Veronica found out soon after stepping inside that she absolutely loved the Campbell residence.

The Mediterranean cottage style villa was breathtakingly one of a kind. Especially in their town.

Ace's family came from old money and although he'd told her about it before, seeing the way they lived from up close was a totally different experience. She'd been hesitant when Ace had asked her to spend Christmas Eve alongside his people.

Apparently the Campbells went all out when it came to this certain holiday and the whole ordeal seemed hugely odd to Veronica since Christmas wasn't celebrated at her house. That's another reason why she couldn't say no to Ace, she didn't have any plans.

She'd met his parents twice before joining them for Christmas dinner. Ace would be picking her up at four in the afternoon and she'd been nervous since waking up.

Deciding that a stylish high cut sweater and skirt set would be impressive enough, she'd paired up her dark tights with ankle boots and tied half of her hair back with a black ribbon.

Ace had been showering her with compliments the minute she'd slided into his car. The sight of him in a fitted maroon sweater made Veronica's mouth water.

He'd caught her wrist, bringing the back of her hand for a kiss once he'd seen how awfully quiet his girlfriend had been. "You're a stunner Ronnie." He kept his lips against his skin.

Veronica grinned softly at him before speaking. "I'm just nervous. Spending the holidays with the family is big you know."

Ace's smile had been so mockingly coy that Veronica didn't know whether she wanted to kiss him or smack him across the face. "You gotta get used to it baby."

That had instantly made Veronica's heart squeeze and a hint of pink adored her cheeks. Ace always spoke so assuringly of their relationship.

His hand had rested on her thigh and he playfully grabbed at the tight covered skin there. "None of this when we get there Ace, I mean it." Though she still rested her hand over his.

"What?" He mimicked a shocked face but there was still a smirk that pulled at his mouth. "You think my folks don't know I'm obsessed with you?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Can you just listen to me once?" A sigh escaped her pink lips.

He dramatically ripped his hands away from her and stepped on the gas just a bit more. "Okay, fine. You'll be begging for me to kiss you Ronnie and you won't be getting any."

"Ain't that the truth!" Her teasing voice made Ace beam so hard, his cheeks and jaw would begin to hurt.

His hand had rested on her lower back as her eyes widened at his home. She seemed to fit in perfectly.

She'd been there a handful of times but that'd been sneakily in the dark where they had to be quiet. Even on those occasions, Veronica had only been to his room.

She sat next to Ace on one of the beautiful printed couches in the main living rooms with some of his family members scattered around the room. Most of them coordinating in the same shade of maroon which Veronica found adorable.

"Veronica, did you already do dinner with your family?"

As soon as she opened her mouth to answer, an embarrassed Ace cut in. "I told you all that Ronnie doesn't celebrate Christmas."

Veronica shyly smiled before resting one hand under her thigh, keeping a respectable distance between her boyfriend. "It's okay," Her eyes find Ace's. "We don't, so this will be my first Christmas dinner. I'm glad I can do it with a family who knows how to."

Ace's heart was the one who squeezed with joy this time. To see who he was sure was the love of his life interact with the most important people in his life so easily meant everything and more to him.

He looked at Veronica differently this time. She bit the edge of her lip for a second before talking to his dad, no doubt because she wanted her response to be impressive. She made sure to joke around with the kids who were slowly all sitting at her feet and looking at her like a shiny new toy. She seemed most nervous around his sister and mom, maybe because she knew they were the most significant women in his life.

Veronica didn't know she was up there with the two as well.

"How's school Veronica? Ace tunes out the moment I ask him about his education." Zuri Perkins Campbell intimidated Veronica to say the least.

The woman was the embodiment of regal. She carried herself with grace, her voice was elegant and smooth, words always chosen precisely. She'd worn a stylish cherry toned blazer set, hair natural in a pixie cut, face void of a distinct distress the host of any party usually sported.

"It's winter break. I don't know what school is." Ace defended himself and his girlfriend felt impossibly lost as he exited the kitchen.

"School's great." Veronica hated herself for shortening her words. "Everyone says junior year is tougher so I'm trying to work harder."

Zuri nods once and reaches up to retrieve gold accented dinnerware while Veronica hoped the luxurious china wouldn't be placed in her hands. "Your mom's still working at the hospital, correct?"

"Yeah," she coughs. "Yes, she sold her private practice a couple months back."

"My brother had the opportunity of meeting her. He said she was quite the doctor." Even her smile was royal like.

"I like to think she's the best out there." Veronica grins. If there was one thing she didn't mind doing was raving on and on about her mom's work.

Zuri winks at her after recounting the cutlery. "You're a momma's girl?"

"Through and through." Veronica chuckles, helping stack the lavish placemats that were going to be transferred to the dinner table.

"Ace tells me you're not thinking about studying medicine. I'd say that's a shame."

Veronica couldn't decode her tone, that was the most frustrating aspect about people like Zuri, their words were too classy and you couldn't figure out they were insults until it was too late.

