The Christmas Sweater Escalation
By Diana
“How come I have to be Cindy Lou Who?” Sixteen-year-old Trixie Belden complained, edging in beside her best friend, Honey Wheeler to see herself in the crystal-framed mirror on Di Lynch's bedroom wall. She adjusted the headband on which Honey had attached spirally antenna more firmly onto her pink ski cap. She jabbed a finger into her own chest. “Do you see this horrible pink I'm wearing?”
“You're Cindy, because you're the only blonde,” Honey said patiently, giving Trixie's shoulders a quick squeeze. “You look adorable. Pink looks better on you than you think it does. Cindy Lou has never looked this sexy.”
“That's because she's only two years old!”
“Remember it's for a good cause,” Di said, fiddling with the angel wings gracing the back of her white jacket. A halo sprouted from her white ski cap. Her long hair fell from beneath the hat in beautiful waves, the black color contrasting dramatically with the white.
The Bob-Whites of the Glen, the club the girls shared with their guy friends and brothers, were spending the day being bell ringers for the Salvation Army. It was part of the good work the young people had promised to do when they formed the club.
“Easy for you to say, Di,” Trixie grumbled. “You look beautiful no matter what you're wearing.”
“Before you get your panties in a twist,” Fifteen-year-old Hallie Belden said, fluffing the red and white Santa cap that perched on her long, straight, black hair, “remember this: if we don't get more donations in our Salvation Army kettles today than the boys, we're the ones who'll be wearing ugly Christmas sweaters at the Wheeler, Belden, and Lynch Christmas Eve party. Kill. Me. Now.”
Trixie was beginning to regret betting the male BWGs that the girls could get more donations in their kettles today than they could. It wouldn't have been so bad if Honey and Di hadn't come up with the idea of dressing as Christmas characters in order to attract more people to their kettles, but now she was stuck being Cindy Lou Who. Thankfully, the weather was too cold to dress completely in costume, so she was spared the indignity of wearing a nightgown. The girls had opted instead to wear snug leggings and thigh-length jackets in the appropriate colors. Trixie had borrowed her pink outfit from Ruthie Kettner, Hallie wore red, Di white, and Honey green to go with her elf hat. The group who lost the bet had to wear gruesome Christmas sweaters at the big Christmas Eve party. She shuddered involuntarily.
Trixie looked at her friends and cousin, who were busy doing last-minute primping in front of the large mirror. She was glad that Hallie had come to Sleepyside for Christmas and could join in the festivities with the Bob-Whites, both the good and the questionable, although she knew her cousin wished her parents were around more. A few years ago, the two girls were constantly at odds with each other, but had finally made peace.
She gave up on her antenna and turned to grin at Hallie.
“I'm so glad you're spending Christmas with us, Hallie.”
“Me, too!” Di chimed in.
“Me, three!” Honey couldn't be left out.
“Group hug!” Di yelled.
As the four girls embraced, Hallie rolled her eyes.
“You guys are crazy. If I'd known before I flew out here about your little bet, I might have opted to stay in Idaho with Knut and Gloria!”The girls disentangled themselves and continued their primping.
“I doubt that,” Trixie said, flopping down on a purple love seat, “since there's a certain Bob-White whose face lit up like the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree when he walked into Crabapple Farm last night and saw you. We all worked really hard to keep your secret from Dan. And it goes without saying we couldn't tell Bobby!”
“Yeah,” Di snickered, dropping down beside Trixie. “Dan got everything he wanted for Christmas when you arrived.”
“Yes, I am quite a gift, aren't I?” Hallie said, tossing her head so the ball on the end of her Santa hat swung around.
The other girls threw the lavendar pillows that decorated Di's room at her.
“Hey!” she shouted. But her face softened. Both Dan and Hallie felt they were too young to commit to a long-distance relationship and occasionally dated other people, but everyone knew where their hearts really belonged.
Honey looked out the window at the gray winter sky. “The boys are here. It's time to go squeeze money out of the unsuspecting citizens of Sleepyside.”
* * *
“Hey, they're wearing costumes!” Mart exclaimed as the female Bob-Whites climbed into the Wheeler's van they'd borrowed so everyone could ride together. His giant vocabulary seemed to have deserted him. “That's not fair. We didn't say anything about costumes.”
Trixie turned and stuck her out tongue at him. “Nobody said we couldn't.”
