Meeting Mr. Christmas (Collier’s Creek Christmas)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

ONE YEAR LATER

Jed lay against the creased, rucked up sheets, a boneless, sated heap. His eyes were closed, the last explosions of white light fading into the blackness. A thin layer of sweat covered his hot, flushed skin, and his breath, which hadn’t been the only thing to be sucked out of his body, was still way too off normal to allow him to say a word. Movement at the bottom of the bed, then a weight thudding down on him, made him grunt. He opened his eyes and smiled because, goddamit, Noel had been making him smile every morning, every afternoon, and every evening for the past year.

“It’s snowing.” Noel, his chin propped on the backs of his hands, smiled.

“Babe, this is Wyoming. In December. When isn’t it snowing?”

“True. It’s also Christmas Eve, and you’re not working. You know how much I want to do this. It’ll be our first in our new home, and it’s right that we do it today. It’ll kinda be like our first anniversary gift to ourselves.”

Jed’s heart stuttered. A whole year since he’d come to his senses and owned up to what he’d always known: he loved Noel, and that he was absolutely, one hundred percent, Noelsexual.

Noel cocked his head to the side, his smile turning coy. “There’ll be hot chocolate after, with extra marshmallows, and maybe an added little… something.” Noel wriggled, grinding down on Jed’s sleepy, spent cock, which, with every little movement of Noel’s hips, was stirring and waking up.

“We can do it later, I promise. Maybe after hot chocolate and that added something?” Jed went to wrap his arms around Noel, the promise of the added something lending an urgency to his movements, but Noel jumped up and backed out of reach. “Noel!” Jed whined. “What the hell am I meant to do with this?” He pointed down at his fully awake and ready for action cock.

“What do you think showers were invented for? Be ready in twenty.” Blowing Jed a kiss, Noel all but skipped out of the bedroom.

The snowman listed to the side, like a drunk who’d staggered out of Randy’s after an evening of Randy Red Rooster cocktails and too much line dancing.

“It’s not quite how I imagined it’d turn out.” Noel planted his gloved fists on his hips and stared at the banked up snow that in no imaginable way looked like any of the snowmen shown on all the Christmas cards they’d received. The old Santa hat flopped at a forlorn angle. The apples for eyes were okay, even if they did somehow make the snowman look crossed eyed, but at least the nose — a large, knobbly carrot — was?—

“Oh.” The carrot tumbled to the ground, and Peter, dressed in a festive Christmas super hero outfit, pounced upon it, snatched it up, and staggered along the pathway that Jed had cleared to the back of the house.

“At least it’s in our own yard, where nobody else will see it.” Jed wrapped an arm around Noel and pulled him in tight.

Noel sighed as warm bubbles fizzed inside of him. Their snowman, in their yard. Not his apartment, but his and Jed’s little house. The warmth spread to his fingers and his toes and everywhere in between. Their house, their home… They’d come a long way since that Christmas Eve in Odette’s, a year ago today. Tears prickled at Noel’s eyes, which really, absolutely, were all to do with the icy wind picking up and the snowflakes battering against his face.

“Maybe we can add building a snowman to our list of traditions. Like the tree lighting and the ugly sweaters.” Jed hugged him harder before planting a warm kiss on his cheek. “Hey, I think Peter wants to get back into the warm to cuddle with his boyfriend.”

Noel looked over at the house where Peter was pawing at the glass doors. Gomer, on the other side where the tree lights twinkled, and the flames danced in the wood burner, had his nose pressed up against the glass.

“Just like I want to,” Jed whispered into Noel’s ear, before taking Noel’s hand and leading him back to the house.

“I’m so glad we got in here before Christmas.” Sprawled on the couch with Noel, Jed looked around at their living room, a contented smile on his lips.

Noel’s rainbow Christmas tree stood by the window, almost as wonky as the snowman they’d built earlier. Against a background of twinkling lights, it dripped tinsel and an eclectic collection of ornaments. Some were new but most were old, including the two baubles with his and Noel’s faces crushed against each other’s.

One wall was mostly shelving, crammed with Noel’s rom-com DVDs and battered soft back books. Hanging from another wall was the huge collage Jed had put together, filled with photographs going back to when they were tiny babies, all the way through high school and beyond. Each photo told a story, each a step towards where he and Noel were today. But the photo which made his heart twist and stop the breath in his chest was the one, taken on a golden fall day, of them standing outside their house, as he hugged Noel tight from behind as Noel held up a bunch of keys.

