Chapter Fifteen

Christmastime was meant to be spent with the people you cared most about, which made this separation that much harder. Taryn hadn't seen Charlie in six whole days and felt every single excruciating one of them. Charlie had declined the somewhat icy invitation to the McHenrys' Christmas and agreed to spend the holidays at Taryn's place in Dyer. She'd remained at Hillspoint until the morning of the twenty-fourth and should be arriving at some point within the next thirty minutes. Taryn exhaled slowly and tried to remember what to do with her hands.

The house smelled heavenly. Her mother had been baking for the past three days and even had her hot mulled wine simmering on the stove, full of fruit, spices, and everything wonderful. Taryn hadn't let herself indulge quite yet, wanting to wait for Charlie. That evening, her extended family would come over, dishes in hand for mingling, songs, and all-around Christmas cheer.

"You nervous?" her father asked, coming up behind her, hands on her shoulders.

"Not about you and Mom seeing Charlie again. But just in general, you know."

"You're quite serious about her, aren't you? I can tell by the way you're unable to settle." He had a gleam in his eye that Taryn allowed herself to enjoy.

"I'm very serious about her, Dad. I think I've been serious about her since the moment we met. It's only the capacity that's changed."

"Fate is a hurricane."

Taryn turned. "What does that mean?" She frowned, trying to make sense of it.

"A hurricane sweeps in and rearranges your patio furniture. But when it's your life, it's the people who are rearranged and what they mean to you."

"I see. Fate decided my babysitter might be the perfect girlfriend for me."

He laughed. "Exactly."

"Why am I missing all the good conversation?" her mother called from the kitchen. "I'm a confectionary prisoner!"

"Because you refuse to come in here and relax with us!" he yelled back.

"I want to make sure the cinnamon pecans are ready for Charlie!" she bellowed.

"Charlie doesn't mind waiting a few extra minutes for pecans!"

Taryn laughed. "I've missed you two and your hollering sessions." She picked up her camera, aimed her lens, and took a shot of her mother in the kitchen through the window created by the counter and the overhanging cabinet. The shape of the foreground would hopefully create an interesting entry point.

"Well, I hope Charlie's okay with how lively it can be around here," her dad said. She'd noticed he was stronger on his right side than he had been when she'd left for school.

"Charlie has met you both before." A pause. "But maybe cut the volume in half when you think of it."

"Impossible!" her mother yelled, followed by a warm, full laugh. It was good to be home.

The doorbell sounded and they all froze. "Willie Nelson in Luckenbach, she's here!" Her mother scurried around the corner into the living room and left them in the dust on the way to the front door. "I'm doing it. Me. Me. Me."

Taryn laughed and placed her nervous hands on her hips, dropped them to her sides, and put them back again. Her girlfriend was about to spend Christmas with them. Everything in her glowed like a warm candle in a window. Deep breath and a brace. She heard her voice before she saw her. Charlie greeted her mother with an, "Oh my goodness, hi." Taryn's heart melted. Her bones were liquid, but she refrained from rushing in and stealing this moment from her mother, who had been so excited to host Charlie for these few days.

"Charlotte Ross, you look more beautiful than the last time I saw you. So sophisticated, too."

"Oh, that's the nicest compliment."

"Give me the biggest hug." A moment later. "I hope you're hungry."

"I could definitely eat."

"There's wine, too," her mom said. "All kinds. A beer if you'd rather. We're informal here."

And then there she was, practically ushered in by a choir of angels in Taryn's ears.

Charlie's hair was partially pulled up with the rest down around her shoulders. She wore a green and white Fair Isle sweater, jeans, and brown boots with little fur borders on top. Her blue eyes sparkled, and everything in Taryn sang at the sight of her.

When their eyes connected, Charlie didn't hesitate. She moved straight to Taryn and pulled her in to a hug, rocking a little as she held on. "Hi, you," she said quietly in Taryn's ear.

"Hi." She was smiling ear to ear, on happiness overload. "Six days is longer than I thought."

