The Librarians And the Advent List

Dec 21

The previous night they'd come back through to the Annex holding hands. They hadn't exchanged "I love yous" but the kisses had been more than enough indication that their feelings were mutual. The Annex was empty, so Jacob took the opportunity to steal another kiss.

"So what's tomorrow's date?" he asked after the kiss ended, his hands still around her waist.

She beamed at his term and realized that's exactly what all of these had been. But then she bit her lip in thought.

"I scheduled a sleigh ride for the22nd. And there's still looking at Christmas lights. But short of seeing the Nutcracker and since your niece danced to the Dance of the Sugar Plum fairies that counts, we've actually done everything on the list. So I don't know, did you want to go for a drive looking at lights tomorrow night?"

"Let's save that for the 23rd. Christmas Eve we're having that party for Baird, so that's a good time to do that. Let's see . . .I still have some of my share of the Christmas cookies. And I have a fireplace that hasn't been fired up yet this season. How about you come over? I'll make mulled wine. I managed to get an old recipe out of Jenkins and I think I can adapt it."

"That sounds like a perfect date to me, Jacob." Cassandra giggled and he couldn't quite keep the grin off his face. "Alright, I should get home."

"Yeah, me too," he kissed her one last time and then released his hold. "Until tomorrow, m'lady."

--

Cassandra showed up at his apartment the next night, having wisely taken an Uber (even though she only planned on having a glass of wine). She was a bit nervous, they'd taken a huge leap in their relationship and it seemed strange.

"Hi," he smiled at her when he opened the door, but he looked nervous too. That strangely made her feel better.

He took her coat and ushered her into his living room. A fire was already started in the fireplace and a small tree was lit in the corner. He had a lot of books but she had a feeling he'd spent the afternoon cleaning the place.

"So I made mulled wine and I also made mulled cranberry juice. I had a feeling that after London you wouldn't want to have too much wine."

Cassandra smiled softly at him. "You guessed right."

"What can I say? I pay attention."

She grinned. "Well it smells like Christmas in here."

He turned on some Christmas music and served them up some wine in mugs. On the table in front of his couch, he'd set up the Christmas cookies he had left over as well as other types of snack food. He'd arranged everything artistically which she expected from him. But she could tell he put extra effort into it.

"You're nervous," she said to him. "It's okay, I am too."

"I don't know why, really," he said with a sheepish grin. "It's still you and me. We've done plenty of things like this. The basic . . .you and me . . .it hasn't changed. We're still best friends."

"Just with kissing."

"Yeah, I have to say I kinda like that new layer."

She giggled and leaned into him for a kiss. "Me too. So um . . .are we casual? Serious?"

He set his mug down on the table and she did too as he took her hands. "I'd like to be serious if . . . ."

"I would. I just, you know I can't offer you forever."

"Darlin', no one really can. But Librarians . . .you know how dangerous it is. We've come close before."

"I know, so I realized that while I can't give you years, I can give you everything I do have. I was in . . .I had someone I regretted leaving once. I don't want to have those regrets about you."

"I had someone like that too. I wanted to tell her about who I was, but I just couldn't. She figured out I was lying to her and she left me. I never . . . I regretted not havin' the strength to be myself. Because I wish I could have loved her more than my fear of the truth comin' out."

She squeezed his hands. "You can be you now."

"And you, you can be you too. Nothing over our heads any more, nothing keeping us apart."

"And you, I know you do but . . ."

"More than trust, I have faith in you, Cassie. Faith in us."

He wiped away the tear that Cassandra didn't realize had fallen on her cheek. Then they sealed their new relationship with a kiss.