A Break in Communications

Epilogue

Anna

Granny Charlotte never got any nicer, no matter how many times I plied the old lady with chili.

She scowled at me as I stepped into the house, looking up from her book with a harrumph. “Oh, the no-good wife…”

“Uh-huh. Nice to see you too. You know Lucy and I aren’t married yet.”

She waved me off again, going back to her book. “Dammit, I know. That’s what makes you no good. What the hell’s taking you so long? It’s been ten years.”

“It has been one. We’ll be lucky if you’re still kicking in ten.”

“ I’ll be lucky. Bad luck you if I am.” She set the book down, wheeling her chair out of the corner and towards me. “All the damn snow outside… I hate winter.”

I smiled warmly, stepping back to open the door wider to the soft glow of sunrise on the snow and offer help with the ramp—I knew she’d wave me off with a dismissive snort, but I knew she’d chew me out if I didn’t offer to help. Sometimes I wondered why my girlfriend, my whole family, and honestly myself, all liked this woman. “Well, if you can survive the bitter cold and miserable state of existing in this world for a bit longer, you can come see my mom, and maybe her cinnamon rolls can make things a little better.”

“Ah, at least there’s one good thing about winter, if that woman is making cinnamon rolls again.” She gave me a dismissive snort when I offered to help her down the ramp at the front, waving me off, and I stayed close enough following her down the ramp to catch her if she slipped on the ice and the brakes didn’t hold. The woman could take care of herself, but I could be forgiven for being paranoid—didn’t really want the woman landing in the hospital again.

Mostly because neither Lucy nor I wanted the experience of having to pry her away from the hospital wanting the hot young nurse to read to her.

But all of my thoughts about Granny Charlotte disappeared like snow on a hot engine when I saw the passenger door open on the car and Lucy stepped out, frustratingly flawless in her long coat, blonde curls lightly pinned back and soft, black-on-gold outfit making her look chic and understatedly sexy, and—was it really too much to hope for, just once, being able to outdress her? Every time I tried, she’d step out of the bathroom after me looking like that , and I’d fume a little. Even here, half an hour later, once we’d headed out to pick up her grandmother and get to the function, I was still absolutely livid with rage.

Of course, I got to kiss her, so that took the sting out of defeat. And I’d get her next time. Naturally.

“Masters,” I said, stepping up and pressing a quick kiss to her cheek, warm against the early-morning December cold that prickled in my nostrils. “Your grandmother says hello and that she’s happy to see us and grateful for the help getting there.”

Lucy beamed, catching me with a hand on my hip. “Ah. Turned a new leaf today, have we, Grandma?”

Charlotte muttered something. Lucy nodded, turning back to me with a sweet smile.

“So, did she insult you? Because I’m adding one day to the tally until I next make her caramel brownies each time she insults you.”

“She called me a no-good wife, but I have failed to marry you yet, so I suppose it does make me no good at being a wife. Does that count?”

Lucy laughed. “Darling, anything other than singing your undying praise in all things counts as an insult in my eyes. That’s… what, seventy-five days now, Grandma?”

“You can’t hold me hostage anymore,” Charlotte said. “I’m getting cinnamon rolls today. I don’t need your caramel brownies.”

“And if we start telling Maria how you’re insulting her daughter?”

Charlotte hunched her shoulders. “Er… ahem. Well. I must not have spoken loudly enough for you to hear, Anna, but you look beautiful today.”

“Doesn’t she, though?” Lucy said, holding the door open for me. I laughed, giving her a little shove on the shoulder.

“Don’t think about it, passenger princess,” I said. “You get in.”

“You drove us here! I’m not budging.”

I kissed her—pressed my lips to hers, falling against hers, my hands on her hips, and she softened with a happy little murmur, enough that she put her guard down by enough that when I pushed, she fumbled off balance, and she fell into the car, landing in the seat and pulling back from the kiss to give me a scandalized look. “Anna Preston,” she said. “Are you serious right now?”

