“It’s always good to diversify.” He picked up a gingerbread man.
She squirmed in her seat. She seemed nervous for some reason. “How are things going with your work? Did you finish the songs for your next album?”
“Yes. I was backed right up against the deadline, but I managed to finish it.”
“Good. I was hoping we could spend this holiday together. Just the two of us.”
Jacob swallowed. “Sure.” He chose his next words carefully. “I just have to help Kendra get to and from work a few times. And I need to help her with another small thing. But I’ll have plenty of time to spend with you.”
His mother frowned as if she had a bad taste in her mouth. “Why would you want to do that? She dumped you. I would have thought you’d be over her by now.”
Jacob stiffened, her words stinging. Of course, he was over Kendra. Everything had happened years ago. They’d been in high school, for heaven’s sake. They were both adults now. He wasn’t pining after her anymore.
It was Aria. His possible daughter. He wasn’t going to let that go. But he wasn’t about to mention it to his mother just yet. She would get very upset. He was sure of that. He slowly nodded. “I am over her. It’s not about that.”
His mother clutched her necklace. “I just miss you so much. And I want to spend every moment that we have together. I want this to be the perfect Christmas. I don’t want it to get ruined.”
Ruined? How would it get ruined? He patted her knee, to give her reassurance. “Don’t worry. We’ll have plenty of time together.”
“Maybe tomorrow we can drive to Denver. I hear they have a Polar Express train ride.” She smiled at him, like he was five and this was the best suggestion ever.
He chewed the rest of his cookie while he tried to think of a nice way out of that. Finally, he said, “Let’s think about it, since it’s a three-hour drive.”
“We could stay the night in Denver. Do some shopping.” She clutched her hands together, much like a child would.
“Maybe.”
She patted his hand. “It’s so nice to have you back here.”
“It’s nice to be back.” Jacob picked up the magazine his mother had on the coffee table and a letter slipped out of it onto the floor.
“Oh!” His mother darted out and grabbed the letter so fast, she was just a blur, but not before he saw his father’s handwriting on the envelope. She held it to her chest. “You don’t need to see this.”
He squinted at her. “Uh, I think I do, judging from your reaction.”
She paled. “No. This isn’t for you. It has nothing to do with you.”
His heart thumped. “Let me see it, Mother. I already know who it’s from.”
She shook her head, but he stood and held out his hand until she slowly placed the letter in it.
He examined the postage cancellation date. It was mailed last week. He pulled out the letter and sat down on the couch to read.
June,
I know you said Jacob doesn’t want anything to do with me, but I’m his father. I have a right to talk to him. I raised him for the first five years of his life. I watched him take his first steps. It’s not right for you to ban me from him.
I need to talk to him. Please write back and give me his address.
Nathan
Jacob stared at the slanted handwriting, mixed emotions swirling in him. His father wanted to talk to him. After all these years. A part of him rejoiced. That little boy inside who craved attention from a father who wasn’t there. He looked up at his mother. “What does he want?”
His mother frowned. “The same thing he’s always wanted. Money. You’re famous now. He is coming after what he thinks is his share.”
Anger pooled in Jacob’s stomach. “Well, if that’s what he wants, he can get a job, like the rest of us.”
His mother nodded. “That’s right. All he ever did was take. You don’t need that in your life.”
Jacob crumpled up the letter. “Don’t write him back. If he keeps harassing you, let me know.”
She nodded. “I will.”
The last thing Jacob needed was his father coming back into his life and demanding money. If it was fine for him to break all contact for nineteen years, it would be fine to continue in the same way. Jacob didn’t need to talk to his father to know what a louse he was. His actions showed that loud and clear.
Plus, now he had a daughter to worry about. Figuring out everything with Aria was more important.
Chapter 5
Kendra rushed into the living room, scanning the carpet. She got down on all fours and searched under the furniture. It was a 900-square-foot house. Surely Aria’s shoes were not hiding in some black hole somewhere. How was it that her child could manage to lose her shoes every single morning they were running behind?
