Candid

Chapter 37

I think that this is one of the most chaotic chapters that I have written in a while!!

Enjoy

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Over an hour later the sound of glass clinking caught the attention of everyone in the house. My father stood in front of the fireplace and my mother had her arm wrapped around his waist with a wine-drunk smile on her face.

I was standing near the kitchen door with Grayson and Olympia, the rest of my friends were scattered around the area.

My father smiled lightly as he stared down at my mother. He looked up at the crowd of guests, gathered around. "My wife and I would just like to thank everyone for being with us tonight. My wife and I started this Christmas party tradition when we had first moved in together and now that we get to share this tradition with our children and grandchildren is something we will always cherish. We would also like to congratulate our oldest daughter Lottie and her husband Jackson who pregnant with their first child."

Cheers erupted around the room, Sebastian's whistle being the loudest of all. Charlotte looked up at Jackson from where she was sitting on the couch and he leaned down and kissed her gently. The cheers only got louder.

"Thank you all for being here, my family, and I wish you all a very merry Christmas," my father finished off with a raised glass. People raised their own glasses, turning to each other and clinking them gently.

Lizzy held up her plastic cup and started walking through the small crowd clinking everyone's glasses and yelling 'Clink!' when her plastic cup didn't make the noise. Harry followed behind her, holding her hand with a smile as she led him around.

Valentina had decided that she wanted to spend the rest of the night in Isaac's arms which he didn't seem to mind, resting her on one hip as he gestured wildly with the other. Logan was sitting with another little boy, I wasn't sure who he belonged to but they were having fun running around with toy cars.

A soft kiss on my cheek pulled me from my thoughts and I turned my head, meeting Grayson's smiling eyes. "Walk with me?" He asked hopefully. I smiled softly and nodded my head, holding his hand tightly as we moved through the crowd. He snatched two blankets from the basket that was sitting near the couches.

He stopped at the sliding door and pulled it open slightly letting a rush of cold air blast through. The sudden shock was welcoming after standing in the humid, cramped house.

Spencer and Josh's eyes snapped up at the sound and Spencer slowly lowered his sketchpad like he was ashamed of being caught. Grayson nodded to them. "Don't mind us." I smiled at them both. Josh waved a hand.

Grayson led me down the stairs of the deck and onto the grass of my backyard. No one had turned on the outside lights so the entire backyard was covered in darkness, the only sense of light coming from the deck. He glanced down at the ground. "You okay in those shoes?" He asked, staring pointedly at my heeled boots.

I gave him a sly smile. "Courtney Easton taught me how to walk in heels on grass when I was in eighth grade, I've got this." He chuckled, holding tightly to my hand as he led us furth down the open field of my backyard. "Where are we going?" I asked curiously.

He stopped abruptly and laid down the first blanket, gesturing for me to sit down next. Once we were both seated he draped the second blanket over both of our shoulders. "I just wanted to spend some time with you alone, no funny business."

I stared at him with a slanted eyebrow. "No funny business? From you?"

"Maybe a little," he smirked, leaning forward, and kissed me softly. I lifted a hand and rested it against his jaw, leaning more towards him.