Just This Once **part three**

Christine was out of the shower and was dressed in a comfortable pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt when her pizza arrived. She nibbled on a slice as she set up the tree and continued nibbling while she decorated it all in white and gold. Stepping back and giving it a good look she decided she had chosen a great place for it because none of the furniture would have to be moved and it was in the center of the large picture window that faced the street. Usually the drapes were closed on these windows, but they'd be kept open from now until Christmas to show off her beautiful tree. You did good, she gave herself a mental pat on the back.

It was well after five when she looked at the clock and Adam hadn't shown up yet. Maybe he meant five tomarrow night, she lectured herself. Shrugging off her dissapointment she took the left over pizza to the kitchen and shoved the entire box in her empty refrigerator and began going through the house turning off lights. The Christmas lights and the fire are all I need, I'll just relax tonight. Or so she thought, but as she reached the front door and was about to turn the porch light off and turn the lock she heard the sound of someone coming up the steps outside. Peeking out the window, trying not to look as if she'd been at the door waiting for Adam, Christine looked to see who was outside.

Stepping back from the door, Christine opened it to let Deena and her boyfriend, Trey, inside. Christine smiled, even if it wasn't Adam it was her best friend and that's always nice. "Hey Deena, how'd things go at work?" Christine laughed.

Deena grinned, "we've got tomarrow off! Can you believe that old turd gave us tomarrow off? For no reason, well other than the fact the entire shop is shutting down," Deena laughed. "I guess that is reason enough, huh? Mr. Radclif said that there was no reason for us to come in tomarrow and that we're welcome to take vacation time or no pay, excused. He said if we want we can come in and clean the machines, otherwise there's no work because we're already done with the orders for Mondays shipments!" Deena didn't even try to hide her excitement.

"We've the day off? Just like that eh? Well, I'd be happy to take no pay because I don't want to go to work anyways!" Christine cried happily.

Trey just shook his head and laughed, "you girls could always come to work with me."

Deena grinned, "I'll be putting you to work as soon as we get home!"

Christine laughed, "you two are terrible!"

"By the way," Trey turned to Christine, "since Deena seems to be forgetting why we stopped, we have something for you..." He turned to Deena, "well?"

"Oh baby, I left it in the car, I'm sorry..." she gave him that look that said simply PLEASE?!?! And without a word or complaint Trey headed outside to the car patting his pregnant girlfriends belly as he walked by. When the door closed Deena turned on Christine, "OK, who is this guy you met in your yard? The short version he won't be outside long, I didn't hide it very well!" She laughed.

"Well, his name is Adam Bradshaw and I almost ran him over while I was leaving for work this morning and we decided to have tea and spent most of the day talking. He's wonderful and was supposed to come back either tonight or tomarrow, I'm not sure which really." Christine sighed, "I was hoping it was tonight!"

"Maybe he sees our car and won't come in 'til we're gone, we'll leave soon, I swear!"

Trey came back inside just then, "hell, Deena, what'd you do try to hide the damn thing?"

Deena gave him another of her looks, this one said who me?

Christine had already dwelled on the negative thought that Adam would stand her up enough that she was sure he wasn't coming at this point so she told Deena and Trey about the baby clothes she'd found. She and Deena talked about how cute it would be to be able to dress their son or daughter up in clothes from an entirely different era while Trey just smiled and nodded like any good expecting father would do who didn't want to be yelled at by his pregnant girlfriend. Together the three of them went up the two flights of stairs to the attic and went through the baby clothes. They spent just under a half an hour in the attic looking at the old baby clothes when Deena decided that they'd just come back for the entire crate the next day with Trey's truck.

"The dust is just a bit much for me not to mention we haven't eaten dinner yet," Deena said as she rubbed her large stomach.

"I've pizza downstairs," Christine offered. "I talked your sister into delivering," she laughed.

"No thanks, nothing spicy for baby and me," Deena sighed, "heartburn sucks!"

