Christmas Coda 67 – Skylar and Rory from 44.1644° North
I couldn’t tell how the phone call was going until Rory repeated
blankly, “Four days?”
Like he’d never heard of such a thing.
I tried to read his face. It was such a nice face: everything
exactly where it was supposed to be, from those keen gray eyes to really his
beautiful smile. He wasn’t smiling right now, though. He was frowning.
And yet, from where I was sitting—which happened to be the other
queen-sized bed in Rory’s hotel room in Bozwin, Montana—it almost sounded as if
the answer to his question was yes.
Which seemed too much to hope for.
And yet, I couldn’t help hoping…
Long distance relationships are tough. How do you get to know each other, really know each other, from opposite sides of the country? Sure, there was Facetime and texts and even the quick occasional reunion at hotels and motels, but...
“Well, yes,” Rory said quickly. “I just didn’t think—” He caught
himself, said crisply, “Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it.” And then,
clearly in afterthought, “Merry Christmas.”
I felt happiness light inside me like the shining star at
the top of a Christmas Tree.
Rory slowly put his phone down, stared at me, said, “I’ve
got four days off.”
Four days. Four whole days. Breakfast, lunch and dinner together for four whole days. Not that I cared about food when there was so much more on the menu.
I grinned, moved from the extra bed to his, wrapped my arm
around his shoulder and squeezed. “See, you never know unless you ask.”
Rory shook his head. “Jason must be staying with him.”
“Maybe they’re spending the holidays together too.”
We were going to spend the holidays together!
Rory automatically shook his head as though that were impossible,
but then said slowly, “Yeah. You could be right.”
Jason was Rory’s boss Sam’s, boyfriend. They were also
trying to make a long-distance relationship work. Although Sam, being the chief
of one of the FBI’s BAU units, was able to finagle more time for his
relationship than a mere field agent like Rory. It probably helped that Jason
was also in the FBI.
Rory turned his face to mine and we smiled into each other’s
eyes. “So, you’re staying too? Right? That was the deal.”
“Yep. I’m going to cancel my flight right now.”
“And your family’s not going to mind that you’re changing
your holiday plans spur-of-the-moment?”
“I assume I’ll be greatly missed.” I couldn’t stop smiling
at him. It was just… In almost an entire year we’d never managed to grab more
than forty-eight hours together at a time. The idea of four whole days—including
Christmas—was almost too much to believe. Four days of just us. It almost made
it better that we were in the middle of nowhere—well, that we were both
strangers in town. Everyday would be a little adventure we would share together.
“I’m sure you will.” Rory was serious.
It was, well, we tended to keep things light when we were together because when time is limited, you're careful not to do anything that might upset the fragile equilibrium. But he said it so sincerely. The way he said it turned it into one of nicest things anyone had ever said to me
I got equally serious. “I’m sure they’ll be very
happy for me. They know how much—well, they know.”
Rory’s face slowly creased into smile. “What do they know?”
he asked softly.
My laugh sounded nervous even to me. I said vaguely, airily,
“Oh, you know.”
Rory nodded, leaned into me, found my mouth. He kissed me,
whispered, “Yes, I do.”
* * * * *
“You're a closet romantic,” Jason teased.
He was relaxing in bed, head comfortably propped on his crossed
arms, studying Sam’s profile as Sam set his cell on the nightstand. Sam
glanced up; his expression sardonic.
“You think that was sentiment? Giving Torr a couple of days
off? He’s more than due some PTO.”
“I think it was a nice thing to do.”
Sam grimaced, shook his head, and reclaimed his place in the
nest of pillows and bedclothes, reclaimed Jason, with a muscular arm wrapped around Jason's waist.
Jason considered the snow falling softly outside Sam’s
bedroom window. He was secretly hoping they might get snowed in together, although
that would require a Christmas miracle. He said thoughtfully, “I think Rory really likes the
professor.”
“Mm.” Sam sounded unenthused at the idea of anyone really liking
anyone.
Jason made a faint sound of amusement. Wry amusement, for
sure.
Sam said, “You’re always saying BAU isn’t for everyone, West.
Torr’s an excellent agent. When you find good people, you do what you can to keep them
happy.”
“Ah.”
Sam’s lashes lifted, he regarded Jason for a long moment. His
hard blue stare softened. His stern mouth twitched into a funny little smile.
He tipped Jason's chin up and kissed him.
