A Forever Christmas. Missy Tippens
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Название: A Forever Christmas
Автор: Missy Tippens
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
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“Gregory, do you think you could help us just get the tree in the house? You could decorate it another day.”
Hunter looked at him, a hopeful expression on his face. Sometimes it took so little to satisfy them.
He glanced at his watch. “I guess I could do that. But we’ll have to hurry.” And he could forget shopping.
The boys hopped in the back seat of his king cab truck to ride with him.
“Sowwy, Miss Sawah. You have to wide all alone.”
“That’s okay, Chase. I don’t mind,” she said as she buckled him in.
“We’ve gotta go.” Gregory turned and leaned over the seat. “Sarah, can you follow us home, then take them to my dad’s?”
“Of course. See you there.”
He wanted to rush home, sling the tree into a bucket of water, then zip to the toy store, all in about five minutes. But he drove safely, making sure Sarah stayed behind him, safe as well. When they got home, he suggested the bucket of water.
Hunter leaped over the seat of the truck and tumbled into the front. “But Dad, we’ve got to take it in the house so we can decorate it later.”
“We won’t be able to do it for a couple of days.” He tried to remember which day he’d set aside to do the tree. “I think I planned for us to do it Wednesday.”
“Let’s do it tomowwo,” Chase said as he carefully tried to tumble where his brother had just done so effortlessly. Instead, he ended up stranded, hanging on the seatback.
Gregory gave him a tug to pull him the rest of the way. “Okay, guys. We’ll take it inside now, put it in the stand, then decorate tomorrow.”
Sarah stepped up beside the truck. “Do you have a tree stand?”
How come she had to keep popping up? It was as if she was trying to torment him—drawing him to her with her silky hair, sparkling eyes and sweet nature. She reminded him of the good parts of their past. When in reality it was a past that was best forgotten.
He sucked in a breath as a thought hit him.
Would Winston Radcliffe expect him to honor their agreement even after all these years?
“Gregory? A tree stand?”
“Oh, uh, check the attic. Pull down ladder’s in the hallway.” He handed her the house key.
It had been over fifteen years ago that he’d made the stupidest bargain of his life. Surely Sarah’s father wouldn’t hold him to it, now.
While Sarah went on a mission to find the tree stand, he trimmed off the lowest branches as Hunter and Chase looked on. By the time they got the tree up and tried to find one decent side, it was six o’clock and time for him to be at his new customer’s office.
“I’ve got to go. You three can try to find a side that doesn’t have too many gaps in the branches.”
He rubbed Hunter’s head. And started to rub Chase’s. But Chase launched into his arms and gave him a quick hug and sloppy kiss.
He started to thank Sarah. But for what? Throwing his whole schedule off and making him late? “I appreciate you taking the boys to Dad’s for me,” he said.
“No problem. Thanks for coming to help get the tree.” She gave him a big smile.
Did she feel it too? Or were his feelings one-sided. “Hey boys, you two run outside and get your bookbags out of Sarah’s car so you don’t forget them.”
Both obeyed and headed out the front door.
“I hope you don’t see Hunter and Chase as some sort of mission project,” he said voicing the fear that had been nagging him for the past few hours.
She looked surprised. “Oh. No, of course not.” But she seemed uncomfortable, as if he’d hit at least on some bit of the truth.
“So why’d you want to spend time with them?”
“They’re in the play. I wanted to get to know them.”
“And you’re going to get together with each of the children in the play?”
She didn’t say anything.
It made him sick to think her kindness to his boys was nothing more than feeling sorry for them. “My kids aren’t neglected. They’re not needy. I do a perfectly fine job providing for them.” He paced across the living room, wishing his house were bigger so he had decent room to work off the aggravation.
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