Breaking Ice

Chapter Thirty-One

Christmas Day was bustling with activity; the ladies were making breakfast while the guys tended to the animals before they joined in the celebration. The Christmas tree was lit, and the presents underneath were waiting to be unwrapped.

Bexley was the most excited of it all, as she had something special to give Jeremiah, and hoped he would love the surprise. And it had been quite the mission to even get it.

After his room was broken into, she asked Carter to sneak in and grab Jeremiah's hockey album.

"Are you crazy?" he said that day, earning a pleading gaze from Bexley as she smiled at him.

"Please, it will mean the world to me, and to him to have this. I just need you to grab it and hand it to me. I won't even say you did it," she said, almost begging, but Carter couldn't resist the eyes of a pretty girl.

Jeremiah was lucky to have someone like her. With that, he worked on the handle, and successfully opening the door, he made a quick run inside and came back out shortly after with the album in his hands.

"Thank you. You're an angel," Bexley said, kissing his cheek before she walked away.

"Wait a minute! You're not going anywhere until you give me your friend's phone number. Nabanji, is it?" he asked with his arms folded on his chest. Bexley smiled and turned around, seeing his eyes as if telling her he would go to Jeremiah if she didn't do as he said.

"You're a jerk," Bexley stated, holding her hand out for his phone. Hoping her friend didn't get upset, she dialed the numbers and saved them on the contacts, handing it back to him.

"Thanks!" Carter put the phone back in his pocket with a smile on his face. "Your secret is safe with me."

The guys had walked into the house, taking their boots and coats off and hanging the hats on the rack before they joined in, helping the ladies set the table. Jeremiah stood behind Bexley, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

"How's the most beautiful girl in the world?" he greeted as he hadn't had a chance earlier. They were up before everyone else and headed out the door at the crack of dawn to their diligent duties.

"I'm fine, handsome. Thank you very much," she replied, pecking his lips before handing him a porcelain tray full of bacon. "Now, take this to the table."

"As you wish, darlin'."

Jeremiah took the tray to the dining room, setting it down on a table mat, and pouring orange juice in every glass. Sophia ran to the radio, and turned it on, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers' voices ringing through the speakers, singing the most beautiful Christmas songs.

She sat on her usual spot, and everyone joined in. With Jacob and Dolly sitting on each end as everyone sat on whatever spots they could find.

"We want to welcome the Evans family to our humble ranch, and we hope you're having fun," Jacob mentioned. Carol and Paul smiled, lifting their glasses on a toast.

"Thank you for having us. It has been quite the experience and we hope we can come back next year?" Paul asked.

"Of course. You're all welcome here as many times as you'd like," Dolly replied. "Now, let's pray."

They all bowed their heads as she led a short prayer, digging into the food as soon as she was done. The morning was spent chatting, laughing and singing old Christmas songs, Bexley and Jeremiah not being able to take their eyes off each other the entire time.

Marshall and Brooklyn sat side by side, trying to keep a civilized conversation, but he was a bit rough around the edges, and his comments about her infuriated her to the point he had to cup her face and plant a kiss on her lips just to get her to shut up.

"Woah, you two!" Jacob laughed as Bexley noticed the way her sister and the cowboy were looking at each other after that kiss.

They both pulled away, and Marshall, realizing what he had done, opened his eyes wide, quickly making his way out of the house, grabbing the hat and his coat.

Brooklyn just sat there, her cheeks as pink as the small flower bow Sophia had in her head. Bexley smiled, meeting her eyes, who had unshed tears, concerning her.

As she saw Brooklyn disappear through the hallway, she couldn't help but follow, excusing herself with the rest of the family as she went to check on her.

"Brooks?" she called, walking into their room. "Are you okay?"

"No!" Brooklyn sobbed. "How dare that idiot kiss me after being nice one time, and then ignore me the next. He's a jerk!"

Bexley sat down on the edge of the bed where her sister was, holding her hand. "Then, forget about him and when we go back home, forget about all this too."

Brooklyn opened her eyes wide. "Are you crazy? This is just the perfect place, and he's perfect!"

"Then, stop complaining and show him he can't act like that with you. Ignore him for the rest of the vacation and he'll realize you're upset. I bet he hasn't apologized for that day, has he?"

Brooklyn nodded. "He did, but I can't understand him. He's so hot and cold."

"Jezzah warned..."

"I know. Jezzah warned me. But I'm not giving up on him. Not in a million years." Brooklyn stomped out of the room to join the family who had now moved to the living room, ready to open the presents.

"Oi, what a stubborn woman."

The rest of the day was spent in the living room, with soft Christmas music and cheers. As one by one opened their presents, everyone loving what they received, it was finally turn to give Jeremiah his and Bexley was nervous.

She grabbed the last present under the tree, holding it against her chest as she walked towards her boyfriend, who sat on the couch with a glass of orange juice in his hand.

"I hope you like this. I made it with love," she whispered, remembering all the work she put on it. Hoping to give it to him by Spring break, instead, she had to rush fixing the album before Christmas, and she was happy to have succeeded.

"What is it?"

"Oh, no. It's a surprise. Open it," Bexley replied, sitting next to him on the couch, while everyone's eyes were focused on him, waiting for his reaction.

Jeremiah looked around before he unwrapped it, a black binder sat on his lap with his name on it and a picture of him in one of the games.

"Bexley..."

"Open it!" she urged, eagerly. "Please."

He did as told and gasped as he saw all his hockey card collections in the brand new clear protectors. Each one of them were damaged, but Bexley had managed to get most of the honey out, wiping whatever she could and putting it on the new binder.

"I know how much this means to you, so I decided to buy a new binder, and try to clean all these cards. They're still a bit messy, but I tried."

He didn't need her to say anything else, but he leaned over and kissed her, tears of joy rolling down his cheek.

"Thank you, beautiful girl. It's the best thing you could have done for me, besides stealing my heart," he whispered in her lips, making her smile.

"I'm glad you liked it. I love you, Jezzah."

"I love you too, Bex. I love you, too."