by Susan Meier
She patted his back. “That’s the spirit!”
He chuckled, but his stomach clenched. For the past three years, he had pretended everything was fine because he didn’t know for sure that Teagan wasn’t his. Once he got that test and discovered the truth, he’d be living a lie.
Still, Althea assembled the kids, got their coats, slid little boots onto Teagan’s tiny feet and was waiting at the front door for him when he came downstairs. The second he stopped beside Althea, who held Teagan, Teagan pointed at the shiny red clip in her hair.
“What’s that?”
She grinned.
“That’s a clip I bought last year to wear in my hair for a Christmas party.” She smiled at Teagan. “I think it suits the day.”
He kissed Teagan’s cheek. “I think it does, too.” He shrugged into his coat. “So, we’re going to the mall?”
Jack fist-pumped. “Yes!”
Althea laughed.
But Clark wondered if this was the first day of living a lie or the last day he could honestly pretend Teagan was his.
She crawled down, out of Althea’s arms, and walked over to him. Raising her arms, she silently asked him to carry her.
He reached down, hoisted her up and she kissed his cheek. Warmth blossomed through him. Though he knew getting the DNA test was the right thing to do, he wanted this day. Every hour. Every minute. Every second.
They piled into his SUV and carefully headed down the snow-covered mountain toward town. Instead of driving along Main Street, he veered to the left, circled the little town and headed for the Interstate.
Sitting on the passenger’s side seat, Althea slid a sideways glance at him.
He cleared his throat. “Interstate is faster.”
She nodded.
The trip took an hour. In spite of the falling snow, the parking lot was jammed to capacity. Clark let them off at the mall entrance and found a parking space. He left his SUV so far back in the lot that by the time he reached them, standing in the center of the rows of shops for the outdoor mall, he was covered in snow.
In Althea’s arms, Teagan leaned over and brushed the snow from his hair. He laughed. “Thank you.”
She grinned.
He glanced around at the brightly lit stores, the garish decorations, the bustle of people. His stomach tightened. This was the place everyone from town shopped.
As if reading his fear, Althea reached over and tapped his forearm. “Where to first?”
He shrugged. “You’re the one who needs to shop.”
She glanced at Jack who had wandered away, toward the big front window display of an electronics store. “You need to shop, too. And this would be a great day to ferret out what a certain someone wants for Christmas.”
Teagan grinned.
Althea pinched her cheek. “And you, too.”
“So that’s what this is all about?”
“That’s part of it. While I check out things for the triplets, you can scope what makes a certain three-year-old smile.” She nodded at Jack. “I can go to the electronics store pretending to want something for Wyatt and you can see what games Jack gravitates to.”
He loosened his shoulders. With a mission in mind, this shopping trip didn’t seem so bad after all.
“So.” She directed him to a store. “Let’s start with finding something for the triplets.” Looking behind her she called, “Jack, are you coming?”
He scrambled over.
Christmas carols blared through the store. A chorus of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” followed them as they trudged to the back and the children’s clothes.
Teagan on her arm, she stopped at a rack of little girls’ holiday dresses. She pulled out a red velvet dress trimmed in white fur that made it look like something one of Santa’s elves would wear.
“This is pretty.”
Teagan smiled.
“Come on, this warrants more than a smile. It’s adorable. I can see Lainie in it. And maybe the blue one for Claire with her big blue eyes and yellow hair.”
Teagan frowned.
“Seriously?”
She scrambled down from Althea’s arms. Althea expected her to go to her dad. Instead, she bolted off.
“Teagan!”
Instantly alert, Clark ran after her. Althea ran after Clark and Jack scrambled after her.
In and out of rows Teagan bobbed and weaved, so short it was difficult for Althea to keep track of her. But she could see Teagan was backtracking, going toward the front of the store. The door opened and closed. Althea gasped and raced toward it, knowing Teagan had gone outside. On the sidewalk, she spotted Teagan headed for a toy store. The little girl was too short to reach the door handle so she slid in when a pair of grandparents walked out. Althea, Clark and Jack bolted after her. They wound through rows of toys just far enough behind Teagan that they couldn’t grab her. But she suddenly stopped at a doll display.
Althea screeched to a halt when she reached her. Clark followed suit. Jack stopped behind him.
Althea stooped in front of Teagan. “Never do that again.”
She grinned and pointed at a doll. A baby wrapped in a pink blanket with a pacifier in her mouth.
“She’s cute.”
Teagan nodded.
She smiled, as an idea occurred to her. “Is this what you think the triplets would want? Owen might not appreciate that.”
Teagan shook her head furiously.
“So it’s for the girls?”
She shook her head again.
Althea peered up at Clark, who crouched down in front of Teagan. “Who wants this then?”
She pointed at herself.
“Oh, so you want it?”
