“We’ll grab them later, when I take you both to get your cars.”Brand grabbed our hands and tugged us from bed.“Come on.”
“I’m in.”Danny tossed me a pair of boxers and a T-shirt, which I was more than happy to slip on while they dressed too.
The three of us moved into the living room, and I had to stop at the doorway again and drink in the magic beauty of it all.We worked our way through far more presents under the tree than I was used to.Brandon and Danny insisted it was because it was my birthday too, so that meant double presents.
There were baubles and bigger items—the Gibson for Danny that he’d been drooling over for months, and a new mixing board for Brandon, plus a stunning pair of purple leather Docs for me, from Brandon.
Danny handed me another box to open, and I tore off the paper, to find plain brown cardboard inside.Curious.
I opened it to a lot of bubble wrap and packing peanuts.
“I didn’t want anything to happen to it,” Danny said.
Brandon chuckled.“Sitting under the tree?”
Danny shrugged.“You never know.”
This was so, so perfect.The presents were nice, but the company… Amazing.Especially seeing the two of them together and smiling.
As I peeled off the layers of bubbles, I realized what it was.When I saw the whole thing, I couldn’t speak.It was a miniature Hard Rock Cafe, the perfect size to fit in our growing Christmas village, and the little sign saidFeaturing Reese Ellis and Plaid Peanut Butter, in the most delicate tiny script ever.
“I love it.”I gave Danny a long hug and kiss.I turned to Brandon.“And I love that there’s already a place for it.”
“Figure out where it goes,” Danny said.“I had Adam make it at the same time as the angel, months ago.I had no idea it would have such a perfect home.”He huffed a laugh.
“That explains why he didn’t have to think hard about the base design for the two he made me,” Brandon said.“And he never said a word.”
“This is all amazing.”The warmth inside me probably glowed through my skin.This all felt so good.I set Hard Rock at the end of the street.I was pretty sure zoning laws would require at least a little distance between the houses and the club, even if half the residents were probably made of gingerbread.
Danny kissed me on the forehead.“One more.Be right back.”He strode from the room, grabbed a small package from his coat pocket, and returned.“I didn’t want you to find it, so I had it tucked away.Which meant it made the trip with us.”He handed it to me.
I frowned.This box fit neatly in the palm of my hand.If he’d stuffed it with packing peanuts, that meantmaybethree of them.I opened it, and nearly dropped it when I saw what was nestled inside.“Oh.”The Christmas lights reflected off the gold charm attached to a leather cord.“Is this…”
“Yours.The same one.”Danny pulled it from the box and slipped it over my neck.
The pendant hung down far enough for me to hold it in my palm and examine it.Tears clogged my throat—more of those stupid happy ones—and I struggled for something to say.
It was half of aFriends Forevercharm.We’d gotten them when we were teenagers, and I’d worn mine for years.So did he.It was why it was on the leather cord—I was terrified something like a gold chain would break.When I broke up with Danny, years ago, I’d given him my half back.“I can’t believe you still have it.”
“I have mine too.It’s upstairs.”
I threw my arms around him, and squeezed tight, as much to cling to him as to try to hold myself together.
“I love you, Reese,” he murmured against my ear.
“I love you too.”
Yup.Best Christmas ever.
We were half-assed cleaning up the boxes and paper when someone knocked.
“Perfect timing.”Brandon didn’t look at all surprised.
“You mean there’s more?”I said.“Oh my head.”
Danny laughed.“Goof.He said Adam was coming over.”
Oh, right.Perfect.Apparently my grin could get broader.