The Nurse Who Saved Christmas

Obviously, he’d become overzealous when he’d turned on the Christmas tunes, thinking she was tired enough that the low music wouldn’t disturb her and she’d sleep a few more hours. He’d just have to go forward as things were and pray for the best, pray for Abby to love him.

“Women aren’t the only ones allowed to change their minds. Apparently I just needed to be reminded of the real meaning of the holiday.”

“Oh, you needed that all right,” she scoffed, eyeing him suspiciously. “So you’ve supposedly changed your mind about Christmas? Why?”

“You.”

“Me?” This time she laughed with a great deal of irony. “I changed your mind about Christmas?”

“You changed my mind about everything, Abby. About life. My life. And the life I want with you.”

This had to work. If Christmas magic didn’t open Abby’s eyes to the man he wanted to be for her, nothing would.

Abby crossed the room, stood next to him, but didn’t sit, just stared at him with her forehead creased. “What about Sandra? Shelby? You still love them.”

“You’d have me not love them?”

“No,” she began hesitantly.

“I realize that part of my life is in the past, Abby. I’ve accepted that. I’m ready to move on to the future. With you.”

She glanced away, closed her eyes. “That’s too bad, Dirk, because I don’t trust you with my future.”

He winced, but wasn’t ready to admit defeat. Not when he was battling for the most important part of his life.

“Someone once told me that Christmas Day was the most magical day of the year. A day when miracles can happen.” He prayed some of that Christmas magic would shine on him, would help Abby to see how much he loved her. “Trust me, Abby. I won’t let you down. Never again.”

She didn’t say anything for a few moments then met his gaze warily. “How can I believe you? How can I know this isn’t some ploy out of a sense of responsibility because I’m pregnant?”

Dirk’s ribs squeezed his lungs. He’d hoped she’d say that she did trust him with her heart. That she wanted him and wanted to be a family with him and their baby.

Instead she looked at him with distrust shining in her hazel eyes. God, he’d been such a fool. How many times had Abby opened up her heart to him and he’d pushed her away out of fear? Fear of feeling again. Fear of loving and losing that love. Fear of feeling because with feeling came the risk of pain.

But there came a point when a man had to overcome his fears, had to risk that pain, had to risk rejection, because the alternative wasn’t acceptable. Regardless of the risk of pain, not telling Abby the truth wasn’t acceptable.

He took her hand in his. “You’ve had me from the moment we met, Abby. I tried fighting it, but I think I fell for you in the E.R. that first night. I know I wanted you in that instance. And every instance since.”

Her gaze lowered to their interlocked hands, then lifted back to his. “Why are you saying these things? Why now?”

“Because I can’t bear the thought that I might have lost you. Tell me you’ll give me a chance to prove to you that I can be the man of your dreams.”

A tear trickling down her cheek, she closed her eyes. “I didn’t really wake up, did I? I’m still asleep and am dreaming.”

Dirk lifted her hand to his lips, pressed a kiss to her fingertips. “Then don’t wake up quite yet, because this dream is far from over. You have a lot of presents to open.”

As if hearing Dirk say he wanted to be the man of her dreams wasn’t enough to convince Abby that she was dreaming, the number of packages under her tree clinched the deal.

Never in her life had she had so many presents.

But why was he doing this?

Sitting on the floor, she picked up a box, shook it prior to carefully unwrapping it to reveal a beautiful aqua-colored baby blanket.

He’d bought a gift for their baby. For her. God, could he be serious abou

t wanting to share a future?

Running her fingers over the soft, fuzzy material, she lifted her gaze to his. “This is beautiful.”