Page 51 of Daycare Santa

She acknowledged him with a slight movement of her head and released the door. On the way to the van, she didn’t break her stride, but she wondered what she’d gotten herself into with Zack.

She’d gone from being cheated on to seeing someone who didn’t know what to do about them. That made her want to lash out at Zack, but what would be the point? As her chest squeezed tight and disappointment clogged her throat, Gina admitted their romance was over before it started.

Maybe she was unlucky in love. She’d lost Chase to a reckless driver, and now someone she could really love had changed his mind about her. But whose fault was that? She had no one to blame but herself.

As the chilly wind swirled around her, Gina secured Luca’s belongings and ensured he’d strapped himself in, then slid into the driver’s seat. As she started the engine, she sucked in a breath and looked at Luca in the mirror. “All set?”

He picked up the tablet he’d taken off the seat, but didn’t look at it. Instead, he asked, “Mommy, why are you crying?”

Chapter 21

“So let me get thisright. A gorgeous man offered to help you with whatever problem you had, and you told him no?”

Seya drew a breath, then added, “That fruit cake we had on Saturday evening must have had too much rum and it went straight to your head. So now, what are you going to do?”

“I’m not sure.” Gina focused on laying pineapple slices on the ham and holding them in place with toothpicks. Then she stuck the cherries in the center of each slice and anchored them, too.

Gina had given Seya the rundown on the visit with Marlene earlier in the day, and was working her way around to asking whether Seya would speak with Nichelle and save the situation. Even with her sister, she couldn’t simply say what she needed.

She was a mess.

“Sounds to me like you need the help you were too proud to take from Zack.”

“You don’t know what he was prepared to do.”

Seya leaned against the counter and popped a cherry into her mouth. “You don’t know that either, so you’re a fine one to talk.”

“It’s late, we should give it a rest.”

“Agreed, but those two hams need to be finished.”

Gina’s grin was weak. “You’re lucky this client requested it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be doing one this year.”

“You’re crazy. Christmas isn’t the same without ham.”

As she drizzled pineapple glaze, Gina said, “Really? Aren’t you a little old to focus on the things that don’t matter?”

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