A knock came on her front door, and Kendra groaned. That would be Jacob. Just great. Before she had the chance to get up from her knees, Aria ran to the door and opened it. “Hello,” she called out.
“Hello, there,” Jacob’s smooth voice said in return.
Kendra scurried to the other side of the chair so Jacob wouldn’t see her behind sticking out. She could see his boots on her steps.
“Is your mommy home?”
Aria giggled. “She’s right there.”
Jacob came into the living room and shut the front door. Kendra jumped up, sure her face was now as red as a tomato. “Hi.”
He gave her a quizzical look. “Hi. What are you doing?”
She laughed nervously. “Looking for Aria’s shoes. She lost them.”
“Oh, I’m sure we can find them.” He turned to Aria. “Can’t we?”
Her daughter nodded. “Yes!”
He crouched down next to her. “Why don’t you take me to your room, and we’ll look under your bed.”
Kendra’s throat dried up. It was startling how much her daughter looked like Jacob when they were right there, face to face. She’d spent so long trying to forget his face, she hadn’t noticed.
Aria grabbed Jacob’s hand and led him through the room. “Come on. I’ll show you.”
Jacob winked at Kendra as he walked by, and her heart fluttered. Why did he do that? Out of instinct? Some kind of reflex he had? Maybe he was used to flirting with the women in Nashville. Maybe he thought he could charm her.
Fat chance there.
He was the one that threw her away like a used tissue. He was the one who ignored her pleas for him to come home. She would have told him about the baby, had he cared enough to come home and talk to her. Telling your boyfriend that you’re pregnant isn’t something you do in a letter. She wasn’t about to do that to him. But when he refused to come talk to her, even after she bared her heart to him, she finally saw their relationship for what it had been.
Temporary.
A fling before he left town for good. He was using her. He didn’t really care.
And now he was back, winking at her? She had half a mind to smack him upside the head.
“Found them!” Aria called from her bedroom.
Kendra huffed. She’d looked under the bed. They weren’t there. When Jacob came back into the room, she glared at him. “I know they weren’t under the bed.”
“Yeah, they were under a dress that was on the floor.”
Nice. Now Jacob probably thought she was a slob. “Oh.”
He took a step toward her, hesitated, then shoved his hands in his coat pockets. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah. After Aria gets her coat and backpack on.”
“I got my coat,” Aria called out. She ran to Kendra, her mittens swaying from each sleeve. She always needed help zipping up the coat. Kendra threaded the zipper and pulled it up.
“Now, get your backpack. We’re running late and we’re taking up poor Mr. Mitchell’s time.”
Jacob rocked back on his heels. “Don’t hurry on my account. I don’t have anywhere else to be.”
“I want to sit by Mr. Mitchell,” Aria a
nnounced.
Kendra shook her head. “You have to sit in the back in your booster seat.”
“She can sit up front with me.” Jacob shrugged. “I don’t mind.”
What was he doing? Undermining her? She turned to him, sure that fury read on her face. “Except that it’s illegal for her to sit in the front, and dangerous, because of the airbag. She could die.”
Jacob’s eyes widened and he took a step back. “What? I didn’t mean…”
“I know you didn’t mean to suggest something dangerous, but the fact is you don’t know anything about raising a child. So, don’t stand there and pretend you do.”
Jacob seemed horrified. “Kendra. I’m sorry.” He swallowed and came closer, putting his hand on her shoulder. “I never would want to do anything to harm Aria. I was just trying to please her.”
Guilt surfaced in Kendra’s stomach. He was right. He was being nice. That’s all. She overreacted. He squeezed her shoulder and her body reacted with a cascade of tingles over her skin. She was so surprised, she gasped.
“What?”
“Nothing.” She pulled back. What was happening? Why was she reacting to him? Their relationship had been years ago. And she was so over it. She didn’t need to start getting some stupid crush on Jacob Mitchell. She turned from him. “We’re late.”