She nodded. Her face came alive with a happiness Clark had never seen before. She didn’t just like the doll. She liked being out. Seeing things. Shopping. Sadness crept over him. He’d deprived her and Jack of so much because he was afraid. Though he’d realized the night before that Althea was right—he had to know the truth about Teagan—he felt it even more strongly now. His kids couldn’t be hidden anymore. They had to have normal lives. Even if it meant that ultimately he’d have to fight Brice Matthews for custody of the little girl he considered his.
Lifting Teagan, he rose. “Thank you for telling me what you want, but you know I’m only Santa’s ambassador.”
She frowned. Her head tilted.
“You remember Santa, the guy in the red suit who brings the gifts?”
She nodded.
“Well, I’ll tell him that you told me this doll is what you want.”
Jack pointed to the back of the store. “Or she could tell him herself.”
Clark’s gaze followed the direction of Jack’s point and he saw Santa. A tingly hope filled him. “Would you like to tell Santa yourself?”
Her eyes widened with fear and she buried her face in his neck.
Althea patted the little girl’s back. “It’s a nice idea, but it might be too much for one day.”
“I was hoping...”
She smiled at him. “But today’s not the day. Today’s the day for looking around. Maybe getting some caramel popcorn.”
Teagan’s head snapped up.
Clark said, “If you’re good.”
She nodded furiously.
He laughed.
Althea browsed the toy section with Teagan following her around, pointing at gifts. Half she thought were good choices for the triplets. The other half she wanted for herself.
On the guise of looking for something for Wyatt, they strolled to the electronics store. Pretending not to notice Jack, they let him wander away. Though Clark stayed with Althea, the store was small enough that he could see everything that caught Jack’s attention. He made mental notes of
game names and gadgets. By the time Althea chose something for Wyatt and they walked out of the electronics store, everybody was shopped out.
Clark said, “How about we find the caramel popcorn and head home.”
Carrying four huge bags, Althea agreed. “I’ve never spent this much money on Christmas before.”
Clark led them to the vendor with the popcorn. “What did you do for Christmas before?”
“Normally nothing.”
He held back a grimace. He should have known better than to ask that. He bought the popcorn and they headed down the long parking lot to the SUV.
They packed Althea’s bags in the back of the SUV while it warmed up and then headed home. The big box of popcorn sat beside Teagan’s car seat and she reached in and grabbed a handful.
“Hey, you can’t have that until after lunch!”
Jack groaned. “But we’re starving.”
Clark winced. He’d noticed they hadn’t eaten their breakfast. He’d been in such a black mood that no one had eaten. But his mood was so good now, his attitude so positive, that he caught Jack’s gaze in the rearview mirror and said, “So let’s stop in town for pizza.”
Jack said, “All right.”
The trip back to town flew by. He parked beside the pizza shop and got out of the car. When he opened the backseat door and began to unstrap Teagan, both Althea and Jack gaped at him.
“What? I thought it would be faster if we ate the pizza here.”
Jack scrambled out of his seat belt. “Sounds good to me!”
Althea followed close after him. “Sounds good to me, too.”
The scent of tomato sauce and warm crust greeted them as they entered the little pizza place. They sat at a table with a red-and-white checkered tablecloth, and Clark found a booster seat for Teagan.
The waitress came over. They ordered a large pizza with everything, three colas and a glass of milk. Then Althea got up and walked over to the old-fashioned jukebox.
“Here, Jack. This is a jukebox.”
He walked over. “Oh. It’s kinda weird. Why not just listen to your iPod?”
She laughed and fished out some change. “What do you want to hear?”
He shrugged.
“How about Christmas songs?”
They chose some music and walked back to the table. As they waited for the pizza, the little restaurant began to fill. Half the people who came through the door walked up to the high counter to get takeout orders.
Finally their pizza arrived and they dug in. Clark handed out slices to Jack and Althea, then cut a piece into tiny bites so Teagan could eat it.
With Christmas carols filling the air, and warm delicious pizza filling their tummies, everything was perfect. The joy of it filled Clark to bursting and he knew he owed Althea for this. Right at this moment, he could almost believe that when he got the results of the DNA test he would learn that Teagan was his. And the fear would be over. The niggling doubts that stopped him from enjoying his life, his kids, would be gone.
And maybe he wouldn’t have to worry about dragging Althea into his troubles. He’d only have to worry about the fact that he couldn’t trust.
But what better way to learn to trust than with a woman who constantly proved her worth?
* * *
After a quick supper of salads made from things they found in the refrigerator, Althea cleaned the kitchen, then joined Clark and his kids in the living room for TV. Shopping, pizza and making salads as a family had gotten Clark past his nerves and had turned Jack chatty.
But the day had been too much for Teagan and she fell asleep on Clark’s lap. Gently cradling her, he rose from the sofa.
Althea rose, too, to help put the little girl to bed, but he stopped her with a wave of his hand. “I’ll get her. You and Jack relax.”
He returned in ten minutes, telling Althea that he hadn’t bathed her, simply slid her out of her clothes and into pajamas. She nodded.
He smiled at her.
