“I can’t deal with you right now.” I started to laugh.
“Oh, but you can. And you will. Because I’m your sister, and you’re stuck with me,” she said in singsong fashion.
“Good lord.” I let out a small giggle. “I’m going to shower. What’s on the agenda for today?”
“Today, we are lounging. I’m done with work through the holidays, and the girls have their concert tonight. So, tonight will be about those shenanigans. But until then, we have no obligations whatsoever, which pleases me to no end. That work for you?”
“That sounds amazing actually. Wanna bake more cookies?” I asked.
“Well, of course I do. It’s the holidays. We’re gonna go ahead and get fat and nap after we get high on sugar, before we do it all over again.”
“Sounds like the best day ever.”
I sat down with my coffee and listened to the girls talking and laughing. The house felt warm and inviting. I was relaxed and genuinely happy, which I can’t say I’d felt in years. Part of me knew it would have to come to an end, but I decided that very moment, that while I was in Friendship, I would enjoy all it had to offer. Including one very rugged and handsome pilot-slash-mechanic.
Chapter Twelve
Jason
That night couldn’t have turned out better if I’d planned every bit of it myself. I didn’t, though, and considered myself lucky as hell. Deep down, I wasn’t really sure where it was going with Samantha, but it felt right. I had felt some kind of pull to her and then a push from Gabe, and that propelled me toward her at almost top speed. How Gabe knew was still lost on me. There was no way that he figured this out on his own simply by being a good listener. I didn’t really care what it was. I felt good, and I was going to enjoy it.
The next day when Robin came to drop Emily off, she teased me a little bit but then helped me plan a surprise for Samantha. It was outrageous and required a ton of legwork, but the wheels were already in motion. Robin couldn’t believe what I was planning.
“Wait, you’ve already found a place to get plastic flamingos in December, a week before Christmas? How is that even possible?” she asked me.
“I have a buddy who’s in the business of getting people what they need,” I joked with her as if I had to call the mob or something. In reality, if you’re willing to pay, you can get almost anything you need. Besides the fact that it’s the season of giving, and people wanted to help me make Christmas wonderful for someone special.
“What about the hats?” she asked.
“That’s where I need your help,” I replied.
“Okay, what can I do?”
“I need you to get me two hundred Santa hats.”
“Two hundred?” she repeated. “That’s a lot of Santa hats, Jason. Where am I going to get that many?”
“Call the moms club and initiate the emergency phone tree,” I replied, completely serious.
“You want me to initiate the phone tree for Santa hats?”
“I do. Someone in Friendship needs their Christmas spirit brought back. I consider that an emergency. There are at least twenty moms on that list, and me of course. Hell, we can make them if we have to. Whatever it takes. The flamingos need hats.”
“This is crazy.” She laughed.
“Crazy and amazing, though, right? I mean, you think she’ll like it, right?” I asked. It was totally over the top, but this was a holiday emergency … sort of. I probably should have asked Robin what she thought of the idea before I started procuring yard flamingos from all over the place, but I had an idea and needed to run with it.
“I think it’s going to blow her mind, Jason.” Robin had a thoughtful look.
“You don’t think it will upset her, do you?” That was the last thing I would want.
“Honestly? I think it might bring a tear to her eye.” I must have looked worried because Robin continued right away. “But I don’t think that is a bad thing! Don’t worry. I think it’s time for her to see that she can enjoy the traditions of the old days with our parents and make new memories at the same time.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for here, Robin. I want to make her happy,” I replied honestly. She grew silent and observed me with a bit of a smirk, which gave me pause. “What?” I asked.
“What do you hope to achieve from this grand gesture?” She folded her hands across her chest and narrowed her eyes. “You know she doesn’t live here. So what’s in it for you? I get you shared a moment or a flirtation or whatever, but you’re a really great guy, and she’s my sister. What’s really going on here?”
Thinking back to the things Gabe said, I couldn’t very well tell Robin the whole truth. It wouldn’t make one bit of sense that an old homeless man made it real clear that Samantha needed to be in my life and that I believed him. So I was as honest as I could be without full disclosure. “I like your sister, Robin. I like her a lot. And for whatever reason, one that I can’t even fully explain myself, I’m compelled to help her make this the Christmas she chooses to move forward. There’s something about her, and about everything that she’s feeling, that just resonates with me.”
“Okay, I mean I’m going to help you, because she’s my sister and I think she’ll love this. But it’s also my job to get to the bottom of your intentions too,” she said with some sternness.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have some feelings for her, Robin. But you know me. I’m not a bad guy.”
“No, you’re not a bad guy. Which is why I want to make sure you’ve got a clear head here too. I don’t want to see you get hurt either.”
I knew she was trying to be a good friend, but it mattered little to me whether or not winning the girl happened. In that moment, I felt like I’d been given a mission. My assignment was to get Samantha’s Christmas spirit back, and I chose to run with the operation full steam ahead.
“I appreciate your concern, but I’ll work out the details of what might be something amazing with her when the time is right. For now, Operation Festive Flamingo is on, yes?”
