“
Like we need more of this shit,” Claire mutters, undoing the laces on her boots.
“
Listen to you two, hatin’ on Christmas. I'd almost swear you two were sisters,” Mark says, poking her in the ribs.
“
Don’t do that,” she growls.
“
Jack,” Carly says, picking up Mark’s stack of gifts, “will you help me put these underneath the tree?”
He holds his already full arms out to her. “Pile ‘em on, doll.”
“
I can carry them,” she huffs. “Just help me put them under.”
Jack leans forward and kisses Carly sweetly on the mouth and follows her into the living room. The huge live Christmas tree, the first real one Carly's ever had, is covered in lights and ornaments, presents spilling out and into the floor. A rolling fire warms the living room.
Claire and Mark hang their coats and join them.
“
There’s hot chocolate on the stove,” Carly says, pointing back into the kitchen. Jack haphazardly balances a small stack of gifts as he tries to make room for them under the tree.
“
Grandma’s recipe?” Claire asks happily.
“
Of course,” Carly replies with a grin. Her face is completely healed, but the scar on her temple is still a bright red. Her eye keeps a little of the puffiness, but no lasting damage was done and her smile still brightens up Jack’s world.
Claire and Mark disappear into the kitchen to grab a mug.
“
Hang on,” Jack says, jumping up and running to the record player in the corner. He takes a record and gently puts the needle on. Bing Crosby’s voice starts singing of a White Christmas.
Jack puts his hand out for Carly and she grins and takes it. He pulls her to him and sings to her. He nuzzles her neck like he always does and Carly goes limp in his arms.
“
Geez, you horndogs! Get a room!” Claire jokes.
Jack twirls Carly just a little and she squeals. He kisses her and then lets her go. “Don’t need a room; we’ve got a whole house,” Jack smirks.
Carly joins Claire on the couch as Mark and Jack head down into the basement to talk about whatever men talk about.
“
Soooo, what’d you get Jack for Christmas?” Claire asks.
“
I didn't have a whole lotta time. Had to get most of his stuff online,” Carly says. “I did get him new heavy bag gloves,” she holds up her fingers and counts things off, “a couple of shirts, some old records he didn’t have in his collection from the record store on Stratford Avenue, and some stuff you don’t wanna know about,” she winks.
Claire laughs, “You’re probably right. So, you’re okay to, you know, after…” she trails off.
Carly looks thoughtful for a second. “Yeah, it was a little weird at first, to put it outta my mind, but things are good. Great, actually. Oh,” she says, “And I got him an iPod. That way he doesn’t have to fool with switching CDs all the time. Drag his old fashioned ass into the 21
st
century. What’d you get Mark?”
“
I got him a book,” Claire answers.
“
A book? What book?”
“
The New Dad’s Survival Guide
,” Claire says, grinning from ear to ear.
Carly gasps and puts her hands over her mouth, “You mean?”
Claire nods. “I’m four weeks," she gushes. "My doctor told me we should try again right after the miscarriage and he was right. It's not a high risk pregnancy, but I’m being closely monitored. Everything looks perfect.”
Carly grabs her sister and hugs her tighter than she ever has. “I’m so happy for you guys!”
“
Shh,” Carly says with a laugh. “He doesn't know yet!”
Carly holds her a second longer and then finally lets go. “Oh, I’m gonna be an aunt!” she whispers. “A hot aunt, but an auntie all the same!”
Carly and Claire attempt to stop smiling as Jack and Mark come back into the living room.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
plays on the record player and Jack hands Carly a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows that threaten to spill over the sides.
“
Thank you,” she says. He grins at her and takes a seat on the floor next to the tree. She sips at the cocoa and gets a mouthful of soft marshmallows.
“
Wanna open some gifts now?” he asks.
“
You have to overlook Jack,” Carly says. “He’s apparently the opposite of a grown man on Christmas.”
“
Don’t you bahumbug at my Christmas spirit,” he says, making a face at her.
“
Open mine first,” Carly says as she walks to the tree. She pulls out a tiny gift bag and hands it to Claire. Jack digs a long, skinny gift out and hands it to Mark.
Claire and Mark tear into their gifts as Jack’s boyish enthusiasm has caught on.
“
Wow,” Mark whistles as he inspects a fly fishing kit.
“
Thought it’d come in handy this summer. We’ll go to the lake in Tennessee, do a little fishing.”
“
Thanks, man,” Mark says. He reaches into their pile and pulls out a gift for Jack.
Claire pulls the Tiffany’s box out of the bag as Carly holds her breath. She pulls the minty green velvet pouch free and then undoes the cinch at the top. She turns the pouch upside down and a silver bracelet falls into her open palm. Carly watches as she lifts it up.
Claire holds the dangling heart shaped lock charm between her fingers. It reads simply
Sister.