"Tell me about it," Charlie said. Finally, she released Taryn and turned to her father. "I'm so sorry to pass over you like that. I just saw this one and had to say hello."

"No, no," he said, beaming. "You did the exact right thing." He grinned at Charlie and accepted her hug but couldn't seem to help stealing glimpses at Taryn, needing to witness her happiness, which was the sweetest thing. "Can I help with your bag?"

"Oh no. It's light. I can manage."

"Martie and I got this guest room all ready for you," he said. "But far be it from us to tell you where to sleep." He looked straight at the ground. This was new territory for everyone.

"You have your own space if you want it," her mom said from the entryway, looking on. "It's chart your own course around here. That's what I say. Everyone is an adult, right, Tad?"

"Time flies, but yes." He looked around for a way out. Shuffled his feet. "We should break into that hot mulled stuff now, right?"

"Immediately." Taryn laughed at their floundering attempts to be cool, when they so didn't have to be.

"On it!" her mom said. "Charlie, do you like warm cinnamon pecans? I thought I might put some out, if anyone was interested." The feigned casualness of the offer amused Taryn.

"I adore them," Charlie said.

"Whoop!" was the response that came from her mom, already buzzing around in the kitchen. They had a couple of hours until the rest of the guests for the Christmas Eve gathering would arrive, and her dad was already seeking out the mulled wine, mug in hand. Carols played softly from the Bluetooth speaker near the fully decorated nine-foot tree.

"While they worry about food and wine, I'm gonna help you with your bag," Taryn said. "That way I can remind you where everything is."

"Good idea," Charlie said, meeting her eyes. The electricity that sizzled and popped when they looked at each other was back and powerful. Taryn could live right here in this space forever.

Once they were alone in the guest room, which was conveniently next door to Taryn's own bedroom, she closed the door and turned the lock. This time it was Taryn who moved to Charlie, pressing their foreheads together. "I don't know how we're gonna manage with you in New York when I can barely make it a week."

"Shut up and kiss me already," Charlie said, tilting her head and moving in.

Taryn eagerly met her halfway and sank into the warmth and wonder of Charlie's mouth. Their lips clung and moved and intoxicated Taryn. The soft skin beneath her fingertips when she cradled Charlie's face made her sated and happy. "Thank God you're here."

"I'm really happy I made the decision to come. It would have been a lonely Christmas if we'd been texting the whole time without actually seeing each other. Plus, this place is so incredibly homey." Charlie smiled and intertwined their fingers. "Your parents are just as sweet as I remembered them."

"Just as loud?"

"That, too, but in the best sense."

"Kiss me one more time before we have to behave in front of other people."

Charlie went up on her tiptoes and slid her fingers into Taryn's hair, holding her by the back of the head. It was a move Taryn found infinitely sexy, along with pretty much everything else Charlie ever did. Their kiss was deep and long, meant to last them until they'd be alone again. Taryn's toes curled in wonderful satisfaction. When they rejoined her parents, she spent most of the time watching Charlie as she gestured, ate, and laughed with the rest of the room. When the house filled up with extended family and neighbors, Charlie was a superstar. She charmed most everyone she talked to, several of whom remembered her from back in the day. By the end of the evening, she was front and center singing carols around the piano as her mother played for the group. The best part? She held Taryn's hand through a good portion of the evening. They weren't just two people kissing and making eyes behind the scenes. They were an actual couple spending Christmas with her parents in plain view of the people she loved. Charlie didn't seem the least bit nervous about that fact either, and that made Taryn feel like absolutely anything was possible.

It was close to midnight when the final guests said good night and the weary original foursome picked up plates, cups, and empty snack trays.

"They cleaned us out," her mother said happily. "I hope that means they liked my cheeseball. It was a new recipe, and I gotta say, I was worried it wouldn't live up to last year. People still talk about the wonder of that ball."

"You killed it," Taryn said, giving her mom a squeeze as she passed.

"The cheeseball might have been my favorite of the night. Though there were so many amazing dishes," Charlie said.

"You're a sweet girl, Charlie Adler. I've always thought so," her mother said with a wink.