“Besides, Mart,” Di said, kissing her boyfriend on the cheek, “we look cute. Is there a rule against looking cute? If so, then you'd be the first one in violation of it.”
“That's disgusting, Di, even for you guys.” Although Trixie did enjoy the way Di had turned the tables on her almost-twin. It was nice to see him being the victim of the dreaded Belden blush for once.
For his part, Mart merely opened and closed his mouth like a fish, as if he was trying to say something but didn't know what would get him in the least trouble.
“Besides, Mart,” Brian said from the middle seat, “don't you think our manly good looks and winning
personalities can beat the girls' feminine wiles?”Jim and Dan nodded in agreement and Jim reached into the backseat to high-five Dan.
“You're right, men. We'll soldier on and prove that brawn succeeds over femininity every time.” Mart looked around at the other guys and said out of the side of his mouth, “They are the weaker sex, you know.”
Honey, Di, and Hallie all smacked him, and then Honey did it again for Trixie, who couldn't reach him.
Mart stuck his nose in the air. “I'm constantly misunderstood.”
“Now that Mart has been thoroughly put in his place,” Dan said, punching his friend in the arm, “what's the schedule for today, besides kicking the girls' pretty little butts?”
“Have you looked at Trixie's derriere lately?” Mart shouted from his place in the back row of seats, “Diminutive it ain't.”
“Hey!” Trixie ran her hands over her hips. She hadn't gained any weight, had she? Jim, her boyfriend since last month, seemed to like her butt, and over Thanksgiving Ben-the-creep had seemed to like the way she looked a lot. But her old insecurities about her looks still ran rampant. “Somebody Gibbs-slap him for me!”
“I'll do the honors this time, Trix,” Brian said calmly. He reached back and smacked Mart upside the head and then gave him a nougie. “I don't care if you and Trixie argue, but don't get so personal. Understand? Now apologize to your sister.”
Mart had the grace to look sheepish. “Sorry, Trix. I was only opening my big mouth and inserting my even bigger foot.”
Jim leaned over from the driver's seat and tilted his head close to Trixie's. “Don't pay any attention to Mart,” he whispered. “Trust me, you've got a great butt.”
The heat didn't just creep up Trixie's face, it ran up it at the speed of light at Jim's words. She didn't think she'd ever get used to the thrill of being Jim's girlfriend and hearing him say such wonderful things to her.
“We never answered Dan's question,” Honey said, taking on her usual role of peacemaker. “Trixie, do you have the information?”
Trixie turned and smiled at her best friend and mouthed “thank you” before consulting her notes.
“We're supposed to report in at the Salvation Army headquarters at nine and we'll work opposite sides of the block where Crimper's sits. There will be four of us at each kettle, so I said we'd work till five. With that many of us, we can spell each other while taking breaks. There will also be several other kettles throughout town to take advantage of the fact that this is the last Saturday before Christmas.”
She turned the page over. “We can either turn our kettle over at the end of the day or do it earlier and take it back out again if it fills up.”
She sniffed. “Which ours will, of course. You boys probably won't need to empty yours.”
“Don't bet on it, Shamus,” Jim said, as he pulled up to the Salvation Army headquarters. “Our honor is at stake here, not to mention the horror of wearing those awful sweaters.”
As everyone climbed out of the car into the overcast, winter day, Mart shouted, “Let the contest begin!”
* * *
“Do you see the line of guys waiting to give their money away down at the girls' kettle?” Dan's eyes narrowed to little slits as Hallie smiled up at Tad Webster.
Jim, who had seen and was now trying to tamp down the urge to punch the wanna-be cowboy currently flirting with Trixie in the nose, tried to pull off nonchalance.
“So Mangan, are you worried about Tad Webster making eyes at Hallie,” Jim jerked his head in the direction of the two, “or the possibility of losing the bet and having to wear an ugly sweater on Christmas Eve?”
“Both,” Dan growled. “I'd hate to have to break Webster's pitching arm with baseball practice starting in a couple of months, but that's my girl he's flirting with.”
“Methinks the female members of our covey,” Mart said, frown lines appearing between his eyes, “including the honorary one who hails from Idaho, are getting a wee bit more attention than is good for the dominant male members.”
“The bottom line, men,” Brian paused until the rest his brethren stopped grumbling and turned to look at him, “is that we want to win this stupid bet, and if we turn the tables on the cute-costumed girls, so much the better.”
