27. Jake

27

JAKE

" Y ou wouldn't believe how ecstatic everyone is to see you and Lydia together tonight," Hailey said, laughing incredulously.

I already knew that. Our mom had called me three times this morning to express her excitement. There were many questions about Lydia and my future, especially since I'd already moved in with her.

"Has Lydia's present come in yet?" Hailey wondered.

I glanced out the window, wondering when the big brown truck would pull into the driveway and deliver it.

"No. It's supposed to be here today."

"Lydia's going to be so excited when she sees it. It's a shame you can't hang it up in that fancy, new house of yours, but I understand. You and Lydia want to be at her grandparents' cabin."

Any other woman would've loved to have moved into my new house, but that wasn't Lydia. She wanted to live here, and deep down, I did too. I tried to find a place like this, but it wasn't meant to be. I was meant to be here . . . with her.

"What are you going to do with your new house?" Hailey asked. "Are you going to sell it?"

Lydia and I had discussed plans for my house plans over the past week and came up with a solution.

"I'm going to keep it for a while," I answered. "I'll probably rent it out to vacationers occasionally and use it as a holiday home. Lydia likes it, she just doesn't want to live there permanently."

Hailey cleared her throat. "Does that mean your awesome sister and her husband can stay there whenever we want?"

Laughing, I sat down on the couch. "Be my guest. I don't mind at all."

She squealed. "You're the best brother ever."

"Yes, I am. And don't forget it."

I could hear a car coming down the driveway, so I peered out the window to see Lydia in her blue Honda Pilot.

"Lydia's here," I told Hailey. "I'm going to let you go. We'll see you tonight at the party."

We hung up and I opened the door as Lydia walked up the porch stairs. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.

Lydia shook her head and laughed. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

The second she stepped through the door, I pulled her into my arms and kissed her. "I was just thinking about how lucky I am. You're so beautiful."

She pointed at her messy bun and the curly pieces of hair that framed her face. "I look like a hot mess."

I twirled one of her curly strands around my finger and smiled. "Not to me. I'm sorry I didn't get to go with you to visit Nana. The delivery I've been waiting on hasn't arrived yet."

She winked. "It's okay. She gets to see you tomorrow in your ugly sweater."

"Joy," I grumbled playfully.

It was fun making them with Violet and Ben last night and starting a new tradition. If it made Lydia happy for me to wear an ugly Christmas sweater, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Lydia smacked my arm. "Hey, you know I love you. You'll look great in your Grinch sweater."

It was hideous, but that was the whole point.

"So, I talked to Hailey while you were gone. She asked me about the house and what I was going to do with it."

Lydia set her purse on the kitchen table and faced me. "Does she think we're crazy staying here instead of there?"

"No," I replied with a shake of my head. "She understands why we want to live here. This place has a ton of memories, even for me. But she did ask if her and Oliver could vacation at the house from time to time."

Lydia threw her head back and laughed. "Of course she did. I'm all for that, too. The house is gorgeous. It's just if we're going to have a family one day, I'd like to raise them here."

It was the first time she'd mentioned having kids together, and I had to admit, I loved hearing it.

"Are you saying you want kids with me?"

She smiled that sweet grin of hers and flung her arms around my neck. "Would that be okay? We could have a little boy to follow in your footsteps and become a famous golfer."

I shrugged. "Or girl. You never know."

She kissed me and winked. "We'll just have to see."

A rumble echoed outside, and I turned to see the UPS truck pulling into the driveway. Lydia gasped and rushed to the window. "Is this what you were waiting on?"

"It is," I said, opening the door. "I'll be right back."

I went outside and met the UPS guy at the bottom of the stairs so he wouldn't have to carry the box onto the porch. Lydia rushed out and bounced on her feet.

"What is it?" she demanded.

Chuckling, I carried it inside and set it on the living room floor. "It's a present for you."

She ran over to the kitchen and brought back a pair of scissors. "Can I open it?"

I waved a hand at the box. "Go for it."

Lydia was like a kid at Christmas. I couldn't wait to see her face when she saw the painting. She removed one layer of the box, and inside was another box for her to open. Once the protective outer layers were gone, I could see the painting was wrapped in glittery red wrapping paper.

She lifted her face to mine and tears were in her eyes. "Jake, did you really just get me what I think you did?"

I shrugged. "Don't know. Take off the wrapping paper and find out."

"The anticipation is killing me, but I love it," she said, clutching her chest.

She slowly hooked a finger under one of the corners and tore it apart, doing the same with the other side. The way she did it reminded me of Charlie in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when he opened the candy bar to reveal the golden ticket.

Lydia took in a deep breath and let it out. "Here we go."

In one quick motion, she ripped open the paper and slapped a hand over her mouth when she saw what was inside.

"Oh my God. You did get it for me!" she cried. " Enchanted Falls by Kenneth Halvorsen." Her lips trembled when she looked up at me. "It's exquisite. I love it so much." She gently ran a finger over the painting, her face full of wonder. "I could stare at this painting for hours." She carefully propped it up against the couch and came over to me. "Thank you, Jake."

I held her in my arms. "You're welcome. I'll hang it up wherever you want."

She giggled. "Good. It's going up today."

"I figured that," I said, laughing back.

"I guess it's time for your present." She let me go and went to her purse, where she pulled out a small box decorated in green-and-silver swirled wrapping paper. "It's hard to figure out what to get someone when they literally have enough money to get whatever they want," she said, staring down at the present.

"I don't need you to get anything for me," I told her.

She lifted her bright greenish-golden eyes to mine. "I know you don't expect anything, Jake. That's one of the things I admire about you." She held out the present to me. "Although, I do believe you'll love this."

I unwrapped the gift to reveal an old brown leather case. I'd seen it before, but it was many years ago. My throat thickened and I held back the emotions threatening to spring free from within me. I knew what was inside the case.

I opened the case and inside was a gold-plated pocket watch that still ticked as if weren't over a hundred years old. And on the back, engraved in gold, were the words: Time is precious. Make the best of it.

"Oh, Lydia." I couldn't form any other words, but I knew I was definitely going to live by that saying.

She sniffled. "My grandmother wanted me to give it to you. She said out of everyone in the family, my grandfather would've wanted you to have it. Making his Liddy Bug happy made you deserving of it."

I held back my tears. "I'm honored. I wish he was here to give it to me."

Lydia cupped my cheeks. "Me too."

"This is by far the best Christmas Eve I've ever had," I said.

She nodded in agreement. "And it won't be our last."