“Mm. You can try to one-up me next time, sweetheart. Now be comfortable. You look cute in my passenger seat.” I kissed her again before I shut the door, turning to Charlotte and opening the back door for her chair. She scoffed.

“Ugh, you two make me sick.”

“I’ll tell Lucy you said that.”

She looked away. “Sick… with… delight. What a charming young couple.”

“Mm-hm. I figured you meant that.” I helped her up into the back, affixing her chair into the car, before I got into the driver’s seat and took off, giving the aux cord to Lucy to play her music. Of course, she went playing the soft, relaxing Christmas jazz that she and Charlotte listened to every year since Lucy was a kid, and that she’d won me over on with very, very little effort. Turned out I was a sucker for anything Lucy Masters. The music felt like cozy evenings with the woman who had permanent residence in my heart, and I’d even gotten suckered in enough that I listened to it when it was just me too.

Not that I’d admit that to Lucy.

We chattered and laughed, arguing back and forth with Charlotte the whole time, until we pulled up to the oversized house where we could already hear the music blaring from inside, and Charlotte muttered some choice words about turning that damn noise down that was probably only going to earn her some good-natured laughs once we got inside. I parked the car, and Lucy and I both unbuckled at the same instant, reaching over and catching each other by the thigh at the same time.

“Don’t you dare—” I started at the same time she said,

“You stay right there—”

“I’m getting the door for you,” I said.

“You are absolutely not,” she said.

“I’m—”

She kissed me, sweeping across the center console and capturing me in a soft, sweet kiss, lips warm against mine, and I let myself have it for a second—caught off-guard enough by the suddenness of it that I stopped there, murmuring against her lips as she slipped a hand up my arm, fingertips trailing lightly, and—she grabbed my seatbelt and buckled me in again.

“Hey—” I fumbled with it, and she broke out laughing, throwing her door open and stepping out. “Lucy Masters!” I called, unbuckling my seatbelt and shutting off the car, going for the door, but it had bought enough time that she got to the door before me, pulling it open and offering a hand.

“Oh—let me get that for you, darling,” she said, beaming, and I swatted her hand, laughing.

“I can’t believe you right now,” I said, but I let her take my hand and help me up out of the car. Guess we were one for one on the car today.

“Can’t you, though?” She tugged me into her, pressing a kiss to my lips, and she parted with a sparkle in her eyes, a hand on my waist. “Besides, it’s only right. Your grandmother is spying on us again, much less subtly than she thinks.”

“Ah. I should have known.” I softened into her—not like I really had to act to put on a show this time. Not that I had last year, either. I’d been in love with Lucy well before that… and apparently the last one to know.

But I still put on a show, sinking against her front, slipping a hand to her cheek, batting my eyelashes at her, and I’d only just gotten started on whispering sweet nothings that I knew would get that cute embarrassed smile out of her again when Charlotte interrupted.

“Oh, will you two quit it with the whole sappy show and get me out of the damn car?” she called, and I pouted. Lucy laughed.

“We’ll put on a show inside, instead,” she said, kissing me quickly before she turned to help Charlotte from the car.

That sounded better anyway. More people getting to see how I’d managed to get the world’s best girlfriend—I liked to show off, I’d been realizing.

It was pretty easy to, honestly. The new promotion wasn’t quite as much of a pay raise as it would have been if the role were just for one person, but it was a damn good position. I’d had my eyes on that seat for so long, and I was a little bit… confused, at first, once I’d gotten into the role and realized I didn’t want to go anywhere else. The only way to go up, really, was to aim for the chief executorship roles, and nothing could have interested me less. I’d had a little crisis of confidence there, wondering who I was without climbing the ladder, but it had been pretty clear after a minute in the job together with Lucy.