Jim was more than interested in both goals, especially since Trixie seemed to be flirting back with the goon in cowboy boots. Probably reminded her of Tenney. Where had she gotten all this newfound confidence, anyway? She never used to flirt with guys.
“What do you have in your cranium, O, elder kinsman?” Mart asked with a slight bow to Brian.
Brian smiled at a mom whose kids were putting money in the kettle and then motioned the gang to form a huddle. When they broke formation, Mart and Dan ran into Crimpers for supplies, while Brian pulled out his cell phone to call Moms. Meanwhile, Jim called Miss Trask to wheedle her into helping their cause.
* * *
“Hey!” Trixie yelled, startling the little, old lady who was stuffing a five dollar bill into the kettle, “the boys are giving out snacks!”
Honey, Di, and Hallie whipped their heads around to the other end of the block and gasped in unison. Sure enough, there was Brian handing out cookies to potential donors with Dan pouring hot chocolate out of a commercial-sized, stainless steel coffee maker. Mart was standing on the curb holding a sign that said “free snacks”, while Jim kept watch over the kettle. A large crowd had gathered around them.
Unaccustomed irritation washed over Honey. Truth be told, she'd been just a wee bit out of sorts since Brian had come home from college Thursday night. Last summer she and Brian had dated, but had agreed to see other people when he went back to school. Lately, though, Honey wasn't quite satisfied with that arrangement and her dissatisfaction suddenly morphed into competitiveness.
“They must have gotten outside help!” She exclaimed. “That's not fair!”
“Don't worry,” Di said, her voice grim. “Two can play at that game.” She whipped out her cell phone and dialed. “Mummy? Will you do something for us?”
A short while later Mrs. Lynch dropped off paper flyers which read, “Free hug with every Salvation Army donation from the Christmas character of your choice at the West entrance to Crimper's”.
Honey gulped a little when she read the flyer. Yes, she wanted to beat the boys at their own game, but the thought of hugging whatever stranger put money in the kettle made her stomach flutter and not in a good way.
She put on a brave face, though, when she left with Trixie to pass out the flyers, while Di and Hallie manned the kettle. Their first stop was down the block just as the snow started to fall.
“What are you doing here?” Dan growled. “This is our street corner.”
“Are those Moms' cookies?” Trixie demanded.
“Why yes, yes they are,” Brian said, aiming a sexy, thank-you smile at a young woman who dropped some change in the kettle. “Please, have a cookie, miss.”
His smile was a little too sexy for Honey's peace of mind. Was that how he flirted with the girls at college? She shoved that thought to the back of her mind.
“That's not fair!” Trixie exclaimed.
“Nobody said we couldn't give out refreshments,” Brian commented from his post at the cookie table. “It's snowing. People appreciate the hot drinks.”
“We're merely using our superior gray matter,” Mart said, tapping a finger on the side of his head. “Is there a decree obstructing us from employing our intelligence? Alas, if there were, you wouldn't be the first to violate it.”
Trixie stuck out her tongue at the boys in general and stomped away. Honey shoved a flyer into Brian's hand, feeling more hostile than the situation warranted.
“This means war!” she shouted, stomping after her friend.
* * *
“Free hugs!” Brian thundered. His fist closed around the flyer in his hand, crumpling it. “What are those girls thinking?”
Jim, Dan, and Mart gathered around Brian and looked over his shoulder at the flyer Honey had handed him.
“Hey!” Mart exclaimed. “Smooth it out so we can read it.”
Brian's fingers were turning white from holding the paper so hard, but he did as he was asked.
Once Jim read it, he could practically feel steam leaking from his ears in spite of the snow that had begun to gently fall. He glanced around at the others and noticed their faces were in various stages of grimness.
“They're just asking for every horny pervert in town to stop by their kettle,” he said, his fists curling up into balls at his side.
“Thanks,” Dan said absently to a young freshman from his PE class who stuck a bill into the kettle. “The question is, what are we going to do about it?”
“Hey! Where's my cookie?”
“Right here,” Dan snapped. “Don't have an aneurysm!”
The young men watched helplessly as the men and boys of Sleepyside lined up to hug Hallie and Di. Jim thought he and Brian would have to physically restrain Dan and Mart. Soon Trixie and Honey joined them, their own lines forming. Who was going to restrain him and Brian? The girls dispensed hugs, along with huge smiles, while deftly avoiding wandering hands and pleas for kisses.
