My Twins Daddy at Christmas

CELINE'S POINT OF VIEW I stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting the fabric of my dress once again. I turned this way and that, studying my reflection under the soft glow of the vanity lights. The dress was a deep, vibrant red, a color that always made me feel bold, but today, I wasn’t sure if it looked right. The hemline grazed just above my knees, and the fabric hugged my curves, but something didn’t feel quite right. It was like I was wearing the right dress but in the wrong moment. My hair was perfect—soft waves falling just below my shoulders—and my makeup was delicate but striking. I’d spent a good amount of time getting everything just right, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. My reflection stared back at me, composed, yet it felt distant. Like I wasn’t quite there. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I felt... uncertain. “You’re overthinking again, Celine,” came my sister Emma’s teasing voice from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see her leaning against the doorframe with that amused smirk of hers. Emma always had this effortless confidence, the kind I’d envied for as long as I could remember. While I spent hours fretting over the tiniest details, she was naturally cool, calm, and collected. “I’m not overthinking,” I muttered, turning back to my reflection. “This dress just... doesn’t feel right.” Emma walked into the room with a sigh, her arms folded across her chest. “You look amazing, I swear. Calm down.” I let out a breath, glancing at my reflection once more. I wanted to believe her. It was a nice dress, after all. But it wasn’t the dress that was bothering me—it was everything else. “I don’t know,” I said, my voice trailing off. “It’s nice, but I just feel... meh.” Emma raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Oh, I get it. You’re nervous about seeing Jade Anderson.” At the sound of his name, a wave of warmth flooded through me. Jade Anderson. Just thinking about him made my heart flutter. How could I forget? It had only been a year since that Christmas reunion—just one year, but it felt like a lifetime. And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss. I still couldn’t believe it. He had kissed me. Jade Anderson, the campus heartthrob, the guy who’d always been out of my league, had kissed me at the reunion last Christmas. It was my first kiss. And it was everything. My cheeks flushed at the thought, and a silly grin spread across my face. "It was the best moment of my life, Em. Last Christmas... he kissed me. Jade Anderson kissed me. I still can’t believe it." Emma let out an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes. "You’ve been obsessing over that kiss for months. Seriously, Celine, it’s like you think that kiss was the moment of your life." I glanced at her, my heart racing at the memory. "But it was everything. That kiss, Em. It wasn’t just any kiss. It was special. He kissed me like he actually saw me, not just some girl in the crowd. After all, he remembered me. I don’t know... it just felt like it meant something. Something more." Emma’s expression softened, but she still crossed her arms and gave me a knowing look. "Okay, okay. I get it. You had your moment with Jade Anderson. But don’t get carried away. I heard he’s in a relationship now." My heart sank. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. "What? No way. You’re just jealous, Emma." Emma tilted her head, her gaze a little too casual. "I’m not jealous, Celine. I just want you to be realistic. I overheard some girls talking about him last week. They said he’s been seeing someone. You really think that after a kiss at the reunion, he hasn’t moved on?" The words hit me harder than I expected. Could that be true? Had he really moved on so easily? I shook my head, refusing to believe it. "No. No way. You’re just trying to bring me down. You’re jealous because Jade kissed me, not you." Emma raised an eyebrow, unamused. "Right, because I’ve always had a crush on Jade Anderson." I couldn’t help but smile at her sarcasm, but deep down, a part of me was shaken. What if she was right? What if he really had moved on? That kiss had meant so much to me—there was no way he’d forgotten about it. No way he could have just moved on so quickly. I glanced over at the bed, where the small paper bag with his gift sat. It wasn’t much, just a simple gesture, something I had carefully chosen for him. It was all I could offer. And I can’t wait to give it to him tonight. “Look,” Emma said, softening a bit. “I’m just saying... don’t get your hopes up. It’s been a year. Things change. People change.” But I couldn’t let myself believe that. Jade had kissed me. It wasn’t just some fleeting moment. He had to remember it the way I did. It was too real, too special. “I’m not going to be late,” I said, suddenly feeling impatient to get out of the house. “Let’s go.” Emma glanced at the clock and then at me, her expression shifting. “If you don’t stop daydreaming about Jade, we’re going to be late.” I grabbed my coat and my handbag, my mind already racing ahead. Emma followed me, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him. About Jade. He was going to be there tonight. I couldn’t wait to see him again. As we stepped into the car, I held the paper bag with his gift in my lap, my fingers brushing over it lightly. I could feel my heart racing in anticipation. What if this time—this time— would be different? What if he would feel that same spark again? What if this wasn’t just a moment, but the beginning of something more? The night was young, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. As we entered the hotel lobby, I couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement, mixed with nervous energy. The elegant chandelier overhead bathed the room in soft, golden light, and the hum of chatter filled the air. The reunion was in full swing, and the room was alive with people I hadn’t seen in years—old friends, familiar faces, some of my bathmates from college. “Celine! Emma!” A voice called out, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned to see Rachel and Lindsay, my bathmates from college, waving excitedly in our direction. “Hey, ladies!” I said, smiling wide as I walked over to give them both hugs. “Look at you two,” Rachel said, glancing at me and Emma with admiration. “You both look stunning! This party’s amazing, isn’t it?” “It’s perfect,” Emma replied, her eyes already scanning the crowd. Meanwhile, I felt a flutter in my chest, my eyes quickly moving over the crowd, scanning faces for one in particular. I kept telling myself to relax and enjoy the party, but where was he? Would he be here tonight? It had been a year since the reunion, and I hadn’t seen him since that unforgettable kiss. My mind replayed the memory over and over, that moment when everything had felt so perfect, when he had looked at me like I was the only one in the room. And then, out of nowhere, the music died down and the chatter in the room quieted. The microphone crackled to life, and the sound of a deep, familiar voice rang through the speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?" My breath hitched. There it was. The voice I’d been waiting for. It was Jade. He was tall, commanding the attention of the entire room. His dark hair was styled perfectly, and his sharp jawline gave him an air of masculinity that made my heart skip a beat. His eyebrows were perfectly shaped, and those pouty lips I had once kissed. I watched him speak, unable to tear my eyes away. The way he stood, so effortlessly perfect, was enough to make me feel dizzy. My pulse quickened as I thought of how he had kissed me last year, how I had melted into his arms, how he had made me feel seen. But as I stood there, mesmerized by his presence, something unexpected happened. Jade took a step forward, his voice louder now, carrying through the microphone as he proudly spoke to the crowd. "It’s me, Jade Anderson. I have some personal news to share…" My heart skipped. Personal news? My breath hitched as I leaned in, eyes fixed on him. "I’m happy to announce," Jade continued, "that I’m engaged to Dona Smith. And we’re getting married next month." The words hit me like a tidal wave.