As the light in the room grew dim after each lamp and switch was turned off, it was time to sleep. With a great big hug from each parent for both Taryn and Charlie, they all said their Merry Christmases and snuck off to bed.

Taryn waited all of eight minutes before slipping into Charlie's room. She found her in a cute pj set, standing in front of the attached bathroom's mirror. "I wondered if I would see you."

"It's Christmas. I couldn't stay away." She met Charlie's eyes in the mirror, her arms around her waist. "Is this okay?"

Charlie nodded. "It's perfect." She turned in Taryn's arms and then glanced down at her clothing. Navy pj's with green piping and the letter T monogramed on the corner. "You have your initial on your shirt and it's adorable."

"I don't want you to forget who I am in the night," she said.

"Trust me when I say that wouldn't be a problem. It's also sweet that you plan to keep those on."

Taryn's eyes went wide.

"What?" Charlie covered her mouth. "Is it bad that I'm going there with your parents under the same roof?"

"It's Christmas Eve and you're here. There's no way we're not sharing a bed. If extracurricular things happen to occur"—Taryn shrugged—"then we were merely victims of our own ridiculous chemistry."

Charlie went up on her toes and wrapped her arms around Taryn's neck. "It's not our fault."

"Innocents corrupted by proximity."

As they slipped beneath the sheets that night, the moon illuminated the swaying of snowflakes on their way to the ground. They spent the first part of the evening talking quietly, wrapped up in each other until Taryn's hands inevitably made their way beneath Charlie's shirt, and Charlie's lips found Taryn's neck, and they were off and on fire.

"Fa-la-la-la-la," Taryn sang quietly half an hour later.

Charlie laughed and pulled Taryn's outside arm around her waist so they could drift off together. Just as sleep was seconds from claiming her, she heard Charlie murmur, "That's one way to deck the halls."

Taryn felt her shoulders start to shake. More laughter.

She had a feeling their life was going to be full of it.

* * *

Charlie had no idea how her time in Dyer with the Ross family had gone by so quickly. In many ways, it felt like she'd arrived on their doorstep just hours ago, ready for the Christmas Eve party, rather than the week it had been. In other ways, she felt like she'd been a part of their family for years, which was a testament to how warm and welcoming they'd been. The four of them had played Codenames and spades around the kitchen table. They'd tried two new restaurants that had opened recently in town, and on New Year's they'd celebrated with a fancy dinner at the golf club where the Rosses were members.

The next day, Charlie would be heading back to Hillspoint ahead of Taryn to prepare for her final semester and attend various departmental meetings for the two classes she would teach. It was hard to believe that, in just a handful of months, she'd be off in the world, likely living in another city, and trying to find a way to pay the bills. Her heart still hoped that all would work out with Broadland Rhodes and she'd actually be living her dream life in New York. Her interview was scheduled for February, which meant she'd know soon enough.

She glanced back at the warm bed where Taryn still slept with the sheet to her waist and her bare back facing Charlie. She smiled at the expanse of dark hair across the pillow behind Taryn. She didn't think she'd ever get tired of watching her sleep, while at the same time always impatient for the moment she'd wake up. Taryn, she'd come to find, liked her sleep and could stretch the hours into midmorning before ever lifting her head. Charlie, more of an early riser, slipped out of the guest room in search of coffee. Martie was seated at the kitchen table with a hot mugful of the good stuff along with a lemon poppyseed muffin she'd baked fresh the day before. The whole place still smelled wonderful.

"Good morning, Charlie." Her smile was sweet. "What can I make for you?"

Charlie pulled her shoulders to her ears. "Oh, nothing at all. I'll just pour myself some coffee and join you for a muffin if that would be all right."

"That would be wonderful. Tad and Taryn are never up this early, so it's a treat to have some company." She'd used a knife to cut her muffin in two, which made it much more manageable. Charlie smiled because she was learning a lot from Martie Ross this week. She couldn't remember being hugged as many times as she had been since arriving. It had done something remarkable to her soul.

