Page 163 of In Spades

Still, I had some business to attend to that took me out of town until Christmas. As much as I didn’t want her going back to the inn, Kristin had to get to work.

I called her every morning to wish her a good day, and again at night to see how she was doing. I made a point to text Logan and Kylie every day to see if they needed anything since they were home alone while Kristin worked.

Only Kylie responded, telling me they were fine, but that she would let me know if something came up.

Christmas morning came around with blustering thirty-degree winds and bone-chilling rain. The drive to Havelock was miserable. My windshield wipers battled the downpour as I pulled off Highway 70, onto the road leading to Kristin’s neighborhood.

Bumpy pavement rocked the truck cab, causing the pile of presents sitting in my back seat to shuffle. I peered over my shoulder to check on them. All good. I wasn’t above using a little bribery to win the kids over again.

It worked the first time.

Kristin didn’t like the idea of the kids being alone most of the day while on break, so I suggested the five of them stay at my place. Her work schedule was lighter, and I didn’t have any travel plans until the new year.

The only potential roadblock was the kids’ willingness to let me back in their lives.

I slowed to a stop at a red light and sent a text to Kristin, letting her know that I was almost there. This was either going to be a great surprise, or a disaster or epic proportions.

All the lights in Kristin’s single-wide were on and the smell of bacon, cinnamon, and coffee wafted outside. My stomach growled at the scent.

Coffee seemed like a good idea. I had been up until the witching hour wrapping presents. The five o’clock wakeup call was less than optimum, but that’s when Kristin said Zoey usually bolted out of her room, ready to see what Santa brought.

Judging from the bustling activity inside, she was right.

I pulled my ball cap a little lower to shield my eyes from the rain and grabbed the big cardboard box filled with presents. Before I could knock, the door flung open. Zoey nearly knocked me on my ass when she tackled me, wrapping her arms around my knees.

“I knew it! I knew you’d come!” she shrieked.

I looked up at Kristin in sheer terror. She stifled a laugh.

Zoey—nearly hyperventilating and positively delirious with excitement—squealed again. “I asked Santa for you to come back for Christmas, and you did! I just knew it!”

Holy shit. This kid…

Kristin’s jaw dropped before she mouthed, “I didn’t know about that.” She pressed her fingers to her lips and shook her head as tears welled up in her eyes.

I set the box of presents inside and wrapped Zoey up in a bear hug. “Merry Christmas, Zo.”

She clung to me for dear life. Her fingers dug into my shirt, and she seemingly didn’t plan to let go. Ever.

I picked her up and shut the door behind me. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” I said, leaning down to kiss Kristin. The faint flavor of vanilla icing lingered on her lips, so I went back for seconds. Zoey giggled and covered her eyes.

“We made cim-a-nim rolls!” Zoey shouted.

“Cinnamon rolls, Zo,” Kristin corrected.

With sticky fingers, Zoey smushed my cheeks into a duck face. She gave me a hard stare, her little eyebrows drawing together. “This is very important. Do. You. Like. Cim-a-nim rolls.”

“Yush,” I said. It was the best I could do with my jaw held hostage.

Zoey’s smile was ear-to-ear. “Yay! You can sit b’side me!”

On that note, she wiggled out of my arms to claim our spots at the table.

With my hands free, I grabbed Kristin by the waist and hauled her in for a kiss that was not PG-13. I threaded my fingers through the back of her hair and tugged her head back, sweeping my tongue into her mouth.

“Get a room!” Hunter groaned, covering his eyes.

Kylie walked in behind him, sneaking a peek, then turning her back to give us a little privacy.

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