A Not So Silent Night

15. Olivia

CHAPTER 15

Olivia

The idea of heading home for Christmas and finally seeing my mom is amazing. Yet, as I’m showering and readying to leave, I realize what that means…

I have to leave .

And that means leaving behind the two most amazing men I have ever met. I push obscure thoughts of what it would be like to build a life with the two of them from my mind. This isn’t realistic.

You don’t get what you wanted—the family, the career, the life—with two different men.

They are both sitting at the island, sipping coffee and having a conversation among themselves as though this is just another normal day.

“You ready?” Kris smiles at me as he stands.

“Yeah.” I drag my suitcase to the door .

“I’ll take your bag outside so you can say goodbye to Nick.” He throws on his coat and heads outside.

Standing from his stool, Nick stalks toward me and pulls me into him. He kisses me hard, with the same breathless intensity as the first time he kissed me. Pulling back, he slides his thumb over my lip, smiles, and says, “I’m going to miss my naughty little slut. Drive safe, Jersey.”

He places one soft kiss against my forehead before leaving me alone in the kitchen, promptly disappearing down the hallway toward his room.

Pulling my coat from the hook by the door, I pull it on while taking in the cabin one last time. The things that happened here, the memories I made, are some of the most amazing of my life.

I’m going to miss everything about this place .

Stepping out onto the porch, Kris is waiting at my already running car. He’s leaning against it, arms crossed and staring at the ground. When I pull the front door shut, he looks up at me. Forcing a smile, I walk toward him.

“I don’t really do goodbyes.” He swipes his hand over my cheek, “But it was amazing having you here. Hopefully, you can come back to visit us some day.”

“Yeah.” I fight back the urge to cry. “That would be amazing. ”

Cupping my face, Kris places a soft, lingering kiss against my lips. He pulls back, staring down at me before saying, “I’m going to miss you, Olive.”

“I’m going to miss you guys, too.” I place my hand on his arm and squeeze it gently as he opens the car door for me.

“Enjoy the pastries and drive safe.” He smiles at me as he shuts the door. I have barely managed to put on my seatbelt by the time Kris is back inside the house.

Putting the car in drive, I slowly begin my trek down the driveway. I stare into the rearview mirror as I drive and hope desperately that they will come barreling out the front door chasing after me. But they don’t.

The cabin slowly disappears from view, and I’m sitting at the edge of the driveway to turn onto the main road.

Neither of them is begging you to stay.

It was a fun way to spend a few days snowed inside. Maybe that’s all it was. Maybe that’s all it was supposed to be.

Turning onto the road toward Pine Glen, a tear runs down my cheek.

I wanted it to be more.

I drive through the cute little town of Pine Glen, stifling my cries. Reaching the edge of town, I pass a sign a set of signs .

You are now leaving Pine Glen. Come again soon.

Minneapolis—106 Miles.

Pulling the car to the side of the road, tears stream down my face. My chest physically hurts at the thought of driving any further, of leaving them, at least without letting them know how I feel about the two of them first.

Cranking the steering wheel, I whip a U-turn and drive back through town. As I reach the edge of town, I step on the accelerator and speed back toward their cabin. My speed is way too fast for these wet roads, but I’m tempted to go even faster. About a mile from their turn, I whizz past a truck going equally as fast as me.

That was Kris’s truck!

I slam on the brakes, the car locks up, and I immediately begin to hydroplane across the road. The car comes to a rough stop in the remnants of a snowbank, and I struggle to remove my seatbelt. As I fumble with the buckle, I swear I hear someone yelling my name.

Glancing into the rearview mirror, Kris’s truck is stopped in the middle of the road, both doors wide open, and then I spot the two of them running toward my car.

Finally finessing the seatbelt buckle, I push open the door and step from the car just as they are reaching it. They both race to me and pull me between them .

“Fuck, Jersey.” Nick roughly kisses my lips.

They are promptly replaced with Kris’s. “Are you okay, Olive?”

The two of them pass me between their lips, neither able to get enough of me—and me not able to get enough of them.

“I know it’s fucking stupid,” I continue to kiss the two of them, “but I couldn’t leave. I don’t want to.”

“We don’t want you to go either, Jersey.” Nick struggles to pull me even tighter into him.

“We were prepared to drive all the way to fucking New Jersey to chase you down if we had to.” Kris kisses along the back of my neck. “We’ve never met anyone like you, Olive.”

“And neither of us is willing to give you up.” Nick roughly kisses my forehead, “Come home with us.”

“To stay.” Kris nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck.

With Kris holding my hand and Nick’s arm wrapped around my neck, the three of us leave my car in the ditch and walk to the tow truck. Climbing in and onto Nick’s lap, he holds me even tighter than he did the night the two of them rescued me from the side of the road .

“Now what?” I question as Kris puts the truck into gear. He takes my hand and holds it tight as he begins the drive back to the cabin.

The boys both look at each other, mischievous smiles spreading across both their faces as they nod at each other.

“I’m going to unwrap the best present Santa ever brought me.” Kris kisses the back of my hand.

“And then I’m pulling out the ratchet straps and handcuffs to tie her to the table.” Nick kisses the side of my neck. “To make sure she doesn’t run away on us again.”

A smile spreads across my face. This might not be the Christmas I was expecting to have, but I couldn’t imagine it being any more perfect.