“Can I show Mr. Mitchell the wishing fountain?” Aria peered up at her.
Kendra softened when she saw her large, blue eyes sparkling. To be a child again and live that magic of Christmas. There was nothing like it. She would do anything to be able to give that to her daughter. She sighed. “Not right now, sweetie. We have to get you to school, and Mommy has to work.”
“Later, then?”
She wavered. She didn’t want to say no to Aria, but she didn’t want to agree to spend time with Jacob, either. She crouched down and pulled on Aria’s mittens. “We’ll see.”
“I’d love for you to show me the wishing fountain sometime,” Jacob said as they exited the house.
“Yippee!” Aria ran to Jacob’s car. “We can throw a penny in!” Then she turned to him with a worried expression on her face. “Unless you don’t have a penny.”
He smiled at her. “I have lots of pennies.”
Kendra snorted. That was an understatement.
Jacob opened the back-passenger door and turned to her. “Do you want a penny for a wish, too?” He raised one eyebrow and it sent more tingles through her body.
Oh, heavens. This was ridiculous. She had grown up since high school. There was absolutely no reason to get all weird around Jacob. She gave him a frown. “No.”
“Mommy, you should make a wish. Then, maybe Santa would bring you something special, too. I know he’s going to bring me my wish this year.”
Kendra placed her daughter’s booster on the back seat, then exchanged a glance with Jacob. He stepped in. “I’ll tell you my secret Christmas wish, if you tell me yours.”
Aria giggled. “No! I can’t tell. It won’t come true if I tell.”
Jacob mouthed, “Sorry.” He shrugged and opened her door for her.
“You tried,” she said, her voice low.
“Let’s get you to school,” Jacob said after he climbed into the driver’s seat. “Do you get to do anything fun today?”
Aria started talking about the different stations they had at school, and her favorite activities. Kendra smiled at Jacob. “Now you’ve done it. She won’t stop until you pull up to the school.”
His laugh lines crinkled. “That’s okay. I like hearing her talk. She’s adorable.”
Kendra’s heart warmed. He was right. Aria was a special little girl.
After they dropped Aria off at kindergarten, an awkward silence filled the car. Kendra stared out the window at the inflated snowmen and lighted candy canes decorating the lawns of the neighborhood.
“I heard it’s supposed to snow this afternoon.” Jacob tapped the steering wheel with his thumb.
“Is it?”
“Two inches.”
Kendra whistled. “Just what we need. More snow.”
“I think it will make it pretty. I haven’t had a white Christmas in a while.”
“It doesn’t snow in Nashville?” She peered at him.
“Yes, but not as much as here.” He shrugged. “And I’m usually traveling so much, I don’t get to stay in one place long enough to enjoy it.”
“Well, you’ll get to enjoy it a bunch, as you scrape your car and try not to slide off the street.”
He chuckled. “Remember that time when we tried to go ice fishing?”
“And you about fell in? Yeah, I remember that.” She tried not to laugh, but it bubbled up, anyway.
“I wasn’t going to fall in. You were paranoid.”
“The ice was cracking! I heard it.”
“That was the branches rustling.” He gave her a sideways glance. “But I didn’t mind you being scared. You just wanted to hang onto me tighter.”
She sobered at the memory. They had been so in love. At least, she’d thought he was feeling the same thing that she was. Guess he proved that wrong. She swallowed down the emotions surging in her throat.
Jacob pulled into the dollar store parking lot. “Wait,” he said when she was about to hop out of the car.
She looked at him. His face held something she wasn’t quite sure she could name. “Let’s forget about the past. What’s done was done. We can’t change it. But we can start fresh.”
Start fresh? Like, start a new relationship? She steeled herself and shook her head. “No, Jacob. I can’t start fresh. I can’t start anything with you. I have a daughter to think about.”
“I didn’t mean that.” He reached out and took her hand. “I just want to let go of the awkwardness between us.”