"No, I am not. My sister is thinking about it, so there will be a legacy." She tries to joke.

Zuri motions for her to move to the dinning room and they find Ace sitting there.

"Isla's still stuck in the downstairs kitchen with Aunt Destiny." He informs his mother before reaching for the plates.

Zuri laughs softly. "That's alright. Dinner won't be served until another thirty minutes." She turns to Veronica. "Isaiah and Isla's aunt is a strong believer on the pies being extra fresh on Christmas Eve."

Veronica noticed how she'd rarely call her son Ace. Always Isaiah.

"Baby go show Veronica where we keep our crystal glasses. Your dad suggested we bring them out."

Slinging an arm around Veronica's neck she desperately wants to shrug off, Ace and her leave Zuri alone in the dining room.

Dinner had been a daze of laughter and turkey. Veronica had been timid, reserved and only started to truly loosen up at the end. Ace had kept his hands where he promised. Only in appropriate places of course, he couldn't go with touching her. There hadn't been any suspected hiccups.

Ace had been siting around the cleared out dinner table with all of the kids as they decorated gingerbread houses, leaving Veronica alone with his family purposefully even though he knew it was the last thing she wanted.

He was desperate for them to be casually comfortable all together without him.

Hands wrapped around his neck from behind and any teases that were aimed towards a six year old Imari died on his throat.

Veronica slyly pressed her lush lips against his jaw. She squeezed her biceps and he suddenly found it hard to finish the decorating.

The gentlest, quietest halt in Veronica's breath entered his hearing.

She saw.

Whereas every kid had sloppily decorated the driveway in chemical tasting gummies, Ace had opted out to be sweeter than all the candy laid out across the table.

A+V was messily scribbled in the best cursive lettering he could manage with red icing. He hadn't initially intended for her to see. Ace was never shy about expressing the unlimited affection he had for his girlfriend, but this time he felt awfully self conscious.

"Aww Ace," she cooed in his ear, arms tightening. "You're adorable."

Imari was left gaping at the exchange because never in his six years of life had he encountered his cousin so smitten. "You're gross." He scrunched up his nose making Veronica giggle, the sound music to Ace's ears.

Hours had passed since dinner but there was still time until everyone felt like they'd be done with their food coma so they could move on to over s'mores, a family favorite and tradition.

It was enough time for Ace to steal his favorite person in the world in his room.

Hand securely banded around Veronica's waist, he squeezed her sides playfully. "Wanna kiss?"

Still shell shocked over how easy and simple it was for the teenagers to leave and be alone, Veronica swallows thickly, eyes going back and forth from the door and Ace's lips.

"Do you think they like me?" Her teeth nipped at the inside of her mouth.

But Ace was otherwise occupied with her neck, kissing and biting at the skin there. He made an affirmative sound from his throat, hand falling to grip the back of her thigh.

"Ace," she sighed. "We shouldn't do this when everybody's outside."

Looking up at her, he lustfully stops. "Okay."

"I didn't tell you to stop. I just said that we shouldn't be doing this." A devilish smile graced her face and arms twined around the soccer player's neck, pulling him slightly down.

He clicked his tongue at her antics. "Veronica Delgado, you're an enigma."

She kissed the side of his mouth. "That's part of the charm bebe." She teased.

Completely hypnotized by feline eyes and scorching hot attitude, Ace playfully bites her chin and the room is soon filled by laughter and his jokingly growling.

She makes him take a seat on the king sized bed which was fitting for him. After quite a while of teasing and shameless flirting, Veronica finally manages to pull out a neatly wrapped box from her black leather backpack.

"I thought we agreed on no gifts." Ace embarrassingly gaped at the girl in front of him, holding the present with a beam on her precious face.

"It'd be silly for me to not get you a Christmas gift Ace," the present still lays on her outstretched palms, she gently urged him to take it.

Sitting on her knees next to him, the hem of her skirt riding dangerously high, she patiently gawks at his reaction.

Nestled in a velvet box, a Lagos stainless steel watch band made Ace's eyes fly to Veronica's. His parents had gifted him the newest series of the Apple Watch a few months back for his birthday and he'd been eyeing new bands for it for a while now.

"Ronnie," he sighed, "You shouldn't have." His hands found her waist again.

"And while I was there I got a little something for my self too." She proudly pulled back the sleeve of her sweater to reveal an added charm to her bracelet. It was the letter A. "Since you have this new thing for initials." Veronica placed her tongue in between her teeth, trying to contain her smile.

She'd been slowly adding charms for years now, with the only rule being that no one could gift her one. She wanted to fill it out all by herself.

"Thank you." He pulled her closer to a hug, the box still in between his hand. "I love it. It's exactly what I've been wanting."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, there was a vision of Veronica and Ace spending every Christmas together. Making new traditions and respecting his family's own ones. Her heart squeezed at the thought of a future with him.

It'd be perfect.