?" he asked.
As they'd chatted while they worked, they'd discovered that both of their families decorated the tree the same way- putting on all of the lights first and the star last, lighting it up as the final flourish. He and his siblings fought over who got to do it every year, no matter how many times his parents had tried to come up with a rotation.
"You can do the honors," she said, smiling up at him with affection.
Warmth filled his chest as she looked at him like that, and he waited another half second before he plugged the star into the lights. He walked around the tree to join Lucy in front of it, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they admired the warm white glowing star at the top of the colorfully lit branches.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"It's perfect," she said, leaning her head against his chest. They stood there a minute, appreciating their handiwork and enjoying the comfortable silence.
He couldn't disagree.
"Thanks for letting me help with this," Roman said, pulling her closer into his side, "since I'm on the road so much I don't really have too many decorations at my house. I put a wreath on the door and a little table top tree in the living room, but that's about it. Oh, and a few pictures that some of the kids at the community center have made me during their holiday arts and crafts over the years. Usually put those on my fridge."
"As you can see, I'm quite the opposite here," Lucy said, gesturing to the room full of storage tubs and scattered decor, "I could probably decorate an entire other place with all of this stuff."
As if a lightbulb clicked on, they turned to look at each other with thoughtful smiles.
"You know, you could borrow some of these if you want," she said, "I don't want to take over your whole house, but I'd be happy to-"
Roman cut her off as he noticed that nervous chatter of hers starting up.
"I would love nothing more," he said genuinely.
"Really?" she asked with an elated smile.
"Really," he agreed, then paused to think for a moment.
"How about this," he suggested, glancing at the antique clock she kept on a bookshelf, "I'm starving. Why don't I order us some food, and we can decorate your tree while we wait? Then we can eat and, if you're up for it, maybe go over to my place after."
"That sounds good, except for from the sound of it we might need to make a stop first," she said, her smile growing.
"A stop?" he asked, intrigued by the excited look on her face.
"Well we can't very well hang these ornaments on nothing," she said, "we need to get you a proper tree."
"Oh yeah," he said with a small laugh, "I guess we do."
Just outside of the window, a few kids were playing and let out excited squeals. Skipper ran over to the window to investigate and plowed through the stack of garland, dragging it behind her. Lucy ran after her with a laugh, untangling the silvery garland from her legs.
As all of this was happening, an idea occurred to Roman. He felt a nervous flutter in his stomach as he rolled it over in his head, deciding if he was being too hasty. He looked over at Lucy, who was now cooing and fondly petting Skipper's fur. He took a large breath, released it, and steeled himself.
"I think I saw a tree farm by my house," he said, tone casual, "might be a good place to look."
"Sounds good, I usually get mine from one of those," she agreed, leaving a now settled Skipper on her bed and walking over to him.
"Only problem with that is," he continued, "I don't think I'll be home enough to water it. Don't want it to die on me."
"Oh yeah, I didn't think of that," Lucy said, quirking her mouth to the side, "well we can swing by a store and get you the prettiest artificial one we can find."
"We could do that," he nodded, his heartbeat quickening, "or I could get you a key."
She didn't answer him right away, surprise clearly evident on her face, so he babbled on.
"If you wouldn't mind watering it, of course, I know you're super busy, too," he said, palms beginning to sweat.
"I'd be happy to take care of the tree, that's no problem," she said, her expression frustratingly neutral, "but are you sure you want me to have a key?"
Yes I do because I am in love with you and I'm too much of a chicken to tell you that because I don't want to scare you off, his brain screamed.
"I mean, I feel like you're there as much as I am these days," he said, unable to stop the smile from spreading on his face at how true the words were, "feels like it's starting to be a little bit yours, too."
"Oh," she said, her mouth beginning to curl up at the edges, "so after Christmas…" she trailed off, voice hopeful.
"The key is yours," he said, reaching to take her hand in his, "after Christmas and for as long as you want it. Even if I'm on the road, you can bring Skipper over there and let her run around in the backyard, or if you just want a change of scenery to write-"
He was cut off as she wrapped an arm around the back of his neck and pulled him down to kiss him passionately. Her other hand rested on his forearm as he returned the kiss, feeling the last of his nervousness melt away as her soft lips moved against his.
When they pulled apart, she was glowing as she looked up at him. She was quiet for another moment, looking at him with a starry eyed expression until she finally spoke.
