Midnight Mistletoe

Derek Sawyer

I’m lying down on the couch, my eyes focused on the ceiling, with a beer in my hand.

Tch!

Déjà vu.

The only difference this time is that I don’t feel as pathetic as I did when I learned Amanda had cheated on me. Now I feel ashamed of myself.

It’s been two days since I let Katherine slip through my fingers.

I take a sip of my beer, remembering what she told me.

“Oh, you’re confused. Well, let me make this easy for you. Don’t call me until you’re a real man who’s not afraid to go after what he wants. Get your shit together. And to think I was ready to tell you I love you. Screw you, Derek Sawyer!”

Seeing the fire in her eyes, I wanted to go after her and apologize, but I was too much of a coward to do so.

She was right.

I have to get my shit together before I call her.

The words Charlotte told me on Christmas day still haunted me.

“It’s so clear, my boy, that you and Katy love one another. I can’t wait to have a great-grandchild before I die. I’m not getting younger, you know.”

Charlotte was right. I do love Kate. I love her even more than I did Amanda.

And that scares the shit out of me.

I want so badly to call, freckles and apologize to her.

Besides, who says that she will answer? She was so pissed off when I ended things with her.

I don’t blame her. I can only blame myself.

Fuck!

Kate’s ex ended things with her two weeks before Christmas, and I did the same fucking thing on Christmas day.

Who does that?

Me apparently.

I’m a bigger jerk than that prick.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

I really fucked up this time.

Messing with my hair in frustration, I remember something else.

New Year’s Eve is on its way, and like every year, Nick’s throwing a party on that day.

I don’t think I will attend it this year.

I don’t want to witness or be kissed by anyone when the clock strikes midnight.

I only want to kiss one person.

Great! Now, I sound like a teenage girl.

Tch!

I will have to call Nick to inform him about my decision.

My phone starts to ring, bringing me back to the now.

Well, what do you know? Speaking of the devil. I say to myself while I see Nick’s phone number on my phone screen.

The last time we spoke, he questioned if I was crazy for letting Kate slip.

I swipe the white circle to the top of the screen and say. “Yeah, what can I do for you?”

“Hello, sunshine.” Nick teases me. “You’re lucky I’m your best friend, or I would have let you rot with your problem.”

Oh, fuck no.

What did he do?

“I invited Kate to my party.” He proudly declares.

I arch my brows. “And she said yes!”

Nick coughs. “Don’t get your hopes up just yet. She almost declined my invitation because of you, but I convinced her otherwise.”

Does he want a shot with her?

I clearly remember his words the other day.

“Her long dark brown hair and her light green eyes with those freckles on her face. My idea of the perfect woman. Mmmm! What would I do to have Kate’s legs wrapped around me as I’m deep inside her.”

Before the anger consumes my judgment, I take a deep breath, telling myself that he was only teasing me that day.

Nick would never go for Kate. Especially If he knows she’s mine.

“What did you tell her to convince her then?”

“That’s where it’s getting complicated for you, my friend. I promised her I would keep you away from her. You should have never done what you did.”

“At the time, I thought I had my fucking reason.” I snap before I can stop myself.

Nick snorts, not impressed with me. “You do know that our Kate isn’t Amanda, right?”

Will he stop calling her our Kate? She’s only mine.

I close my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Of course I know,” I answer his question.

“Good!” Nick says. “Then you also know that Kate isn’t the kind of woman to cheat.”

“I choked when I heard her tell me she loved me. I panicked.”

“Where is the problem? Kate is a phenomenal woman. Any man would be lucky to have her. If you don’t hurry and fix this, some other man will come along and swipe her away from you.”

The thought of another man with her makes my blood boil on the inside.

“I know.”I sigh desperately. “I realize the mistake I made.”

I rub my face. “What the fuck am I going to do?”

“I don’t know how on earth you’re going to fix this, but if you want to have her back, I don’t think an apology and some flowers will cut it. You will have to think outside the box.”

One thing I’m sure of is that it won’t be enough if I tell her I love her.

Hope rises within me as I remember again this specific phrase. Don’t call me until you’re a real man who’s not afraid to go after what he wants.

“Derek? Are you still with me?” Nick wonders.

“I’m still here. I was lost in thoughts.”

“Hurry up, man. The clock is ticking.” Those were his last words before he hung up.

Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!

Finding a way to persuade her to give me another chance won’t be an easy task.

Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!

Shit! What am I going to do?

Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!