One Last Gift_A Small-Town Romance

by Nancy Stopper

  The crowds were already starting to build when Jack pulled up behind the row of shops adjacent to the town green. After helping Riley and Casey out, the three of them circled the buildings and stepped into a winter wonderland.

  All of the streets around the green were blocked off. The snow on the roads and sidewalks had been blown into huge, white drifts. Revelers milled about in the street, kids darting around each other while their parents laughed and talked. Many cupped mugs of steamy hot chocolate, basking in the delicious scent as it warmed up their red noses and cheeks. Every light pole and rooftop was draped with garland and decked with bright red ribbons and shiny gold jingle bells. He drew in a deep breath. The air was filled with the scent of evergreen and snow and chocolate.

  A light snow had started to fall, just a few flakes to fill the air.

  It was perfect.

  Riley ran ahead of them, which gave Jack the perfect opportunity to wrap his arm around Casey’s waist and drag her to his side. She didn’t put up much of a fight, and they strolled the streets of his hometown.

  “Oh, Jack, look.” Casey pointed at the elaborate setup in the window of Banner Gifts. Porcelain buildings lined a sidewalk on top of fake snow. Snow-capped trees were strategically placed alongside the shops. She grabbed Jack’s arm, a twinkle in her eye. “It’s a miniature Oak Grove village.”

  He marveled over the intricacies of the tiny Monroe’s Hardware, and they laughed at the small porcelain figure, broom in hand, out front. The pink and black awning of Mug ’n Muffin was perfectly replicated. Heck, every shop on the town green was there. “Wow. That’s unbelievable.”

  “I love it. The artist captured Oak Grove perfectly. I know just the…”

  “What?”

  She stared wistfully at the display before turning away. “Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s see how the other shops have decorated.”

  It wasn’t nothing, but Jack let it go. He knew how much Casey loved living in Oak Grove, and that display was the perfect depiction of their hometown.

  “Hey, Mom, Jack.” Riley yelled and waved from in front of Mug ’n Muffin and they hustled to catch up with him. A few minutes later, with hot chocolate and snickerdoodle cookies in hand, they continued their walk around town.

  Lucas’s daughter ran up to them. What was her name? Oh yeah, Lily.

  “Hey, Riley.” She danced from foot to foot. “My class is singing Jingle Bells later today. Will you come watch?”

  Jack couldn’t help but smile. He rarely had contact with kids in Boston, the reminder too painful. But watching Riley and Lily laugh together, a warmth settled in his heart that he thought never would.

  Casey looked over the girl’s shoulder. “Where’re your parents, Lily?”

  Lily flipped her head back and forth. “They’re taking forever at Uncle Joey’s booth.” She started waving again. “Oh, look. There they are now. Mom. Dad.”

  When Lucas and Sarah reached Lily’s side, Lucas scooped Lily up and threw her over his shoulder. “Jack. Nice to see you again. I hope Lily’s not bugging you.”

  The girl giggled as Lucas tickled her and then flipped her over and set her back on her feet. He extended his hand and Jack shook it.

  Jack stared at the picture Lucas and his family represented. And what he didn’t have. “Not at all. She was just talking about singing for the tree lighting and how you were taking forever at Joey’s booth.”

  They all laughed.

  Sarah adjusted Lily’s scarf. “How are things out at the lot, Casey?”

  “They’re great. Best season ever. Jack and Riley have been a big help with Sid being out.”

  The women tucked their heads together and chatted for a few minutes.

  The silence grew between Jack and Lucas. “Casey and I headed out to J.J.’s the other night. I met your brother Joey. It’s a great place.”

  “Yeah, it is. Joey’s done well for himself. So, you and Casey, huh?”

  Jack glanced over at her, remembering how his night with Casey at J.J.’s had ended. Her eyes sparkled when they landed on him and she gave a little wave.

  “Maybe. I don’t know. There’s a lot of history there.”

  All of a sudden, Lily cried out and ran down the sidewalk. “Uncle Michael.”

