Crash and Burn

t h i r t y s i x: Mistletoe

        The scent of gingerbread cookies and pine fills my living room as the soft tune of Jingle Bells plays in the background. Today is the day I've been waiting for all year: Christmas Eve. Some may say that Christmas Day is better than the previous night, however, my unpopular opinion is centered around one tradition that I cannot wait to share with someone special today. Usually, families have their Christmas trees up weeks before Christmas, but my family could never do that. My father was inconveniently cursed with an allergy to pine, but he didn't let that stop him from having a Christmas tree for at least two days out of the year. Every Christmas Eve my family would go pick out the best tree out of what was remaining in the farm and spend all day decorating it while shoving way too many Christmas cookies into our mouths. 

Today, this tradition is going to be shared with Roman and Brody, and for that reason, this is the most excited I've been for Christmas in years. Any minute Roman will be showing up in his truck and taking us to the farm, as his car is more suitable for hauling a tree on top of it than my mom's little Subaru. 

Decorating a Christmas tree is something neither Brody or Roman have had the pleasure to do, so I've put in some behind the scenes work to make the house the most Christmassy it's ever been. I lit all the Bath and Body Works Christmas candles I could find in the house to make the house smell like Christmas, I've gathered all the ornaments and lined them up on the living room floor, I've strung the lights outside, and I even went ahead and made some cookies to have when we return from picking out our tree. The only thing I've restrained from doing is hanging the mistletoe in the doorway...

After all my hard work, I look into my full-length mirror after my much-needed shower.  I'm wearing my favorite Christmas outfit: my red chunky sweater, leggings, and my black heeled booties. Usually, heels aren't my forte, but Christmas is the one day that I decide I can let loose a little. Suddenly I hear the familiar sound of Roman's truck rolling up into my driveway and I can't contain the huge grin that spreads its way onto my face. This is the first time I'm going to be seeing him since the day we confessed our feelings for each other. It was only two days ago, but somehow I've found myself missing his touch for every second of it. 

I bound down the stairs before Roman even has a chance to ring the doorbell, flinging the door open and catching him very off-guard. He gives me that breathtaking smile of his and before he can utter a single word my arms are around his neck. He responds fast, snaking his arms around my waist whilst chuckling at my obvious excitement. 

"Someone's excited, huh?" he laughs into my neck, sending a shiver up and down my body twice. 

"Of course I am!!" I retort, still not releasing him from my embrace. 

"Ummm, are we going or not?" Casey's voice cuts in, but I can hear the smile on his face from his tone. I untangle from Roman, whipping my head around to lock eyes with a very amused Casey. Just by looking at him I know he can tell something has shifted between Roman and I. I give him a look as if to say "later" and he gets the message by the way his head cocks to the side. 

"Yes, of course!" I rush out. I must look manic the way I'm breathless and probably beet red in the face. "Mom!" I call, hopefully, to take the attention off of myself. 

"Coming, let me just grab my purse!" she calls from the kitchen. I roll my eyes at how she's always the last ready, then turn back to Roman. 

"Where's Brody?" 

"He's waiting in the car. He says it's too cold to get out when he doesn't have to," Roman chuckles, his eyes dancing with happiness. 

"Well, we better not keep him waiting, let's go!" I grab Roman's hand and drag him out to the car, leaving Casey and my mom to trail after us.