The Christmas Sisters

“I’m not as evolved as you are. I needed time to figure out how I felt.” She was barely aware of her surroundings, of the echo of announcements and the people flowing around them.

“I hate to think of you panicking by yourself.”

“I’m used to handling things by myself. And I wasn’t really by myself. I panicked with Posy, and then with Beth and my mom.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “You called her mom.”

Hannah felt herself flush. “Yes.”

“I didn’t think you were close to your family.”

“We weren’t, but—” she shrugged “—we’ve talked quite a bit lately, and it turns out we’re a lot closer than I thought.”

He smiled. “That’s good.”

“Yes. Yes, it is, but—”

“But?”

“The relationship I really need to fix is the one I have with you. And I have no idea what happens now. You’ve never been interested in anything long-term.”

“That was before I met you. Before I fell in love with you. Does that sound like a cliché? If so, I’m sorry. You want me to prove I love you?” He raked his fingers through his hair, his breathing unsteady. “I’d never played chess before I met you.”

She stared at him. “You said you played.”

“Because you challenged me to a game, and I was so crazy about you I would have said yes to anything. Alligator wrestling, snake charming, ballet dancing—actually, maybe not ballet dancing, but pretty much anything else—I would have had a go.”

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She thought back. “But we played together. You won twice.”

“I’ll pretend not to notice that you’ve memorized how many times I won.” He moved her to one side as a family of five thundered past with suitcases. “I taught myself from YouTube. And from some insanely frustrating program that lets you play against a computer, which, by the way, I don’t recommend. You’re as good as the computer and a hell of a lot sexier.”

“You learned chess so you could play with me?”

“Yes. And I also had myself switched to the Carlton Myers Account so that I would have an excuse to work with you and stay late in the office.”

“You said you had a keen interest in their business model.”

“I lied. The only thing I had a keen interest in was you.”

She was staring. She knew she was staring. “I had no idea.”

“I know. I took hideous advantage of your trusting nature.” He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her briefly. “And I flew all the way here without calling first because I didn’t want to give you a chance to turn me away. And I left, even though it killed me to do it, because I thought that was what you wanted. Are you crying? God, I’ve made you cry and that is the last thing I wanted to do.” Appalled, he brushed away her tears with his fingers.

“They’re happy tears.” She leaned her head against his chest, her heart full. He’d learned chess so he could play with her. Switched accounts. Crossed an ocean. “I wish I’d talked to you sooner.”

“So do I, then you might have saved me a terrifying car ride with a cabdriver who didn’t seem to notice the ice on the roads.”

She felt his arms come around her, locking her against him. It felt good, she realized. Leaning on him felt good.

She lifted her head and met his gaze. “It’s quite a leap from man about town to daddy.”

“I’ve always been pretty athletic.” His smile had gone and this time his expression was serious. “I can make that leap, Hannah. We’ll make it together.”

She smiled through her tears. “I don’t know much about babies.”

“Then it’s a good thing there are two of us to figure it out.”