  A man and woman approached their group, a baby bundle strapped to the front of the woman. Lucas smiled as the couple joined them.

  “Jack, I don’t know if you remember my brother Michael. This is his wife Maggie.”

  Michael motioned to the bundle snuggled up against her mother. “And this is our daughter Delilah.” Maggie turned and Jack could just make out the porcelain skin and the baby’s bow-shaped lips turned up in a little smile as her eyes landed on her father. He didn’t break eye contact with the baby when he spoke. “Nice to meet you, Jack.”

  Lucas chuckled. “You’ll have to forgive my brother’s rudeness. It’s Delilah’s first Christmas and I think he’s gone a bit gaga.”

  Michael snuggled up against Maggie. “Who can blame me, with these two beautiful women in my life?”

  Casey and Sarah aww’d and the men laughed. All around Jack were couples and happy families. Shoot, even Casey had started a family. And here Jack was, with nothing to show for his life but a business that he couldn’t snuggle with on a cold Boston night. He imagined a life like Lucas and Michael had, with a beautiful woman at his side and a couple of kids at their feet. Problem was, Casey was the only woman he pictured in his fantasy life.

  Casey leaned close and lowered her voice. “Are you okay?”

  He squeezed her to him. “Yeah, I’m great.”

  Michael nudged his wife and daughter toward Mug ’n Muffin. “Listen, it’s been great to meet you, Jack. But I want to get Delilah out of this cold and warmed up before the tree lighting. It’s a shame your Dad won’t be making it this year.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t count him out yet. When I left the house this morning, he and Mom were arguing about that exact topic.” Jack fully expected to see Mom and Dad out tonight. There was no way Dad would miss the lighting. Especially since he’d picked Jack’s tree. “Nice to meet you, Michael. You go get that little one warm.”

  Casey and Jack continued down the street, Riley running ahead and darting back from time to time. When they approached the fire station, Casey yelled to a woman standing out front and they started up a conversation. Casey knew everyone in Oak Grove. Then again, she’d stayed put and built a good life for herself and Riley.

  Now he just had to convince her to let him be a small part of it.

  “Hey, Mom.” Riley ran across the green, dragging another boy about his age behind him. He practically slammed into Casey and she laughed as she braced herself against Jack.

  “Whoa, slow down, Riley.”

  “Mark is going to the lock-in tonight at church. Can I hang out with him until then?”

  Her gaze landed on Jack’s, confusion swirling in her eyes, and just as quickly she turned back to Riley. “I guess that’ll be okay. Do you have everything?”

  Riley jerked a thumb at his backpack and nodded. “Thanks, Mom,” he yelled as he and Mark dashed away.

  Jack could only shake his head. “Boy, I wish I had that kind of energy.”

  Casey sank into him. “Yeah, me too. Some days, I’m just so tired.”

  “He’s a great kid. I know it couldn’t have been easy, raising him alone.”

  Her gaze met his. “Thanks, Jack. That means a lot.”

  She shivered and he ran his hands up and down her arms. He looked left and then right, but most of the crowds were further down the street. “Now that we have a bit of privacy—” He lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers, her cool skin heating under his breath. She leaned into him, her arms snaking around his neck as she returned the kiss. He tasted mint and chocolate from the hot cocoa she’d had earlier. Mixed with the unique flavor of Casey, it gave him a feeling of home he could no longer shake.

  Casey belonged here. If he tried to take her from this place
, he risked destroying the light in her eyes, and he’d never want to do that. What chance did the two of them have? He broke the kiss and pulled away.

  “Jack, what is it?”

  He obviously hadn’t hid his concern enough. “It’s nothing.”

  They headed further down the sidewalk, but Jack couldn’t dismiss the thought that Casey should be with someone who fit into her life here in Oak Grove. As comfortable as Jack had grown over these last few weeks, he couldn’t see a way to reconcile those feelings with his life in Boston.

  The sky finally started to darken—it was almost time for the lighting.

  “I can’t wait to see the tree all lit up.” Casey’s voice broke through the sour mood Jack had worked himself into.

