Christmas with the family went as well as expected. Alex and I spent a lot of time together at her place. She told me about her trial, which is slated to begin in January. I’m very proud of her. She’s worked hard to get where she is. I keep asking her to move down with me and start her own practice, but she always says no.
Alex is going out tonight with a court officer she met at work. She told me that she probably won’t be home tonight, so not to worry. I’m pretty excited about my New Year’s Eve plans, a video chat with Daniel.
He texted me earlier, saying that Lucy plans to stay up in order to watch the ball drop. Daniel is pretty confident she won’t make it past ten o’clock.
Alex is getting ready for her date. I’ll have her place to myself for the rest of the night. I’m just waiting for my call.
Just as Alex’s date comes to pick her up, my phone buzzes. I quickly wish them a good night and go off to my room, praying it is Daniel who is texting me. It’s actually a picture of Lucy, already passed out on the couch. Her hand is still in the popcorn bowl.
Daniel: She couldn’t even make it to ten.
Me: She’s so sweet. What did you do to tire her out today?
Daniel: Chrissy took her shopping. I just puttered around for a while.
My heart sank a little. I wish we were able to spend the holidays together like we did at Thanksgiving. Well, minus the chicken pox of course.
Me: I’m looking forward to our video chat tonight.
Daniel: Me too. I’ll call you around 11:00.
Me: Sounds good. See you then.
Rolling onto my stomach, I feel like a teenager all over again. My stomach has butterflies again. Actually, I have a very nervous stomach. Daniel has this effect on me. I never felt this way with Jay. Sure, at the beginning I felt an attraction, but my stomach never felt like this.
I’m in love with a man that I can’t have for another five months. Hell, I’m not even sure he loves me. Will he even wait for me?
I don’t know why I’m suddenly so insecure about Daniel. Perhaps it’s my admission to myself that I’m in love with him.
I busy myself until eleven. Daniel calls as promised. When I see his face at first, my heart leaps while other parts of me are on fire.
I can’t help but smile when I see him. He’s wearing a suit and tie. No wonder he asked me to wear a dress. He also had a bottle of champagne delivered. I thought it was somewhat strange, but now I get it.
“Happy New Year, Nicole.”
“Happy New Year,” I say, feeling as if my face is going to crack from my smile.
“I thought maybe this would be a safe way to actually have a date before we can officially be together. No one will see us, and there’s no chance we will get physical. Unless you want to have cybersex.”
I burst out laughing because there is no way I’m doing that again. “I’ll settle for just the date tonight, Daniel.”
“Fair enough, gorgeous.” He smirks.
This man makes my heart sing when he calls me things like sweetheart. Maybe it’s because Jay never did.
“How was your night with Lucy?” I ask just as there’s a knock at the door.
“Daniel, hang on. There’s a knock at the door. Who the hell could that be?”
“That’s weird,” he says.
“Well, I’m not going to answer it. It could be a serial killer or something.”
“Nicole, I’ll stay on the phone while you answer the door.”
“No way. I’m not going down there.”
“Nicole, I think you should answer the door.”
“Crap, alright, but you better stay on the phone with me.”
Walking down the stairs, I hear the knock again.
“Alright, I’m opening the door.”
I hear laughing coming from the other side. Slowly opening the door, I can’t believe my eyes.