Christine followed them downstairs and into the kitchen, turning on the downstairs lights as she went so that there would be no risk of Deena tripping. In the kitchen she offered to get them something to drink, but they politely refused.

"We stopped to drop this off," Deena handed Christine the package that Trey had went and got from her car, it was a brightly wrapped box with a card attatched. It's just a little something I'd picked up for you and now you have good reason to open it tonight." Deena grinned, "despite what you think, I think you'll have company tonight! It's early yet, you know."

Christine couldn't help but smile, she knew her friend would never forget her birthday or let it go by without a gift. She also couldn't help but hope that Deena was right about Adam stopping by. She wasn't sure what it was about him, but she found herself very attracted to him and not just his eyes and lips although she was certainly drawn to them! Something about him made her feel completely at ease, when they had talked it was as if they'd known each other forever and when he looked at her she was sure she seen the same things in his eyes that she was feeling. Christine pulled herself from her thoughts just long enough to show them out and just as she returned to the kitchen, shutting the lights off as she went, someone knocked on the door. Trying not to get her hopes up, Christine went to the door. She couldn't help but grin when she looked out the window directly into those warm blue eyes that seemed to mesmerize her.

Christine let Adam in and closed the door behind him as she reminded herself to not look as happy as she actually was to see him. I just met this guy, what is my problem? She scolded herself. After hanging up his coat she reached for a lightswitch but Adam put his hand on hers to stop her, they just stood in the dark with their hands touching for a few seconds before he withdrew. "My hands are very cold, I'm sorry."

"Actually your hand was very warm," she smiled. "I had given up on you and was about to open the gift my friends just brought me, I'm surprised you didn't see them outside. Had you been a few minutes earlier you could have met them."

"Oh, perhaps another time," he looked away. "I'm sorry I'm later than I expected."

Christine assured him that was fine and walked him to the living room where he stoked up the fire she'd kept burning since he'd left earlier that day and offered to bring in wood while Christine opened her gift. "Don't be silly, I'll help you bring in wood then I'll open it!" She told him. Together they filled the wood bin in the back entrance way, talking the entire time about whatever came to mind. Christine did most of the talking, but that seemed to make him smile his beautiful smile and the smile grew when she babbled. She kept mentally lecturing herself to slow down before she scared him away, yet at the same time she noticed he seemed to enjoy listening to her talk. Or maybe he just doesn't like hearing himself talk, she thought to herself.

Once they were back inside Christine opened her gift and found a bottle of wine from the year she was born and four wine glasses etched with holly. The card was the best part for Christine, it was very touching and said exactly what she and Deena felt about each other. Regardless of the fact that she and Deena had only met two years ago when Deena began working at the factory, she and Christine were best friends. All through high school and the two years of junior college Christine attended she'd had friends, but none like Deena. They had a sort of chemistry that two average people didn't have, but, of course, not the same kind of chemistry that happens between a man and a woman. Certainly not the same kind of chemistry I'm feeling right now, Christine thought as she watched Adam uncork the wine.

Once again they found themselves curled up on the pillows in front of the fireplace sipping wine and talking like old friends who had a lifetime of catching up to do. They talked about everything under the sun from music to movies to books and back again. They didn't seem to share the same tastes in anything but instead of these differences leading to uncomfortable silence they led to more conversation. He'd tell her about the classic rock he likes while she'd talk about the more modern music and the same held true for movies and books as well. It seemed to Christine that their differences of opinion only intensified their conversation not aggravated it.

The night wore on and Christine found herself fighting back yawns and exhaustion, when she looked at the clock and found it was nearly two AM she understood why she suddenly felt like drifting off. Adam, noticing how tired she was, began to get up telling her that he would go so that she could retire for the night but Christine reached out and took his hand in hers. "Stay," she murmured. "Nothing more than that, just stay." Christine pulled him back down to the pillows though it wasn't difficult as he wasn't resisting. Adam made himself comfortable in the pillows and pulled her close to him, kissing the top of her head as she snuggled her body next to his. Adam would stay and hold her all night.