“Our own home,” Jed murmured as he drifted his fingers through Noel’s hair. “If I hadn’t finally pulled my head out from my ass and owned up to what I’d always known?—”

“But you did.” Noel looked up and their gazes met; Jed’s heart did a little leap.

“I just wish I hadn’t wasted so much time, that I’d been honest enough to say something.”

Noel took hold of Jed’s free hand and laid a gentle kiss on the palm. “And I wish I’d summoned up the courage to tell you how much I loved you, and always had. We’ve got a lot of time to make up for.”

“The rest of our lives.” Jed’s voice caught in his throat.

In the quiet of their snug, cozy living room, lit only by the flickering flames from the burner, and the gentle pulse of the tree lights, Jed’s eyelids dropped to a close. Him and Noel, like this, just the two of them… he could get used to this… for the rest of their lives…

“We’re not the only ones who are happy we got things sorted. Look at those two.”

Jed opened his eyes, shucking off the light doze that had begun to claim him. In his old basket, Gomer was curled around Peter, gentle licks lapping at the sleeping dachshund’s head.

“Gay dogs. I guess if you can get gay penguins… I think Gomer’s got himself a new lease of life since Peter started humping his leg.” Jed laughed and Noel winced.

“I almost got my hand bitten off when I had to pull Peter off him last week, when I was in CC’s. Geraldine and Barbie-Anne were there too; I thought they were going to have a seizure. I think I need to make an appointment with the veterinary surgeon right after Christmas to have Peter’s?—”

“Ouch!”

“You won’t be saying that when he humps your leg. I’m glad your mom and dad let us bring Gomer to live here with us. Peter’s been in a better mood since he came.”

“Mom said he wouldn’t stop crying when I left home, but I think the deciding factor was the puppy they adopted. That scruffy little bundle of fur is way too lively for him.”

Noel pushed himself up to sitting. “How about hot chocolate with an eggnog—” The blast of a jazz trumpet cut through the quiet and Noel scrambled to pull his cell from the hip pocket of his jeans. His parents, calling all the way from a warm and definitely not snowy Florida.

After passing the cell to Jed to say hello, Noel took the call in the kitchen. Peter shook himself out of his sleep, barked, and tottered after him.

Gomer staggered up onto his skinny spaghetti legs and loped over to Jed, where he rested his head on Jed’s thigh.

“Hey, boy.” Jed scratched the old dog behind one of his ears. “It’s been one hell of a year. Sometimes I have to pinch myself just to make sure it’s all real. If I hadn’t finally faced up to who I really was, and what I wanted…” Jed shook his head, the thought of how empty his heart would have been without Noel sending a shiver down his spine. Gomer whined, and wobbled as he lifted a front leg and laid a big, old paw on Jed’s other thigh. “This is just the start, Gomer.” Jed’s voice dropped to a whisper as he ran a palm over the rough fur on the dog’s head. “Okay, so we haven’t got the white picket fence yet, the big yard, or a porch with a swing out front, but we’ll get them. And those mini-Noels I know he wants so much, along with some mini-Jeds, too. I think he’d like some mini-Jeds, don’t you?” Mini-Noels and mini-Jeds… raising a family of their own.

Gomer climbed up onto Jed’s lap, snuffling and snorting as he settled down. Jed buried his fingers into Gomer’s wiry coat.

“I never thought much about being a dad before. Why would I have, when almost no girl made it to a second date?” A twinge of guilt pulled at his stomach. All those cute little brunettes, but none had been the one he’d really yearned for. “But with Noel… I think we’d make great dads, don’t you, boy?”

Gomer looked up at him, cocking his head to the side before he barked.

Jed grinned. “Knew you’d agree?—”

“What are you talking to Gomer about? It looks like you were having a serious, grown up conversation.” Noel set the tray down on the coffee table. Hot chocolate, a glass of eggnog each, and a plate piled high with — mince pies. Lucian had given them a large box, from the care package his mom still sent him from England, which was just as well as Noel had become addicted to the little vine fruit pies.

“We were.” Jed picked up his hot chocolate. “I’ll tell you about it sometime.”

Jed was so full he could hardly move.

The table had groaned under the weight of food as his mom filled up every available space with plates and bowls and family heirloom serving dishes containing every single festive food known to man. And now she was piling left overs that would last until spring into a collection of giant sized Tupperware, ready for him and Noel to take home. Christmas evening was going to be spent lying in a food induced coma on the couch, rather than what he’d had planned, which was getting naked, and very sweaty, on the rug in front of the fire.

“I’ve also got a box of Great Aunt Wendy’s cookies for you. I had to break off the most burned edges, but otherwise they’re good. She’s almost blind, the poor dear, but she does so love to bake.”

