Theresa tried not to hesitate as they walked to the door of the diner. Aiden opened the door, allowing her to walk in first. Her feet almost stalled until he turned her in his arms and planted the sweetest, toe-curling kiss upon her lips.
With a small chuckle, his eyes turned up. “Mistletoe.”
She followed his gaze and laughed as well. Above them hung the first mistletoe that brought them together with a small, chaste kiss to the cheek. They already had so many wonderful memories.
“I can sense your nervous and I’m not sure why. Everything’s going to be okay.”
Appreciating his concern, she laid her head to his chest. “I’m homeless. I lost all of my belongings. And it just hurts.”
“You have a home with me. And your belongings…” He sighed. “I’m sorry about that. We’ll get through this. Together. I’m not leaving your side, okay?”
Lifting her head, she smiled. “Thank you.”
They started to walk again, a few sets of eyes on them as she led the way with Aiden following her, his hand locked with hers. Before she could make it behind the counter, the kitchen door swung open and Bonzo’s concerned face filled the space.
“Theresa, my girl!” He pulled her into the biggest, warmest hug she ever received. Almost fatherly-like. She loved it because he was about the closest thing to a father she had, considering her real father wasn’t the greatest in that department. “How are you?”
He let her go. She took a step back, leaning back into the comforting body of Aiden, who must’ve known she needed the extra support.
“I’ve been better, Bonzo. I…”
“Well, butter my biscuit. Congratulations.” Bonzo’s eyes widened in surprise as they zoomed in on her hand that sparkled with the diamond ring.
It didn’t take long for a round of congratulations from the other patrons in the diner to circle them. A few regulars that came every Sunday for brunch, and Mrs. Wayworth.
“Oh, that is a stunning ring. You’re a lucky man, Aiden, for snatching up this wonderful lady.” Mrs. Wayworth winked at him as Theresa slightly blushed at the compliment.
“I am the luckiest. There’s no way I was letting her get away.”
She patted his arm. “Well, it’s good to see you happy again. And that handsome smile of yours.” Then Mrs. Wayworth turned her attention to her. “My sister received her Christmas present in the mail, and boy, I chided her for it, but she opened it already and loved the necklace. Absolutely loved it. I gave her your number because she wouldn’t let it go until I did. I do believe you’ll have more orders soon.”
Theresa wanted to smile at that, and she did somewhat. But she had no idea how she could make any kind of jewelry anytime soon. All her supplies were destroyed in the fire. Even her phone. She couldn’t take any phone calls until she bought a new one.
Maybe Mrs. Wayworth saw all of those harrowing emotions on her face because she smiled tenderly. “I’m sorry to hear about the fire last night. I’m so glad you made it out safely.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Wayworth. I’m very happy to hear your sister liked the necklace. Please tell her it might be a few days before I can return any phone calls. My phone was destroyed, along with all my jewelry supplies.”
“I’ll let her know. Don’t you worry about a thing, Theresa dear. Everything always has a way of working out.”
Mrs. Wayworth said a few more encouraging words and then went back to her meal.
“Come on.” Bonzo gestured his head to follow him to the kitchen.
Aiden grabbed her hand and ventured to the kitchen with her. Bonzo set a small box on the counter near the door and smiled.
“Mrs. Johnson was in here earlier, picking up her jewelry order. Sure am glad you kept your inventory here. It would’ve been a shame to lose all that hard work making all these beautiful presents for people. What can I do to help you, Theresa?”
Tears started to form in the corner of her eyes at the kindness shimmering back at her. “I have no idea. This is all new to me. I feel like I’m starting all over.”
“Well, you just let me know what you need and I’m there. Take a few days off.”
“Oh, no, I can’t do that, Bonzo. I need the money.”
Aiden wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tightly as he laid a kiss to the side of her head. “If you need a few days for yourself, take it. I don’t want you to worry about money. I’ll take care of you.”
Bonzo’s eyes twinkled with delight. “What he said. Let someone take care of you for once. You work too hard. You deserve it.” He tossed a hand to the box. “You didn’t even need to come in for this today. I would’ve handed them out.”
