Jane's Gift (Lone Pine Lake 1)

“Oh, I know I’ll enjoy it.” He practically leered, earning a blush from Jane at the explicitness behind his words.

“You know what I mean. It’ll be fun, watching the kids see their presents when they wake up, opening them. Helping me set them up the night before.”

“Ah, that’s why you really want me over. So you can put me to work,” he teased.

“Well, I would love your help. Really, I could do it on my own…” She sobered, her expression growing serious. “But I would much rather have you with me, Christian.”

Chris swallowed. Yeah, he needed to get her something special for Christmas, something that showed how much she meant to him. By extending this offer to him, wanting him to stay the night despite the possible negative reaction from her children, meant a lot to him. That she would open her home and her family to him when he had nothing—it was like an early Christmas gift.

He needed to give

her something amazing in return.

Standing, he went over to her side of the table and dropped a quick kiss to her lips.

“I would be honored to be there,” he said, meaning every word. “And I would love to help.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, leaning up to brush a lingering kiss to his jaw. “I would love your help.”

She might as well have said she loved him, what with the way his heart swelled so much it felt ready to burst.

“You can count on it.”

Chapter Fourteen

“I can’t believe how much money I spent,” Chloe Dawson lamented, adding a little moan for emphasis.

“I can’t believe how much you made me walk around that mall.” Jane smiled at her dearest friend and stretched her legs, trying to ease the ache. She hadn’t walked like that since she didn’t know when. Her old physical therapist would be thrilled at how much exercise she got tonight.

“Yeah well, at least we’re finished, right? And I bought you cheesecake so no complaining.” Chloe grinned at her. Jane caught sight of it in the flash of a passing car’s lights. “I wish Mindy had come with us.”

“Yeah, I don’t think she was feeling up to it.” Jane shook her head. It would’ve been good for Mindy to get away from her troubles and have a little fun with her and Chloe. Unfortunately, her sister was in too much of a funk to want to go anywhere.

A couple of years younger than Jane, Chloe had been her next-door neighbor growing up. Part of the same neighborhood gang, they had a shared history that made Chloe incredibly easy for Jane to talk to, hang out with. Jane and Chloe had reconnected recently, since Chloe taught at the elementary school, where Jane saw her on an almost daily basis.

“I’m still stuffed from dinner. I probably won’t even eat it until tomorrow.” Jane glanced down at the restaurant takeout bag that sat at her feet, a box filled with a thick slice of lemon raspberry cream cheesecake inside. Her favorite, something she hadn’t indulged in since before the fire.

“Still feeling the effects of that drink?” Chloe asked.

“Ha.” Chloe had also bought Jane a giant margarita, which Jane finished by the end of the meal. Felt a little loopy from it afterward, too. “I’ve completely sobered up, thank you very much.”

“Too bad.” Chloe sighed. “I wouldn’t mind going home and indulging in a drink or two right now.”

“Chloe. It’s almost eleven.” They’d shopped until they dropped, almost literally. Lucky for Jane, the children were staying at their grandparents’ house for the night.

“Eleven on a Friday night, I might add. We could go back to my place and have a drink or two. Come on. I think we both deserve it.”

“I don’t know. I’m exhausted.” Jane would probably pass out if she put any more alcohol in her system.

“Me, too.” Chloe laughed. “Man, what a bunch of old ladies we’ve turned into, huh?”

“Speak for yourself,” Jane teased just as her cell phone rang. “Who could that be?”

“Maybe it’s that guy you’re seeing,” Chloe teased as Jane reached for her phone.

“Oh.” Jane saw who it was on her caller ID and her heart started to go pitter patter. Chloe was right. “Hello?”

“Hey.” Just that one word spoken in his deep, sexy voice made her stomach twist, her toes curl in her boots. “Are you done shopping?”