“Well,” Jim said, his teeth involuntarily clenching while he watched Nick Roberts give Trixie a particularly enthusiastic hug, “I really don't want to escalate this any further, because the next level is free kisses, and we'll end up kissing women we don't want to kiss.”
“Agreed.” Brian's face turned dark red when Tom Delano's younger brother hugged Honey a little too long for Brian's peace of mind. It was not the dreaded Belden blush, but the kind of red that usually accompanies anger. That was a lot of anger considering Brian and Honey weren't even dating exclusively.
“I don't want to kiss anyone but Di,” Mart said emphatically.
“However,” Dan said, the corners of his mouth lifting in an evil little smile, “the girls don't have to know that.”
* * *
Honey had just extricated herself from the arms of one of Sleepyside Junior-Senior High's basketball players when she saw Jim and Brian stroll toward them. They looked awfully calm considering she and the other girls were dispensing hugs. Well, there was no reason for Brian to be upset, she supposed, since they weren't technically boyfriend and girlfriend, but Jim, on the other hand, tended to be a tad possessive about Trixie. She hoped Brian was just a little jealous.
“Hey, is the money piling up in your kettle?” Jim asked, shooting daggers at the Pete Kimble look-a-like who was hugging Trixie.
Trixie danced out of the boy's arms leaving him with a little frown on his face. “It sure is,” she crowed. “We've already had to dump it twice today at the Salvation Army headquarters!”
“It seems to the male members of the Bob-Whites that the methods you're employing are a bit aggressive,” Brian said, his jaw twitching.
“Unseemly,” Jim added.
“Oh, really,” Honey said, jabbing one finger into her brother's chest and one finger in Brian's. She didn't know what had come over herself today. Really, it wasn't like her to be so competitive. “You're just jealous that we've collected more money than you,”
Jim shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe, maybe, not.”
Jerry Vanderhoef was closing in on her, and Brian shot him a look that sent the young man scurrying away. Not one of Jerry's fans, Honey inwardly thanked Brian.
“Either way,” Brian's gaze returned to the two girls, “we think you should stop.”
“Not on your life!” Honey responded. Who did the boys think they were, anyway?The other girls backed her up.
“No way!"
“You can think again!”
“I don't think so, cuz!”
Jim looked at Brian and shrugged his shoulders. “They've forced us into action. It's their own fault we have to escalate the war.”
“They can't say they weren't warned,” Brian replied.
“And what action would that be?” Trixie retorted.
“Weelll,” Brian dragged out the word while looking straight into Honey's eyes, “we'll start giving out kisses if you don't nix the hugs.”
Honey and the other girls gasped as one.
Jane Morgan walked by right then, her ears perked up like a bird dog, looking at Brian and Jim as if they were her own personal Christmas presents.
“You wouldn't,” Di challenged, looking down the block at Mart. He gave her a little finger wave.
“Oh, wouldn't we?” Jim said, looking directly at Trixie. “Try us.”
Honey looked at her friends, wondering what they should do. Before she could say anything, Trixie got into Jim's face.
“You're bluffing,” Trixie said, wearing an even better poker face than she'd displayed in the barn with Al and Jeff.
“You think so?” Jim responded, his voice deadly quiet.
“Yeah, I think so.” Honey, Di, and Hallie nodded in agreement.
Brian gave the high sign to Dan and Mart. Dan let out a sharp bob-white whistle, and the crowd bustling around outside Crimpers stopped what they were doing and looked at him.
“How much money would you women be willing to give to the Salvation Army,” Dan shouted while Mart held his bell high in the air and rang it, “if you got a kiss from one of the men at this kettle for every donation? And I'm not talking Hershey's kisses, ladies, I'm talking the real thing.” His grin was wicked as sin.
A line of women of various ages instantly formed at the guys' kettle and snaked out into the street.
Honey gulped. She really didn't want Brian kissing anybody other than her, although she was sure he probably did when he was away at school. At least then, she didn't have to witness it.
She shared a look with Trixie, whose mouth had flattened into a straight line.
“Meeting, girls.” The girls gathered around Trixie.
“How bad do you guys want to win this?” Trixie asked, her eyes stopping on each girl in turn.
Nobody said anything, but Di looked down at the snow gathering on the sidewalk, and Hallie glanced over Trixie's shoulder to where Dan was handing out more cookies.
“That's what I thought.” Trixie looked over at Jim, who stood next to the girls' kettle talking to a tall, blonde young woman who looked remarkably like Dot Murray, and her bright blue eyes dimmed. “I really don't want Jim kissing anybody but me.”