She wiped a stray tear from her eye. “I appreciate that, Bonzo. I’d like to make sure everyone gets their order. I’ll be at work tomorrow.” Tensing slightly, she gasped. “How am I going to get to work? I always walked and now—”
Aiden swiftly turned her around and cupped her cheeks lightly as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “I’ll drive you. You can borrow my car. We’ll buy you a car. It doesn’t matter how you’ll get to work, because you will. We’ll figure this out. Together. Maybe I’m suddenly coming on strong, but I never want you to doubt how I feel about you again.”
Her breathing, that had skyrocketed when she panicked, gradually returned to normal as he laid a few more delicate kisses to her lips.
“We’re in this together, right, Theresa?”
“Yes,” she whispered breathlessly.
Oh, they were so in this together. He had been her rock all night, loving her passionately and without restraint. This morning when she woke up in a panic, last night’s events rushing through her mind, Aiden had been there to calm her down, telling her everything would be all right. She believed it would be. Because they’d be together. His strength would help keep hers together when all she felt like doing was falling apart because she lost everything.
“I can still hand these out. Leave them here. You worry about you. There’s no sense in going around dropping these off.” She turned around, Aiden’s arms still holding her together as she looked at Bonzo as he continued, “You never planned to go deliver them house to house. Why change the plan? You let them come to the diner to pick these up.”
How could she explain the sudden need to make sure everyone got their Christmas gifts? The fire, the loss of everything she owned, it burned a hole in her gut the entire morning until she finally told Aiden she had to go to the diner and pick up her jewelry and deliver it, not wait for the people to come to the diner for it. Maybe she just wanted to make sure they all had a wonderful Christmas when she wasn’t sure she would. How could she believe she would when she didn’t even have a proper change of clothes? Right now she was wearing one of Aiden’s shirts and a pair of sweats that she had to tie tightly so they wouldn’t fall down, and one of his large winter coats that almost made her look like a drowned rat. She had to look ridiculous, yet every time he glanced her way, she felt like the most beautiful woman on earth.
“I…” She hesitated. The words wouldn’t come, the explanation still difficult. Okay, maybe it was a silly thing to worry about. “Okay. Thanks, Bonzo.”
She wouldn’t worry about it. At least she completed all of her orders and brought them to work before the fire wiped out every single thing she owned in one swift move.
“Go home. Let Aiden take care of you. Just relax. If you want to come in tomorrow, then I’d love to see you. If not, you don’t worry about a thing.”
She hugged Bonzo in response, said a quick hi to Shelly, his wife, and left. As she buckled her seatbelt, the nerves she experienced back in the diner came rushing back. What was she going to do? How was she going to replace all of her possessions? The supplies for her jewelry weren’t cheap. Clothing could get so expensive. Everything felt like a huge weight on her shoulders.
A warm hand enveloped hers. “Look at me, sweetheart.”
Her eyes glided to his.
“It’s going to be the best damn Christmas this year. You know how I know? Because I get to spend it with you. That’s what matters right now. Everything else, well, we’ll figure it out.” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I love you.”
When he said it that way, she believed him. Everything would work out.
“I love you, too.”
❄
The doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it,” Aiden hollered as he walked out of the kitchen.
He figured Theresa assumed he’d get it, especially since she’d been engrossed in arranging her jewelry in just the right way. She said there was a certain order she liked all of her pieces to be organized.
They had both been surprised when the doorbell rang the first time, soon after they arrived home from the diner. Standing with a sweet smile, Betty from the craft store had a whole bag of goodies. So many supplies to fill up a new jewelry box that Theresa had adamantly insisted Betty take back. Betty wouldn’t hear any of it. She insisted Theresa take it all and make her a beautiful necklace in thanks. That’s all she wanted.
Shortly after Betty left, Daphne showed up with some clothes. The light in Theresa’s eyes at the sight of everything made tears form, almost in his eyes as well.
Person after person after person stopped by, dropping things off for her. Crazy things from wonky looking Christmas decorations they thought she’d like, to practical things like a brush and hair accessories.
He knew the town could get into everyone’s business on occasion, rumors spreading, gossip running rampant. But he’d never seen people come together in such a beautiful way. Theresa lost everything she owned in the fire last night. Now his house was so full of things, it’s as if they had packed up her house and moved her in. The town had come forward to make Theresa feel loved and happy and that everything was going to be okay. Just as he told her repeatedly today, even as he said it, wondering if it really would be. He hated seeing the pain and sadness in her eyes. A few times it made him nervous he wouldn’t be able to remove it all on his own. And he didn’t. The entire town helped him. He couldn’t be more grateful.