I was a person waiting to see what the next opportunity I wanted to take was, and for the time being, happy to keep doing the best job I could, together with Lucy. We kept Gould’s account after all, and he even bulked up the size of his account with us and gave us some solid referrals that led to a collection of other strong accounts signing up with us, and our department was busy through it all, so the two of us leading it had been the right call, even leaving aside the details of how we got there by gaslighting poor Sean.

But Sean was happily retired now, all of that behind him, off to go take pictures of trees. And now I got to show off a dream job and a dream partner.

I clasped Lucy’s hand in mine as we headed up to the front door, and Charlotte refused our offers for help and went up the ramp my father had installed specifically so she could get in and insult people. Snow drifted slowly around us, thicker at the door where it blew off the roof in little clouds, and I knocked, the sound muffled under the thick wool of my glove.

The door cracked open, and I was halfway through scraping snow off my boots when I stopped with an uh—buh of eloquently stated confusion when it was Matthew Gould in the doorway, wearing an ugly Christmas sweater.

“Oh, well—if it isn’t my favorite communications couple,” he said, beaming.

“Gould… uh… hi there,” I said. “This is—surprising.”

Lucy laughed. “This was a good opportunity to take off work, wasn’t it?”

He furrowed his brow. “This is important to me,” he said. “Christmas with some of my favorite people. Cinnamon rolls and Miss Charlotte…” He paused. “There was a meeting with the advisors today that I wasn’t interested in.”

Incredible how some people could keep a high-powered career while doing everything in their power to not work that career. “Well… always good to see you for the holidays, Gould,” I said.

“Not to me, it’s not,” Charlotte said. “Are you ever going to move out of the way and let an old woman inside?”

He smiled warmly at her. “Miss Charlotte, it’s wonderful to see you again. How have things been?”

“Awful. It’s cold and snowy.”

We got inside, into where Mom greeted me with a big hug and then an even bigger, longer hug for Lucy, throwing herself at us the instant we’d gotten into the family room. “Oh, god, you both, it’s been ages since I last got to see you,” she gushed. “I’d worried you were dead.”

“Holidays are a busy time of year…” I said. “Everyone’s coordinating something for the holidays. I’m just looking forward to the week after Christmas when everyone loses all their ambition and the world quiets down.”

Mom put her hands on her hips, giving me a stern look. “Don’t you lie. When was the last time you looked forward to finishing work? Not now that your darling wife is in the same office as you all the time… you must basically live there now.”

“You know Lucy and I aren’t married.”

“And I’m very upset it’s taking you so long. Now, Lucy, talk to me about trees. Are we going to your friend’s tree farm again?”

“Oh.” Lucy snuck a sidelong look at me, and I flushed, instantly knowing exactly what she was thinking. “We definitely should,” she said, beaming at Mom again. “We have to get Anna her tree, too. We had a really good time picking out her tree last year.”

I swallowed, my face buzzing with awareness, as I looked at anything other than the two of them. “Ah… we—we did. Yeah. We’ll definitely need to go… do that.”

“Tomorrow, then,” Mom said, clasping her hands together, beaming. “It’s a new tradition. Oh, you both, I’m just… I’m just so happy for you,” she gushed, giving me another hug and then another one for Lucy before she turned and practically floated away, and I nudged Lucy’s side.

“Did you… have to say it like that?” I mumbled, leaning close to her, and she slipped a hand to my lower back, whispering back to me.

“And remind you of how much fun we had? Absolutely. I just want you to know what I have in mind for you tomorrow, darling.”

“Ah—um.” I swallowed, shoving my hands in my pockets, looking up at the ceiling. “We’re going to get in trouble with old man Gunner before long.”

“I know the old man. Trust me. I know how to make it work. And I will make it work, if it means I can get my hands on you… darling.” She paused. “Or at least one hand. Have to be pretty subtle.”