The other girls mumbled their agreement.
“Are we ready to admit we pushed it a little too far with the hugs?”
“Well,” Hallie said, “not to the boys, but I agree we should stop.”
“Okay, let's do it.” Trixie left the huddle and walked back to Jim and Brian, Honey, Di, and Hallie trailing behind her.
“Fine, we'll stop giving hugs, but only to keep you guys from losing too badly,” Trixie said, her voice calm, as if she didn't care one way or another who Jim kissed. Honey wondered if Jim was fooled by Trixie's nonchalance.
“Ok, then, we'll call off the kissing booth,” Brian said, as cool and calm as Trixie. His eyes narrowed, though, as Lester Mundy waved a five dollar bill in Honey's direction.
As Brian took a step toward Lester, Honey hastily said, “Oh, Lester, I'm sorry, but we had to stop giving out hugs. Won't you donate to the Salvation Army anyway? It's such a good cause.”
Disappointment crossed Lester's face, but he stuffed the bill into the kettle. Brian smirked and headed back to the opposite corner with Jim.
“Thanks so much, Lester!”
Honey did a little twirl in the falling snow. It was clear Brian didn't want anyone else hugging her. That had to mean something didn't it?
* * *
The next few days were a whirlwind of fun activities and preparations for Christmas, keeping the Bob-Whites busy and happy. But tonight was Christmas Eve, and the Bob-White men had to wear ugly Christmas sweaters to the Wheeler, Belden, and Lynch Christmas party at the Manor House, because they'd lost the bet with the girls by a mere ninety-eight cents. Brian wondered why they had made that stupid bet in the first place. There was no way he was going to impress Honey in the outfit he now wore, and he had something big to discuss with her.
He grimaced at his reflection in the mirror. His red and white cardigan sported reindeer prancing across the middle. He hoped the white oxford shirt he wore underneath and his black dress pants toned the sweater down, but he wasn't making any bets. He'd learned his lesson about gambling.
It could be worse, he thought, as Mart slunk into the room, avoiding the mirror. His brother's red and green pullover sweater said “fruitcake” in large letters over a picture of a cake that looked nothing like the popular ones Moms made.
“May the evening's festivities celebrating the yuletide pass expeditiously,” Mart intoned, “before the male contingent of the covey known as the Bob-Whites of the Glen expire from discomfiture.”
“We'll survive,” Brian said, plucking one of Reddy's hairs from his black slacks and hoping what he said was true. “And if the girls pass out from laughing too hard, it'll take some of the attention off of us.”
Mart grunted in response, the non-syllabic response a testament to just how bummed his brother really was.
Brian inwardly sighed. As ridiculous as he looked, he was determined to have a serious talk with Honey before the evening was over.
* * *
The Belden family, minus Trixie and Hallie, who were dressing with Honey and Di in Honey's room, walked into the large foyer at Manor House. Brian was again awed by the huge, professionally decorated Christmas tree that stood there. The 12-foot blue spruce was decked out in all white and glowed majestically.
Jim came into the foyer to greet them.
“Merry Christmas!” Brian detected a bit of a grimace behind his friend's smile. And it was no wonder. His green sweater had a huge red bow design that made him look like a large, oddly-shaped Christmas gift.
Moms didn't quite manage to hide her grin behind her hand. She patted Jim's shoulder on her way into the rest of the house, from where good smells and Christmas carols wafted.
“Don't worry, dear, it'll be all right,” she said, a giggle escaping from her lips. His dad merely snorted.
“Have the girls made an appearance yet?” Mart asked as the doorbell rang.
“Not yet,” Jim said, opening the door and letting in Dan and Mr. Maypenny. “They're still giggling in Honey's room. Whatever they're doing, it's all been very hush-hush.”
Mr. Maypenny merely shook his head and walked in the direction of the living room, while Brian, Jim, and Mart eyed Dan's sweater. Brian didn't know where Dan had gotten it, but it spoke volumes. It was black with a snowman on the front, but the snowman's head had been lopped off by the sword that lay in the snow beside it. Brian, Jim, and Mart laughed as Dan preened.
“Hey, I figured I might as well have fun with it,” Dan said, taking a final bow.
“Better not let Mother see that sweater,” Jim said. “She barely accepted the whole ugly sweater bet as it was, but your's pushes way past the boundaries of good taste.”
