He glanced at the clock. Twenty minutes after six. Being tardy would not help his already tense relationship with Kara. And until he knew what he wanted, he didn’t wish to make things worse. He could only hope she hadn’t noticed the time.... He shook his head. His luck wasn’t that good. With her lack of faith in him, she’d probably think he’d forgotten and wasn’t going to show.
When he pulled into her driveway, he noticed how she’d decorated the edges of her roof with those white icicle lights. A glowing snowman stood front and center in the yard. And in the picture window he caught sight of the Christmas tree he’d brought them, now lit up with colored lights.
The tension in his shoulders and neck uncoiled. A smile pulled at his lips. Maybe the decorations weren’t so bad. Kara certainly was filled with holiday spirit. He’d swear she was one part Santa’s elf and the other part Christmas angel.
He pushed the SUV door open and eased out before leaning back inside to grab the pink bear from the seat. He glanced down at Bubbles. For a second, he envied the stuffed animal. He wondered what it’d be like to be so loved by that sweet girl.
His knee throbbed from the cold, but he refused to let it slow his pace up the walk. He’d just raised his hand to knock on the bright blue door adorned with a wreath of holly berries when Samantha pulled it open.
She stood there in a red-and-white sweatshirt with crisscrossed candy canes on the front. “Hi.” Her gaze lowered to his hand. “Bubbles!”
He held out the stuffed animal to her. She immediately scooped it up into her arms and gave it a great big hug as if they’d been separated for years. He watched in wonder at the little girl’s abundance of love. How could her father walk away from her?
Jason choked down a lump of emotion. “I thought you might be missing him.”
Samantha held the bear at arm’s length. “Shame on you, Bubbles. You shouldn’t have stayed at the resort all night by yourself.”
“Hi,” Kara said, making her presence known. “I thought you’d changed your mind about coming over.”
“I’m sorry I’m late.” He opened his mouth to say more, but then closed it. He was certain telling her he’d gotten caught up in his work wouldn’t warm up her demeanor.
“Step inside and close the door. It’s cold out there.”
Not exactly an invitation to stay, but she hadn’t told him to leave, either. Deciding to take his chances, he did as she suggested.
Strains of “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” played in the background. The fact he even recognized the song surprised him, but it helped that the singers repeated it over and over. He didn’t foresee a jolly Christmas in his future, and for the first time since he was a kid, it niggled at him.
The scent of apples, cinnamon and various other spices lingered in the air. He inhaled again, remembering how his grandmother’s house had often smelled like this when she had pies in the oven.
“Were you baking?” he asked.
“No. It’s warmed cider.”
So much for making small talk. By the frown on Kara’s face, he was wasting his time. “I should go.”
“You can’t,” Samantha interjected. “Mommy made us wait to eat till you got here.”
“Samantha, hush.” Kara’s face filled with color.
She’d made him dinner? The words warmed a spot in his chest that sent heat spreading through his body. It’d been a long time since someone went to any bother for him.
“It’s true.” Samantha continued as though her mom hadn’t spoken a word. “She said you need somethin’ ’sides candy to eat.”
Jason chuckled. Samantha’s spunk was so much like her mother’s. He noticed Kara make a hasty retreat into the kitchen. Her embarrassment only made the moment that much more touching.
“Your mother is very wise. You should listen to her.”
After he shed his coat and made sure the soles of his boots were dry, Samantha slid her little hand in his. His heart grew three sizes in that moment. Maybe he’d been wrong all those years—maybe someday he could be a good father. But could he be a parent to another man’s child? Could he set aside the jealousy of knowing Kara had replaced him so quickly, so easily?
Samantha gave his hand a tug, dragging him back to the present. “Come on.”
The kitchen was small, but warm and inviting. He took a moment to absorb his surroundings, noticing how Kara had painted the room a sunny yellow, giving it a pleasant, uplifting feel. Sunflowers adorned the curtains, baskets lined the tops of the light oak cabinets and a small arrangement of silk sunflowers filled a blue milk pitcher in the center of the table. Kara certainly had a flair for decorating.
“Are you sure this isn’t an imposition?” he asked.
“Samantha’s right. We have plenty of spaghetti and meatballs. Besides, you do need to eat a real meal if you keep pushing yourself so hard to make this reopening a success.” Kara drained the noodles. “Have a seat.”
He pulled out a chair at the table and sat down. He looked up as Kara bent over to rummage through a drawer, and he noticed an electric candle burning in the window above the sink. It was like a beacon, calling him home.
“Mommy, Mommy, can I have more cider?” Samantha held out an empty cup, her bottom lip protruding in a look designed to arouse sympathy.
Jason would have caved faster than a house of cards in a category 5 hurricane. So when he heard Kara tell her that she’d had enough for the evening, he was impressed by such fortitude. Before he became a parent, he had much to learn.
“Go wash up,” Kara said. “It’s time to eat.”
“Okay.” Samantha scampered away.