I couldn’t think of a better name, but Robin chuckled. “Yes, it is definitely on. I’ll activate the phone tree and keep you posted.”
“I’ll be gathering my supplies today until the concert and working on the display tomorrow while Emily is at Mrs. Partridge’s. They’re building gingerbread houses or something messy that I’m glad isn’t happening at my house.” I would do whatever my little one wanted, but I hated some of the insane messes that would come from our projects.
“My girls will be there too.” She laughed. “I don’t need little bits of candy I’ll be finding all summer long in my kitchen either. Mrs. Partridge is a saint for having all the kids over.”
“Okay, I’ve got a few more calls to make, and I’m going to tell Emily the plan too.”
“Sounds good … see you tonight, Jason.”
Robin took off, and I filled Emily in on what we were doing. Christmas was her favorite holiday, too, so she sounded eager to participate.
“Is Miss Samantha your girlfriend?” she asked me.
“Not yet, Em. But maybe someday. For now, our job is to make sure this is the most special Christmas she’s had in a really long time. You ready for this? It’s a big job to help me, you know.”
Her eyes lit up with enthusiasm. I could tell she enjoyed being a part of a secret operation, and with a heart as big as hers, I knew she’d be all about it. Plus, it had an element of shenanigans that any little girl would want in on. “Oh, I’m ready. I was made for this!”
I laughed. “Made for what?”
“I was made for secret Christmas operations. Come on, Dad. Keep up.”
That kid cracked me up day and night. Sometimes I forgot how young she really was. She was mature for her age, probably from spending so much time with me. I talked to her like a grown-up from the time she was born. I got so lucky with her, and even though it had been just the two of us for most of her life, I was confident that the addition of someone special to our little family would be
good for both of us. She was the perfect partner in crime.
Operation Festive Flamingo was a go.
Chapter Thirteen
Samantha
Jason had texted me a few times throughout the day, asking what I was up to and telling me he was looking forward to seeing me at the concert that evening. Our banter was fun, and I felt like a kid again. I was uplifted, almost cheerful even. I couldn’t deny I was smitten. It had been so long since I’d shared a kiss that I had forgotten how wonderful it was. The butterflies, the smiles, the compliments, had shoved my aversion to Christmas under the rug.
The day was spent as Robin had promised, mostly lounging and alternating between baking and eating. Robin had to take a bunch of calls throughout the day, but I guessed it was just last-minute stuff at work. The day had been glorious, but it was almost time to get ourselves off to the holiday concert.
The children were performing a variety of songs as well as participating in the annual Nativity. It was a tradition, and one of the few holiday trappings that I always looked forward to. I’d have to say that I loved it mostly because it was about the children, but also it took me away from my own grief. It was so easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm of the girls as they got dressed in their costumes. They were so excited to tell me all about their roles, and had offered to practice for me earlier in the day so I would know what they were going to do.
After watching Daisy and Delilah perform “Last Christmas”—the pop rock song, not the traditional carol I was expecting—I was dying to see it live and performed with music. The last two shows that I saw were great but fairly traditional. Apparently, the music teacher had retired since last Christmas, and the new, younger model was giving the holiday show an update. Their rehearsal had earned a standing ovation from Aunt Sam, that’s for sure.
The five of us piled into the car—Daisy, Delilah, Robin, Michael, and myself—one big family. One thing about Friendship that I did enjoy was how close everything was. It didn’t take more than ten minutes to get to the show, and we arrived quite early so that the girls could get organized and ready with the other kids. Robin left me with her husband, who I got along well with, while we milled about in the hallway before going in to find our seats. She wanted to get the girls backstage herself without dragging us all along in a parade with her.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and it was a message from Jason.
Hey beautiful. I saved us rock star seats down front.
Sounds great. I’ll let my sister know, I replied.
“So, Jason saved us seats.” I glanced over to Michael, who was staring off into space.
“Jason?” he asked, looking confused. I guess Robin didn’t tell him about my little dalliance.
“Oh, uh, Jason Hayes?” I didn’t elaborate.
“Oh, okay. I’ll let Robin know. You want to go on in and we’ll find you?” he asked.
“Sure, that’ll work.”
Michael left to go find Robin, and my heart started to race as I opened the auditorium door. I scanned the room, and that’s when I saw him. He was standing up, leaning against the seats in the row ahead of him so he could see me as soon as I walked in. I lifted my hand in a gentle wave and made my way down the long aisle toward him.
He walked out of the row to greet me with a small kiss on the cheek. “I’ve been thinking about you all day,” he whispered, sending the butterflies I already had in my belly straight into my throat.
I didn’t know what to say. I had no idea how to flirt back and felt like a speechless twit. I mustered up a, “me too,” to get me by while I collected myself. Taking things up a notch, Jason grabbed my hand and led me to our seats, which were indeed front and center. We were going to be easy to spot for the girls, and we also had a perfect view of the whole stage.
“These are great seats. How early did you have to get here for these?” I asked, finally getting my face to cooperate with a smile. My sudden nerves were making me unable to act like a normal adult who could even form a normal smile.