"Well, in that case," she said, "it's only fair that I get you one, too. And before you say it," she said with a knowing grin as he opened his mouth to respond, "I know I don't have to give you a key just because you're giving me one. I want you to have it."
His anxiousness was replaced with relief at her response. They were moving forward. Together.
Once the food was on its way they set to work, covering every inch of the tree ornaments. As they unwrapped each one, Lucy filled him in on any sentimentality or backstory as they found the perfect spot for it.
The food arrived and they lounged together on the couch as they ate. When they were finished, she retrieved a small package wrapped in red tissue paper and a big blue bow from the coffee table.
"Now," she said, handing it to him, "a tiny surprise for you to hang on the tree."
Taking it from her with a thankful smile, he ripped open the paper to find a Superman ornament, hanging from a shiny gold thread.
"So you'll always be here," she said as he held it up with a smile, "even when you're gone."
He twirled the ornament around, examining the cloth cape attached to the back as his smile grew, his heart soaring.
"It's perfect," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead before standing up and eyeing the tree to look for an empty place.
"How about right there?" Lucy asked, pointing to a spot near the top, just below the star.
"I could've sworn we already hung something there," he said as he slid the gold ribbon down around the branch.
"I might have done a quick rearrange when you answered the door for the food," she said with a proud grin.
"Sneaky," he said with a gentle laugh.
The two of them filled his car with as many ornaments, lights, and other decorations as would fit while still leaving room for a good sized christmas tree. Once in the car, Roman rested his hand on Lucy's leg, turned the radio to the Christmas station, and headed off in search of the tree lot.
"So you really think I'll be able to hack it?" Lucy asked before taking a sip of her peppermint mocha.
It was a week before Christmas and she was working on an article at the coffee shop while chatting with Sydney for their third conversation about opening up her own place.
"Well considering that you're too stubborn to fail at anything," she said, sitting down at the chair across from her, "I'd say so."
She'd come in a few weeks ago and Sydney had given her every bit of advice she could think of from how to secure a loan to hiring a staff and planning a menu. Her mind was swimming with information, but to her surprise it did sound doable.
"So let's say I wanted to shoot for opening up within the next year or so," she said, "I should start with the bank, and then look for locations, right?"
"Right," Sydney agreed, "and you know who could help you with that."
Lucy's stomach dropped as she nodded.
The best friend of her mother was a very successful realtor who had actually helped Courtney and Liza buy their house. She didn't deal with commercial properties too much, but had made exceptions before.
"I know it's probably the best option," she said with a heavy sigh, "but dealing with Vivi means dealing with mom, and telling her about yet another career change."
While she had eventually landed happily in journalism, the long journey to get there had been the bane of her parents' existence- her mother's in particular. She had always urged her to settle into something practical and stable, and to "keep her hobbies as hobbies." It wasn't until she showed up to a family dinner one night with an offer letter in hand that her parents had begrudgingly accepted that writing could be a sustainable job. They read all of her pieces and had even framed a few, but never without the occasional reminder that she could still go to medical school.
"Look at it this way," Sydney said, pulling a deep gold cardigan over her shoulders, "if she and your dad are supportive, then that's great. We love a cold day in hell."
Lucy laughed softly as she waited for her to continue.
"And if they're not, what else is new?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"You have a point there," Lucy said with a rueful grin.
The bell over the back door chimed as a group of people walked in, and Sydney greeted them as she ducked back behind the counter. The smiling group were carrying armfulls of bags from a few local stores, which reminded Lucy that she still had the last of her holiday shopping to finish. She took one last sip of her drink and gave her story a final once-over before emailing it to her editor and tucking her laptop away.
"If I don't see you before, have a merry Christmas," she said to Sydney, raising her voice to be heard over the whirr of the espresso machine.
"Happy and merry," Sydney shouted with a grin.
…
A few hours later she collapsed onto her couch, exhausted. She had braved the crowds downtown, ducking in and out of a long string of shops until she finally had every person crossed off her list. She'd found a bottle of her mother's favorite French perfume and Romeo y Julieta cigars for her dad. After wandering around an art supply store for half an hour and feeling completely out of her depth, she picked out a greeting card made by a local artist and bought Courtney a gift card. After stopping at one last store to pick up the gift she'd had personalized for Roman, she came home and wrapped everything before arranging the gifts under the tree.