  He shook his head. He shouldn’t be worrying about what could or couldn’t be—instead, he should focus on right now and Casey standing beside him. That was all that mattered. “Let’s head over. It looks like they’re getting ready.”

  Jack guided Casey through the crowd gathering around the tree, working his way around until he was right up front. And his mom and dad sat right beside the podium.

  “Sid, I’m so glad you made it.” Casey kissed Dad on the cheek and he patted her on the back. His hand shook and Jack worried that being out in the cold took too much out of him. But Jack couldn’t blame him for wanting to attend—it meant something special for Jack to be at the lighting of his tree with Mom and Dad…and Casey.

  “Casey, honey, you look lovely today. Where’s Riley?” Mom craned her neck to look behind them.

  “Oh, he’s run off with a friend. They’re hanging out now and then headed to the lock-in at church as soon as the lighting is over.”

  “That boy is always busy, isn’t he?”

  “That he is.”

  Clyde Monroe stepped to the microphone and blew into it a couple of times. That man hadn’t changed in all the years Jack had been gone. The talking dropped to a low hum.

  “Well, thanks to everyone for comin’ out today. I won’t keep you guys too long ‘cuz it’s so cold out. I just wanna say a few words about this here tree and the annual lighting.”

  Jack had heard this story every year growing up, but it never failed to move him, the history of Oak Grove and how it had grown.

  “The first year I lived in Oak Grove, we didn’t have any decorations around town. Hardly any Christmas spirit, and that just ain’t right. People oughta be festive and celebrate this wonderful season. So, that first year, Sid Murphy here offered up a tree from his farm. It weren’t very big back then, just a little six footer. But we set it up here in the green, and we all pitched in for the lights to brighten it up. Every year since, we’ve had a tree in this very spot.”

  Jack laid his hand on Dad’s shoulder and Dad covered it with his own.

  “We were all upset to hear about Sid being in the hospital recently, but I’m happy to say, for those of you who can’t see, he’s out here tonight to see the lightin’ of the biggest tree we’ve ever had here on the green.”

  The crowd clapped and whooped it up. Jack squeezed Dad’s shoulder. This town loved him. Jack blinked back the tears at the memory of almost losing his father.

  “And this year is even more special. Sid here tells me that this particular tree was planted the year his son Jack was born. And after all these years, Jack is here with us to light it. So, Sid and Jack, if you would do the honors.”

  Jack grabbed the ends of the extension cord and handed one to his Dad. With Mom standing over Dad’s shoulder, a tear rolling down her cheek, Jack and his father connected the plugs and the tree sprang to life.

  The crowd cheered and clapped.

  Jack hugged his Dad. “I’m so glad you’re here. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you. I love you.”

  Dad sniffed. “I love you, too, son. I picked the tree out this year because it was time, but I hoped all along that it would call you home. I just didn’t know that it would take a heart attack to make it so.”

  “Never again. I’m not waiting another ten years before I come home again.”

  “That’s good, Jack. Really good.” Dad’s eyes landed on Casey who was brushing away the tears that had fallen during Clyde’s moving speech. Jack pulled her to him and snuggled her against his side. She fit like no other woman had. His attempts to replace what he’d had with Casey, yet without the emotional entanglements, had always failed and now he knew why. It would only ever be Casey.

  He just had to find a way to make this relationship work.

  Chapter Eleven

  CASEY HUDDLED AGAINST the passenger door as Jack wound his way through Oak Grove on the way back to her house. She hadn’t thought this through very well. Being in the truck alone with Jack, the awareness arcing between them as it had been all day. She should have gotten another ride home or driven her own car. Anything to put a little distance between them and deal with the out of control feelings coursing through her.

  She should have never let herself get carried away with Jack and allowed him to get close to her again. He wasn’t here to stay, and she’d set herself up for her heart to be broken. Again. He had a life in Boston, and while she’d heard him promise his dad he wouldn’t wait ten years to visit again, the stark reminder that he didn’t live here, that he’d be leaving soon, was a bit too much. So as soon as he pulled into her driveway, she’d thank him for taking her today and send him on his way.