Her fingers warmed under his touch, and she stared at their hands. “We’re practically strangers,” she whispered. “Things are bound to be awkward.”
“Then let me take care of that. Let me take you and Aria out to dinner tonight. We can go to her favorite restaurant. It will give us a chance to dispel some of this…” He motioned between them. “Then it won’t be so tense.”
Kendra wanted to say no. She didn’t want to spend time with Jacob. But she knew Aria would love it, and with Christmas presents being so lean this year, she didn’t have much else to give her. Plus, she was feeling guilty for keeping Jacob away from Aria. “All right,” she said.
“Great. What’s Aria’s favorite place?”
“We don’t have to go to her favorite place. It’s a thirty-minute drive.”
His eyebrows raised. “I don’t care. What is it?”
“Pizza Fun House in Ashland.”
“Then Pizza Fun House it is.” He grinned at her.
“Have you ever been there?”
“Nope. Never heard of it.”
A smile crept onto Kendra’s face. Well, this will be a fun evening, then. “Great. See you at five.”
“Okay, then. See you this afternoon.”
Kendra walked into the dollar store feeling happier than she’d been in a while. Jacob would surely get scared off at Pizza Fun House. It was more like Pizza Mad House. All those kids running around and he’d for sure head for the hills himself. Then she could have a nice, quiet Christmas without thinking about him being in Highland Falls.
Chapter 6
Jacob walked into the restaurant with Aria tugging on his index finger. He wore a baseball cap, which usually shielded him from anyone recognizing him.
“Come on! I want to show you my favorite game,” Aria said.
Lights flashed and electronic sounds beeped at him as she pulled him through to the arcade. Kids climbed through a tunnel suspended above him, and Aria giggled as one kid fancy-jumped into the foam pit. It was bright, noisy, and kids were running everywhere.
“This is pretty cool,” Jacob said as Kendra trailed after them.
“You think so?” Kendra sounded surprised.
“Um, yeah. I
would have loved a place like this when I was a kid.”
Kendra seemed skeptical. He had been hopeful their evening would go well. They’d chatted in the car and things had almost felt relaxed. But now, the tension seemed like it was back between them. “As a kid, sure. But try bringing your daughter here and trying to keep track of her with all this going on.” She motioned to the noise and lights.
“It’s fine. I’ll stick with her.”
She looked like she was trying to figure him out. “You will?”
“Sure. It’s not a problem.” He crouched down to see the mole-hitting game Aria was pointing at.
“You take this hammer and you wait until they pop up. But you have to put a token in to play.”
“Awesome! Let’s get some tokens, then,” he said.
“I can order the pizza, then, if you’ll play with her.” Kendra pointed toward the counter. “What kind do you want?”
“Cheese,” Aria called out.
Kendra looked at him. “And you? I’ll warn you, the pizza here kind of tastes like cardboard.”
He chuckled. “That’s fine. Get whatever you like. I’ll cover it.”
“Okay.” Kendra left and Jacob pulled out his credit card to swipe on the token machine. He played several rounds of Whack-A-Mole before Kendra came back.
“The pizza is ordered. And we have a booth saved, right over there.” She pointed to the corner.
Jacob rubbed his hands together. He was getting hungry. He didn’t even care if it was cardboard. He was ready to eat it. “Good.”
“Let’s play in there,” Aria called out as she ran toward the foam pit.
“I’m in,” Jacob said, running after her.
Aria climbed the steps to the pit, but then she hesitated, looking up at him.
She didn’t say anything, so he prompted her. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m scared.”
His heart strings tugged. “Oh, sweetie. It’s fun to jump in. It’s not scary.”
She grabbed a hold of his hand. “Jump in with me.”
He hated to disappoint the child, but he also didn’t want to get into trouble. “I don’t think I can. This is for children. I’m too big.”
A Christmas Collection: Four Sweet Holiday Romances Page 3