The sun was just coming up, casting a warm glow over the backyard and the melting snow. She sat down next to Martie and stared out at it. "This is a beautiful spot this time of morning. Do you sit here every day?"

"I do. There's something about the quiet of the early hours before the rest of the world wakes and the hustle and bustle starts. It helps me find my peace and organize my thoughts." She took a sip from her Mom Fuel mug, thoughtful. "When we were worried about Tad and his prognosis, this was the spot where I would gather my courage to face the day ahead." She smiled but her gaze fell promptly to her plate, emphasizing the weight of the memory.

Charlie covered Martie's hand with her own. "I'm so sorry that you all had to go through such an ordeal. He seems to be so much better."

"He has good days and bad days. But overall, I'm thrilled with his progress." She turned to Charlie. "I was sad to hear that you lost your mother. Before Taryn told me, I had no idea we'd lost her so young. She was a true light, and I see that reflected in you."

Charlie swallowed the painful lump that always seemed to arrive when the subject of her mom's passing crept in. "Thank you. I miss her every day. She was always…" She paused to find the words because talking with Martie brought forth the emotion on full blast. She had a hunch it was because Martie made her feel comfortable and supported enough to allow it. "My bright spot. My dad wasn't the greatest, but I had my mom, you know? And she had me." Martie's eyes were soft as she listened. "I still haven't gotten used to a world where I don't have her."

"You have me," Martie said, leaning in and meeting her gaze. "I'm not Deirdre. Definitely not as glamorous and probably not as funny. But if you and Taryn are as real as I think you are, I'll be your mom, Charlotte."

Tears sprang into Charlie's eyes at the overwhelmingly sweet sentiment. The fact of the matter was that Martie and Tad had treated her like she belonged from the moment she walked in the door.

"Thank you," were the only two words her voice had the strength to manage. Her hands shook when she stood to accept the embrace Martie offered. She let herself be squeezed and loved and taken care of. It felt like water where there'd been a desert for so long.

"Oh, now I'm getting teary, too," Martie said.

Charlie laughed. "Contagious, I'm afraid."

"What's contagious?" They turned to see Taryn in the living room coming toward them, looking like the cutest sleepiest person ever. She touched her bed hair and squinted. "Did you guys have muffins without me?"

"I'll get you a muffin, baby," Charlie said. She took her hand, led her to the couch, kissed her temple, and sat her down. "You just take your time waking up."

Martie pointed at Charlie as she passed. "That one's a keeper."

Taryn smiled and nodded. "I couldn't agree more."

The day was a nice one. She and Taryn took a drive together and ended up at the playground at the edge of Taryn's neighborhood before coming home. As they sat side by side on a bench, children playing on the playscape nearby, Taryn turned to her.

"I don't want you to leave."

Charlie attempted a smile but it never quite blossomed. Her heart hung heavy. "I'm trying not to think about it." She turned to Taryn, met her gaze, and held on. "This has been the best week, and I mean that."

"Charlie, you should know that I'm falling for you so hard." Taryn looked up at the sky, cloudy today and overcast.

"You're not alone," Charlie said, sliding her arm around Taryn's.

"Really?" Taryn asked, turning to look at her. She searched her eyes as if needing that confirmation.

"I'm gone on you, Taryn." She offered a soft smile. "And I may not get everything right all the time. But please know that I'm trying. It's new to let someone in like this."

"Just know that you deserve happiness, Charlie."

And there it was. Evidence that Taryn saw deeper into Charlie than even she realized. Because Charlie often got in her own way when it came to accepting love. After years of being made to feel like she was a burden and a duty, it was hard to believe she was worthy of someone's sincere affection. What she'd found with Taryn, she had to remind herself, didn't have to be earned. It was the purest thing she'd ever known.

"Just keep telling me that, okay? It helps."

"Eighteen times a day if that's what you need." She kissed Charlie's forehead and then placed a lingering kiss on her lips, making Charlie feel like she'd stepped onto the screen of a movie where this beautiful, thoughtful woman was hers, and they were happy with nothing at all in their way. She just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but maybe it never would. How wonderful would that be? Was it possible she was that blessed?