Home for the Holidays Read online

  He knew everything about me. All of my deepest secrets. I wondered if I knew all of his. But of course I didn’t. I hadn’t even known about the stroke his father had. My stomach twisted. His parents had always been sweet to me. They’d told me on many occasions that they wished Mark would end up with someone like me.

  I needed to see his parents before I left town. I needed to say my goodbyes right this time. With a smile and a couple of tears, I drifted into sleep. I was both eager for and dreading the next day.

  ---

  I woke up bright and early and dressed in my best winter clothes. Fitted, dark-wash jeans, brown leather boots and my favorite cream sweater. I kissed my parents on the cheek on my way out the door, feeling every bit the child that I’d been before I left.

  I skipped to my car and drove to Mark’s parents’ house. His car was sitting in the driveway and I wondered if he lived there now. I cursed myself for being a colossal jerk the past few years. But how could I have known? If I had, I certainly would’ve let my anger fade much faster.

  I ran to the front door and rapped my knuckles against the wood. Snow was starting to fall and peppers my hair with little white flakes. I was shaking them off when the door swung open.

  “Mr. Brooks! Hi! How are you?” I wrapped my arms around him and he enveloped me right back.

  “I haven’t seen you, dear Emily, in years!”

  “I know.” I tucked my hair behind my ears and caught the sight of Mark down the hallway. He turned to face me, but was caught on the phone. He held up his index finger and disappeared into the nearest room.

  I felt the tiniest bit worried that he was talking to another girl. I never even thought to ask if he was seeing anyone, but then he didn’t ask me either.

  “Come in, come in,” said Mark’s mom who had just appeared in the foyer. The two ushered me into the living room and offered me coffee.

  “How did you know Mark was over?” asked his dad.

  “I didn’t,” I said. “I just guessed.”

  His mom handed me a cup of coffee. “He’s been so attentive over the years. I keep telling him that we’re fine!” She laughed from the belly and it warmed my heart. I sipped on my coffee and thanked Mrs. Brooks.

  “Sorry about that,” said Mark who rushed in out of breath. “Emily, can I speak with you?”

  I looked at his parents who nodded. I set my coffee down and followed Mark into the empty dining room. “Mark, I have something I want to say first.”

  He took my hands in his and nodded. “Anything.”

  My stomach was in knots and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. But I wanted this. As difficult as it was, I had to tell him how I felt. I couldn’t waste another opportunity and miss out on a few more years with the man I loved. “I love you. I want to move back home. I want to be with you. Nothing else would make me happier.”

  His jaw dropped and he ran a hand through his hair. He seemed nervous which made me nervous. My palms grew hot and sweaty. My knees weakened.

  “What about your career? What about L.A.?”

  “I don’t care,” I said, turning my back to him. I gazed through the dining room window at the falling snow. “You’re where I’m supposed to be.”

  I heard his footsteps. They were slow and deliberate. His arms found their way around me and his chin rested on my shoulder. “You’re going back to California. You’re going to move up in your field. You’re going to be a wild success, and I will love you so much more for it.”

  My heart dropped. “I knew it. You’re with someone, aren’t you?”

  He laughed and frustration bubbled up in me. I turned in his arms and scanned his face. What was he laughing at? What was so funny?

  “You didn’t let me finish,” he said. “You don’t need to come back here. I was just on the phone with my boss. The bank loves what I’ve done for them.”

  “I know. That’s why they’re giving you more to manage.”

  “Exactly,” he said. “So they were ten times happier when I told them I wanted to transfer to Los Angeles. They had a perfect position waiting for me.”

  I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t speak. I froze with shock.

  “But,” he said, stepping backward, “I won’t take it if it’s too soon. Or if you don’t want me to.”

  “What about your parents? I thought you didn’t want to leave them?”

  “I will have company paid trips back here every month. I’m going to be managing from a lot higher up. It’ll mean a ton of responsibility, but I was heading for this position anyway.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” I said, stepping into him. “I honestly can’t believe it.”

  He tipped my chin up to his and gave me a kiss. “Say yes.”

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close. “Yes,” I said with a smile so wide it hurt my cheeks. “A thousand times, yes.”

  He kissed me long and hard before taking my hand and pulling me into the living room with his parents. “Mom. Dad. I’m going to be transferring to L.A. to be with Emily.”

  Both of his parents gazed up at us with bright smiles. “Oh, Mark. That makes me so happy!” cried his mom who was already throwing her arms around him. She brought me in for a hug and kissed my cheek. “You know, I always hoped he’d pick a girl like you,” she reminded.

  “I know,” I said. I met Mark’s gaze. “He was waiting for the right time.”

  Epilogue

  My parents were equally excited to hear about Mark and me moving forward with our relationship. Mark was one of the higher ups in his company and in no time, I was helping with art direction on films and growing better at my skill.

  On our one year anniversary, Mark planned the perfect date at our favorite chic restaurant. We sat on the patio with private bushes hiding us from the busy lights of L.A. Lanterns hung from strings, giving Mark a glow that made him seem happier than usual.

  And then I realized he was.

  He lifted his champagne glass and said, “To us.”

  “To us,” I said, clinking mine against his. And that’s when I saw it. A silver band with a marquis diamond at the bottom of the bubbly, gold liquid. My breath caught as I pulled the glass in to inspect it.

  Mark dropped to one knee and took my hand in his. “Emily. You are the light of my life. I never stopped pining for you since the day you left. I never stopped loving you since the day I first met you. In the past I was scared and hurt. But you’ve mended those wounds. I want to be there every day for you to protect you from anything that threatens to wound you. I want to heal the scars I’ve given you and watch flowers bloom in their wake. Emily, would you do me the greatest honor in the entire world by marrying me?”

  A tear fell down my cheek and I nodded. “Yes, Mark. A thousand times yes.”

  I fell into his warm embrace and met his lips with mine. I couldn’t wait to become Emily Brooks. I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life with the one man I thought I could never have.

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