Midnight Mistletoe

Katherine Bennett

Derek smirks.

Why do I get the feeling I won’t like what will come out of his mouth?

“Me?” He says smugly. “Well, I’m the man whose name is branded on Kate’s beautiful tight ass.”

My jaw drops.

WHAT?

Is he for real?

Did he just…

Did he just…

The room fell into stunned silence as the shocking revelation hung in the air.

Seamus is staring at Derek, unmoving and unblinking, trying to digest what he has just been told.

“Care to explain yourself?” My ex questions me after he snaps out of what Derek said.

I breathe deeply. “What do you want me to say? That what Derek said isn’t the truth. Well, I can’t. It was a stupid drunken night, and when I woke up the following day, I realized too late what I’d done.”

I can’t be mad at Derek for having told the truth about my tattoo.

I would have told Seamus about the tattoo if he hadn’t broken up with me.

Seamus glares at me. “Was this before or after I broke things up with you?” His words turn into a groan by the end.

Shrugging my shoulders, I ask. “What difference will it make?”

“I’d watch that finger of yours if you know what’s best for you,” Derek warns Seamus. “I’d hate to break it in half for you.”

While I’m feeling grateful that Derek came to my rescue, I can sense that Seamus is fuming on the inside.

I clear my throat. “I don’t appreciate you barging at my parent’s house on Christmas Eve. It would be best if you leave.” I stare at Seamus to show him I don’t appreciate his tantrum. “You broke things up with me, remember? I don’t need to give you more explanation than you already have.”

Seamus snorts. “You’re right. I don’t know why I even bother showing myself here.” He looks at Derek and then at me. “When he’s going to dump your ass, don’t come crawling to my feet. We are so over.”

After Seamus finally left. I pinch the bridge of my nose, thinking, how the hell do I find myself in that kind of situation today of all days?

This is Christmas Eve, for Pete’s sake.

“If Amanda dares to show herself here and ask to forgive her and take her back, so help me, God, I won’t be responsible for my actions.

I slap my mouth with the palm of my hand, realizing what I said.

Me and my big mouth.

Why did I even say that?

Can someone raise his hand and slap me?

Derek doesn’t say anything, and I don’t know how to take his silence.

I look at the floor as I can’t face Derek. “I’m so sorry.” My lips tremble, uttering those words. “I don’t know why I even say that.”

At this precise moment, everyone decided to join us in the living room.

Fucking fantastic!

“What do you say we open the presents under the tree before we older people go to the Midnight Mass?” Nana suggests, trying to lighten the mood.

Finding the courage, I look at Derek with worry. I don’t want my ex’s presence and what I said about Amanda to affect Derek’s mood.

“I’m okay, Freckles.” He brushes his lips on my forehead to show me he means it.

“I can’t believe that that man dared to come here and disturb our day. Why exactly did he came here for?” My mother taps her foot on the floor as her eyes drift over me.

Wait, is she placing the blame on me?

“Are you implying that it is my fault that my ex chose to appear here and propose we get back together?” I ask without hesitation.

Derek rests his hands on my shoulders to ease my emotions.

My mother gasps at my words. “Of course, I don’t blame you, darling. What gave you that impression?”

I chew the inside of my lips as I carefully choose my next words. “I don’t know, mom. It’s like sometimes you assume the worst in me.”

“Oh, darling.” She wraps her arms around me. “I knew I was hard on you, but I never in a million years wanted to make you feel this way.”

I return her hug to show her I’m not mad at her.

My mother cups my face, motherly. “What do you say we put this to the side for now and listen to your grandmother and open the presence.”

I smile, nodding my head.

While we sit on the couches, my father stays still in the middle, wearing a Santa’s hat.

Derek rests his arm on the back of the couch as I lean my body to his.

The first thing my father picks is an envelope that rests on a branch of a tree. “For Jenna from Ryan.” He gives the envelope to Derek’s mother.

As Jenna reads what’s inside, she jumps out of her seat to circle her arms around her husband’s neck. “You got us tickets to go to Scotland?”

“You always said you wanted to visit it.” Ryan smiles at his wife before he kisses the back of her hand.

My father coughs. “Up to the next one. Mmmm, let’s see. The next one is for Amy, Jenna and Charlotte from Kate.”

“Okay, you guys. You have to open your presence at the same time.” I inform them.

“You got us a day at the spa?” My gift touches my mother.

“Mm-hmm, and all we have to do is pick a day so the four of us go together.”

“That’s so thoughtful, Katy. Thank you.” Nana says to me.

For my father, I gave him a sweater. Derek gave his mother a family portrait, and he got his father a watch with stainless steel top brand luxury sports. The funny thing is that his father had the same idea to give to his son.

“Only two gifts remain to give.” My dad picks a little box wrapped in red paper. “This one is for Kate from Derek.”

Derek smirks as he sees the surprise written on my face. I open the box, and what I see inside touches me. It’s a personalized silver necklace with my name written in beautiful letters.

He bought me a gift even before we slept together.

I grab my hair and toss it aside while Derek attaches the necklace around my neck.

“Thank you. I love it.” I whisper to him.

He doesn’t say anything and leaves a kiss on the side of my neck.

“The last one is for Derek from Katherine.”

I gave him a New York Times custom American football book. It retraces his favourite NFL team’s big wins and newsworthy events.

“Thank you, freckles. I love it.”

It’s you, I love.

I freeze on the spot, realizing my true feelings for Derek.