“I think we’ve got enough, Mom.”

“Nonsense. You boys don’t eat enough. Didn’t I say that, Hank?”

All eyes turned to Jed’s dad; he was asleep at the table, snoring over his abandoned second helping of whipped cream slathered pumpkin pie.

“Hank, wake up.” Francine shook Hank, who came to with a start, his head snapping from side to side. “Coffee and sugar cookies in the living room in ten minutes. You’ve always got room for a sugar cookie.”

Hank pushed himself up. “I gotta go lie on the bed,” he muttered as he staggered from the kitchen.

“Noel, you could eat a sugar cookie, couldn’t you?”

“Hugnn…”

“What was that, dear?”

“Go sit in the living room before you pass out.” Jed eased Noel to his feet and gently pushed him in the direction of the kitchen door. “Maybe we could have coffee and cookies later,” he said, turning back to his mom. Like in a week’s time, because there was no way he was going to be eating until then.

Francine huffed. “I really don’t know what’s happened to you, because you used to have such a healthy appetite. Help me clear the table and then we’ll go join Noel. The Sound of Music is on a little later. It’s such a lovely movie, and we can watch it together.”

Jed stifled his smile. It was on TV every year, and his mom always insisted on watching it; the one time he’d suggested Die Hard , instead, she’d looked at him with such upset in her eyes he’d felt guilty for days.

“It’s good having you and Noel here, Jed. I’ve got to admit, the house feels kind of quiet now you’ve moved out.”

“We’re here a lot, Mom. For dinner a couple times a week, and I make sure I drop by.”

Francine turned from putting leftovers in the fridge. “I know, and believe me I’m not trying to make you feel guilty. Goodness forbid I’m that kind of mother. It’s just that when your kids make their move out into the world, the nest that was always so busy just feels a little quiet, that’s all. You’ll discover that for yourself in time, when you and Noel raise a family. Pass me those freezer bags, will you, dear?”

His mom’s words echoed in his head. Kids. He and Noel would become parents, it was as certain as the rise and set of the sun, but…

“Would you and dad like to be grandparents, to our children? I mean, two dads or two moms, it’s still unusual and I?—”

“Thought your father and I were too small town to feel comfortable with that?” She tutted and shook her head, her gaze steady on his, and Jed felt the flush pulse in his face. Francine laughed and patted his cheek. “We are small town, but that doesn’t mean small minded. We’d love to spoil some little Jeds and Noels, and as your brother seems to be wedded to the military, you two boys are our only hope. I think I might need to divide this into two freezer bags, don’t you?”

“Er, sure.” Jed looked down at mashed potato his mom was scraping out of the dish.

“Jed, sit down. All you’re doing is getting in the way. It’ll be quicker if I sort this out.”

He collapsed into a chair. The breath had been punched from his lungs, not because of her admonishment but because of her easy acceptance that he and Noel would supply all those grandkids she so desperately wanted to fuss over. But why should he be surprised? Like his brother, he’d always had his parents’ full support and backing. They’d taken it in their stride when he’d told them how he felt about Noel, and his mom was doing the same about the future grandkids she’d be spoiling. God, he was so damn lucky to have the mom and dad he did.

“Thanks, Mom.” The words came out rough and unsteady, and Jed blinked hard to stop the tears of gratitude and love from falling.

Francine abandoned attacking the remains of the mashed potato and sat down opposite him.

“I always knew you’d end up with a cute little brunette,” she said, taking his hand and squeezing it. “And Noel Christmas is the cutest of them all. It was just a matter of time before you saw that for yourself, but I never had any doubt you’d get there.”

Jed jumped, his jaw dropping to the floor before he snapped it closed. “What? You had suspicions? About me and Noel? I hardly had them myself.”

Francine laughed. “I’m your mom, so I have special mom superpowers. Of course I knew. You two have been inseperable pretty much since the day you both drew breath. When you weren’t with Noel, you always seemed kind of lost. Some people are just made for each other. They’re like magnets, I guess. No matter what path they try to take, they get pulled back together again. That’s who you and Noel are, Jed. One of you without the other, it’s unthinkable. It may have taken you a while to work that out, but you got there in the end and that’s what counts.

“Do you think you boys are ready for coffee and sugar cookies now?”

“Hot chocolate with cherry brandy is officially my favorite drink.” It had been a wonderful Christmas Day, but Noel was happy to be home, just him and Jed, snug in front of the fire. “Great Aunt Wendy’s cookies aren’t so bad either.” He bit into another, his fourth or fifth, maybe. Sure, they were a little burned, but the depth of flavor and the sweet hit were more than compensation.

