Gentleman Nine(69)

Suddenly, Rory pressed some buttons and The Chipmunk Song came on. He knew that song always cracked me up. The Chipmunk Song: Don’t Be Late as performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks was my ultimate favorite Christmas tune.

I didn’t know if it was my stress-level as of late or what, but I just lost it and began to laugh so hard that I was practically crying. Those high-pitched voices were just the medicine I needed.

When the song finished, I wiped my eyes and turned to him. “Thank you for that.” Hiccup.

Oh, no. I’d laughed so hard, I’d given myself the hiccups.

“Hiccups are here! Christmas just got better,” Rory teased.

“I’m sorry.” I laughed.

“For what?” He glanced over at me while still trying to keep his eyes on the road. “I love your hiccups.”

Something about the way he’d said it squeezed at my chest, like he was really trying to tell me he loved me, not my hiccups.

“I downloaded the whole Chipmunks album if you want to listen to more,” he said. “We could just put it on a constant loop, get drunk, and forget the past year ever happened.”

“Wouldn’t that be something?”

That was an interesting thought. If I could erase the past year, would I? A part of me wished I could go back to the simplicity of the way things were before the break-up. But another part knew I would never trade the time I had with Channing for anything.

“So, who’s gonna be there tonight?” I asked.

“Boris, his daughter, Stephanie, her husband, Mitchell, and their daughter, Sophie.”

“Wow, okay. I wasn’t sure if it was just gonna be him and us.”

“He’s normally alone. They live in Connecticut, but they’re obviously here for Christmas. They’re spending the night at his place.”

My breath was visible as we stepped out of Rory’s BMW and onto the sidewalk in front of his house. Thankfully, my hiccups had subsided.

I could see Boris and his family through the window. Snowflakes were starting to fall. It was going to be a white Christmas after all.

When the door opened, Boris greeted me with welcoming arms. “There she is…the famous Amber. I’ve heard a lot about you, darlin.’ We only have two rules in this house. You make yourself at home, and you leave your troubles behind.”

“Well, this sounds like exactly the kind of place I need tonight.”

Rory took my coat, and I followed Boris into the kitchen.

“Rory told me you’re a Cosmo girl,” he said.

It didn’t register at first. “A what?”

“The drink. You like it, right? I had Stephanie pick up the ingredients from the liquor store to make you some.”

“Oh! The drink. Yes, it’s my favorite. That was really nice of you, Boris.”

Rory put his hand on Boris’ shoulder. “Thank you.”

Stephanie came rushing into the kitchen. She was wiping her hand on her pants so she could extend it to me. “Sorry…peanut butter hands. I’m Stephanie. You must be Amber.”

“So nice to meet you.”

Stephanie kissed Rory on the cheek. It was clear that they considered him like family.

After she introduced me to her husband and daughter, we sat around the living room enjoying our drinks and the appetizers that were laid out on the table.

The artificial Christmas tree was lit up with piles of presents underneath, and holiday music was playing on low volume.

At one point, Stephanie announced that it was time for the annual people decorating tradition. She divided the room into three teams: Boris and Sophie, herself and Mitchell, and Rory and me. The object of the game was that one person would decorate the other like a Christmas tree. Rory volunteered to be the tree for our team.

Stephanie gave out scissors, construction paper, tinsel, foil, tape, and little jingly balls. Each team had ten minutes to decorate their person.

Stephanie would then post pictures on her Facebook page and let her friends decide the winning team.

Rory was a good sport as I wrapped him up like a present. We would laugh every time pieces of paper or tinsel would fall off of him. Our eyes would lock, and for fleeting moments, I would neglect to remember that he wasn’t my boyfriend anymore. With just the right amount of alcohol in me and this fun holiday game, it was becoming easier to forget the heartbreaking situation I’d gotten myself into.

The game finished, and Sophie ended up taking the prize. Afterward, we all sat around the living room again for coffee and dessert. It was really hard not to love these people; they were warm and welcoming.

Rory was being very quiet, overall. He’d steal glances at me as he ate his pie, but we were both pretty much letting everyone else take control of the conversations.

“Let me tell you something about your Rory,” Stephanie said as she pointed her cheesecake-laden fork at me. My Rory. “He’s a saint. He is so gosh darn good to my dad. I don’t know what I would do if he wasn’t looking after him. I used to worry so much, but with Rory upstairs now, I don’t have to.”

Rory smiled. “Well, he hasn’t kicked me out of the house yet, so…”

She looked at me. “You have an amazing boyfriend there.”

The expression on his face dampened. Clearly, Stephanie assumed we were together. I was surprised she didn’t know, since Rory mentioned he told Boris everything.