If anyone had told her last week that she’d be spending Christmas with Philip and his family, she would have laughed in their face. And if anyone had said he would kiss her in the middle of an orange grove, she’d have called them crazy.
Even with all those furtive touches in the car, questions about being in love, flirtatious gestures and innuendos, the kiss still came as a surprise. It felt like a turning point, and it proved what she only hoped before now. Philip really liked her! Not only did he show her, but he told her so in no uncertain terms. He said he liked her. No. He said he liked her
a lot
.
Sara smiled and hugged herself, delighted with their change in status. Things like this didn’t happen to Sara Ross. Well, they never used to.
She thought about the day they met, and the circumstances. At the time, she didn't recognize the importance of the event. How could she? She had decided she hated him before she ever set foot in his dorm. Now she was falling in love with him for real. It wasn’t just admiring someone from afar. It was really happening for the first time in her life. Sara used to believe love was overrated, but that was only because she didn’t know better. She’d never experienced the feeling before. It was magical. It was life-altering. It was terrifying and thrilling and all-consuming.
She slowly got up off the bed and walked back to the mirror. “Yes,” she said out loud, putting her hands on her hips and admiring the way she looked in one of Kelly’s blouses. “You look good, Sara. Falling in love looks good on you.”
People were popping in all throughout Christmas Eve day, to visit or just say hi to Philip, or to drop off Christmas gifts for the family or presents for the Mason’s soon-to-be-born grandchildren. In between, Philip and his father were watching ESPN in the family room while Sara helped his mother prepare Christmas Eve dinner. She really enjoyed spending time with Philip’s family. There was no awkwardness or tension like she often felt when she was with her own family.
After a while, Diane suggested Sara go check on the men and see if they needed anything. Sara wasn’t exactly sure what Diane meant. If the guys needed anything, she presumed they’d get it themselves. She decided that Diane intuitively knew Sara was feeling a little lonely for Philip, and she was giving Sara permission to spend some time with him.
As Sara approached the family room, she could hear what sounded like a private conversation between father and son.
“Why are you being so negative, Dad? I told you, the doctor said I can start working out with the team next week.”
“I’m not trying to rain on your parade, son. I just don’t want you to be disappointed, just in case. You know I’ll do everything I can to keep the professional teams interested in you, but we need to be practical kiddo. Like I always say, everything happens for a reason, and maybe you were meant to do something else with your life. You’re a smart, charismatic young man, and if it turns out that football isn’t an option, there are other sports you can consider, like baseball, other career paths you can take. Just keep that in the back of your mind. That’s all I’m saying.”
When Sara didn’t hear any more talking, she entered the room. Philip’s head was down. He looked solemn—until he lifted his head. A warmth washed over her as soon as their eyes met because his face lit up the second he saw her. She felt such gratification, knowing his smile was genuine and she was the one who inspired it.
Philip immediately held out his hand, beckoning her to come closer. He stunned her by pulling her onto his lap, right in front of his father. She sat facing forward in the direction of the television, but she had no idea what was on, except that it was some sports channel. She was only aware of Philip’s hand stroking the outside of her thigh on the side that was out of his father’s view.
When Mr. Mason left the room to get something to drink, Sara slid off Philip’s lap and onto the sofa, worried she might be hurting Philip’s knee. Philip took her hand and laced their fingers together. “You having a good time?”
You mean, it’s not obvious?
she wanted to ask. But instead, she nodded. “Your parents are awesome.”
He cocked a brow. “Just my parents?”
“Well, their son too, of course. But you already knew that,” Sara joked.
“What I know doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is what you think.”
Sara blushed. She was ecstatic that Philip cared so much about what she thought of him. Feeling a little shy, Sara looked down at her lap. “Your mom sent me to check on you and your dad. She seemed to know I was feeling lonely without you.”
Touching her chin with his other hand, he gently lifted her face so she’d look at him. “You were?”
“Definitely.” Sara gazed deeply into his brown eyes. She was dying to kiss him. He must have been reading her mind because he pulled her into his arms and captured her lips.
