“Jane, come on.” Mac yelled over his shoulder and she realized she was lagging behind, dreamy-eyed over a man she shouldn’t be dreamy-eyed over.
Why not? You’re always there for your children. What about you?
She ignored the nagging little voice inside her head, focused instead on the excitement she saw on her son’s face, on the way Sophia chanted Santa over and over again. Why Lexi didn’t join them, she wasn’t sure, and she needed to question her further once they got back home.
“Captain Nelson!” Logan’s screech made Jane’s heart drop to her toes. She couldn’t contain the smile that broke out at his approach.
“Hey bro,” she heard Mac greet, and the two men clapped each other on the back, as men did. Logan stood between them, set down by Mac a few minutes ago, and he gazed up at Chris with adoring eyes. Chris reached out, ruffled Logan’s hair affectionately.
Jane’s heart was now firmly back in her chest, since, at the gesture, it had done a flip-flop so grand, she was left breathless. Touched at the easy affection she saw between the three males just ahead of her.
“Hi, Jane,” Chris said when his warm golden eyes landed upon her, his smile gentle.
She returned his greeting with a quick smile, her eyes unable to stop from drifting down the length of his body and then back up. Unabashedly checking him out. But he looked oh, so attractive in his uniform and matching navy blue coat.
“Where’s Lexi?”
It touched her all over again that he noticed Lexi wasn’t around. “She’s with my brother’s girls over by the tree. They didn’t want to see Santa.”
“Who doesn’t want to see Santa?” he asked incredulously, which excited Logan all over again.
“Did you talk to him? Did you tell him you knew me?”
Chris laughed and knelt so he was on Logan’s level. “I told him about all three of you, plus your mom, and how deserving your family is. He agreed, so watch for an extra load of presents under the tree this year.”
“I can’t wait to tell him what I want.” Logan started in on his list, which was forever long, and Chris stood, took hold of Logan’s hand as they inched up the line.
The man had the patience of a saint.
Patrick, who had been way ahead of them in line, approached with two of his four in tow. “Lyssa told me the girls want Lexi to spend the night. Is that okay?”
“Well, only if Mom agrees to it.” Which of course, Jane knew she would.
“Lyssa already called and confirmed it. So if you don’t mind…” Patrick shrugged. “Like one more is going to make a difference.”
“No, that’s fine. She has clothes over there, so she’s good. Just have her call me in the morning.”
“Will do. See you all later.” Patrick nodded and then walked away, winding through the thinning crowd.
The line started to move quickly. When they finally got to the front, Sophia screamed when placed on Santa’s lap, but Logan spent so much time with the poor man, Mac eventually had to drag him away.
“You have a tree yet?” Chris asked as they stood together watching Logan accept a giant candy cane for himself and his sister from one of Santa’s elf helpers.
“Not yet. I’m not really sure when I’m going to get one.”
“Uh huh.” Chris nodded, rocking back on his heels. He didn’t so much as look at her, kept his eyes trained on the kids, who were both tearing into their candy canes. “I have a permit to cut down a tree. You want it?”
A fresh tree sounded like heaven. In the past, they’d always used an artificial one, since they didn’t shed needles and aggravate Stephen’s allergies. She’d indulged in buying fresh wreaths to hang on the front door…but it hadn’t been the same.
“Don’t you want the tree for yourself?”
He shrugged. “I’m not home much. And besides, it’s not like I have much for decorations. I’d rather you take it. The kids want one, right?”
“Definitely.”
“Well, then I’ll cut it down for you this weekend.”
“That would be wonderful,” she said, turning to smile at him.