Page 25 of Unexpected Gifts

“I haven’t been kissed that much.”

He laughed. “I see. So, not a high bar?”

“Whatever bar there was in the past has been far surpassed.”

“Good to know. Although, I’ve never been one for complacency. I shall continue to up my game.”

“If you insist.” Abby ran a finger inside the collar of his sweater. “My expectations are now unreasonably high.”

Luke played with a lock of her hair and kissed a spot on her neck just below her dangling earring before reluctantly lifting his head and looking into her eyes. “I should go. You have to get the kids to bed. Even though I could stay like this forever.”

She blinked three times as if a spell had been broken, and her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh my God, I’m an awful person. They’re up there waiting for toothpaste.”

They laughed again. The kind of uncontrollable giggle that bubbles out of one during school or church and is impossible to subdue despite all efforts to do so. Finally, when they’d sobered slightly, he brushed his mouth to hers. “Good night, Abby Parker. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Before he could change his mind, he hurried out of the kitchen and into the mudroom, calling out to her before he went into the cold night. “Don’t forget to lock the doors.”

6

ABBY

When Abby arrived upstairs both children had put on the pajamas and were snuggled together in Sophie’s bed, as she read Jack a book about trains. Rufus was curled up on the rug near the bed, asleep.

Abby stood in the doorway, watching for a moment, fighting tears. She waited until the story was finished before coming all the way into the room and sitting on the end of the bed.

Both children looked over at her. Sophie set the book on the bedside table.

“Did you brush your teeth?” Abby asked.

“Sophie knew where the toothpaste was,” Jack said sleepily.

“All right, then. Let’s get to bed.” Abby was exhausted, having slept on the couch the night before. Sleeping downstairs had given her a crick in her neck, and her toes had been ice cold. She couldn’t wait to sleep in a real bed.

“We always get our tree the day after Thanksgiving,” Sophie said, sounding like an adult at a business meeting. “Can we do that tomorrow?”

“Yes, sure. Where do you get it?” She imagined trudging through the snow carrying an axe and almost laughed. Her friends from LA would not believe it.

“There’s a farm,” Jack said. “They have a million trees to choose from.”

Abby let out a sigh of relief. “Great. I was afraid you were going to make me chop it down myself.”

“That would be awesome,” Jack said.

“Is there anything else you do on tree day?” Abby brushed Jack’s hair away from his forehead. He was such a dear one. So adorable with his freckles and mischievous smile.

“We always have lunch at Bean Counters,” Sophie said. “It’s a café.”

“Before or after you pick the tree?” Abby asked.

“Before. That way, our tummies are full when we find the very best one,” Jack said. “Mommy says being hungry is a distraction.”

Mommy.

“All right. Let’s do it.” Abby gestured toward Jack. “Young man, off you go. We have a big day tomorrow.”

He didn’t argue, thankfully. She had no idea what she’d do if one of them misbehaved or talked back. She needed to get some parenting books as soon as possible. Maybe she could pop into the local bookstore tomorrow during their outing.

“I’ll be in to tuck you in—in just a minute,” Abby said.

---