She takes it hesitantly. “Teddy. You didn’t need to get me anything.”
“I know. And I didn’t. At least not how you think. It was my mother’s.”
Her brown eyes grow larger, and she tries to hand it back. “Teddy. I can’t—”
I push it back toward her. “You can. Open it.”
Holly flips open the jewelry box and peers inside. Her head tilts to the side as she smiles and then brings a finger to run over the green holly leaves.
“I told you, she liked the holidays too. She had a bunch of holiday jewelry. I kept thinking about this necklace while we were at the cabin. I couldn’t remember for sure if it was holly leaves or if I’d just convinced myself that because I wanted to make some cosmic connection between you two. I asked my dad to look around and see if he could find it.”
After I told him about Holly, he was happy to track it down and send it. We don’t have the same type of relationship as the Walters family, but we’re working on it. I told my dad and brother I was coming home for Christmas next year, no matter what. It’ll never be the same without Mom, but it doesn’t mean the three of us can’t be together and find our own way to keep celebrating.
“It’s beautiful, Teddy. Will you help me put it on?” She takes it from the box and holds it around her neck for me to clasp. Once it’s on, she touches the necklace and smiles. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. She would have loved you.” I swallow around the lump in my throat. “Because I love you, Holly. I know we’ve only been dating a short while, but I’ve been falling for you a little at a time for as long as I’ve known you.”
Her lips part, but she doesn’t speak.
“I’m sorry. Shit, did I freak you out?”
Her head slowly shakes side to side. “No. I love you too.”
People begin to countdown. “Ten. Nine. Eight.”
I don’t wait for one, I kiss her. We’re still making up for lost time, after all, and I don’t want to waste a single second.