Soon they were all seated around the table. The more he smiled and laughed at Samantha’s childlike antics, the more Kara loosened up. Jason was captivated by the easy banter and the abundance of smiles. Kara had really made a happy home for her little girl. Samantha chattered on about everything she’d asked Santa for, while he made mental notes of the unfamiliar toys so he could scout around for them. For the first time in forever, he was starting to look forward to Christmas.
But the second thing he noticed that evening struck him most profoundly. They didn’t treat him like an outsider. They included him in their talk, as if he was one of them. As if he was family.
After two heaping helpings, Jason pushed aside his wiped-clean plate. Utterly stuffed, he couldn’t remember a meal he’d enjoyed so much, even though he’d barely tasted the food. He was too caught up by the company. Time flew by and before he knew it, he’d helped Kara wash up the dinner dishes, while Samantha watched a holiday movie. He didn’t want to leave, but he also didn’t want to overstay his welcome.
After he said good-night to Samantha, Kara walked him to the door.
“Thanks for staying for dinner,” she said. “Samantha really enjoyed your company. Sorry about her going on and on about her Christmas list. She gets a bit wound up.”
“I didn’t mind at all. It was actually very helpful. Otherwise I wouldn’t have a clue what to buy her for Christmas.”
Kara slipped outside and closed the door. “Don’t feel obligated. Santa will take good care of her.”
“I’m sure he will,” he said, stepping closer. His gaze zeroed in on Kara’s lips, thinking they presented him with an irresistible temptation. “I would just like to do something special for both of you.”
His head lowered and he pressed his lips to her warm ones, feeling the slightest tremble in her. Not wanting to push his luck, he pulled away. He caught the softest sigh from Kara. She wasn’t as immune to him as she’d like to think.
He cleared his throat. “Thank you for tonight.”
She pressed a hand to her lips and glanced up at him. Their gazes held for a moment before her hand lowered. “We’re baking cookies on Wednesday after work and making up trays of them to take to the ca
re home. If you aren’t busy you could help.”
Things weren’t running as smoothly at the resort as he’d like, but he’d work day and night if it meant spending another evening in this gingerbread house with these two lovely ladies.
“Count me in.”
* * *
At last, Wednesday arrived. Jason glanced down at the bag of goodies on his office desk. He’d run out at lunchtime to buy them for tonight’s cookie-baking endeavor. The jaunt to the mall had taken him most of the afternoon, but it’d been worth it.
“Here’s the report on the latest quotes we have from alternative vendors.” Kara set the spreadsheet on his desk and gazed at him. “So what put the cat-who-ate-the-canary look on your face?”
He cleared his throat, trying not to smile, but found it to be a challenge. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Her brows arched. “Okay, well, these are the latest figures we received. There’s only one vendor, Biggest Wholesales, who’s beating out Pappy Salvatore’s prices.”
“Good. I’ll have a look.” Jason noticed the frown on her face. “You know it’s best for the Summit.”
“It’s not that. It’s Biggest Wholesales. I’ve heard some things about them.”
If he was thinking of switching their food services to another supplier, he was smart enough to know he had to be concerned about more than just the bottom line. Sometimes the cheapest wasn’t always the best.
“What have you heard about them?”
“That’s just it, I can’t remember. But it’s chewing at the back of my mind. I’m sure it’ll come to me eventually.”
“Let me know when you recall. And maybe you could do some checking around about them.”
She stepped toward the door and pushed it closed before turning back to face him. “Are you still coming over this evening?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. I have a date with a cutie to keep—make that two of them.” When Kara smiled, he couldn’t hold back a grin of his own. “I’ll stop by your desk when I finish up here.”
“My desk—for what?”
“I thought we could leave together, as long as you don’t mind stopping for dinner.” He really liked the thought of ending the workday and going home with Kara. It seemed natural, something he could get used to.
“But we can’t,” she said, a look of horror on her face. “What would people think?”
He shrugged. “Does it matter what they think?”
The fact he’d been able to utter those words and truly mean them stunned him. For so many years he’d stayed away from here, worried about what people would think of him. But now things were changing—he was changing. With Kara and Samantha in his life, he realized he was more than just the genetics that created him—he was a man with wants and needs that surpassed any gossip.
“I care what my coworkers think.” Kara tilted up her chin. “They’ll start saying we’re a couple. I don’t want that.”
Jason’s chest tightened. “You don’t want what? Us to be a couple? Or for people to talk about us?”
“I...I don’t know. Both I guess.” But her gaze didn’t meet his. “We still have unresolved issues.”
He hadn’t forgotten. He just needed a little more time before he tested the ultimate strength of their relationship. And his invitation for Christmas-cookie detail was going to help his cause.
“What are you smiling about?”
“Uh, nothing. Don’t worry. I’ll be discreet when I leave in about...” he glanced down at the work on his desk “...about a half hour. Do you have a preference for dinner?”
She shook her head. “But that isn’t necessary. I can throw something together.”
“You’ll have your hands full, baking. Dinner is the least I can do.”
Just as promised, a half hour later, not caring that he hadn’t responded to the last five emails in his in-box, Jason shut down his computer and promised himself that he’d be in early the next morning to deal with them.
