In Full Bloom (Second Chances 1)

“Yeah,” he said. “I thought we might—”

“Don’t tell me,” she said, her hands sliding down to squeeze his ass. “You know how I love surprises.”

“No, no. Don’t do that,” he said. “I can’t go talk to my mom with a raging hard on.”

She gave him one last squeeze and said, “Yeah. I can see how that would be really awkward.”

“It’s not helping matters, having you pressed up against me like this, baby,” he said.

She blinked at him innocently and said, “Oops.”

On the way down stairs, he thought about batting averages. He was probably the only guy alive that didn’t like baseball. When he heard the war cry of one of Christina’s twins as they walked through the door, he thought, Yep. There we go. The mood is officially dead.

“Oh good,” Taryn mumbled. “The twins.”

On Thanksgiving they had cornered her in the dining room and pestered her unmercifully once they found out she worked at the zoo. He remembered how sweetly patient she had been. Eventually Christina had come to get them.

“Yeah. I’m sure they have more questions about the zoo,” Evan said brightly.

“They’re really sweet kids. Enthusiastic, but together, they’re a lot to handle. I don’t know how your sister does it!”

“Medication,” Evan joked.

“Couldn’t blame her,” she said, laughing.

By the time dinner was over, most of the screeching had subsided and the majority of the adults had a glass of wine in hand. The children had already opened their presents and moved into the dining room to play with them.

Evan sat in the oversized chair, with Taryn snuggled in next to him. She leaned against him comfortably, giving a contented sigh every so often. His mother had lit a fire in the fireplace. The night was absolutely perfect.

“This is pretty perfect,” Taryn murmured, mirroring his thoughts.

“Yeah,” he echoed. “Doesn’t get much better than this. Thank you for coming with me.”

“Thanks for inviting me. This is the first time I can remember that Christmas hasn’t totally sucked,” she said.

He squeezed her and started to answer when his mother said, “Ahem. Now that the children, god love them, are playing in the other room, I think it’s time to exchange gifts.”

There was a chorus of general agreement.

They sat closest to the tree, so he waved off his mother when she stood to start passing things out. Together they read the labels on the presents and passed them out until the tree was completely empty underneath.

“And,” he said, grinning, “We’ll start opening with me and work our way around clockwise.”

His mother gave a good-natured scowl as this put her as the exact last person to open her present.

He tore the card from the gift and opened it. Enclosed was a gift certificate to the home improvement store by the apartment. He held it up and said, “I’ll be putting this to good use.”

He continued on to the small package and found a new bottle of his favorite cologne. With a fist pump, he said, “Thanks Patty. This is perfect.”

Weaving through the crowd, he went over to give her a hug and a kiss, then moved back to the chair where Taryn sat.

She tore into card and said, “This is from Maureen, everyone.”

Carefully removing the ribbon, she opened the package and her eyes widened. “Yes! The pasta-making attachment!”

She held it up and said, “This is perfect. Thank you so much.”

He watched her set the gift down next to the chair and give his sister a hug.