And her stomach plummeted. She couldn’t describe the look in his eyes, the way his smile affected her, but she knew that—in her entire life—nobody had ever looked at her quite like that.
She turned her attention back to the television, her nerves tingling.
Ten minutes later, Jack yawned and stretched. “I’m tired, too.”
As he walked past Clark, Clark grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Too much time walking outside.”
Jack sniffed a laugh. “It was still fun.”
“Yeah. It was.”
Jack grinned, happier than Althea had ever seen him. “Good night.”
She and Clark said, “Good night,” and Jack left the den.
Althea turned her attention back to the TV. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Clark shifted on the sofa, bringing his knee up to the cushion so he could see her.
That’s when it hit her that they were totally alone.
“I’m sort of tired, too.”
She squelched a sigh of relief. She’d probably imagined he was looking at her differently. She faced him with a smile. “Good night, then.” She pointed at the TV. “I’ll turn everything off.”
He smiled and nodded, but didn’t get up from the sofa. Instead, he leaned toward her, caught her shoulders and pulled her to him. His lips met hers softly.
Her heart knocked against her ribs and she tried to slide away, but he kept her where she was, moving his lips across hers again.
Warmth exploded inside her. Her breath shivered out. She wanted to wrap her arms around his neck, pull him to her, and lose herself in him and the kiss that was so gentle and sweet.
But he drifted back. Smiled again. “Good night.”
Then he left the room and she sat staring at the door.
Hadn’t they decided they weren’t going to pursue this?
CHAPTER NINE
ALTHEA COULDN’T BELIEVE he’d kissed her. The next morning when she got out of bed, her lips still tingled from it. She stared at herself in the mirror, equal parts of happy and confused. She knew he liked her. She liked him, too. But they were supposed to be smarter than to start something that wouldn’t work.
When she walked into the kitchen, her gaze traveled over to him, and he smiled at her.
Her nerves twinkled like lights on a Christmas tree.
“So what are you guys doing today?”
Jack rambled off a list of his lessons as she made herself a cup of coffee.
When he was done, Clark turned on his stool to face her again. “So what are you going to do this afternoon?”
His beautiful, perfect smile could have lit the room. Her limbs froze, as real fear rattled through her. She didn’t know how to be in a normal relationship. But she was already halfway in love with Clark. And she didn’t want to run or hide. She wanted this.
“I think...” Because her voice cracked, she cleared her throat. “I think I’d like to go see my sister today.”
One of his eyebrows arched.
Okay. So he’d figured out the kiss had rattled her. Wasn’t honesty part of a real relationship? It was good that he knew.
“Do you want to take the kids?”
“I could.”
He laughed. “Why don’t you wait until I come home? Call Missy let her know you’re coming tonight.”
She nodded. A shivery feeling rippled down her legs, knocking her knees. She’d never wanted and feared something simultaneously. But looking at Clark’s happy expression, seeing the kids eating their cereal and even Clara Bell jumping around, she knew she wanted this.
If it killed her she would get over this fear that she wasn’t good enough.
Clark arrived home promptly at six. Handing the keys to his SUV to her, he said, “I know you have a car, but I’d fee
l safer if you took this.”
She glanced at the keys, then back up into his eyes. God, he had gorgeous eyes. And he was generous and kind and smart...
Okay. She was smitten. That’s why she was going to see Missy. To learn how to deal with this. “Thanks.”
He caught her by the shoulders, bent down and kissed her lightly. “Have fun.”
She nodded, smiled at him and headed out the door, her knees knocking and her stomach clenched but her heart soaring. A real, normal man liked her. And she was already as close to loving him as she could be without actually falling. She could have a life...a home. A real home. With happiness and holidays. Safety and love.
The drive to Newland took an hour. Part of her wanted to squeeze her eyes shut as she drove through town, but practicality wouldn’t allow that. So she drove through, eyes open, looking at buildings that hadn’t changed much. The grocery store. The hardware. The library. She slowed Clark’s big SUV, taking it all in.
It was like traveling back in time. Except, she didn’t experience the fear she’d expected. Even this close to the diner her nerves were steady. She passed the short wide building that housed her dad’s restaurant and smiled. No fear. No weirdness. Lights still lit the diner, and customers still sat in the booths along the wall of windows.
She sucked in a breath. As long as she didn’t go into the restaurant, she wouldn’t see her dad. There was nothing to be afraid of.
A little farther down the street, she saw Missy’s Bakery. Cupcakes decorated the big sign above the door of the little shop. Pride sizzled through her.
Missy had done it. She hadn’t merely broken free of their nightmare. She’d started over. She’d married a great guy. She had her own business. She raised her kids without fear.
Awed, she pulled the SUV into the parking space in front of the bakery and got out. Shoving her hands into the deep pockets of her blue coat, she stared up at the pink-and-blue Missy’s Bakery sign. She looked at the cute cupcakes, smiled at the wedding cake in the front window, thrilled with everything her sister had accomplished.