He hadn’t forgotten. He just needed a little more time before he tested the ultimate strength of their relationship. And his invitation for Christmas-cookie detail was going to help his cause.
“What are you smiling about?”
“Uh, nothing. Don’t worry. I’ll be discreet when I leave in about...” he glanced down at the work on his desk “...about a half hour. Do you have a preference for dinner?”
She shook her head. “But that isn’t necessary. I can throw something together.”
“You’ll have your hands full, baking. Dinner is the least I can do.”
Just as promised, a half hour later, not caring that he hadn’t responded to the last five emails in his in-box, Jason shut down his computer and promised himself that he’d be in early the next morning to deal with them.
On the way to Kara’s house, he made a detour to pick up an assortment of sandwiches and side orders from a little mom-and-pop shop. The restaurant been around since he was a kid, and he loved the homemade food.
Armed with food and gifts, he pulled into Kara’s driveway, his heart tap-dancing in his chest. Jason didn’t know much about making Christmas cookies, so he felt a bit out of his element, but he swallowed hard and climbed out of the SUV. He’d just made it to the sidewalk when the front door swung open and Samantha appeared. With the door left wide-open and a toothy grin on her sweet face, she ran up to him.
“You came! I knew you would,” she said excitedly.
“You doubted my word?”
She shook her head, swishing her brown ponytail back and forth. “Mommy said you might not come. I told her you would.”
So Kara still didn’t trust him, not even to keep his promise for an evening of Christmas-cookie baking. Seemed tonight he’d have to make certain she knew he intended to stick around. The thought of making it permanent floated into his mind, but he still had his doubts about taking on the role of father.
What would Samantha call him? Jason? Daddy? Did he even want her calling him Daddy? After all, he didn’t know much about being a good parent. The throbbing of an ensuing headache had him rubbing his forehead. Now wasn’t the time to contemplate “forever.”
“Jason, hurry.” Samantha grabbed his free hand and started to pull him toward the kitchen. “We have to make the cookies.”
“Not so fast,” Kara said from the doorway. “We’re going to eat first.”
“Ah, do we gotta? Jason, are you hungry?”
He might not know much about kids, but only a fool would insinuate himself between mother and daughter—and he wasn’t that foolish. “We better listen to your mother. She knows what’s best.”
He glanced up to catch a look of approval on Kara’s face. He schooled his features to hold back a grin, but his chest puffed up just a little. Score one point for him tonight. If only he could keep it up the rest of the evening, he’d definitely be in Kara’s good graces, and those kisses would become reality.
Kara ushered them out of the cold and in no time they were working their way through a chicken Parmesan sub, an Italian sub and a meatball sub. Seemed as though he’d found something each of them would eat. He sighed in relief. They were off to a very good start.
With everyone’s stomach filled, he pulled out his bag of goodies. He handed a ruffled, white apron to Kara that read: Don’t Mess with This Cook, I Carry a Rolling Pin...and I Know How to Use It.
She laughed. “And let that be a warning to both of you.”
“Do I get one, too?” Samantha stretched her neck, trying to peer in the bag.
“Hmm...let me see.” He took his time, as though unable to find anything.
“You forgot me?” she asked, sounding dejected.
Then he pulled out a smaller pink apron that read: Professional Taste Tester. It also had the picture of a chocolate chip cookie with a big bite taken out of it.
“I love it!” Samantha moved over and threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”
Jason’s heart thumped hard against his chest as he tenderly hugged her back. In that moment, the thought of forever got just a little less scary.
“You’re quite welcome.”
And last but not least, he dumped the bag on the table and a large assortment of cookie cutters spilled out. “I bought every single kind they had in the store. I can take them back if you don’t want them.”
The girls oohed and aahed over the various shapes, from Christmas trees to reindeer. He smiled broadly. He thoroughly enjoyed making them happy. Once the new cookie cutters were scrubbed up, they set to work making cookies for trays to deliver to the care home where Jason’s father was staying.