“Not long before you. It just started to fill up. I promised Emily I’d be where she could see us, and I’m a man of my word.” His grin was genuine and broad. He seemed happy, and when I met his eyes, my smile finally softened naturally. What a comforting person he was to be around.
“You sure are,” I replied.
We settled in next to each other, with two more seats saved for Robin and Michael on the other side of me. After we took our coats off, Jason reached for my hand again and placed it on his knee gently. It felt like a date, even though we were there to watch all the kids, and when Robin found us, I quickly snatched my hand back, hiding it from her, although I think she saw.
“Hey guys, great seats,” she said as she sat down next to me.
“You know how particular Emily is,” Jason replied.
“Oh, I sure do,” Robin replied with a laugh. “Mine are no different. I just went through the whole ‘Mommy we want to be able to see you’ discussion backstage myself. Emily looks absolutely adorable, Jason. Who did her curls?” she asked.
“I did,” Jason replied, chuckling. “I’m becoming quite the Paul Mitchell these days. Or Vidal Sassoon? I dunno, I’m getting good at curling a little girl’s hair.”
We all laughed, but I considered what a good father he was. I didn’t know much about Emily’s mom, but she surely missed out on Jason. He was a keeper and would make any woman swoon.
The lights began to dim, indicating the show was starting, and we all turned our focus to the stage. As it became completely dark, Jason reached over for my hand, placing it on his knee, and gave it a little squeeze. I smiled in return and leaned into him just a bit.
My affection for this man I’d barely just met was on my mind almost the entire show. I watched him watch his daughter and was in awe by his adoration for her. I’d never thought much of having kids myself, mostly because I hadn’t had a relationship that lasted long enough for it to be a consideration. Being with him, on the receiving end of his affection while he still gave his undivided attention to the show, was enough to make any woman want to have his babies.
I did a lot of thinking during that show. Seeing Jason’s uninhibited joy through the entire thing was enough to lift me right back out of the funk that tried to seep in. All I could think of was how soothing his presence was, however short-lived it was to be.
Chapter Fourteen
Jason
I wanted to steal a thousand kisses from her that night. But we were surrounded with friends and family, and excited kids. While I still knew she wasn’t really mine, I couldn’t help but think she could be, and I was going to take every opportunity that I could to make it so.
After the show, we all milled around and had hot cider and cookies with the kids, who put on a great show. The new music teacher really hit the mark with this one. Not only were the kids excited to sing and dance to new songs, but it was a refreshing change for us adults too. You could easily see how much fun the kids had, and that’s what mattered the most.
I wished desperately for a few minutes alone with Samantha, but that prospect wasn’t looking good. The night was winding down, and people were starting to head home. I knew that I’d see her the next night for the big surprise, but I had to find a way to sneak a kiss in somehow. So, I did what any man desperate for a woman’s affection would do. I made up a reason she had to walk with me for a minute.
“Samantha, have you seen the kids’ tree paintings?” It wasn’t much to see, but the display was around the corner and away from the crowd.
“Tree paintings?” she asked me.
“Yes. Tree paintings. They’re really quite spectacular. They’re just around the corner. Let me show you?” I asked, nodding my head in that direction.
“Oh, um, sure.” She turned to Robin. “Hey, we’re gonna go look at the tree paintings real quick, okay?”
I took Samantha’s hand and pulled her toward the corridor where artwork was hanging at a pretty good clip. As soon as w
e turned the corner, I pulled her into me for a kiss. She tasted like cinnamon and sugar, and when the surprise wore off, she melted into me, kissing me back.
“I thought we were going to look at some trees,” she said quietly, letting a little laugh escape.
Still holding her tight, I pointed down the hallway. “There’s some construction paper trees down that way. But I just wanted to get you alone for a minute.”
“Well played, sir,” she replied before initiating another kiss. Her lips were soft, and I could have stayed in that hallway just kissing her all night, but I knew our stolen moment had to come to an abrupt end before we got caught.
We shared a chuckle over the shenanigans we just pulled and returned to the group. I was feeling better, even though I wished she was leaving with me, not her sister.
“What did you think of the trees?” Robin asked, a slightly playful and sarcastic tone in her voice.
“Oh, the trees? They were breathtaking,” Samantha replied.
“Breathtaking, eh? Pretty lofty compliment for some cutouts,” Robin replied with a laugh. “Okay, I think we have everyone. Are we ready to head home?”
Everyone was ready to go, so Emily and I walked out with the Jameson family and headed to our cars.
“We’ll see you tomorrow then?” I confirmed with Robin.
“Yep, everything’s all set. We’ll catch up tomorrow. Have a good night you two,” she said to Emily and me.
“Good night, Mrs. Jameson,” Emily said, and gave Robin a hug. “Bye, Daisy … bye, Delilah.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow night. We’re expecting a clear night for our flight. I’m looking forward to showing you the lights,” I whispered to Samantha as I gave her a friendly hug good night.
“I can’t wait,” she whispered back.
Emily and I walked to my truck together hand in hand. “Really great job tonight, kiddo. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad. This was my favorite show we’ve ever done.”
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