On the way to Kara’s house, he made a detour to pick up an assortment of sandwiches and side orders from a little mom-and-pop shop. The restaurant been around since he was a kid, and he loved the homemade food.
Armed with food and gifts, he pulled into Kara’s driveway, his heart tap-dancing in his chest. Jason didn’t know much about making Christmas cookies, so he felt a bit out of his element, but he swallowed hard and climbed out of the SUV. He’d just made it to the sidewalk when the front door swung open and Samantha appeared. With the door left wide-open and a toothy grin on her sweet face, she ran up to him.
“You came! I knew you would,” she said excitedly.
“You doubted my word?”
She shook her head, swishing her brown ponytail back and forth. “Mommy said you might not come. I told her you would.”
So Kara still didn’t trust him, not even to keep his promise for an evening of Christmas-cookie baking. Seemed tonight he’d have to make certain she knew he intended to stick around. The thought of making it permanent floated into his mind, but he still had his doubts about taking on the role of father.
What would Samantha call him? Jason? Daddy? Did he even want her calling him Daddy? After all, he didn’t know much about being a good parent. The throbbing of an ensuing headache had him rubbing his forehead. Now wasn’t the time to contemplate “forever.”
“Jason, hurry.” Samantha grabbed his free hand and started to pull him toward the kitchen. “We have to make the cookies.”
“Not so fast,” Kara said from the doorway. “We’re going to eat first.”
“Ah, do we gotta? Jason, are you hungry?”
He might not know much about kids, but only a fool would insinuate himself between mother and daughter—and he wasn’t that foolish. “We better listen to your mother. She knows what’s best.”
He glanced up to catch a look of approval on Kara’s face. He schooled his features to hold back a grin, but his chest puffed up just a little. Score one point for him tonight. If only he could keep it up the rest of the evening, he’d definitely be in Kara’s good graces, and those kisses would become reality.
Kara ushered them out of the cold and in no time they were working their way through a chicken Parmesan sub, an Italian sub and a meatball sub. Seemed as though he’d found something each of them would eat. He sighed in relief. They were off to a very good start.
With everyone’s stomach filled, he pulled out his bag of goodies. He handed a ruffled, white apron to Kara that read: Don’t Mess with This Cook, I Carry a Rolling Pin...and I Know How to Use It.
She laughed. “And let that be a warning to both of you.”
“Do I get one, too?” Samantha stretched her neck, trying to peer in the bag.
“Hmm...let me see.” He took his time, as though unable to find anything.
“You forgot me?” she asked, sounding dejected.
Then he pulled out a smaller pink apron that read: Professional Taste Tester. It also had the picture of a chocolate chip cookie with a big bite taken out of it.
“I love it!” Samantha moved over and threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”
Jason’s heart thumped hard against his chest as he tenderly hugged her back. In that moment, the thought of forever got just a little less scary.
“You’re quite welcome.”
And last but not least, he dumped the bag on the table and a large assortment of cookie cutters spilled out. “I bought every single kind they had in the store. I can take them back if you don’t want them.”
The girls oohed and aahed over the various shapes, from Christmas trees to reindeer. He smiled broadly. He thoroughly enjoyed making them happy. Once the new cookie cutters were scrubbed up, they set to work making cookies for trays to deliver to the care home where Jason’s father was staying.
Jason tried to block out the image of his once strong dad, now sick and needy. Uneasiness laced with guilt churned in his gut. No. He refused to let that man steal this wonderful evening from him—he’d already missed so much....
Kara was in charge of rolling out the already made and chilled cookie dough, as well as working the oven. That left him and Samantha to do the decorating. Bowls of various colors of icing lined the table. In addition, there were red, green and white sprinkles of varying shapes and sizes. Kara certainly seemed to think of everything.
“What’s that?” he asked, gesturing to the cookie Samantha was about to decorate. “A pony?”
She giggled. “Mommy, he doesn’t know what a reindeer looks like.”
“He doesn’t. Well, I guess you’ll just have to teach him these things.”
“See? These are the antlers.” Samantha grew serious and pointed to the cookie. “And if I put this red ball on its nose, then it’s Rudolph.”
Every time the child smiled it was like warm sunbeams hitting Jason’s chest. He couldn’t resist a bit more teasing. “I don’t know. Still looks like a pony with a bad cold.”
The sweet chimes of Samantha’s laughter pealed through the kitchen. Even Kara was smiling and shaking her head. He had no idea until that moment how rewarding he found the sound of laughter from these two special ladies. So why was he hesitant to lay the whole truth on the line with Kara? Why couldn’t he take the next step necessary to ensure he didn’t lose her, now that he’d broken through her stony barrier?
“What’s that?” Samantha scrunched up her button nose and pointed at the cookie he was currently smearing icing on.
“It’s Santa Claus.”
She shook her head. “Santa doesn’t wear green.”
He glanced down and realized his thoughts had meandered, and he’d accidentally grabbed the bowl of green icing. “Well, my Santa wants to be different.”
“But Santa can’t be green.”
Snowbound with the Soldier Page 12