getting to know you all too.”
There was an awkward silence during which they heard Ellen’s melodious laughter from the next room. John lifted a bottle of wine from the counter. “I’m going to see if anyone needs a refill,” he said, sounding like he might need one himself.
Christine quickly followed after him, thinking she could use a drink, too.
While the rest of the group seemed oblivious, Christine felt unsettled. She’d practically spilled her guts to John, and he’d basically said—nothing. Even now, he sat apart from her as if something were amiss. Maybe she was letting her insecurities get the best of her. She hadn’t felt close to a man in forever, and hadn’t even kissed anyone since Dan. And now, here she’d gone acting like some giddy teenager engaged in her first crush. She’d probably frightened John a little with her admission, but why wouldn’t he feel good that he’d helped make her happy? She studied him, hands clasped at his knees as he leaned forward with a congenial smile, watching Tyler opening his gifts. Was he avoiding meeting her eyes, or was she imagining it?
Tyler dug into another package, Mason snoozing contentedly at his side. “Nintendo! Oh boy! Thanks, Auntie Ellen. Mommy said I couldn’t have one.”
Ellen shot Christine a look. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Christine said, wishing everything really was okay.
Carlos wrapped his arm around Ellen’s shoulder. “That’s what Aunties are for,” he whispered gruffly, but not quietly enough so the others didn’t hear him.
Ellen grimaced at Christine, but Christine couldn’t tell if it was in apology or because Carlos’s embrace hurt her.
Carlos studied Ellen with concern. “Are you all right?” he asked, lifting his arm. “Is this bothering—?”
“Not much,” she said, snuggling against him in encouragement. “Just a touch of sunburn.”
“Maybe I can help with some cold cream later?” he said softly in her ear.
“Oh!” Ellen responded with delighted surprise. She locked on Carlos’s gaze and blinked. “That would be nice, very nice indeed.”
John leaned forward, lifting a small box from an end table. “Wait,” he told Tyler, who was organizing his gifts. “There’s one more.” He glanced at Christine, his complexion ruddy. “This one’s for the two of you.”
“Thanks,” she said, accepting the package. She felt bad that she hadn’t brought anything for him other than a bottle of wine. But, in light of how skittish he was acting, maybe her omission was for the best. “Ty? You want to do the honors?”
The child grinned and slid the silky ribbon from the gift, peeling back the wrapping. He dug in the box and extracted a tiny toboggan tree ornament. “Look Mommy,” Tyler proclaimed. “It’s a sled! Just like we went on!”
“Just a little something for you to remember Vermont by.”
“Oh how cute,” Ellen chimed in.
Emotion welled in Christine’s throat. Of all the moments they’d shared with John, that was one she’d never forget. “It’s wonderful,” she said softly. “Thank you.”
“John took me and Mommy sledding!” Tyler informed the others.
“So I heard, ” Ellen said with a knowing look.
“Does this mean we’ll get a real Christmas tree next year?” Tyler asked.
“Christine doesn’t believe in Christmas trees,” Ellen told Carlos.
“Really?” Carlos asked with surprise.
“That’s not true,” Christine protested. “I just haven’t gone to the trouble these past…” Now, it was her turn to avoid John’s gaze. “… few years.”
“Well…” John clapped his hands together and glanced around. “Maybe next year things will be different.”
The room was silent as all eyes fell on him. John stared first at Carlos and Ellen, then at Tyler and Mason by the tree. Finally, he looked at Christine. “For you, Christine. I meant, for you,” he said, his voice cracking. He stood suddenly, sweat beads dotting his brow. “I’m going to grab
There was an awkward silence during which they heard Ellen’s melodious laughter from the next room. John lifted a bottle of wine from the counter. “I’m going to see if anyone needs a refill,” he said, sounding like he might need one himself.
Christine quickly followed after him, thinking she could use a drink, too.
While the rest of the group seemed oblivious, Christine felt unsettled. She’d practically spilled her guts to John, and he’d basically said—nothing. Even now, he sat apart from her as if something were amiss. Maybe she was letting her insecurities get the best of her. She hadn’t felt close to a man in forever, and hadn’t even kissed anyone since Dan. And now, here she’d gone acting like some giddy teenager engaged in her first crush. She’d probably frightened John a little with her admission, but why wouldn’t he feel good that he’d helped make her happy? She studied him, hands clasped at his knees as he leaned forward with a congenial smile, watching Tyler opening his gifts. Was he avoiding meeting her eyes, or was she imagining it?
Tyler dug into another package, Mason snoozing contentedly at his side. “Nintendo! Oh boy! Thanks, Auntie Ellen. Mommy said I couldn’t have one.”
Ellen shot Christine a look. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Christine said, wishing everything really was okay.
Carlos wrapped his arm around Ellen’s shoulder. “That’s what Aunties are for,” he whispered gruffly, but not quietly enough so the others didn’t hear him.
Ellen grimaced at Christine, but Christine couldn’t tell if it was in apology or because Carlos’s embrace hurt her.
Carlos studied Ellen with concern. “Are you all right?” he asked, lifting his arm. “Is this bothering—?”
“Not much,” she said, snuggling against him in encouragement. “Just a touch of sunburn.”
“Maybe I can help with some cold cream later?” he said softly in her ear.
“Oh!” Ellen responded with delighted surprise. She locked on Carlos’s gaze and blinked. “That would be nice, very nice indeed.”
John leaned forward, lifting a small box from an end table. “Wait,” he told Tyler, who was organizing his gifts. “There’s one more.” He glanced at Christine, his complexion ruddy. “This one’s for the two of you.”
“Thanks,” she said, accepting the package. She felt bad that she hadn’t brought anything for him other than a bottle of wine. But, in light of how skittish he was acting, maybe her omission was for the best. “Ty? You want to do the honors?”
The child grinned and slid the silky ribbon from the gift, peeling back the wrapping. He dug in the box and extracted a tiny toboggan tree ornament. “Look Mommy,” Tyler proclaimed. “It’s a sled! Just like we went on!”
“Just a little something for you to remember Vermont by.”
“Oh how cute,” Ellen chimed in.
Emotion welled in Christine’s throat. Of all the moments they’d shared with John, that was one she’d never forget. “It’s wonderful,” she said softly. “Thank you.”
“John took me and Mommy sledding!” Tyler informed the others.
“So I heard, ” Ellen said with a knowing look.
“Does this mean we’ll get a real Christmas tree next year?” Tyler asked.
“Christine doesn’t believe in Christmas trees,” Ellen told Carlos.
“Really?” Carlos asked with surprise.
“That’s not true,” Christine protested. “I just haven’t gone to the trouble these past…” Now, it was her turn to avoid John’s gaze. “… few years.”
“Well…” John clapped his hands together and glanced around. “Maybe next year things will be different.”
The room was silent as all eyes fell on him. John stared first at Carlos and Ellen, then at Tyler and Mason by the tree. Finally, he looked at Christine. “For you, Christine. I meant, for you,” he said, his voice cracking. He stood suddenly, sweat beads dotting his brow. “I’m going to grab
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