Stuck With My Christmas Crush (Sweet Christmas Kisses)

23. Chapter 23

Jason

One year later

Charlie finds me in the living room putting the last bottle of chilled champagne into an ice bucket. As she reaches up to straighten my bow tie, I snake my arms around her waist and kiss her neck which makes her giggle. I love the way Charlie giggles.

“Stop. Stop. Stop,” she says, pulling away and wrinkling her nose. “Guests will be arriving soon, and you’ll smudge my lipstick. ”

“Let the lipstick be smudged,” I growl kissing Charlie’s neck again. “I want to kiss you.” Charlie giggles some more as I squeeze her tight and breathe in her perfume. “I can’t get enough of you, woman.”

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a whole year since I showed my business partners around the dilapidated mansion. The process has been a wild and rocky ride, but the results are absolutely worth the effort. And having Charlie here by my side has made every day a fun adventure, with lots of smoochy kissing.

Charlie, Lou, Calvin, and I decided it would be wonderful to have a New Year’s party, to thank all the people who have helped us get the hotel ready for guests. It has taken most of the year to get the renovations up to scratch and certificates of compliance; to meet all the criteria so we can start operating.

One of the most taxing elements of the lengthy process was writing a detailed business plan and proposal with five years of predicted figures for the bank loan I needed. So, I’m mortgaged up to my neck. And I owe friends and family for a whole lot of extra bills that weren’t factored in, and I didn’t see coming. But the hotel is fully booked for summer, and we are featured as the ‘funky new’ venue in ‘Wedding Quarterly’, for ‘trendy hipsters in search of unpretentious shabby chic’, whatever that means. Charlie assures me it’s a good thing, and the publicity should help fill up the calendar for the rest of the year.

According to these figures and projections, I calculated, that I should be debt-free by my ninety-sixth birthday. That could be a little exaggerated. And if I think too much about it, I get scared and overwhelmed by what I’ve taken on. But it’s what I’m doing now. And I’m happy. I’m with the best people who are with me one hundred percent and believe in the business as much as I do.

I look around the living room with a glowing sense of pride, then I attempt to kiss Charlie again, who looks irresistible in her sparkly vintage dress and heels. But my amorous advances are interrupted by Calvin and Lou who walk in, hand in hand, looking every inch the glamor couple from the hotel’s heyday. The theme of the party is the 1930s, and guests are instructed to come as if they are starring in The Great Gatsby .

“I don’t know who’s coming,” says Lou, “But honestly, I don’t think I care if no one else shows up. We are going to have the best time.” She links arms with Charlie.

“You look incredible,” Charlie says, admiring her friend’s black and white zigzag sequined dress with matching ostrich feathered headband. She’s wearing elegant long black gloves, false eyelashes, and bright red lipstick .

“You don’t look too bad yourself, Charlie.” Lou blows a pouty kiss. “And Jason. You look quite the handsome gentleman in that tuxedo.”

Instinctively I tug at my collar that seems too tight.

“Champagne anyone?” I say as a distraction.

I pour out four flutes of light golden effervescence and raise my glass in a toast. “To us. The mansion. To what we have achieved. And to our future.”

“Don’t say any more,” says Lou dabbing a gloved finger under her lower eyelashes. “Or I’ll get emotional and that will be the end of this makeup that took an age.”

We sip our bubbly wine, and I admire how fragments of light from the mirror ball dance around the walls and ceiling as it spins. Colored fairy lights festoon the walls and hang loosely on the ornate picture frames. The sound system plays popular jazz tunes of the era, put together by Charlie who says that there are some dance tracks scheduled for later. The gramophone is on show, but we decided it was too fragile to use.

Couches and chairs are arranged in small groups on one side, so the middle of the floor is clear for dancing. A long sideboard, against one wall, is replete with the help-yourself buffet and loaded with platters, silverware, ice buckets, glasses, and champagne flutes .

“It looks like a great party. Just add people.” Calvin nods his approval just as Meredith, Daniel, and Maddie arrive.

My sister and her family walk in with eyes wide, and mouths open in perfect ‘O’s, followed by Rocko who, typically, looks as if he owns the place.

Meredith hugs me and says, “Well done, Jase. What a transformation!”

Daniel shakes my hand, and Maddie says she likes my suit and that if I was in a story, I would be the prince.

“Which means that Charlie, you would be the princess. And you’re going to live happily ever after together in your palace.”

“Maddie. I think you’re right,” says Charlie smiling at me and linking her arm through mine.

“And you’re wearing Great Aunt Alice’s bracelet.” Maddie beams.

“Yes,” says Charlie holding up her wrist so the pretty bracelet catches the light. “I love it. It was my best Christmas gift ever.” She smiles at me, and I feel like kissing her again.

Christmas and I are still not the best of friends, but I can handle its annoying songs and unnecessary over-the-top tat. As long as I’m with my beautiful Charlie .

“Do you think Great Aunt Alice would like the mansion now?” I ask my niece. “Do you think that she would like to be at our party?”

“Oh, yes. I think she would love to be here.” Maddie pauses for a moment and looks thoughtful. “Jason.” She glances to one side and then the other. Then she beckons me to bend down closer as she whispers, “If I believed in ghosts, I’d say that Great Aunt Alice is already here. And maybe she never left.”

More guests arrive. They mill around in twos and threes, chatting and drinking. I meet some of Charlie’s friends and family. And I introduce her to some of my buddies from the U.N. unit, who hug me and playfully slap my shoulders.

“What have you done, Major Jase? You’ve changed buddy.” They laugh. “But in a good way.”

Charlie and I smile at each other then she leads me to the dance floor.

“I think they approve,” I breathe into Charlie’s hair as we sway from side to side under the mirror ball.

In what seems like a very short time, the music is cut, the main lights are switched off, and Calvin captures everyone’s attention by striking the side of a crystal glass with a teaspoon. Tink. Tink. Tink .

“Ladies and gentlemen. We only have a few minutes of the old year left. Please, charge your glasses in preparation for the countdown, and make your way to the terrace for the firework display.”

Charlie and I dutifully file out with the guests through the patio doors and wait expectantly. The chill is refreshing after the warmth of being inside and, thankfully, the sky is clear above. There’s no sign of a snowstorm. People with watches check the time as the countdown begins. Everyone joins in with ten, nine, eight… I wrap Charlie in my arms, and we hold each other tight… five, four, three…

“… Two. One. Happy New Year!” everyone chants altogether.

Around us people are yahooing, hugging, and cheering. Charlie’s eyes glitter in the evening light. I cup her pretty face in my hands, then bend to kiss her lips. The champagne has made me giddy but kissing Charlie has made me see stars. We kiss as if we are alone on the terrace, under the winter night sky. We kiss as if no one else is there at all. I am intoxicated by the magic of the kiss and the wonderful night. Then, there’s a crack and a pop as the firework display starts. I’m swept away on a wave of happiness. Someone close by is ooh-ing and ahh-ing as red and purple sparkles explode over our heads. A rush of gold and silver follows. Then bursts of blue rain down on the dark garden and reflect in the ornamental lake.

“Happy New Year, Jason,” says Charlie. “My cheeks are sore from smiling.” More ooh-ing and ahh-ing. Charlie leans her head against my chest. “I’m so pleased you rescued me.”

“Oh, I think it’s you who rescued me, Charlie.” I kiss the top of her head. “I love you. You make me so happy.” Charlie throws her arms around my neck, and we kiss again deeply, passionately, without holding back. The whole world spins in its glittering fabulous orbit into the future that I know will be filled with light and love.

The End