Page 16 of All I Want for Christmas

“His nose started gushing blood,” Joe said. “It looked like a crime scene. Ashley freaked out—as did all the kids waiting in line—but Mikey thought Hope was pretty badass.”

Jed burst into laughter, choking out, “That’s because she is. Maybe we should start calling her slugger.”

“Donotcall her slugger,” Rose hissed. “It was awful. Over a dozen kids thought our sweet baby killed Santa.” She gave me an apologetic look. “So… I think we’ll skip another Santa visit.” She glanced up at the sky. “In fact, it looks like some storm clouds are rolling in, so maybe we should get home before the rain hits.”

“I’m gonna agree with my wife on that one,” Joe said, lifting Hope out of Rose’s arms. “We got the trees all paid for. I justneed to pull up the truck and load it up.” He turned to Jed. “You need help getting your tree home?”

“We got it covered.”

I felt something wet hit my hand and realized it was a raindrop.

“Right on cue,” Rose said, then she pulled me into a hug and whispered in my ear, “I’m just a phone call or text away if you need me.”

I squeezed her back then pulled away. “Get goin’ before you get soaked.” I watched her and Joe hurry to the parking lot, as Jed said, “You want to wait in line to see Santa? I can get an umbrella, so you and Daisy don’t get wet.”

I shook my head, most of my Christmas spirit fading. Now that my buffer of Rose and Joe were gone, all I had left was my fear and the giant chasm of my lie of omission. I knew I should tell him, but I just couldn’t do it. Not yet.

I had someone else I needed to talk to first, because I knew Jed’s pride would keep him from doing it.

I needed to have a face-to-face chat with Skeeter Malcolm.

CHAPTER SIX

ROSE

After we loaded the Christmas tree into the truck bed, Joe turned on Christmas songs and started singing, much to Hope’s delight. She couldn’t see him in her rear-facing car seat, but she knew his voice and cooed along with him. When he realized she lovedJingle Bells, he put the song on repeat.

“Again?” I asked sarcastically.

He shot me a grin. “Our daughter loves it. How can I deny her?”

“You know that song’s gonna be stuck in my head now.”

His eyes lit up with mischief. “Good thing you love me.”

“Guilty as charged.”

We drove through a light drizzle all the way home, so when Joe pulled up in front of our house, he told me to take Hope inside and he’d bring in the tree.

After I unlocked the door, I let Muffy out to potty and greet Joe, then headed to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate. I knew Hope would want to nurse soon, so I set her in the highchair and gave her a handful of Cheerios to keep her occupied as I started putting the ingredients for the hot chocolate in a pan.

A few minutes later, the front door opened and Joe called out, “Where’s the Christmas tree stand?”

“In the corner in front of the window,” I hollered back. I glanced over at Hope who was in deep concentration, trying to grab cereal pieces with her chubby fist, so I grabbed a plastic pitcher and filled it with water so it would be ready once Joe had the tree in the stand.

I moved to the doorway to the living room. The tree was still bound and lying on its side in the middle of the floor. Joe was kneeling next to the trunk, screwing the tree stand into the trunk.

“Do you need help?” I asked.

“Maybe in a minute,” he said, not looking up. “I might need you to hold it up after I get it upright so I can make sure it’s standing up straight.”

“Sure. I’ve started some hot chocolate, and I’m tryin’ to figure out what to make for dinner.”

He turned his head to look up at me. “The hot chocolate sounds good, and how about we go out for dinner? We can try out the new Chinese place.”

“I’ve been wanting to try that place out.”

He grinned. “I know.”

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