Starting softly, the pressure of his mouth on hers gradually increased, and it became their first prolonged kiss. Rubbing his back with her fingertips, Sara never even stopped to worry about whether her technique was right or if she seemed awkward or inexperienced. She didn’t stop to think at all. Her feelings took over, and it turned into the best kiss of her life.
Philip began to slide his tongue between her lips when his father’s voice down the hall announced his approach. Until that moment, Sara was so caught up in the kiss that she completely forgot where she was. She never knew she could lose herself like that.
Philip and Sara straightened up and tried to look innocent. A moment later, Sara decided it was time to get back to the kitchen to help Diane, even though she really didn’t want to leave Philip’s side. She was growing extremely attached to him, and to the way he made her feel.
»»•««
Christmas Day was just the four of them, and Sara felt pleased by how much Diane and Joe seemed to like her. She wondered what Philip really told them about her, and exactly what he said their relationship was, if anything at all.
His parents were super easy to talk to, unlike her own. She could definitely see why Philip felt so close to them. They were nice, not judgmental or critical; rather, they were supportive and interested. Growing up, Sara had learned that the less she told her family about her life, the better off she was. That way, she wouldn’t have to defend her actions. If she had parents like Philip’s, her life would have been completely different.
Every so often, she’d glance at Philip across the dinner table and he’d be smiling at her, nearly bursting with joy, it seemed. She quickly looked away, covering up the smile blooming on her own lips. She wasn’t quite ready to let everyone see how she felt, but she was pretty sure Philip already knew. So much for trying to play it cool.
The Mason family, otherwise known as the Norman Rockwell experience, seemed like a dream. Here she was, having Christmas dinner with her dream guy and his too-good-to-be-true family who were treating her as if she belonged here. Did she?
If she let her insecurities rise to the surface, they would tell her this was all wrong. She wasn’t the type of girl who dated a jock. She wasn’t the kind of girl a jock would ever be interested in. If they were back on campus, would he be this attentive, or would he put on a cool-guy act and pretend he didn’t know who she was, the way she expected from the beginning?
She was roused out of her thoughts when she felt something touch her foot under the table. When she looked up at Philip, he winked at her and licked his lips.
Sara let a sandal fall off so she could rub her ankle against Philip’s.
“Sara dear.” His mother’s voice startled her. She was busy having eye sex with the woman’s son.
“Um. Yes, Mrs.—um Diane.” She sat up straighter in her chair as soon as her bare foot located her discarded shoe and slipped it back on.
“I’m going to make some coffee. Would you like a cup? Or maybe tea?”
“Oh, tea would be great.” Sara didn’t need any extra stimulants. She was pretty sure she’d get no sleep tonight. “But let me help you,” she offered, rising from her chair and following Diane into the kitchen.
“Would you mind putting up water for tea?”
“Oh, of course.” Sara looked around and spotted the kettle. She filled it with water and placed it on a burner. When she saw Philip’s mom loading the dishwasher, she offered to help with that as well.
“Philip,” his mother called from the doorway of the kitchen. “I need to phone your sister. When she called an hour ago, she was on her way to the hospital. So, could you help Sara load the dishwasher?”
“Sure, Mom.”
Diane left to make her call, and a minute later, Philip limped into the kitchen without his crutches. He put his arms around Sara from behind and pressed his lips to her neck, giving her a chill and making her giggle. “I wish we were alone,” he whispered.
Me too
, Sara thought to herself. “Well, we kind of are,” she said instead, rubbing Philip’s forearms that had her locked in his embrace.
Those words no sooner left her throat than he whirled her around and trapped her against the kitchen counter, capturing her lips with his own. He wrapped his arms around her and she moved into the kiss with her whole body, pressing herself against him, praying he wouldn’t take his arms away or she might fall. She gently pulled away. “Philip, this is your mom’s kitchen,” she protested lightly.
“So? If you ask me, she set up this whole thing.” He leaned in to kiss her again, but Sara pressed her hands on his chest.
“I’m not so sure about that. She…she asked me to make tea and help with the dishes. Not kiss her son.”