“Lucy,” I hissed, my face burning. Still, it wasn’t like I didn’t like it—as much as I wished I could say I didn’t, my body arched into her, hot with want remembering last time, when we…

It all fell apart violently with the worst thing that could have happened, which was Veronica’s voice behind us saying, “Damn, you really fucked at the tree farm? That wasn’t cold?”

“Veronica—” I whirled around, shooting her the most withering look I’d ever summoned for anyone, and that was saying a lot. “Jesus Christ, stay out of our private conversations.”

Veronica, dressed down for once in her life in a T-shirt tucked into some red chinos, hair frazzled and no makeup on, raised her eyebrows. “I thought the whole point of an exhibitionism kink was that you wanted your private things not private.”

“If you say one more word about kinks to me then I’ll bury you in the snow.” I paused. “Did you roll down a hill to get here? You’re all rumpled and you’ve got snow in your hair.”

“Oh… I just got here.” She picked at her hair. “Woke up late today and had to rush to make it.”

Lucy sighed. “You spent last night at someone else’s house and went back to your own at two in the morning, is that what you’re getting at?”

Veronica scowled. “That’s not it. I mean…” She stopped, chewing her lip, and she looked away. “Yeah, that’s what it is. I was at an orgy and forgot about the Christmas party today.”

I paused. “Veronica, what actually happened? You’re not sick, are you? Because if you are then I’m going to need you far away from me.”

“Yeah, I’m sick. Picked something up at the orgy.”

Quite a fast incubation time. Veronica Preston, hiding something? I thought I’d never see the day. I furrowed my brow. “Since when were you cagey?”

“I’m not cagey. I just told you. I was at an orgy and I got sick.”

I stopped. “Oh, god, you pulled a Kelcey again, didn’t you?” I said. “Who was it this time?”

“Oh my god, it was just an orgy! People go to orgies all the time!”

She really needed to stop shouting about orgies at a family function, let alone one that one of my most major clients was at. “Veronica—”

“Let’s leave the woman to her secrets,” Lucy said, looping an arm under mine, and she tugged me away despite my resistance.

“Hey—how is that fair? God knows I don’t get to keep any secrets—”

But she tugged me away anyway, off to the windows at the side, where she pulled me in close by the tall window frame overlooking the snow drifting over the backyard, and she lowered her voice and said, “I’m pretty sure she did pull a Kelcey again.”

I frowned. “What—you know about it? With who?”

“Kelcey again.”

I whirled on her. “What? Are you—is Kelcey out of her damn mind? I mean, I know she is, but what the hell is she going back for? Veronica already broke her heart three times.”

Lucy grimaced. “Apparently, that’s the problem. Kelcey told me about it—that Veronica tried to come onto her again and Kelcey said no this time, stood her ground. That was just the other day.”

I stared at her, blankly, for a good few seconds, before I found myself smiling incredulously. “You’re kidding.”

She shrugged, looking out the window. “Kelce was pretty shaken up. Could tell she’d really wanted to go for it and regretted shooting her down.”

“Oh my god. So the reason Veronica’s a mess is because someone broke her heart?” I laughed. “I really never did give Kelcey enough credit.”

“Seems like it. I kind of figured Veronica would have just moved on and found someone else, but…” She shrugged, helpless to fight back a smile. “Apparently she’s taken it a little to heart. Guess you can only play with a girl’s heart so many times over a year before you catch feelings and drive her away at the same time.”

“I’m going to ask Veronica about Kelcey every time I see her for the next six months. That’d be about one percent what she’s done to everyone else in her life.”

“Oh—” Mom’s voice interrupted, pushing into the conversation, coming around the couch towards us. “Did you say Veronica and Kelcey?” she said, lighting up. “Is there something going on between them again? I’ve missed Kelcey being a part of the family. She’s so wonderful.”

Lucy exchanged a look with me, and I couldn’t fight a smile as I said, “Yeah, maybe. I think Veronica really misses Kelcey… I’ve been trying to persuade her to go get back together with her. Don’t you think they’re a great couple?”