Dan craned his neck and looked into the living room.
“Don't worry. I've still got skills from the old days, so if I don't want to be seen, I won't be. But, just in case my talents fail me, I've always got my Irish charm to fall back on.”
Brian, Mart, and Jim rolled their eyes, but Brian knew there was no false modesty in his friend's statement. Dan could, if he really wanted to, charm his way in or out of almost any situation.
The guys sidled out of the foyer, taking care to avoid other people. When they finally made it into the living room, Bobby, Larry, and Terry pointed at them and laughed their fool heads off, causing everyone else in the room to look at them. Once they had shot dark looks at the three younger boys, they grouped together next to another Christmas tree. This one was also a blue spruce, but it was more homey than the one in the foyer, having been decorated by the Wheeler family. Gifts were piled under the tree in large stacks. Instead of putting his gift to Honey with the others, Brian stuck the small package in his pocket so as not to get lost in the shuffle.
“I require sustenance,” Mart groaned, clutching his stomach and gazing longingly at the buffet table. “but the chagrin I would endure at the hands of my family and friends quells my voracity.”
Brian would have liked some of the delicious-smelling food as well, but the sight of Tom, Regan, Mr. Wheeler, Larry, Terry, and Bobby crowding around the buffet table made him pause. Better to wait until the coast was clear of anyone who would laugh at him before braving dinner. Judging from the woebegotten looks on Jim and Dan's faces, they felt the same way.
Footsteps coming down the stairs off the foyer mixed with girlish giggles.
“You girls look adorable,” Mrs. Wheeler exclaimed.
The guys looked at each other with identical expressions of resignation.
“Might as well get our humiliation over with, men,” Jim murmured. “Let the girls laugh at us, and then we can get on with the evening.”
Brian, Mart, and Dan followed Jim into the foyer. By the time Brian had picked his jaw up from the polished marble floor, the rest of his family and friends had crowded into the room and started laughing. The four girls, young women, he corrected himself, had both proven that the Bob-Whites stuck together through thick and thin and neatly turned the tables on him and his brethern. Each one wore their version of an ugly Christmas sweater, and oh, what versions they were.
Brian thought he saw a trickle of drool running down Jim's chin as he looked at Trixie's legs sporting Santa Clause and reindeer striped leggings. Her body-hugging, long-sleeved t-shirt said “Merry Christmas!”.
Di wore a red men's sweater with snowflakes on the front as a mini-dress over black tights. Hallie's red leg lamp sweater had been taken in to conform to her trim figure and shortened to show just a bit of tummy over her black pants. Both Mart and Dan had huge grins on their faces.
Brian walked over to Honey and took her hand. She looked both silly and beautiful. She wore a fitted, green sweater vest adorned with candy canes over a black mini-skirt. She didn't have a blouse on underneath, so her trim arms were bare. He grinned at the lights winking at him from the candy canes.
“Merry Christmas,” he said, kissing her cheek.
“That's quite a scheme you girls cooked up tonight.”“Well, we couldn't let you guys wear ugly Christmas sweaters by yourselves, considering by how little we won.” She giggled. “Especially since we all played pretty dirty to win, you know, with you guys giving out cookies and we girls wearing costumes and giving out hugs, although we felt we had the right to tweak ours since we did win, even if it was by only ninety-eight cents.”
He laughed. Honey-speak at its finest. They followed the others out of the foyer and in the direction of food. Their talk could wait until after dinner.
* * *
Honey was walking on air. Dinner was delicious, and the Bob-Whites were teased by their family and friends endlessly about their sweaters, but it was all in good fun. The best part, however, was that Brian had never left her side all evening. Not to break up Trixie and Mart's latest squabble, not to watch the football game on TV with the guys, and not even when Tom wanted to talk about cars!
When they'd decided not to date exclusively after he went back to school, Honey had agreed it was a good idea. But what she hadn't realized until a boy in her English class asked her out was that she didn't want
to date anyone other than Brian. She'd accepted the date, but had been miserable the entire evening. She couldn't expect Brian to feel the same way, though.
“Honey,” Brian whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine, “is there somewhere we can be alone for a few minutes? I have a present for you that wasn't under the tree.”
“I have one for you, too,” she replied, suddenly feeling shy. “Let's go to the library. That's where I stashed your gift.”
