Granted Wishes (The Granted Series Book 1) (16 page)

IT’S CHRISTMAS
EVE
. Everyone is anxious. Gio is nervous and tries not to show it, but Gracelynn can tell. She decides to do something fun when she sees it has snowed overnight and is still lightly snowing outside.

“Gio, can you come outside and help me with something?” she asks.

“Yes, why?”

“Just meet me outside, please,” she yells from the living room. She hurries to get her jacket, hat and gloves on. She rushes outside and hides behind the tree, waiting for Gio to approach her hiding spot. She laughs as she hits him with a snow ball landing directly on his cheek.

He curses and wipes his face off with a huge grin, which she knows is trouble. In the short period of time she’s come to know him, she’s learned he can be quite competitive.

“I will get you back, Gracelynn. Don’t you know paybacks aren’t very nice where you’re concerned?” He starts walking around the property as she hits him again in the face, head, chest and even his butt. He lets her have her fun and then grabs a huge ball of snow and whips it at her, knowing her exact location. And his snow ball hits her directly in the chest.

“Oh man, Gracelynn, did I hit the
gals
?” He chuckles and grabs another snow ball and before Gracelynn can dust the snow off her chest he comes around and pulls her close to his body, drops the snow ball and leans her back and kisses her cheek, her nose and leans into her mouth and takes her for an earthshattering kiss.

She breathes rapidly and doesn’t notice that he has her on the ground, on top of her and kissing her senseless. It’s like she’s somewhere else when he’s kissing her.

“Do you know what you do to me?” he whispers. “You look like a snow angel in the flesh. You’re beautiful in the snow, Gracelynn.”

She blushes under his sincere statements.

“Do something with me?” he asks quietly.

She nods as he picks her up and carries her over to the front of the house. He asks her to lie in the snow. She does so without question.

He lies down next to her. “Would you like to make snow angels with me?”

She smiles as they make angels, reminiscing of doing so as children. They stand up and try to not step in the angels and look down at their angel forms and laugh.

“Thank you for doing that with me. You make me enjoy all the old nostalgia I’ve long forgotten,” he gushes to her as they still glance down at their angel prints.

They spend the morning and afternoon with one another and Holly. They have a great time getting to know one another, baking pies and watching a few movies that are on TV for the holiday. Gio tells her that they should start getting ready for dinner. They decided they would make a classic ham, potatoes, vegetables and a delicious apple pie.

* * *

As Gracelynn leaves the room to get ready for their guests, Gio becomes anxious. He hopes that she’ll love the presents that he’s purchased. He decides his special present will wait until tomorrow morning so she can have a special present from him since she is leaving on Friday. He decides to go get ready and work off some of his anxiety.

He’s in the bathroom getting ready and hears singing. He hasn’t heard Gracelynn sing before and wonders why… she has an amazing voice. Having her in this cabin is amazing. He looks down at his own wrist and remembers the bracelet he and Gracelynn share and hopes she’ll like her early Christmas present she’ll be getting tonight.

Trying to decide what to wear, he thinks of something Gracelynn would like. He smiles when he finds a green sweater. He knows she’ll love it and then goes for a black pair of jeans and his comfy brown slippers. He styles his hair, sprays on his cologne and is off to check the ham again.

Since Gracelynn is still obviously getting ready, he starts prepping the kitchen. As he starts to set the table with candles and poinsettias and four placemats, he notices Gracelynn standing in the doorway.

“Wow. You’re a vision, you know that?” He practically drools all over. She wears a pair of blue jeans and a low cut green sweater with a white scarf wrapped around her neck. Her hair is up, and she wears light make up.

She chuckles. “Like what you see?” She smirks at him, daunting him. The little vixen can come out and play when she wants and he is enjoying this side of the sexy Gracelynn.

He decides to play dirty himself. “Want to see how happy I am to see you?” He smirks back at her. “Let’s make a wager, shall we?” he asks competitively.

She grins at him. She intently twirls a strand of her hair that she left down by her face between her fingers, licks her lips and stares at him. She looks him up and down, making him even more drawn to her.

He gulps. The damn vixen knows how to play dirty.

“Well, what is the wager? Because if it is staring at each other all night, I could do that and then some.”