“You need to read between the lines,” he said, brushing her hair back with his fingers. “I honestly don’t think she’d mind. She likes you.”
Sara blushed. “I like her also, but I’m the guest and I want to be respectful,” Sara said earnestly.
“Okay, okay, fine,” Philip agreed and reluctantly stepped back. “But just wait until we’re not in the kitchen.” He winked.
Now Sara was really blushing. When a wave of heat rushed through her body, she placed her palm against her chest to steady herself. She blew out some air through her lips, causing Philip to laugh at her.
Sara turned away. She removed the whistling tea kettle from the burner and started moving the dishes from the kitchen counter to the dishwasher. She felt the need to talk about something safe, so she asked about his sister. “I didn’t know your sister was having twins. I don’t think I even knew you had a sister.” She looked over her shoulder as he picked up a dish towel and stretched it out between his hands before twirling it into a tight roll. She felt flattered when she noticed him eying her rear end.
“I’d say there’s a lot you don’t know about me, even though you thought you knew everything there was to know as soon as you met me,” he joked.
He was right about that. She had sized him up based on very little information. “Well, I was obviously mistaken,” she admitted. “You’ve been surprising me by the minute.”
He leaned closer. “Good surprises?”
She turned her head and looked over her shoulder at him. “Definitely. So is your sister older than you?”
“Yeah, she’s four years older than me. She’s gonna be the one to make my parents proud.”
Sara’s brow knit. She stopped loading the dishwasher and faced Philip. “Why would you say that? They’re proud of you too. Very proud. I can see that.”
Philip stopped twirling the towel and took a deep breath. He got quiet for a minute. Then two minutes. Sara wasn’t sure what to do, but she decided to wait until he was ready to say whatever he had on his mind. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be the same,” he whispered.
“The same? The same as what?”
“As I was before the injury,” he said, his voice suddenly shaky.
Sara’s lips parted. She’d never seen him get emotional like this. “Oh, Philip. Of course you will. The doctor said you’re doing great.”
He nodded slowly, but then shook his head the other way. “I haven’t been in a game situation since before I got hammered. Lots of guys don’t come back the same. Damn it.” He tossed the towel into the sink. “I should have been more careful.”
“It isn’t your fault, Philip. You got caught in the middle of a pileup on the field after that sack.”
Philip squinted at her. “How do you know about that? I don’t think I ever told you the specifics of what happened. Did you read about it?”
“Oh.” She started loading the dishwasher again. “Um. Yes. And I-I also watched the videos.”
“You mean a news report,” he assumed.
“No, um…the whole game,” she admitted. She retrieved the dish towel from the sink and began twisting it. “I’ve seen all your games by now. At the school library. They have them available as digital downloads.”
“You…uh…um…” Philip was fumbling for words. “You watched all my games?”
Sara nodded. “All your college games since you became starting quarterback for the Barracudas.”
“Wait. That’s thirty-eight games!”
“Thirty-eight. I know.” Her voice was flat.
Stunned, he asked her, “Why? You’re not a football fan. Why would you do that?”
Now she felt embarrassed. This was so hard to explain without sounding like a stalker. “Well, um…at first, I wanted to learn more about football, so I’d understand more about you and could be more effective as your tutor. But then, I guess…I just wanted to learn about you,” she told him, locking her eyes with his. “You were so awesome, Philip. You blew all those other teams away.”
“Used to, yeah.”
She put the towel on the counter and stepped closer to him, taking his hands. “Are! You still are. Awesome, I mean,” she insisted. “You’re awesome even when you’re not on the field.” Philip’s eyes grew watery and Sara put her arms around him. He nestled into her embrace, and she held him for several minutes until his mother came rushing into the room.
“I’m a grandmother! I’m a grandmother.”
Philip stepped away from Sara. “What?”
“Kelly had the babies. On Christmas Day, Philip! Philip, you’re an uncle,” his mother gushed.
She hugged her son tight while Sara looked on, feeling incredibly blessed to be witnessing such an important moment in the Mason family’s history.