Read Online Under the Mistletoe by Tracie Puckett - Free Book Online
Authors: Tracie Puckett
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passed it to me. “She gave me strict orders to give this to you
before tonight.” I started to open it. “Wait, this first.”
He handed me a large, manila envelope. I reached inside and pulled
out a stock sheet of paper; fully illustrated with a one-of-a-kind,
hand drawn dress design by Adriana Holbrook. “Oh my God...”
“Now the box,” Cal urged.
I tore through the wrapping paper and lifted the lid. I was
suddenly fighting to stop a stream of tears. “ She did this for
me ?”
An exact, physical replica of the hand drawn design was folded
neatly inside; a forest green cocktail dress, complete with a red
waist belt and color complimenting sequins.
I, Abcdef Ghijk, owned my very own, irreplaceable, priceless piece
of artwork by the most incredible fashion designer to ever walk the
planet.
“I guess you like it?”
“Understatement of the century, Cal.”
I pulled the dress from the box and held it to my body.
“But the gift comes with one condition,” he continued.
“Anything!”
“You have to wear it tonight,” he said. “Gran and Pops are in town
for the weekend. They're staying with Alex and they've decided to
have a last minute Christmas party. Nothing too big, just
family.”
“And I'm invited?”
“Steph... you're family.”
Saturday December 24 5:30PM
“ Where are you ?”
I yelled, throwing pillows and blankets as I searched
frantically.
“Baby,” mom came into the room. “We're already running late.
Whatever you're looking for can wait until tomorrow.”
“No, it can't,” I snapped. I tore through my book bag one last
time, looking in every nook and cranny until there was nowhere left
to look. “This can't be happening...”
“What's going on?” Calvin stepped beside mom.
“Baby lost something,” she threw her hands in the air. “What in
God's name are you looking for and why can't it wait until after
the party?”
“Forget it,” I said. “It's gone.”
I crossed my arms and pouted the whole way to the car. Childish,
yes. But I couldn't believe the one thing I wanted to give Alex
tonight had disappeared into thin air.
“Look at you,” Adriana said as we walked through Alex's front door
ten minutes later. “That dress is marvelous, sweetheart. Where in
the world did you ever find such a thing?”
“Thank you,” I said, sincerely. “I can't even begin to tell you how
much this means to me.”
“Only the best for the best,” she winked.
“Oh,” I shook my head. “I kept meaning to thank you for the
Thanksgiving basket you sent over last month. Every time I thought
to mention it you were nowhere around.”
She wrinkled her forehead. “ Basket ?”
“The meal...”
She continued to stare at me, puzzled. “I'm sorry, honey,” she
said. “I didn't send anything on Thanksgiving. I was in New York
for the holiday.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling like a complete idiot for embarrassing myself
in front of the only woman I'd ever idolized. “I guess I'm just a
little mixed up.”
“No problem,” she smiled, looking at the plate in my hands. “ You
brought cookies !”
“Yup,” I smirked. “Completely, 100% homemade... by Calvin.”
“You can take those to the table,” Adriana grinned, giving me a
gentle tap on the
before tonight.” I started to open it. “Wait, this first.”
He handed me a large, manila envelope. I reached inside and pulled
out a stock sheet of paper; fully illustrated with a one-of-a-kind,
hand drawn dress design by Adriana Holbrook. “Oh my God...”
“Now the box,” Cal urged.
I tore through the wrapping paper and lifted the lid. I was
suddenly fighting to stop a stream of tears. “ She did this for
me ?”
An exact, physical replica of the hand drawn design was folded
neatly inside; a forest green cocktail dress, complete with a red
waist belt and color complimenting sequins.
I, Abcdef Ghijk, owned my very own, irreplaceable, priceless piece
of artwork by the most incredible fashion designer to ever walk the
planet.
“I guess you like it?”
“Understatement of the century, Cal.”
I pulled the dress from the box and held it to my body.
“But the gift comes with one condition,” he continued.
“Anything!”
“You have to wear it tonight,” he said. “Gran and Pops are in town
for the weekend. They're staying with Alex and they've decided to
have a last minute Christmas party. Nothing too big, just
family.”
“And I'm invited?”
“Steph... you're family.”
Saturday December 24 5:30PM
“ Where are you ?”
I yelled, throwing pillows and blankets as I searched
frantically.
“Baby,” mom came into the room. “We're already running late.
Whatever you're looking for can wait until tomorrow.”
“No, it can't,” I snapped. I tore through my book bag one last
time, looking in every nook and cranny until there was nowhere left
to look. “This can't be happening...”
“What's going on?” Calvin stepped beside mom.
“Baby lost something,” she threw her hands in the air. “What in
God's name are you looking for and why can't it wait until after
the party?”
“Forget it,” I said. “It's gone.”
I crossed my arms and pouted the whole way to the car. Childish,
yes. But I couldn't believe the one thing I wanted to give Alex
tonight had disappeared into thin air.
“Look at you,” Adriana said as we walked through Alex's front door
ten minutes later. “That dress is marvelous, sweetheart. Where in
the world did you ever find such a thing?”
“Thank you,” I said, sincerely. “I can't even begin to tell you how
much this means to me.”
“Only the best for the best,” she winked.
“Oh,” I shook my head. “I kept meaning to thank you for the
Thanksgiving basket you sent over last month. Every time I thought
to mention it you were nowhere around.”
She wrinkled her forehead. “ Basket ?”
“The meal...”
She continued to stare at me, puzzled. “I'm sorry, honey,” she
said. “I didn't send anything on Thanksgiving. I was in New York
for the holiday.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling like a complete idiot for embarrassing myself
in front of the only woman I'd ever idolized. “I guess I'm just a
little mixed up.”
“No problem,” she smiled, looking at the plate in my hands. “ You
brought cookies !”
“Yup,” I smirked. “Completely, 100% homemade... by Calvin.”
“You can take those to the table,” Adriana grinned, giving me a
gentle tap on the
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