Together by This Christmas Tree

cally mcgregor

I stared at John, putting my hand on his chest. “No, we aren’t going to get into this without a few details clarified,” I said, totally cockblocking my own flirtation, and he sighed heavily, and we took a seat at a table, John nibbling on a leftover sandwich on a paper plate. “Are you and Sumner still together?” John smiled wryly, like he knew something I didn’t.

“Not as of right about ... now,” He said, looking at his watch. I raised my brows, and he smirked. “She left me a voicemail a few days ago of her and some guy, and normally, I would have been absolutely heartbroken, but I found that I wasn’t, because I didn’t love her, hell, I didn’t even like her. I loved you, Cally. I’ve been in love with you since that night where we fell asleep beside each other cuddling and drinking wine and being the exact opposite of me, sleeping together in the most innocent sense of the word and goddammit, Cally, all I wanted for Christmas was you.” John looked at me with watery eyes and I smiled, tears falling down my cheeks, John’s face in my hands, shaking my head.

“John, I love you too, I love you, I’m in-” John cut me off by pressing him lips against mine, both of us smiling into the kiss and John’s arms finding their way around my waist and the kiss so fucking innocent and unlike John that it surprised me.

I felt something new open up inside me, like a new life beginning. I didn’t know where this new person and life would bring me, what it would see, but I knew that when it was time, I would know.

John intertwined his fingers around mine, the crowded plane loud over his quiet and somewhat sleepy voice. “I suggest we do this the old fashioned, and right, way,” He said, his eyes closed. It was a red eye flight home, and very exhausting. I was curled up in a ball beside him, my head resting on his shoulder.

“What do you mean?” I murmured, though only half listening. I was well aware he hadn’t yet broken up with Sumner, but fully intended to, and I told him he was doing it the moment he got home or he wasn’t getting any from me. I was bluffing, but the thought still horrified him.

“You know, actually go on a few dates, see if it will work, instead of just diving headfirst into this, you know?” John said, looking down at me with his bright green eyes, his hair hidden by a beanie and his tattoos visible, which I traced with my fingers. Gemma had slept through our departure, understandable, since her wedding was a day ago.

“Is that what you did with Sumner? Dive right into it?” I asked innocently, and John chuckled, squeezing my hand tightly.

“It is, and I don’t want you to be a mistake like Sumner was, Cally. I like you too much.” I smiled, curling up tighter against John and waiting to wait up in Tempe.