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“Laura?”
She turned, and he could see the glistening of tears on her cheeks. Seeing him, she sniffed, and wiped the tears away. “Ethan, I… I’m sorry I haven’t?—”
“Wait,” he said, swallowing. “I know you’re going to apologize, and I get that. But I don’t need or want an apology, because I should be the one apologizing to you.”
“You don’t need to,” Laura said quietly. “I’m the one who was being… mean.”
“No, you weren’t, you were being real,” Ethan said. “And I guess what I need to do right now, is be real with you.”
CHAPTER 10
LAURA
Laura blinked, trying not to break down as she listened to him.
He was also a decent human being, not like her grandfather, but unique and wonderful in his own way.
Ethan cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and looked up before reaching out and taking her hand.
“Stay,” he said simply, looking into her eyes. “Stay. Stay with me. Or take me with you, if that’s what it takes. Laura, I know it’s only been a few weeks, but I love you. And I can’t imagine the world being brighter than I am without you.”
“But… the farm?” Laura asked. “What about the trees?”
“I love the trees, and I love Christmas,” Ethan admitted, “but I’d rather be a dishwasher in hell with you than a tree farmer in heaven alone. I just… I want you to know that.”
Laura stepped forward, and put her hands on his chest, feeling the smooth texture of his jacket, it was cold enough that even a hardened outdoors guy like Ethan needed it.
“Thank you,” Laura answered. “I love you too… and I’ve got something to say.”
Before Ethan could ask what, she turned, headed for the trailer, and climbed up. There was a DJ booth, although boothwas a bit of an overstatement, and with it a microphone that she took. The DJ, a young man that Laura didn’t know, turned the music down and she flipped the mic on.
“You’re good, sing your butt off,” the DJ said, clearly expecting Laura to break into leading some carols. But that wasn’t what Laura was thinking of at all as she turned and looked out at the crowd. Only a couple hundred, but there was only one that she cared about.
There was only one Ethan.
“Hi… I’m Laura Bennett,” she said, and someone from the crowd whistled back. “Uhm… thanks, I guess. I’m glad to be here tonight, and for those of you who don’t know me, I’m David Bennett’s granddaughter. I came back when I learned of grandfather’s passing, and I…” Her throat caught, and she looked up, but when she looked back down, she could see everyone pausing what they were doing, looking at her and gathering around the stage. Next to the tree, Ethan stood where she’d left him, his eyes watching her intently.
“I left the Rockaways after high school, swearing I’d never come back. And for the most part, I haven’t. I thought I was leaving behind a countrified, dusty, dying neighborhood. I was wrong, and I’m sorry for that. Because since coming back, I’ve been reminded what’s good about the Rockaways. The neighbor who brings you a casserole when your grandfather dies. A shared soda in this parking lot. An offer for some help when you get a flat tire. People who buy Christmas trees from you… even after you get an offer to sell the farm so it can be plowed under and turned into a subdivision.”
“Boooooo!” a woman in the back said, and Laura nodded.
“I got that vibe, and for even considering the offer, I’m sorry,” Laura said. “Because coming back here, I got more than I expected. I got the greatest gift someone can ever get. I got… love. A love that stuns me, that makes me wonder whatin the world I’m even doing considering the other options I’ve got. Anyway, I’m going to make this short. I’mneverselling the Bennett Christmas tree farm. And next year, we’re going to donate an evenbiggertree to this party!”
The cheers drowned out her ragged breath as she looked at Ethan, who was smiling from ear to ear. “And one more thing,” Laura said as she spoke over the applause. “Ethan… I truly love you too.”
Climbing off the trailer, Laura hopped into Ethan’s arms, who caught her easily. He swung her around as the DJ started playing slow dance music, and when he set her down they were already dancing to the soft horns and violins.
“This is the greatest present of all,” Ethan said, and Laura nodded. “Why?”
“Because I’d rather be here with you, in heaven, than the richest lawyer in hell,” Laura said. “I’ll tell you the details after the party. They’re too… ugh for this.”
“Okay,” Ethan said. They finished the song, and for the rest of the night Laura allowed herself to wallow in the spirit of the party. She sang carols, toasted with cocoa, and of course, roared at the top of her lungs, “FIVE GOLDEN RINGS!”at the appropriate times.
The night capped off with a fireworks display, nothing professional, just a bunch of stuff set off in the snowy field across the street from the parking lot. But as she watched the Roman candles, sky rockets, and more go up into the air, she felt Ethan’s arm around her shoulders.
That was all she needed.
CHAPTER 11