Mom beamed so wide her face might have split down the middle. “Oh, they are just so… they both just glow when they’re together.”

“Veronica’s shy, though,” I said, shrugging. “You’ll have to ask her directly, maybe help me convince her to go for it.”

Mom nodded quickly. “Oh, god, I think you’re right. Anna deserves her happy ever after.”

“I’m Anna.”

“Veronica deserves her happy ever after. And they’d make such a wonderful family. I’ll go talk to Anna. Get along to the dining room, though, both of you, we’re having my world-famous cinnamon rolls.”

“I’m Anna…” I said again as she left, and Lucy laughed, shaking her head at me.

“You’re kind of evil with Vern, you know,” she said, that lightness in her voice saying she didn’t really mind me being evil. This woman was the ultimate enabler. Maybe that was why I loved her so much.

“Veronica deserves it. Well… shall we get some world-famous cinnamon rolls, darling?”

I slipped my hand into hers, and she bit her lip, absolutely glowing. I still couldn’t really work out how Lucy Masters worked… the coolest, most put-together person I’d ever known, effortlessly skilled at everything, flawless charisma and confidence, and I’d call her darling once and she’d be off melting and squealing like I was a dream celebrity encounter.

But I loved it. I guess I had a big ego, wanted someone to treat me like a goddess. And I had the same reaction every time she turned to me in bed late at night and just looked at me like I was the most precious thing she’d ever known, and I would get blushy and giggly as if we’d only just gotten together in a fit of teenage passion.

So, hey. I guess we were both just as bad.

“I’d hate to keep you from the reason you’re so attached to this family,” I said. “Cinnamon rolls it is.”

“Hm. Yes. Cinnamon rolls. That’s what I’m here for. Because I’ve been very subtle about how I feel about you.”

Subtle enough I’d missed it for a year and a half, even though nothing about it was subtle. But… whatever. We were here now. And I wasn’t planning on ever letting her go.

We had cinnamon rolls, laughing and talking together with the whole extended family—the fifty million chaotic, noisy ones I’d brought into the relationship and the single crabby old woman Lucy had brought in, although it was Lucy and Charlotte who stole the show, everyone tripping over themselves just as much as they had last year to talk to Lucy. This year, though, I hung onto her arm so proud it bordered on smug, knowing the woman charming enough to get everyone I knew wrapped around her finger was actually my girlfriend, and—well, I hoped, one day, maybe my wife, too. I couldn’t imagine what anything else would look like.

Breakfast and pastries, and then we retreated to the living room with hot drinks and idle conversation by the fireplace before the kids showed up, all of them rushing to Lucy in giddy excitement, referring to her as Aunt Lucy or Cousin Lucy like she already was my wife, and I didn’t want to correct any of them. Just watched, my heart full to bursting, as she charmed them all effortlessly, and went with us to go play in the snow, where I kept staring at her from afar, sitting on the swing bench at the edge of the yard watching Lucy play snow monster. I still thought she was too pretty to be a monster, though.

I didn’t notice Veronica sliding in next to me until the swing moved, and she snorted at the way I looked then. “Really fixated on your girlfriend, huh?”

“Hm.” I turned back to look over the lot at Lucy again. “Maybe if you weren’t so keen on leaving a trail of broken hearts, you could be just as fixated on your girlfriend. Or do you only really fall for someone when they say no?”

She glowered at me. “What are you smoking, anyway?”

“You seem pretty healthy for being sick and straight out of an orgy.”

“Oh. Right.” She faked a cough. “Yeah, it’s, uh…”

“Ready to admit yet that I was right?”

She hunched her shoulders, glowering over the yard at nothing. “Ugh—leave me alone.” She paused. “Did Kelce tell you?”

“Told Lucy, so, of course, I heard too.”

“Cute couple life.” She scowled. “It’s nothing like that, you know. I just wanted to bang her and she said no. My pride suffered a little, that’s all.”