Pulling open the door, he smiled at Chief Duncan, Lynn, Laura, Gregory, and Gabby, who all stood on his porch, their arms full of things he wasn’t sure where he’d put.
“We’ve come bearing gifts,” Chief Duncan said with merry, leaning in a bit closer to him, “and some news.”
Aiden nodded, anxious to hear what he had to say. “Come on in. Theresa’s in the living room sorting her jewelry and in heaven at all the beads. You guys are too kind to bring more stuff.”
“It’s just terrible what happened. We don’t mind helping out.” Lynn glided by him with Laura right behind her.
He winked at Laura. “Hey, pipsqueak.”
She blushed and giggled. “Hey.”
“We thought you might be busy and overwhelmed, so Gabby brought some fixings for a delicious roast dinner. We’ll go get that started.” Gregory smiled wide as he followed Gabby, who had a large pan in her hands.
He closed the door, then turned to Chief Duncan, the only one left in the hallway. “I hope this is news I’ll enjoy hearing.”
The chief grinned and nodded as he set the box he was holding to the floor. “This is just some kitchen stuff Lynn thought Theresa would need.” His eyes sparkled with mischief. “Maybe you already have them stocked yourself. I hear congratulations are in order. I’m happy you two worked things out.”
“Because of you. Thanks for helping me get my head out of my ass. Last night…if I would’ve lost her…”
Chief Duncan squeezed his shoulder. “But you didn’t. We didn’t.”
Aiden steeled his spine, not wanting to cry in front of the chief, even though the tears threatened to flow. He almost lost the woman he loved in a brutal fire. He hated thinking about it. Of course, it was difficult to erase last night’s events with the reminder every time someone stopped by with more gifts.
“So, the news?”
Chief Duncan nodded. “We found Dusty earlier this morning sleeping in his car on the outskirts of Mason. Pretty sure he was sleeping off a drunken night. Fire Chief Monroe hasn’t completed his investigation yet, but there are signs it was started deliberately. It didn’t take long, with a little prodding, for Dusty to confess to starting the fire.”
Aiden shook his head. “This will put Theresa at ease that she wasn’t at fault, because it bothered her that she might’ve been. But damn, now it makes it my fault.”
“How so?”
“I might’ve told him to stay the hell away from her or else…right before you hauled him away the night of the bar fight.”
Chief Duncan waved his hand carelessly in the air. “It’s not your fault either. Dusty’s a loose cannon. How about you two focus on your upcoming nuptials and put all this behind you. Just have a merry Christmas.”
“I plan to have the best damn Christmas I’ve ever had.”
He didn’t doubt it for one second. With Theresa by his side, Christmas couldn’t get any better.
The evening went by quickly, the house full of loud laughter and happiness. It was the first time he ever had a little gathering at his house. He liked the picture in front of him, of the beautiful merriment ringing. Theresa finally looked at ease and the worry gone, especially when he whispered to her Dusty was the cause of the fire. She had tensed at first, then slowly smiled, obviously relieved she wasn’t the cause because she constantly forgot to unplug the Christmas tree. She told him firmly he had to double check the tree was unplugged before they went to bed every night. He smiled, kissed her, and assured her he’d take the responsibility of that task.
By the time they finished the wonderful roast Gabby cooked, eating a piece of pie Lynn had baked, and played a board game picked by Laura, the sun had descended and the stars twinkled brightly in the sky. Everyone left. They finally had the house to themselves.
Aiden made a fire, plugged in the Christmas tree, and pulled Theresa into his arms to the floor.
“What a day, huh?”
She nodded, resting her head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, tucking her into his body.
“You feeling okay?”
“I feel wonderful. I feel grateful for such wonderful friends. I have no words.”
He kissed the top of her head as the fire crackled and the tree lit up with delight before them. “I was surprised myself. But it just shows how much everyone cares about you. See, I said it would all work out.”
“Do you want to know what my favorite part of everything that happened today is?”
“Of course.”
She inhaled deeply, snuggling more comfortably into his arms. “This. Sitting here with you. It just makes me feel…happy.”
She made him feel the same. Just happy. Content. As if everything in his world was good, bright, and merry. She took the darkness filling him up inside and washed it away with her lightness.
“You are my happiness, Theresa.”