Next to him on the couch, Jed laughed. “For somebody who almost had to be rolled home because he was too full to move one foot in front of the other, you’re getting well acquainted with those cookies.”

“It would be rude not to.” Noel licked his fingers clean of cookie. Draining the last of this drink, he slumped back against Jed, sighing when Jed pulled him in close. “It really has been a perfect day.”

“I know what would make it truly perfect,” Jed whispered in his ear. Noel grinned. Oh, yes… His clothes were feeling a little tight. “I want to give you your Christmas present.” Jed nipped at his ear.

“Nggghh.”

“What was that? You want me to give it to you, right here on the couch?”

Oh my god, yes…

Jed slipped out from behind him, and Noel reached for the zipper on Jed’s jeans, but Jed stepped back.

“Aren’t we going to get naked?” Noel blinked up at Jed, who smiled down at him, his eyes narrowed.

“We sure are, but first I want to bring you your Christmas gift. It’ll only take me a moment to get it.”

Noel blinked. Jed was serious, but they’d?—

“We agreed we wouldn’t buy for each other, that we’d save our money for our vacation in Florida. Now I feel bad.” Guilt and embarrassment squirmed in Noel’s stomach. He knew he should have got Jed something.

“It didn’t cost me much. In fact, it didn’t cost me anything.” Jed shrugged. Noel peered up at him. Jed was attempting — very badly — to look nonchalant.

“So, you found something in the dumpster?” Noel arched his brows, and Jed laughed.

“Wait there and don’t go away.”

Go away? There was no chance of that happening. Jed left the room and Noel settled back into the cushions. What the hell had Jed gotten him — for free?

Seconds later, Jed was back, one arm behind his back. Noel opened his mouth to make a joke, but the words died as Jed bit down on the side of his thumb on his free hand, a signal as clear as a flaming beacon that he was feeling unsure and uneasy.

What the hell was going on? Noel pushed himself up to sitting, his throat too dry for him to speak.

Jed dropped down next to him on the couch. “All the traditions we’ve always had, and the new ones we’re making, like decorating the tree together and building a snowman. There’s another one I want to add, and it’s this.”

Jed brought his arm out from behind his back. In his hand, he held an exquisitely wrapped single red rose. Noel’s eyes widened as he pressed a hand to his mouth.

“Last Christmas Eve, when I found you in Odette’s, I gave you a rose and I told you I loved you. I could say I love you as much now as I did then, but it’d be a lie. Because the truth is, I love you even more. I was going to give it to you yesterday, but I don’t know, it felt right to wait until today.”

Noel took the flower, its perfume rich and heady in the warm room, and he closed his eyes as he breathed in deep. A single red rose, yet it said so, so much. He opened his eyes and met Jed’s steady gaze.

“I love you too, Jed. Always have, and always will.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Jed’s, sighing into the soft, sweet kiss.

Jed took the rose and placed it on the side. Easing Noel down on the couch, he nipped at Noel’s earlobe. “Always have, and always will. Is that a promise?” he whispered against Noel’s ear.

“Yes,” Noel breathed. Always and forever, it was who they were and had always been.

“So maybe we can get naked now?”

“Naked? That’s just for starters.” Noel smiled into Jed’s darkening eyes as he pulled his man down on top of him.

Jed. His man.

Always and forever.

I hope you enjoyed reading Meeting Mr. Christmas, it was certainly a pleasure sharing Noel and Jed’s story with you. If you have a moment to spare, a short, honest review would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Did you enjoy meeting Dean Hobart, the Mayor’s gay brother, when he visited Flowers by Lucian Blaxston? The great news is, Dean has his very own sweet and sexy romance. Check out the next book in the series, Sue Brown’s Santa of The Creek .

There are six wonderful romances in the Collier’s Creek Christmas series, HEAs guaranteed. Keep reading to find out more!

Why not check out Meeting Mr. Adorkable from series one? Here you’ll find Lucian and Arlo’s quirky cross-cultural age gap romance, complete with all the feels and vibes you’d expect from a small town MM romance.

While we’re talking, if the small town vibe of Collier’s Creek has got you hooked, you might like to visit Love’s Harbour , my little coastal community deep in the heart of England’s West Country. Animal Instincts is an age gap grumpy/sunshine story, Hearts Colliding is enemies to lovers, and Sparring Partners is opposites attract and enemies to lovers, with a good pinch of hurt/comfort.