“Who are you trying to convince right now?”

“I’m not in love with Kelcey.”

“ I didn’t jump straight to in love. That was all you.”

“Shut up. You’re annoying.”

I laughed, leaning back in the seat. “You know, she never really did get over you. I bet you could make it work if you were just willing to be upfront with your feelings.”

She looked away. “Moratorium on talking about Kelcey.”

“Hm. Sure, since I’m impressed you know the word moratorium, I’ll give you that. Just saying… you told me to sort out my thing with Lucy, and I did. Now it’s your turn.”

“Ugh, I always hated taking turns.” She looked sidelong at me with a silly little smile. “You know, this is gross to talk about with you, but I’m happy for you. You and Lucy are good for each other.”

“No kidding, it is weird to talk about. But thanks,” I laughed, looking back out at Lucy, now on the ground piled with kids playing and laughing. “I, uh… lucked out. Despite all my self-sabotage.”

“Guess we’re both alike in that.”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “Moratorium over?”

“What? No. I mean—” She hunched her shoulders. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

She was even waking up to the fact that she was self-sabotaging. Kelcey really did do a number on this girl. I laughed. “Whatever you need to tell yourself, Veronica.”

“Moratorium is in effect.”

Sure, she could have it. Wasn’t my highest concern. I had Lucy Masters, and that was a lot more important, especially after we finished out in the snow together and got back inside and I got to stick by her side the whole day long, looking at her just as obsessed as she looked at me, that kind of annoying couple. Not that I regretted any of it.

And once the day was finally finished, and we got up to the bedroom, I flushed once I remembered the last time I’d used this bedroom—how it had led to Lucy’s and my first time—and it clearly was the first thing on Lucy’s mind as well, based on the glint in her eyes and the commanding presence as she pushed me down onto the bed and kissed me.

“It’s been a hell of a week,” she murmured. “I’ve barely gotten any time with you outside of the office…”

“Mm…” I shivered. “If you’re getting at what I think you’re getting at… you know Veronica’s right next to this room.”

“Then you’d better be good for me and stay quiet,” she whispered. “Or… I guess you don’t have to. Not going to bother her.”

“Ew. Okay, let’s leave Veronica out of our thoughts.”

She laughed, pressing a kiss to my neck. “No room for anyone but you in my thoughts, Anna, darling.”

God, I was in so in love with her it was almost embarrassing. Guess that was how love always was—corny and uncool and embarrassing and perfect.

I gave myself over to her, staying quiet like she told me to, and I let her take me, going slow and gentle for the longest time, teasing and playing, making love sweetly into the night, until it picked up in a fiery storm and culminated with her and me sweaty, together, breathing hard, flushed and hot as I pulled her into me for a tight embrace and a long, lingering kiss.

“Merry Christmas to me,” I laughed a little breathlessly.

“Merry Christmas to me. I just got to do that with Anna Preston. ”

“Yeah, yeah… you say that like it’s a name everyone in the world knows.”

“They should. You’re the best thing this world has ever produced and ever will produce. Only makes sense for that world to know about you.”

I laughed. “You’re so cute when you go waxing poetic like that.”

She smiled sweetly at me, propping herself up on top of me, curls falling over us both, and she said, “I love you, Anna.”

“C’mon—don’t do that while you’re looking right into my eyes like that, you’ll make me blush,” I laughed, reverting to an awkward teenager for a second, twirling loose hair around my finger. I’d been cool once. No more. I liked this better. “I love you too… Lucy.”

“Mm. Christmas miracle.”

I laughed. “You think we should clean up from our… Christmas miracle?”

“In… one minute. I just want a second with you.”

Ah, what the hell. She could have all the seconds with me she wanted—every single moment from now to the end of time, if that was what she asked for, curled up in each other’s arms as the snow drifted against the window.

I mean, she was Lucy Masters.

∞∞∞

The End