Briar isn’t a common name but maybe it’s for someone else.
“Shit!” I scream as the snowman in front of me bursts open and a frosty, red-cheeked Jordan pops into existence.
“Surprise!” she shouts, though it isn’t needed. She’s smiling, and breathing hard, and her arms are wrapped around me in seconds.
“How long were you in there?!”
She’s cold to the touch. I unzip my jacket and wrap it around her, briefly forgetting the ultimatum she refused this morning.
“I was just behind it, but damn it, going through snow like that is cold.”
“Jordan, what’s going on?” I don’t want to get my hopes too high.
“Don’t do that,” she whispers. “Don’t call me that.”
“That all depends on what’s going on here?” I look over her head to the bright apology written for me.
“I’m sorry, Briar. I was a total idiot. I’m supposed to be the older wiser one, but I was caught up in my fear. I didn’t want you to lose your friendship with Kaidan or me lose a part of my family because of us. But it turns out it was all in my head.”
The snowball around my heart from this morning cracks. “So we can do this? And not secretly,” I add.
“I already told them.” She wants to say more but hesitates.
“Holy shit. How did they take it?”
“Kaidan looked like he was going to be sick, but he wasn’t mad.”
I blow hot breath on her cold hands. “I can handle an immature Kaidan,” I chuckle.
“I told them we were dating… But I told Mom… I told her that I love you,” she exhales slowly, lips trembling.
“You love me?” My heart is an oasis in winter. A warm pulse of life rushes through me at the news. This is no mirage. This is a Christmas miracle.
“I love you,” she whispers.
“Jojo,” I whisper and kiss her. “Jojo, I love you too.”
She giggles and tears fall past her lashes. “I was so worried.”
“Never worry. Except we need to go.”
“We do?” She looks around, worried. “Why?”
“I need to get a Christmas tree and everything to go on it.”
“You do? Now?” She laughs.
I kiss her again. “Of course, you’re spending Christmas with me, and I need a proper tree.”
“There’s one at my parents.”
“I can’t fuck you under your parents’ tree Christmas morning.”
Her blue eyes go wide and her cheeks burn red, a striking combination, but her cold is fought off with a new source of heat.
“It’ll be our new tradition,” I add, winking. “I have quite a few years to make up for it too, so we best start now.”
“Few years?” she squeaks.