GPI's CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA: Liz Lovelock

 



AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Liz Lovelock

 





A Christmas Surprise


Finally a warm Christmas. It’s been years since I’ve been in Australia. Corban surprised me and the kids with tickets a week ago. He came home from work while I was in the middle of chasing a buck naked Finn around the house. He loves the feeling of being free; it’s such a battle to get him dressed. Now his sister Esme is a different character. She loves getting dressed, and even makes her own bed and she’s three! Wow, three years have flown by.



After I finally managed to get clothes on the little monkey—he enjoys swinging from my neck as I attempt to put pants on him—Corban sat us all down and handed me a delicately wrapped rectangular box.



“It’s not Christmas yet.” Giving him a small smile. The happiness in his sky blues was evident, there’s excitement there. An eagerness filled me as the kids bounce beside me waiting to see what’s inside the pretty wrapped box.



As I lifted the lid I spotted airline tickets, I screamed with excitement jumping off the chair and flinging myself into Corban’s open arms.



“Surprise,” he shouted. “We’re off to Australia for a warm Christmas!” The kids then screamed with excitement, and once we had finally got the kids settled and into bed, I began planning our trip. I only had a week to prepare everything.



I still managed to get everything done with the help of Rachel, who was just as excited for us. She was pretty jealous she wasn’t coming. Axel’s family was having a big get-together so they couldn’t swing it this time.



Now I sit on the beach with warm sand through my toes and the harsh sun tanning up my skin. No doubt, I’ll burn to a crisp, but it will be worth it when Corban gets to run cream all over. A smile creeps over my lips at the thought.



“Momma, look!” I open my eyes and am met with a sandy little girl pointing to something out of my vision as I’m laying down. I sit up looking to where she’s pointing. “Why is he in his jockies?” Oh dear…there, running on the beach, is an elderly man in his budgie smugglers. I break out in laughter as I pull Esme into me sand and all.



“Honey, they’re togs or what Daddy likes to call them, bathers. You have your bathers on and so does Daddy.”



“But Daddy’s don’t look like that?” The question burns in her eyes.



“No, Momma won’t let Daddy wear bathers like that in public.” I laugh.



“What’s going on here?” Corban’s arrived after a soak in the salt water with a super-excited Finn on his shoulders.



“Oh, we’re having a little discussion about some swimwear.” I nod my head toward the man further down the beach. Corban chuckles when he sees what we’re discussing.



“Should Daddy get a pair of those swimmers?” he asks Esme playfully tickling her as he places Finn on the sand. He quickly races over to me wrapping his tiny arms around my neck.



“No Daddy, they jockies.” A loud rumble of laughter comes from Corban and me.



“I’ll make sure Daddy sticks with his swimmers, should I?” I look to Corban ogling his smooth bare chest. Esme nods in answer to my question.



“What’s Santa going to bring you tomorrow?” Corban asks the kids as he takes a seat beside me. He leans into me placing a small kiss on my cheek. All those tingles and feelings still dance around within me with every touch from him. From the very first kiss to now, nothing has changed.



“Dolly!” shouts Esme excitedly.



“Truck!” Finn shouts equally as loud. Good thing we went for a quick shop yesterday. I took Ezzy and Corban went with Finn. They purchased the girls presents and we got theirs. It worked out nicely. It’s still so hard to find anything for Corban. How do you buy something for someone who just buys when they want? I’m sure the lacy outfit will please him just fine. Oh, and of course, the new watch Esme picked out. I had to talk her out of getting the pink one. Although I’m sure, he would have worn it. She has Daddy wrapped around her little finger.



We continue to play the rest of the day. Swim in the ocean, building sand castles and having fish and chips for lunch. It was a beautiful day, a day for the family. These are the times I want my children to remember. Corban and I have been trying for another baby lately, and I’m thinking this Christmas I have the best surprise for him.



Back at our cabin we’ve set up a small Christmas tree. Esme and Finn loved putting little decorations on it, even though we couldn’t put a lot on it due to its size, it was perfect for our family.



“Mommy, cookies and milk for Santa?” Esme reminds me. It’s a tradition. Corban loves it. Finn begins to bounce up and down shouting for a cookie. He has so much energy, but I’m glad he passes out easily at bedtime.



“Yes honey, let’s go get it ready. Come on Finny.” I get up and we walk to the little kitchen and pull out the cookies. The kids each put some cookies on a plate. I think Santa might need to go on a diet after visiting our cabin. We set the cookies and milk upon the table and Corban ushers them to bed.



“Story!” Finn shouts with so much enthusiasm. How can we resist the happy little man? Finn and Esme bring so much joy into our lives. Corban’s a perfect father with a heart of gold, and he shows me a love that I cherish each and every day.



After reading a Cinderella and Cars book to the kids, we finally get a little alone time. Alone time is a treat, it’s so hard to get a moment together without one of the kids around.



“Gosh, this is so great.” I sigh and snuggle up to Corban, who wraps his arm around pulling me in closer. We’ve placed all the presents around the tree, and Corban is finishing off the last cookie. Everything is perfect. After everything we went through all those years ago, I’m so glad we made it out the other side happier than ever. “Thanks so much for this surprise again.”



“You deserve it, and I think it’s good for the kids to see the place where their mother grew up.” He places a tender kiss on my head. I glance up at him and see the hunger in his eyes, the swirls through my stomach begin. I lean in placing my lips on his. With every touch of our lips, I fall more and more in love with him. His touch ignites my soul and our love continues to grow. Our hands become busy touching and enjoying our time together. Corban quickly scoops me up in his arms and takes me to our bedroom, where we are soon lost within each other. Sparks fly all over again.







