Stepbrother Dearest(84)

***



A few months later, it was Christmas in New York. This was my favorite time of year with all of the lights and decorations adorning the city. This Christmas was like no other because Elec and I were experiencing it together in love for the first time.

We’d be going out to San Francisco to spend the actual holiday with Pilar. Per Elec’s suggestion, he had me speak to her on the phone to take some of the edge off. She was surprisingly cordial to me, and it made me feel a lot better about the trip. Things would never be perfect between us, and I was sure she would have preferred him ending up with Chelsea. At least, though, with Randy gone and through the passage of time, she was able to accept me.

A few days before we were set to fly out west, Elec and I were invited to a Christmas party at Sully’s.

Sully’s apartment was very classic New York, lots of dark wood crown molding and a hefty built-in bookshelf lined from top to bottom with books ranging from erotica to military history. She’d gone all out, hanging plastic mistletoe and white lights all throughout the apartment. There was even a gold banner that read, Eat, Drink and Be Mary. She also set out a table of spiked eggnog and assorted appetizers. Elec and I were feeling pretty good after a few mugs of the eggnog.

He looked so sexy in a velvet Santa hat when he led me to a private corner of the room.

I pulled on the fuzzy ball at the end of his hat. “You know you’re the sexiest Santa I’ve ever seen, right?”

His slid his hands down my waist. “Lucky for you, I’ll be coming way more than once a year.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned into him. “And I’ll be giving you way more than cookies.”

“I wouldn’t mind spreading some cheer in that bathroom right now,” he said.

So, that was what we did.

When we emerged, it was time to open presents. Sully gave Elec his first. They’d actually grown pretty close and were constantly busting each other’s balls.

“Oh, Sully. You shouldn’t have.” The room burst into laughter as Elec lifted a t-shirt that displayed the photo of his bare-chested self, holding the cardboard fuckface sign. There was also a mug and mouse pad featuring the now classic image.

Sully laughed. “With all this book stuff, I just didn’t want you to forget your roots.”

Elec took it in stride then accepted his actual present, which was a gift certificate to Starbucks where he spent a lot of time writing after work. We’d recently inked a publishing deal for Lucky and the Lad and a yet to be written sequel he was developing now. He was still working at the middle school during the day.

Elec’s present to me was the last to be handed out. I was surprised he even brought something for me since we agreed to exchange gifts in California. Let’s just say, once I opened the box, it made total sense. This wasn’t my actual gift. It was the last pair of underwear he’d stolen from me all those years ago. They were turquoise lace. I remembered them well and shook my head.

“I can’t believe you’ve held onto this all these years.”

“It was the one memento I had of you for a long time.”

I whispered in his ear. “You’re lucky my ass still fits inside these.”

He whispered in mine. “I think I’m even luckier because I fit inside your ass.”

I punched him lightly on the arm. “You’re so nasty. I love it, though.”

“You didn’t read the card,” he said.

I opened it. It had a picture of an old couple kissing by a Christmas tree. It was one of those blank cards where you could write your own note inside.



Greta,



This Christmas will be the best of my life.

Because of you…I:



Am grateful.

Am happy.

Am fulfilled.

Am at peace.

Am excited for the future.

Am in love.

Because of you this Christmas…I:

Am Merry.



Am Merry.



It didn’t register at first until I saw him getting down on one knee and reaching into his pocket.



Am Merry=Marry Me.



“I didn’t know what love felt like until you, Greta, not just giving it but receiving it. I love you so much. Please say you’ll marry me.”

I covered my face in shock. “I will. Yes. Yes!”

Everyone in the room clapped. Sully must have been in on it because a bottle of champagne popped in the air.

When Elec placed the ring on my finger, I gasped. “Elec, this is the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen, but there is no way you could afford it.”

The diamond was at least two carats and channel set with small stones all around the white gold or platinum band.

He stood up and pressed his nose to mine. “This ring is the one that Patrick gave Pilar all those years ago. Money was no object to him. Mami stopped wearing it after Patrick died but didn’t want to part with it. She held onto it all these years. I hadn’t ever seen it before, but she showed it to me just before I moved here. I immediately asked if I could have it, knowing I wanted to give it to you someday. She gave it to me, but I insist on paying her back eventually. This ring once represented a lot of pain for my family, but I don’t look at it that way now. If it weren’t for all of that, there’d be no us, and I couldn’t imagine that. This ring is an indestructible piece of light among all the darkness that was my past. It reminds me of your love for me. It is the ring for you.”