After laying on the couch for a few minutes to catch her breath, Lucy reheated leftover lemon chicken, rice, and broccolini that she'd made the night before for dinner. Once she was finished, she put her dishes in the dishwasher and tucked a handful of oranges and cinnamon sticks into a canvas tote bag. Roman had complimented her orange garlands when he'd helped her decorate, and she'd admitted that they were fake, though she'd always wanted to make a real one. They'd agree to figure it out together the next time they saw each other, which happened to be this evening. They were making two- one for his place, one for hers.
She'd also gone out and made him a key, as promised, and she double checked to make sure she'd packed it in her overnight bag. Her fingers closed around the key, dangling from a 49er's keychain she found for him at the hardware store. It had been the only football team they had, which she took as a little nudge from fate.
Her heartbeat quickened as she stared down at the key. It was a big step, but she felt certain that it was one she was meant to be taking.
"Ok, the oven is preheating," Lucy said, tearing off a piece of parchment paper to spread over a baking sheet.
Roman grinned up at her from where he was seated on a stool at the kitchen island, meticulously slicing the oranges into thin, even slices. After he was finished with each one, Lucy took it from him and laid the slices into rows on top of the parchment paper.
She'd brought Skipper over to spend the night at his place for the first time, and she was happily settled on a giant pillow in front of his fireplace, snoring softly. The tree they'd bought was glowing in the corner, filling the whole room with an evergreen smell. He smiled to himself as he felt a host of feelings at once, his brain flashing words one directly after the other.
Warmth.
Right.
Home.
Us.
Ours.
"You didn't have to go out and buy her that, you know," Lucy said, nodding her head towards the dog, "I would've brought her bed over here."
He gave her a shrug and an easy smile.
"I know, but now you don't have to lug it back and forth," he said, "I want you both to feel comfortable here. I also peeked into your pantry and picked up a small bag of her food."
"Well, who's sneaky now?" Lucy said with a surprised smile.
"Learned from the best," he said with a wink, passing her a plate with the last pile of slices. She was just arranging them as the oven beeped, and without missing a beat they slid the trays into the oven and set the timer.
"We need to flip them over in an hour," she said, setting a second timer on her phone.
"Hmmm, what could we do with an hour?" Roman murmured, cocking an eyebrow as he pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I like the way you think," she said, running her hands over the soft grey sweater he was wearing, her fingers tracing over the contours of his chest before wrapping around the back of his neck, pulling him down for a kiss.
He sighed happily into her mouth as her soft lips pressed against his. She kissed him urgently and one of his hands drifted lower, grabbing her ass as he pushed himself against her. Roman felt himself growing hard, and ground softly against her hip. She pulled back and looked up at him through her eyelashes.
"Fuck, I've missed you baby," she said, her voice quiet, sultry, "feels like we've both been extra busy lately."
"I know," he agreed darkly, sliding his lips down to her neck. He nipped along the column of her throat, getting stiffer as she whimpered softly. He kneaded the flesh of her ass, and goosebumps formed as she slid her hand beneath his sweater, letting her nails dust over his abs.
He tightened his grip so that they were chest to chest, and despite the warmth of the oven and the fire in the living room, he could feel her hardening nipples poking through her thin purple top. His mouth was practically watering to wrap around them, and he moved his way slowly from her neck to the center of her chest, reveling in the sounds she was making as he inched closer and closer.
Just as he was debating on whether he should slide the sweater up and over her head or pull the v neck down, Lucy surprised him by gently stepping out of his reach, promptly sinking to her knees on the kitchen rug. She looked up at him with a molten expression.
"Let me show how much I've missed you," she said, twisting her hair up into a messy bun before bringing her hands up to rest on his waistband.
"Fuck," he panted, looking down at her and feeling a carnal hunger. An errant hair escaped his bun and hung over his eyes, "you sure you don't want to go upstairs?"
"Nope," she said with a smirk, sliding his pants down, kissing his large, broad legs as she did.
Roman braced himself on the counter as she slid her tongue up his thigh, kissing and sucking until she left a mark right on the sensitive skin where his thigh met his hip. A sound escaped his throat that was somewhere between a growl and a moan.
"Mine," she said breathily, flitting her eyes up to his, and fuck if he couldn't have come right then.
And how, he thought as a thrill surged through him.
His mouth curved into a half smile and he nodded.