Now it’s Claire’s turn to grab Carly and hug her. Tears fill up her eyes as she holds her baby sister. “I love it,” she whispers.
Jack pulls a pair of high end golf gloves out of the box Mark handed him and inspects them with a grin. A smaller box holds a dozen golf balls printed with the Webster Sawmill Logo.
“
Told you I'll get you out on the green,” Mark says with a matter-of-fact look.
“
I’ll make the time,” Jack vows. “Thanks a lot, Mark.”
“
Hand me Carly’s nice one,” Claire says, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Mark walks to Claire and hands her the gift.
“
Go ahead,” Claire says, holding it out to her.
Carly takes it and rips the snowman printed paper off, revealing a black velvet box. Carly opens it and then gasps. She pulls the diamond necklace free and immediately puts it on. It matches the diamond earrings that Jack bought her, which sparkle next to the necklace. She hugs Claire and sniffles.
“
Now that we’ve got the nice stuff outta the way,” Jack says, pulling a couple more gifts from under the tree, “let’s open the silly ones.”
Carly left almost all the gift shopping for Mark to Jack and it seems to have paid off. They open all the gifts they bought for each other, laughing at some and genuinely enjoying the rest. Jack is in his element; full of spunk and Christmas cheer.
They snack on finger foods and drink eggnog, everyone except Carly who hates eggnog, until evening sets in and Mark and Claire get up to go home. Carly and Jack see them to the door and then turn to each other once they’re gone.
“
This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” Carly says, sliding her arms around Jack’s neck. She kisses him, the taste of cinnamon on his lips tingles on hers.
“
It’s not over yet,” Jack teases. “Come on, let’s open our gifts.”
Carly and Jack leave a storm of Christmas paper as they tear into their presents. Jack immediately puts one of the records on the player and insists that Carly dance with him again. Mick Jagger starts singing and Jack pulls her close.
Childhood living is easy to do. The things you wanted, I bought them for you.
Graceless lady you know who I am. You know I can't let you, slide through my hands. Wild horses couldn't drag me away. Wild, wild horses couldn't drag me away.
He waltzes her into the kitchen and underneath the mistletoe. She'd teased him about hanging it there this morning, but she’s secretly glad he did now.
“
You have to keep your eyes on the mistletoe,” he says, loosening his grip on her. She lets him go for a moment and he drops to his knee. His shaky hand holds up a small black box and opens it. Carly looks down and her eyes go wide.
“
Carly,” Jack says, his face so full of hope, “will you marry me?”
She looks at him and can’t speak. Her face shows her mix of emotions, the jumble of feelings his question has stirred in her. Finally, words find their way up her throat and out of her mouth. He holds his breath.
“
Yes, Jack! Yes, I’ll marry you!” she squeals. She takes the box in her hand and he jumps up, wraps his arms around her and kisses her deeply. He twirls her, unable to contain his own excitement.
They kiss a million times until Jack finally sets her feet on the floor, but inside, they’re both still spinning.
“
Here,” Jack breathes, taking the box from her. He pulls the ring free, a big, princess cut diamond with smoky quartz and smaller diamonds on the sides of a platinum band, and slips it on her finger. Tears stream down her face and into her smile.
“
It’s beautiful, Jack,” she whispers, holding her hand out to admire it. He takes her hand and pulls it to his lips. She's instantly reminded of the sparks she felt the first time he did that and every time since.
“
You’ve made me the happiest man alive, the happiest man who’s
ever lived
.” He kisses her again, tasting the joy in her smile.
“
I’ve made you happy
?” she laughs. “You have no idea how much I love you.” She smothers his face in kisses and looks at the ring which ties them together in a whole new way.
They wrap themselves up in each other underneath the mistletoe, both of them never believing how much the other completes them. Hearts that were once closed are open, ignited and on fire with a burning love for another person; someone brave enough to pick up the shattered pieces of hearts once believed broken forever and assemble them again into two halves of one whole. Two people who needed saving, who
were
saved in every sense of the word.
I just want to take a moment to thank my family for giving me time and peace and quiet to go get lost in Jack and Carly’s world. Your understanding and patience let me make this story and I love you immensely for it.
Next, a shout out to my Beta Readers.
To Angel, Jenn, Lezlye, Logan, Mary, Melanie, Michelle, Roseann, and Stacey; without your input and encouragement, Jack and Carly might never have made it out of the mountains of West Virginia. Thank you all.
And finally, thank you to
you
, the reader. Thank you for choosing to spend your reading time with me and for taking an interest in Jack and Carly’s life together, for watching how it all unfolds as they grow and change with each other.
Their story continues in
Promise Me
.
“
Our love for each other is a lot like the fire in front of us; rolling and folding in on itself before reaching higher and burning so hot that I worry that we'll both be turned to cinders in its wake. She’s angry and hurt, miserable and in love with me all at the same time. Will we make it through this? Will she come back to me?”