Eggnog & Evergreen

42 • Barn Benefit

If you had asked me one week ago what I'd be doing on Christmas Eve...

Buttoning up my berry red pea coat and preparing to face two suitors was definitely not in the cards.

I sit in the back seat of my mom's sedan, idling worse than her engine at this red light. A basket of candy cane twists rests in the otherwise empty seat beside me. I tune out my parents' pleasant discussion about Christmas Brunch plans and instead scroll mindlessly on social.

Jules and Jayden snap me casual half-nudes in some hot tub with strobe lights in the background. Not sure what kind of Christmas Eve party they're at, but I wish I were there. My mom slams the brakes suddenly and I drop my phone down onto the floor by my bootie. I reach down and pull it up only to see that my photos have been opened.

Preston stares back at me –him dressed as Superman at the spooky pub-crawl we did this past Halloween. I know if I scroll over, the next photo will show the show of us as Superman and Lois Lane.

Predictable and cliché I know.

We pull into the Bristowe parking lot at 7:04 PM. Its sign is illuminated red and white and looks very like the one at Trodder's Tree Farm.

"Already packed," my mother says, her hand spinning the steering wheel.

"There's a spot right there on the side." My dad points through the frosty windshield.

I clench my fists, my teeth –my everything.

My phone buzzes with texts from Preston.

I'm here.

Next to the Figgy Pudding display by the green nutcracker

"Oh, what the hell are you doing, Noe?" I utter under my breath.

The front yard is teeming with young kids waiting in line for the sleigh rides. I find myself absentmindedly peering at all the horse-drawn carriages, looking a very familiar red sleigh and a loyal reindeer named Trotter. An older gentleman pours hot cocoa from a navy-blue cooler and hands it to the kids waiting in line.

"Here we go. Here we go." I curse myself again. "Ugh, I should have made a plan!"

My boots drag across the gravel lot and stop in front of the weathered barn doors that just hours ago Preston and I stood in. A large banner hangs from the frame.

Welcome to the 33rd Annual Barn Benefit.

I walk into the barn and am instantly swallowed by stagnant, perfumed heat.

There must be hundreds of people crammed into this lofty barn! I snake my way through the crowd and past the pie table, searching for a green nutcracker. After about 15 fruitless minutes, I come up empty and decide to try the other side.

The three-piece band plays a Christmas instrumental. I'm almost positive it played during the gazebo incident. And by incident, I mean spectacular. Since last night in the gazebo was, in fact, spectacular. Nik is spectacular! Then again, so is my life in NYC. With Preston. 

If there were clouds inside this steamy barn, they would be parting right now. Preston appears front and center before the crowd. His dark eyes glow like charcoal embers in the night.

"Hey," I mumble.

"Hello Noelle," Preston says, kissing me quickly on the cheek.

His lips linger in front of mine for just one fraction of a second and I breathe him in. The aroma of cologne on his skin is intoxicating.

"I'm happy to be spending Christmas Eve with you," he says, earnest.

I look up at him and I can tell he means it. Preston is thrilled to be spending the holiday with me. the tables start turning.