“Now, I wouldn’t mind staring at you all night, which is a definite, but I think each time we wink or smirk at one another, we shall have to drink and tell each other a dirty thing we’ve done or would like to do.”

“Oh God. You want to get me drunk on Christmas Eve? Because that’s what will happen.”

“I didn’t say alcohol, did I?” he says, and wants to smirk but stops as she laughs at him.

“You were so going to smirk.”

He nods his head.

“What will we be drinking then?” she replies, looking like a true warrior, ready to win this game.

“I was going to say soda, but now maybe would do shots or a vodka cranberry instead.”

“I could do that. Let the fun begin. But, Gio, how are we going to be able to play when Anne and Kat get here?”

He ponders, puts his finger to his lips and watches her reaction to his naughty, seductive ways.

“I don’t think they will mind. Besides if they do, they can just leave since they’ve been in the room for the last five minutes watching us.”

“OMG, seriously?” She gasps and slaps Gio’s arm. “You’re such a jerk, you know that, Giovanni Antonetti?”

He chuckles as do Kat and Anne. “Gio, you should apologize to Gracelynn. You knew when we entered, but she didn’t.”

“Yes, Grandma.”

He leans towards Gracelynn and touches her cheek. “I’m sorry. That was insensitive of me when we were having fun to not let you know they were there; but I enjoyed seeing the funny side of you and didn’t want to stop it. Besides you know…”He wiggles his eyebrows with mischief. “I would’ve told you to stop should we have gotten too dirty for them.” He kisses her on the cheek.

They eat dinner, sing songs, listen to Anne play on the piano and take turns telling each other what they’re thankful for this year. They all go around and finally when it’s time to for Gio and Gracelynn, both look at each other and reply with, “We are thankful for our family,” and they watch Kat and Anne look at them with an odd expression.

* * *

Gio looks around the room in trepidation. Gracelynn asks noticing something is wrong with him, “What’s the matter, Gio?”

“How did you know that something is wrong with me?” He is shocked that she is able to notice his moods in the short period of time knowing each other.

“You scrunch up your forehead like you’re deep in thought.” She rubs his forehead for him.

The intimate touch brings him peace. “I was just thinking about handing out the presents. If that is okay with everyone.” They all nod in agreement and he can’t wait for the three women in his life to open their presents this year.

* * *

“How about you and Kat go first, Anne.” Gracelynn brings the camera out and watches the ladies open their gifts. She didn’t know what to get them so she purchased Kat a new pair of boots, jewelry and also some new nail polish. She bought Anne a beautiful vase with fake flowers in it with the outside saying, Faith, Hope and Love.

“Thank you so much for my presents, Gracelynn. You shouldn’t have.” Anne gushes and stands up to hug her.

“You give awesome presents, girl! Thank you so much.” Kat stands up as well and gives her hug.

They also open the gifts Gio purchased for them. Gift certificates to the spa for a mani pedi and some small other items they would need and he also gets a giant hug from them.

When it’s Gracelynn’s turn to open gifts from Anne and Kat she is so surprised. They made her a 10X13 photo of her and Gio dancing at the ball looking deliriously happy. They also gave her a pair of comfy pinks socks, which she’s thrilled to have.

She stands up to hug the ladies as well and returns back to her seat to see Gio opening his gift, which is a photo of the same picture Anne and Kat gave her and a few other small gifts.

Now that Kat and Anne gave the presents, she knows she should give Gio his now. She’s nervous and hopes Gio will be surprised and love her present. She unwraps her scarf and tells him that he’ll need to get closer to her to see it. His mouth drops open as she moves her green sweater off her shoulders.

“Um, Gracelynn why are you showing me your skin?” He smirks. “Damn. I need to get a drink since I smirked at you. ” He sighs and comes back with a glass of cider and takes a drink in front of them.

“Can I continue with your present now?” She laughs. “Or will you be smirking at me again?”

He laughs and shakes his head, agreeing he’ll be good.

She shows him a tattoo of angel wings on her shoulder, similar to the ones he has on his own chest.

“This angel represents everyone we’ve lost. It also represents the peace and love I’ve experienced here and when I leave… I want a part of me to have each of you with me.”

