Can't Love Christmas

Thirty One

The phone buzzing on the nightstand finally roused Ash from her sleep. She was pleased to find less ringing in her head than expected. Until she turned on the phone screen, and the blue light made her wince. 

Mom:

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

Every possibly festive emoji followed it.

Ash typed back a more subdued Merry Christmas message with only one Santa emoji beside it. When the message was sent, she placed the phone back on the table and rolled over, to look at Rowan's sleeping form. His breathing was even and slow, his face relaxed in sleep looked years younger, but just as handsome. He looked warm and soft, and she wanted nothing more than to be wrapped up in his arms again.

"Stop staring at me, creeper."

Ash startled, but his eyes remained closed. "I didn't know you were awake."

"I'm not. Not awake until my eyes open. Do they look open to you?" She resisted the urge to pry one of his eyelids back, and instead shifted closer to him. He felt the movement on the bed and his arm shot out to pull her to his chest.

She went willingly, sighing into his warmth as they laid there, his arm wrapped around her waist to hold her close to him. Just as Ash was about to fall asleep again, she felt his warm breath caress her neck. "Good morning, Ash."

She giggled at the sensation, assuming his words meant he would consider himself 'awake' finally, and turned her neck as far as it would allow to see him better. "Merry Christmas Rowan!" He squinted his face in response to her, and snorted.

His hand tightened on her waist. "Merry Christmas, Cinders."

"We should have breakfast and then shower. My zoom call isn't until one, but I'm sure mom will be texting me like crazy until then."

"Okay. I have to open the kitchen early to let the ladies in then anyways."

"You're spending all day in the kitchen?"

"No, I'm just opening so they can do prep. I'll start working at four."

"Are you sure you don't want me to help?"

"Spend all the time you want with your family today. We've got it all under control. It's usually a smaller crowd than Thanksgiving."

"Okay."

They were silent for a few minutes, curled up together, when Rowan's growling stomach broke the silence.

"I hate to be that guy, but what do you have for breakfast?"

"Well, I don't really know. We can probably do pancakes or something."

"Mmm," he hummed in acknowledgment, "sounds good."

Ash rose from the bed and quickly grabbed a clean old t-shirt and Christmas pajama pants, stepped into her slippers, and disappeared into the washroom to change. She freshened up and came back out into the bedroom to see the bed empty. Heading out to the kitchen, Rowan was searching through her kitchen cupboards in his jeans and white t-shirt.

"Oh! Let me do it! You're cooking later, I'll cook for you now!"

Rowan beamed at her. "Okay. That sounds lovely."

He had already gotten out the frying pan, so she began to gather the other supplies. Reaching into the corner cupboard, she pulled out a box of pancake mix, then turned around to find the mixing bowl with a spout and a whisk. She smiled at Rowan and found him scowling back.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you serious right now?"

Confused, she replied, "about what?"