Page 4 of All I Want For Christmas

“Watch that left hand there,SaintNicholas,” Logan warned as he raised his phone to capture the photo of Dana kissing Santa’s cheek.

This was a very typical gathering of the group. They were a mix of ages and backgrounds and even parenting styles, but they laughed together a lot. And supported each other no matter what. There was no judgment here. Or, at least, there was no hidden judgment. They disagreed sometimes, but they talked it out, everyone got their say, and minds were sometimes changed. And sometimes not. Which was okay too.

This was the group that would tell her the truth if she was over-worrying or even under-worrying something with the boys. They would listen when she just needed to get out all of her frustrations with the Army or Matt’s commanding officer or just life in general. They were also the ones who would step up if she needed last-minute childcare or someone to replace a garbage disposal or someone to help her decorate three dozen cupcakes for Liam’s birthday party.

They met once a week for two hours, but then once a month they got together with the kids too. Sometimes other family members came along as well. As Gabe’s brother, Logan had been a regular at the once-a-month parties even before he and Dana got together. In fact…now that Lindsey thought about it, and did a little math, last year’s Christmas party might have been when Logan had finally talked Dana into going out with him that first time.

Which made Lindsey think about the first and only meeting Matt had ever come to. The support group was, of course, to support her because he was gone, but the last time he was home, she’d invited him along. If the group was interested in knowing the kids they all talked about, they would certainly want to meet the husband of one of their members. They’d all met Bea’s husband, Stan, a couple of times when he was home and it was really nice to put a face to the name.

Everyone had loved Matt, of course, and as she watched Dana open her gift from Santa—a big bottle of body glitter that made her blush and laugh and made Logan look very smug—Lindsey was hit by a wave of longing. These waves came and went. Certain days and events brought them on, of course. Their boys’ birthdays, her birthday, holidays, days when she wasn’t feeling well or one of the boys was sick. Just any time that she felt more alone and vulnerable than usual. There were times, however, that they would hit her out of the blue and she’d feel a sadness come over her that was very hard to describe.

She and Matt had never had an every-day-together life. He’d been a soldier when she’d met him. But they’d met at Christmastime and that always made this holiday a little harder than the rest.

He’d been leading trainings at Fort Polk and had been in New Orleans for a weekend of festivities, including the annual Running of the Santas. It was basically a huge street party thatincluded lots of drinks, Santa outfits of all kinds, and a “run”—that went for about three blocks, from one bar to another—all for charity. And fun. But then, that was New Orleans’ specialty and she, as a student at Loyola,hadto participate in the event. Or so her roommate and the two girls next door convinced her.

But it had all gotten better really fast. She’d ended up next to Matt at the starting line for the run. He’d looked over her Santa costume, which had basically been a red velvet bikini top, shorts with candy cane striped trim and a Santa hat, and said, “Well, Merry Fucking Christmas” in a very appreciative voice. A very low, sexy, appreciative voice.

Of course, the fact that he was completely hot and dressed in red velvet shorts with candy cane striped trim, a Santa hat…and nothing else…hadn’t hurt.

She’d laughed and said, “First one to the finish line buys the other eggnog.”

“You’re an eggnog girl, huh?” he’d asked.

Thanks to the shots of peppermint schnapps she’d done prior to putting on the skimpy costume, she’d winked at him and said, “You have no idea what I’d do for a good glass of eggnog.”

“Well, I would very much like to find out,” he’d said.

“I’ll see you at the end.”

“Yeah, you will.”

And they took off running. But neither of them beat the other. They stuck side by side until they got to the finish line three blocks away. Then they ducked into the first bar and asked for eggnog. The bar wasn’t serving eggnog, however. Neither were the next three bars they tried.

They’d reconnected with their friends, including Matt’s soldier brothers, who assured Lindsey that he was a great guy who was exactly who and what he said he was. Her friends had snapped a picture of Matt and his driver’s license so that they could turn it over to the police if Lindsey didn’t show up backat home in one piece. And Matt had not only let them take the photos to ensure Lindsey’s safety, he’d even dialed his mom’s phone number and let Lindsey talk to her. And then he’d talked to Lindsey’s mom. Who had instantly loved him.

It had been a you-definitely-get-it moment that made her feel safe and respected. With a guy she’d felt an instant attraction to. And they had a similar sense of humor and, maybe just as importantly, their mothers did too.

They’d planned to go on to another bar from there, but before they’d stepped inside, Lindsey had pulled him to a stop and suggested they head to a grocery store instead. A street car ride up St. Charles Street, a carton of eggnog and a bottle of rum, a blanket, and a park bench in Audubon Park had turned into their first date.

They drank down a third of the eggnog and then poured the rum straight into the carton. They’d talked. Drank. And kissed. And when he said, “Being with you is so easy,” she’d said against his lips, “It might be the eggnog.” But he’d just smiled and said, “I don’t think so.”

In that moment, she’d wanted to kiss him for the rest of her life. She’d wanted to drink eggnog with him every year for the rest of her life. She’d wanted to sit on this bench in this park in every season of the year with him. For the rest of her life. And she’d thought she was completely crazy.

Until he laughed. There was something about his laugh. And the way he looked at her. And hell, the way he drank eggnog with her with a Santa hat on his head as if it was the best time he’d ever had. She’d realized right then that she was going to do something she’d never even considered for a second before that night. She was going to take a guy she’d just met home for a one-night stand.

That one-night stand had turned into the last, and best, relationship of her life.

“A powdered sugar shaker?” Addison asked, pulling Lindsey out of her reminiscing. “Gee, Santa, how did you know that I needed one of these?” Her eyes were on her husband.

Santa chuckled. “I have my ways, Mrs. Trahan.”

Addison kissed him on the cheek and got up off his lap.

Lindsey took a breath. She really needed to be distracted right now. Or she needed more punch. But instead of heading to the drink table, she stepped forward to be next on Santa’s lap.

“Oh, hang on,” Logan said, making her pull up short. “Ashley’s next.”

Lindsey glanced at her friend. “Oh, there’s a certain order?”

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