Page 24 of Santa's Baby

“Also your job to remember that I am an adult. And Ford is a very good man.” I could wind up for a long defense of my love, but I don’t need to.

My dad holds up his hands. “All right. He, uh, insists he has the best of intentions towards you.” The way he says it, I can see that it pains him to be this understanding. But what he says next is softer. “And he says that he will do whatever it takes to make you happy, including stepping aside if that’s what you want.”

Oh, no.

“That isnotwhat I want.” I grab my mom’s hand and drag her over to where my dad is standing. Out the window, I see Ford standing just outside.

Watching, waiting. Letting me handle my parents and trusting me to get them on our side. I wish we’d had more time to talk about this, how we would break this to them.

“Look at him,” I say to them both. “He’s dressed up as Sexy Santa for a bunch of Conception Ridge’s finest senior citizens. That's not something Ford Gamble would do if not for love, right?”

My mom laughs. “It’s a good point. Although he only has that outfit because he agreed to play the role for you when you were little.”

“Father fucking Christmas,” my dad mutters. “You have him wrapped around your finger.”

“He’s a hip, young Father Christmas. More of a Daddy Christmas,” I say, knowing I’m toeing the line of what’s appropriate. But there’s a chance they may hear me slip and say that. Better if it’s a ha-ha Christmas joke than something. . . darker.

My parents choose not to react.

I choose to move on.

“He refused to let me spray his hair white. So he’s stillFord, you know?”

Mom is the one who cracks first. She nods. “I think we can be pretty understanding, given the right circumstances.”

“And what circumstances are those?”

Mom grins gleefully. “Ford joins us tonight for round two of carol singing.”

My dad shrugs. “I can’t argue with that.”

I give him a hug, then squeeze my mom. “Thanks.”

She squeezes me back. “Love you. Now go get your man. He has some senior citizens waiting for him who want to sit on his knee.”

Oh. Shit. I hadn’t thought that through.

She giggles and pokes at me. “The look on your face. So possessive of him already?”

“Susan,” my dad barks.

Ford opens the front door and steps inside.

All three of us laugh, and he looks between us in confusion. “All right?”

I nod as he moves to stand beside me. He doesn’t hesitate before tucking me against his body and wrapping his arm around me.

“We’ll get out of your hair,” Mom says. “And we’ll deal with your car later.”

“I’ll help her with it,” Ford says, his voice rumbling with confidence.

My dad sizes him up. “Dinner’s at five tonight. Don’t be late.”

I’m dying to know what their conversation outside was like.

And the second my parents are gone, heading back down the path, I turn on my brand-new boyfriend. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

---