  And by no means would there be any more kisses.

  He’d thrown a heated look at her when Riley had run off with Mark. A promise of something she didn’t want to want. She’d been drawn to Jack from the day she’d met him. He was older now and his eyes held a wisdom that hadn’t been there when they were kids. And that was really all they’d been when they’d lost Travis—two kids not equipped to handle the loss and grief. She’d forgiven him a long time ago for not staying with her when she couldn’t leave. How would she feel when he left this time?

  Jack pulled up to the curb and shut off the engine. “Casey, are you all right?”

  “What? Yeah, I’m fine.” She fumbled for the door handle, struggling when it wouldn’t open.

  “Hold on a minute, I’ll come around.”

  Her fingers wrapped around the lock and pulled it up just as Jack reached the door. She extended her hand for him to help her out, but he grabbed her around the waist and lowered her slowly to the ground, her body brushing against his on the way down.

  He threw a wolfish grin at her, the stinker. That was no accident. Desire swirled in his eyes and he leaned in as though he wanted to kiss her. But before his lips touched hers, he shook his head and backed away. Perhaps he was as conflicted as she was.

  His hand landed at her lower back as he escorted her up the walk and onto her porch.

  An awkwardness grew between them and she shuffled her feet.

  “Invite me in.” Jack’s eyes deepened to a rich, evergreen color as his gaze bored into her.

  “I don’t know, Jack. I’m not sure this is such a good idea.”

  “Oh, I think it’s a very good idea.” His arms came around her. “And I know you do, too. I see you fighting it. You’re clenching your jaw to keep from doing something you think you’ll regret. But I promise you, honey, you won’t.”

  “But what about later?”

  “What about later?”

  “You’re still leaving.”

  He raked his hand through his hair and sighed. “Yeah, I still have my business in Boston. But maybe we can work something out. For so long, I was afraid to come home. Afraid I couldn’t handle the memories assaulting me at every turn. But I was wrong. It’s been good to be here, to talk about Travis. You were right to stay. I wish I had been strong enough to see it at the time. But I’m here now and I’ll bust my ass to find a way to make this work.”

  He was talking about a long-distance relationship. Could she handle that? She’d never been to Boston, and she couldn’t help but overhear Jack tell his Dad he wasn’t waiti
ng years before he came home again. Wasn’t it at least worth a shot to explore what could be between them?

  “I’m staying until Christmas, and then after the holiday, we’ll figure something out.”

  Christmas was still a couple of weeks away. The chance to be with Jack for the rest of his time here was too tempting to pass up. She was overthinking this. Where had the girl who lived in the moment gone?

  That girl left when they lost Travis. They’d both been forced to grow up way too fast.

  She wanted more than anything to get back some of the youthful love that she’d had with Jack. “You promise?”

  His eyes brightened. “I promise.” He then lowered his mouth and sealed his promise with a searing kiss before opening her door and backing her into the house.

  That was good enough for her. They fumbled their way into her living room, stripping hats and coats while he continued to kiss her. He toed off his boots, yanked his sweater over his head, and worked the buttons of his shirt. She finally got her own boots off just as he stripped his flannel shirt over his head. Her sweater went next and then his T-shirt, and she got her first glimpse of his sculpted chest.

  She traced each hill and valley, taking her time enjoying being with Jack again after all these years.

  He kissed her again, this one deep and intense, his tongue tracing her lips before plunging into her mouth. Her knees buckled and he pulled her tighter against him, his erection thick against her belly. She liked that he made no secret about how much he wanted her. His hand slid down to her butt and he lifted her easily into his arms.

  “Bedroom?” he gasped against her lips.

  “On the right,” she said just before he kissed her again, striding confidently down the hall, never breaking the kiss until he stepped into her room. In all the years she’d lived here, she’d never had a man in her bedroom. She hadn’t wanted to confuse Riley by introducing him to someone who wouldn’t be around six months later. So what was she doing now?