"That's right, sweetheart," he rumbled, sliding his hand into her hair, running his thumb along the base of her skull encouragingly, "yours- every last inch of me."
Her grin turned feral, and she sucked the tip of his leaking cock into her mouth greedily. He let out another moan as she slid up a hand to cup his balls. His eyes threatened to close from the pleasure of it all, but he couldn't bear to look away from her.
She slid him deeper into her mouth, inch by inch, until he hit the back of her throat. His hips canted forward as she swirled her tongue around his shaft and pulled off before taking him deep once more. As she pulled off again, she wrapped her hand to stroke him as she lapped at the head before sucking him back in, her velvet throat pulsing around him as she hummed lightly.
"That's it, just like that," Roman said, "fuck, you do that so good."
The praise must have spurred her on as she doubled her efforts, sucking and stroking and licking until his thighs were shaking, his stomach tightening, and he knew that he was getting close.
"Babe, can- can I…?" he stuttered out, his hips thrusting slightly of their own volition.
She pulled off and took his cock into her hand, stroking it as she looked up at him, waiting for his request. Her large doe eyes sent a lick of heat up his spine.
"What is it, baby?" she asked, her voice scratchy, "tell me what you want."
"Can I come on your face?" he asked, his words clipped as his orgasm approached. He held himself back as the desire to paint her with his cum hit him like a truck.
Lucy nodded and she grinned wolfishly before removing her hand.
Her eyes never left his as she reached for the hem of her sweater and pulled it over her head, tossing it to the side as Roman watched her, stroking his cock steadily.
"Come for me," she whispered, positioning her face just below his hand that had started stroking quicker.
Roman let out a groan and he cradled her head, grunting out an approximation of her name as he erupted, seeing stars. His load shot out and covered her cheeks and chin, a few warm drops landing on her chest. His hand continued working throughout his release, slowing as he became sensitive. As he began to come down, Lucy swiped a finger over her chest and cheeks, sliding into her mouth, grinning up at him as he let out a weak whimper at the sight.
"God damn," he panted, "I- that…damn."
Roman knew that he must have looked wrecked when Lucy chuckled as he struggled for words, looking exceedingly pleased at herself.
After he caught his breath, Roman ran a towel under some warm water and bent down to clean her off. Once she was clean he pressed a kiss to each cheek before meeting her lips, his movements slow and tender. He helped her to her feet, and she let out a giggle as her knees wobbled slightly. He disposed of the towel in the laundry room before rejoining her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.
"How many minutes left on the timer?" he asked.
Lucy tapped the screen on her phone.
"About 45 minutes now," she said, nuzzling against him as he tightened his hold around her.
"Perfect," he said, letting his tone dip into its deepest bass, "let's see how many times I can make you scream my name before it goes off. "
Lucy let out a surprised shout, laughing as he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style up the stairs. He set her down on her feet, bending her over the edge of the bed. He curved his hand over her hip, gripping it as the other slid down the front of her pants, his hand cupping her dripping pussy.
"And our time starts," he said, slipping a finger beneath her black silky panties, resting the tip directly on her clit, "now."
Trepidation radiated through Lucy as she pulled into her parents driveway on Christmas Eve. She had Skipper in the backseat, who she'd dressed up in a red tartan collar that had tiny gold jingle bells all around it. She herself had worn a soft cream sweater dress, with sleeves that came to her elbows and a straight neckline that sat just below her collarbone. She added a red belt around her waist, and a headband that matched Skipper's collar. She slid the strap of her weekend bag over her shoulder, grabbed the stack of presents for her parents and Skipper's leash, took a deep breath, and walked up the front steps.
She rang the brass framed doorbell, admiring the wreath of poinsettias hanging on the door. A few moments later her mother opened the door in a matching red sweater set with a small gold angel brooch and simple black slacks, a string of pearls around her neck.
"Hi, mom," Lucy said with a smile, "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," she answered with a nod and polite smile, stepping back to open the door further, "come in, come in, it's quite chilly."
Lucy stepped through the threshold, bending down to unclip Skipper's leash as her mother closed the door behind her, dropping one of the gifts as she did so.
"Oh, whoops," she said as the dog took off in search of Lucy's dad.
"Let me get that," her mom said primly, picking up the package and reaching for the gifts that Lucy was still holding, "I'll just put these under the tree. Why don't you go and get your things settled in the guest room."