Gio stares at her while tears stream down his face.

“I wanted a special reminder to always have of New Hope and the reminder to appreciate life and have our angels forever on my skin.”

* * *

Gio’s speechless as he looks at the angel wings on Gracelynn’s porcelain skin. He doesn’t care who is in the room… he bawls like a baby and grips her, pulling her toward him. He can’t believe that she’s marked her body with the love of him, his grandfather, his deceased wife and also his daughter. He’s speechless. He holds her tighter and squeezes her.

“I know, it’s not on your body to be a present, but I wanted to symbolize you and share it with you. So I’ll always have it.” She smiles and hugs him back with just as much passion.

“Besides, I saved the best gift for tomorrow.” She smiles at him and touches his cheek with pure happiness.

He steps back and kisses her shoulder since it’s still exposed for him so he could see the angel wings. He is amazed by her beauty inside and out and now knows she’ll definitely love her presents.

“Now, it’s your turn, beautiful.” He gathers four small boxes and hands them to her, leading her to the sofa. The two lovebirds seem to have forgotten all about Anne and Kat as they sit opposite them and don’t say a word as they watch these two people slowing falling in love.

* * *

Gracelynn’s heart pounds when she sees four presents for her. She gasps as she opens the first gift. Inside the first one are two charms, which makes her heart rate quicken. One charm is in the shape of a car and another of a jeep on a white gold bracelet.

She continues to open a dog, camera and an angel charm. She loves them. She’s never gotten a charm bracelet before and she loves that Gio got them for her.

As Gio takes her wrist to place her charms and bracelet on, he tells her Kat and Grandma helped find the charms. He kisses her wrist and then places her hand on his lap.

Everyone is smiling and having a wonderful time until Anne speaks up.

“Did you know, Gio, that Gracelynn has a set of lungs on her?”

“What do you mean, Grandma?” Gio looks back and forth between the ladies, confused.

“Anne, you promised.” Gracelynn lets go of Gio’s hand in embarrassment.

“Well, my dear, I figured he’d enjoy hearing about how you cried and cursed like a sailor to get that tattoo.”

“WAIT JUST
A MINUTE
. You took her to get that tattoo, Grandma?” Gio is baffled. He’s surprised that she would take anyone to get a tattoo.

Kat chimes in. “I went along too. I was the one that told her to go for it when she told me she wanted to honor everyone you both have lost.”

Kat smiles at Gracelynn. “I love the charms Gio has given you. Now all you need to remember me by is this charm to go along with it.” Kat hands her a coffee charm to add to the bracelet and they all laugh.

By the time they each give their love hugs and kisses it’s late. They leave telling Gio and Gracelynn they will back in the morning.

Gio takes Holly out again and finds Gracelynn sitting on the couch looking at her bracelet, smiling and holding her Angel necklace. She stares at the fire, obviously lost in thought and he’s afraid to disturb her.

“Everything okay? I’m going to be heading to bed soon and wanted to say goodnight.” He starts to walk away when she stops him.

“Wait. Can you come talk with me a second?” Gracelynn fidgets on the couch.

Gio walks back to the sofa towards Gracelynn. He puts some space between them, but places her feet on his lap, and then gently rubs them.

Gracelynn sighs in contentment and it makes him happy to know he’s the one giving her comfort.

“You know, I’ve not had a Christmas like this one in a long time. I never thought I would get my life back together. I don’t know what it is about your town. Maybe it’s the nature, the silence and serenity or just the wonderful people… well most of them are, anyways.”

He stops her. “Don’t even think about him. Yes, most of us here are very nice, helpful and would never hurt a woman.” He continues to rub her feet once again.

“I haven’t done a lot of sightseeing, but loved every minute of spending time with you and your family.”

He stops rubbing her feet and smiles at this amazing woman. She’s truly a gift, just like the voice told him.

As they get up from the couch to head to bed, Gio stops her. “Is it okay if we lay together tonight? You’re leaving me soon and I would love to hold you close.”

She nods and tells him that she’ll be there soon. It makes him happy to know she agrees but saddened by the thought that she’s already stolen his heart, but will be leaving New Hope soon.