Page 131 of The Merry Matchmaker

Where had that come from? She had no reason to be thinking so negatively.

“Did Santa bring you?” Corky asked her once they were in the car.

Her heart rate went from a walk to a trot. “Umm.”

“We talked about this,” Griff said sternly. “Santa doesn’t bring mommies. You know that. You got toys instead.”

“But I really wanted a mommy,” Corky grumbled.

“How about friends?” Stef suggested. “You don’t even have to ask Santa for that. They just come. May I be your friend?”

“Okay,” Corky said. “I like friends.”

Frank’s Good and Fast was packed with teens, young families and a few seniors sharing Franktastic meals, which consisted of two very basic hamburgers, two small drinks and two small orders of fries, all for a senior friendly price.

“Everything looks so good,” Stef said to Corky as they waited in line to order. “What should I have?”

“A Grinch milkshake,” Corky said with a decisive nod of his head.

“All right. I guess I’d better have a Grinch milkshake,” she said to Griff.

“What else would you like?” he asked.

“I think I need a Franktastic burger,” she decided. “You can’t have a burger without the good stuff, like lettuce, tomatoes, pickles. And onions, of course.” That would make her breath smell good. “Maybe not the onions.”

“I’m having onions,” said Griff. “Don’t make me be the only one stinking up the car later.”

She laughed. “Onions it is.”

“I want chicken nuggets!” Corky announced, jumping up and down like he’d grown springs on his feet.

“Okay,” said Griff. “There’s an empty booth. You two go and grab it.”

“Come on, Stef,” said Corky, taking her hand and hauling her through the crowd.

She laughed. This little boy was adorable. She wanted him.

And she wanted his dad.

Come on, Santa, forget what Griff said and come through for me.

Maybe he would. They ate their meal in between having straw wars, shooting the wrappers at each other. After dinner, they drove around town to look at all the houses still decked out in their Christmas lights.

“I’m glad people don’t take their lights down right after Christmas,” Stef said. “They’re so pretty. I always hate to see them go.”

“If they stayed, you’d take them for granted,” Griff said.

“Maybe.”

“Look at Frosty,” cried Corky, who was getting nice and sticky enjoying his candy cane. He pointed to a giant inflatable snowman.

“He for sure doesn’t stay around very long, does he, Corky?” Stef said.

“No. He had to go. But he’ll be back again someday,” Corky said. Then, a moment later, he added, “I wish my mommy would come back.”

And just like that, the happy atmosphere in the car started to evaporate. Griff’s easy smile faded, and Stef felt like a movie extra who’d been told she wasn’t needed.

They drove around more, but no matter how pretty the lights, her oohs and ahs and comments felt forced, and it was impossible to recapture the magic they’d been feeling.

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