When they were safely away from the prying eyes of their friends and family, Honey picked up a large wrapped box from the table and led Brian to t
he comfortable leather couch.“You first,” she said, handing him the box.
“No, ladies first.”
She fiddled with one of the tiny bulbs on her sweater vest, suddenly afraid he wouldn't like his gift. Better to get it over with.
“No, I insist,” she said. “Really.”
He smiled at her. “Well, I wouldn't want to say no to a beautiful lady.”
He had the wrapping off in seconds and was soon lifting the lid off the box. When he pulled the cream-colored sweater she had hand knit for him, she resisted the urge to hide her face. What if it looked too homemade, too uncool to wear at college?
“Honey, it's beautiful! I love it.”
“I made it myself.”
His eyes widened. “I didn't know you could knit.”
“I've been working with Mrs. Vanderpoel so I could surprise you. And then your Aunt Alicia gave me a few pointers at Thanksgiving.”
“Well, I love it even more now that I know you made it. Thank you.” He kissed her cheek and then gave her the small box he'd been holding. “Now your turn.”
Twin lines appeared between Brian's chocolate truffle eyes and his hands twisted together. If she didn't know Brian better, she'd think he was worried. Why would he possibly be worried?
She carefully pulled the bow off the box, and gently unwrapped the package so she wouldn't tear the paper. Opening the velvet box she found a silver chain with a floating heart inside. A heart? What did it mean? She was afraid she couldn't keep the question from her eyes.
“It's lov-” He put his finger over her lips, and his skin on her lips felt so good.
“Let me explain,” he said, his eyes pleading with her.v
She nodded mutely.
Brian stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets. Then he paced across the room to the desk.
“When we dated last summer, I was so happy. I've always cared about you and bided my time until you were old enough. I felt ten feet tall when I was with you and kissing you. But I never led you on. I said from the beginning that I thought we should date other people when I went away to school. It was the sensible, respons
ible thing to do.”Honey traced the silver heart with her finger. Sensible and responsible, that was both her and Brian.
“I agreed that it was the right thing to do,” she said quietly. She'd been wrong, though. She hadn't been interested in any other guys when Brian was gone, and had been miserable the entire semester thinking about him dating college girls.
He paced back to the sofa and sat down next to her again. Honey could hear Mart singing a rousing rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas from somewhere in the house. Brian looked over his shoulder at the closed door and shook his head.
“As I was saying. . .”
Honey couldn't stop the giggle that escaped. She covered her mouth with her hand.
Brian laughed and took her hand.
“As I was saying, what I discovered when I went back to school was that the sensible, responsible thing wasn't what made me happy.”
Honey looked down at the necklace, hoping against hope Brian was saying what she thought he might be saying. He tilted her chin up, so that her eyes met his. Oh, my, chocolate truffles had always been her favorite candy!
“None of the girls I knew could hold a candle to the sweet Honey-girl here in Sleepyside. I spent practically every weekend moping around my dorm room worrying that you were having the time of your life with all the guys at Sleepyside High who would give their right arm to date a girl like you.”
The look he gave her made her tingle all over.
“Oh, Brian, I only went on one date, and I was hated it. Trixie and I went to all of the school activities either together or with the other Bob-Whites and wished you and Jim were there.”
Brian laughed softly. “I know that now. Trixie read me the riot act after I was home for Thanksgiving and she and Jim got together. I was so glad to come home for Christmas so I could see you, and then we had that stupid sweater bet that got out of control. I wanted to punch every single one of those guys who flirted with you and hugged you.”
She searched his eyes. She had to be sure. “Does this mean we're a couple now? A real couple, not two people who date when it's convenient?”
“Yes, that's exactly what it means,” he laughed.
Honey threw her arms around Brian's neck. “I'm so happy!”
“Here, let me put this on you.”
She lifted her long hair and turned so her back faced him. He fastened the necklace and then took her hair and spread it out down her back. When she turned back around, his face was serious, and he bent his head to kiss her.
It was so good to feel his lips on hers again. They kissed for several minutes until Brian finally lifted his head.
“We should probably get back to the party,” he said, but instead of rising from the couch, he pulled her closer.
“Let's stay in here just a little longer.” She looked up at him with what she hoped was a come-hither expression. “I thought we were finished with being sensible and responsible.”
Brian's sexy smile lit his entire face.
“You make a good point, Miss Wheeler,” he replied, his mouth descending toward hers once again.
Honey's last coherent thought for quite some time was, Merry Christmas to me!