"Probably a good idea," she agreed with a small nod.
Just as she was making her way to the staircase leading to the next level, her father emerged from the hallway on her left, Skipper hot on his heels.
"Hello, Lucy," he said amiably, his eyes crinkling on the sides from his wide grin. He wore a crisp white dress shirt under a deep green sweater vest, the stitching of which was the same color as her mother's sweater. It was a barely noticeable detail, but a very nice touch that her mother had undoubtedly coordinated.
"Hi, dad," she said, opening her arms for a hug, grinning as his silver beard scraped her cheeks.
"Good to see you," he said, "you'll have to tell your mother and I all about your travels. Of course, we've already seen a few photos…"
"Martin," her mom said in a warning tone as Lucy's stomach tightened.
She had called her parents briefly once she'd settled back home from Europe, and they'd wasted no time in letting her know that a few of their friends had sent them the pictures of her and Roman that had found their way to every corner of the internet. She'd been too exhausted to discuss it at the time, and told them she'd explain everything when she saw them next. It hadn't occurred to her that that day would also be Christmas Eve.
"I'm just saying, Caroline," he continued, "it might have been nice to see a picture of our only daughter and her boyfriend before the entire public did."
"Yeah, that- it just sort of…" Lucy stammered, "happened. Not something I exactly planned on."
"Mmm, yes, these things do happen," her mom said in a clipped tone, "Martin, Lucy was just heading up to put her things away. Why do you go see how the caterers are doing and I'll let the dog into the backyard."
"Of course, dear," he said with a small sigh as he walked through the living room and headed down the corridor to the kitchen.
Following her marching orders, Lucy walked up the stairs and down the hall to her usual appointed guest room, setting her bag on the bench in the corner. She perched on the edge of her bed and braced her hands on her knees, taking in a long inhale before releasing it slowly.
Before long her parents' house would be filling up with their friends, family, and colleagues, per annual tradition. They'd hosted their Christmas Eve party since before she'd been born, and it was always the same. There'd be a cocktail hour full of delicate hors d'oeuvres, endless chit chat, and flowing booze, followed by an ornament exchange before a seated dinner.
The best part of it for Lucy was the level of buffering it provided. A house full of guests meant that her parents would be on their best company behavior, focusing only on the most positive topics of conversation. Making the same small talk with the same people year after year wasn't exactly her idea of fun, but there was a sense of comfort in the familiarity of it. Liza had accompanied her to the party a few times over the years after when Lucy had pleaded for her to, but she'd gotten used to attending it alone.
And next year I might just have a date, she thought as a small smile grew on her face. She sat in that feeling for a moment, letting the butterflies flutter before she took another deep breath.
Inhale,
2, 3, 4…
Exhale,
2, 3, 4…
She stood and checked her hair in the mirror above the small dresser next to the bed, smoothing down a stray curl behind her ear. Noticing her lips were a tad uneven, she reached into her purse for her lipstick to touch it up. As she felt around, her fingers brushed across an unfamiliar feeling piece of paper. As she pulled it out, she saw that it was a red envelope with her name written in block letters on the front. She opened the envelope and pulled out a card. It was a soft blue with swirls of white and an illustrated tree on the front that was covered in iridescent, glittery snow, and two birds perched on a branch, with a red, glittery heart floating above their heads. One wore a winter scarf, the other ear muffs. The inside of the card was blank, save for handwritten message:
Lucy,
I hope you're having a wonderful Christmas with your family, and that Santa brings you everything you wished for. I'm just happy he brought me you.
Merry Christmas, doll. I can't wait to see you soon.
XOXO,
Your Superman
Her heart melted as she brushed her finger over the tree on the front, letting some of the glitter stick to her finger. She re-read the message once more before standing it up on the dresser so that she could admire it over the next two days. She snapped a picture of it and sent it first to Liza, then to Roman with a message.
'Merry Christmas Eve, baby. Thank you so much for the card- I really needed that. Tell Jimmy, Jey, and Naomi I say hello, and have a great day tomorrow! I can't wait to see you.'
Just as she hit send, a message from Liza came in.
'You know, he's really making it difficult for me to keep coming up with reasons why he's not good enough for you.'
Lucy rolled her eyes with a giggle as another message from Liza came through.
'Try to have fun tonight, Lu. You deserve it. Merry Christmas.'