****



A loud piercing scream wakes me, I bolt upright and scramble out of bed. Racing to the living area of the cabin I see Esme standing there with Finn. Their eyes bulging out of their heads.



“What’s wrong?” I ask still trying to wake up from my panic attack.



“He came…” she whispers slowly, but still excited. This girl will be the death of me. I shake my head cursing under my breath. Corban is a no show, that man can sleep through anything. When the twins were younger, I’d have to shake him awake for his help. “Can we open them?” Esme squeals again.



I look at the clock on the wall reading 6:00 a.m. Well, that’s still a good sleep in for Christmas day. I remember getting up at 4:00 a.m. most Christmas’. Abby and I would try our hardest to wake our parents, but I suspect that they would purposely ignore us. One Christmas they decided to even lock their door, so we couldn’t go in and bounce on them as soon as the clock hit 7:00 a.m. They were great memories, I try not to think of the ones we’ve lost with Abby gone. Happier times always override those painful ones, though.



“You better go bounce on Daddy and drag him out of bed,” I excitedly say to Esme and Finn, their eyes light up and they take off to our bed screaming out to Corban, who I imagine is pretending to be asleep after all the screaming the kids have just done.



I quickly slip another present under the tree, the one I secretly had packed away for this Christmas.



“Good morning, Mommy!” Corban announces when he walks into the room, every morning he gives me a kiss without fail.



“Good morning.” I smile. He has both kids hanging off his hips.



“Daddy, Santa came,” Finn pipes up.



“I see that! Should we open them?”



Esme and Finn can’t get off him quick enough. Their smiles are the brightness of the sun in my life. Corban is the love of my life, he claims my entire heart and I never want to be without him.



As the kids are ripping open their gifts and crying out with joy while asking myself and Corban to look at what Santa had brought them. They are side-tracked so much by one present they forget to open the others they have by their sides. Corban finally picks up the small box I placed under the tree on the sly. He looks to me as if asking if it’s okay for him to open it. I nod.



I’m unable to keep the smile off my face as I watch with anticipation for his reaction. He lifts the lid and sees its contents. He drops the entire present and rushes over to me wrapping me in his arms, shouting and bouncing around excitedly. I laugh so hard tears are falling down my cheeks.



“Are you telling me I’m going to be a dad again?” Placing me back on the ground, the question burning in his eyes.



“Yep! I only found out just before we left, and I wanted it to be a surprise.” My cheeks hurt from smiling, but this is the most perfect start to the perfect day.



“This is the best present!” His lips crush mine with such ferocity it takes my breath away.



“Daddy, don’t you love my present I got you?” We unlock our lips and look down to a sad looking puppy dog eyed little Esme. Worried her dad won’t like his present.



“Oh, baby girl, yours is perfect! I love it and I love you.” Her face lights up like the lights on a Christmas tree, so colourful and bright.



My life has done a complete three-sixty from the day I moved to New York all those years ago. All the pain we went through, and to now be here in Australia celebrating a family Christmas with our two beautiful children—and to be expecting our third one—I can only hope it’s not another set of twins. The mere thought instantly drains me. I love Corban for the man that he is, and the father he is to our children. Spending the day together, and enjoying the warm weather of Australia for a few more weeks is bliss.



I have truly been blessed in my life, and I wouldn’t change anything.



Life is beautiful and perfect.

 

 

 

I’m a wife, mother, reader, blogger and now an author. I’m always busy doing something as I have so much going on and my two little ones keep me on my toes regularly.

I’m from bright sunny Queensland, Australia. I have always been a reader. When I was little I would be up late reading Garfield and Asterix comic books and also Footrot Flats. When I hit high school they gave us Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden and from there my love of books continued to grow. I can’t remember all the ones I read through school but I always had a book beside my bed at night and to this day there has and always will be a book along with a note book beside my bed.
My debut novel The Lost One(Lost Series #1) just came to me one day and with the help and pushing of some wonderful friends I decided to sit down and write. Let’s just say that it changed from the original idea I came up with in September 2013 but I can’t wait to share this story with you all along with many more to come.

I keep a note book and pen beside my bed when those late night ideas pop into my head, plus I’m a stationery addict and love pen’s, notebooks, well anything stationary.

I have a fair few ideas the will keep me busy for a while. Come follow me on Facebook and keep up to date with all new things happening with the Lost Series and other future projects to come.

 

 

 

 

Purchase Links:

 

 

The Lost One (Lost #1): http://amzn.to/1OYO7Dt

 

 

The Missing One (Lost #2): http://amzn.to/1NMoqHc



 

 

1. If money was no object what would take out the number one spot on your Christmas list?

Hmm… That’s a hard one. I have so many things I would like but, I would have to say a new car or my house built.


2. What was the first book you read that made you think “wow this is what I want to do, I want to be an author”?

I can’t really pin point one book, it was more I slowly discovered the world of self-published authors and an idea for a book came to me one day so I sat down and began writing. I’ve had so many wonderful books that have inspired me and I fall in love with the authors words which push me to write so people can fall in love with the words I write.


3. What does Christmas mean for you?

Christmas is time with family. I love being with family and watching the kids open their presents and enjoy being with each other and playing with each other’s gifts.



4. What’s your guilty pleasure, the one thing you hate admitting out loud?

Well… When it’s about 10 minutes till my kids go to bed I’ll usually go have a shower, so I don’t have to do bed time, I’d rather hubby do it as he has the patience. I know it sounds bad, but I really hate the fight of getting the kids actually into their beds especially my 3 year old monster.



5. What’s next for you in terms of writing?

At the moment I’m currently working on Dangerous Love, and then hopefully will work on book 2 in the Unforgiven series. I have many ideas dancing around up there but finding time with 3 kids isn’t easy some days.