She set her phone down on the dresser next to the card to give herself one final look before heading downstairs. She applied her lipstick, blotting it with a tissue and disposing of it in the small trash can in the attached bathroom. As she was returning her lipstick to her purse, her phone lit up with a message from Roman. She grinned widely as she opened it to find a picture of Jimmy, Naomi, Jey, and Roman all smushed together for a selfie, smiling happily in matching candy cane striped tops.
Roman had told her about his family's yearly Christmas Eve sleepover. They crammed as much of the family as possible into his parents' house, and his sisters picked out and distributed matching pajamas to every single person. If it was warm enough all of the kids slept outside in a huge tent, otherwise they made a pillowfort that took over the entire living room, which Lucy imagined they'd be doing right about now.
Saving the photo to her camera roll, she set her phone down on the nightstand. Taking one last look in the mirror, she smoothed down the skirt of her dress, and headed downstairs.
"Think they'll get any sleep at all?" Naomi asked, closing the door behind her as her, Jimmy, Roman and Jey got settled into their shared guest room.
"Not likely," Jey said, smacking Roman with a pillow when he plopped himself down in the center of the bed, "move over, uce, or I will push your ass out and onto the floor in the middle of the night."
"Every year," Jimmy said in a stage whisper to Naomi, who shook her head, but didn't stop the small grin spreading on her face.
"Every single year," she agreed with a chuckle.
It was nowhere near bedtime yet, barely after eight o'clock, but over the years they'd learned that the earlier they left the kids alone, the sooner they'd tire themselves out and fall asleep. Once the noises quieted for good, the parents could carefully sneak out large gifts, fill stockings, and make sure that the cookies and milk that had been left out for Santa were eaten.
"Hey, you know," Jey said, ducking a playful punch from Roman as he shifted to the side, making room, "this might be the last year we fight over this damn bed. I bet Lucy will be cuddling up here next to Roman next Christmas."
"And then you'll be the one sleeping on the floor," Jimmy said, "or we can throw you out in the tent with the kids."
"Nah, don't forget about Clara's rule," Naomi said, climbing under the covers of her and Jimmy's bed.
"No ring, no bed," all four of them said in unison.
"Yeah, I know the rule," Jey said, flashing a big smile at Roman, "and I still think Lucy will be laying right where I am now come next year."
"Slow down, there," Roman said with a weak chuckle, feeling his cheeks flush slightly, "no one's got a ring."
"Just a key, right?" Jimmy said, shooting Roman a teasing look as he wrapped an arm around Naomi, who settled her head on his chest.
"How did you…?" Roman asked, genuinely curious about how exactly Jimmy had gotten that information.
He'd only told Dean and Seth about exchanging keys the last day of work before flying home, and the twins had already left the arena by then.
He glanced over at Jimmy and Naomi, where the former was wiggling her fingers and giving him a silly smirk.
"Oh, I see," Roman said, shaking his head and laughing a little.
"What?" Naomi asked, shrugging, "women talk. I FaceTimed her to ask if she was going to be here, in case we needed her pajama size, and she was at your place. Your tree looks very pretty, by the way."
"Thanks," he said, his smile growing as he thought about the evening he decorated it with Lucy.
They'd found a tall, plump, perfectly triangular tree, and spent the whole night watching Christmas movies and drinking warm spiced cider that Lucy made on the stove top. It had filled the house with the smell of cinnamon and pine, and it was better than any candle Roman had ever lit. Most of the ornaments were borrowed from her stash of extras, but they'd agreed that he should pick out his own tree topper. They'd stopped at a small home decor store on the way back to his house, and he'd picked out a simple, classic gold star. Once the tree was fully covered from stem to crown, he'd wrapped his arms around Lucy's waist and lifted her up, insisting that since he'd put the star on hers, it was only fair. As an added touch, he'd hung mistletoe under several of the doorways, which ultimately led to a few rounds of…distraction.
"Aww, look at him," Jey said, nudging Roman in the ribs, bringing him back to reality, "got that lovey dovey look on his face and everything."
Jimmy and Naomi joined in with Jey in a chorus of oohs, ahhs, and smacking kissing noises.
"Alright, alright," Roman, laughing boisterously now before yanking the pillow out from under Jey's head and tossing at Jimmy and Naomi, "now all y'all stop before I snitch on you to Santa and you get nothing but coal in your stockings."