Page 11 of The Christmas List

Watching the two of them interact like they’ve known each other much longer than the short time we’ve been in Strawberry Hollow causes a strange, tight sensation in my chest.

It’s something I never in a million years anticipated happening, and now that I’m witnessing it… it feels entirely too good.

Too right.

I’ve never introduced my daughter to any woman I’ve been with. Mostly because there hasn’t been anything other than casual nights since I became a dad, or honestly, really since Josie. After Lucy’s mother gave her up, I vowed to myself that I’d never bring someone into Lucy’s life who wasn’t in it for the long haul. Protecting my daughter’s heart is the most important thing to me, always.

Anyway, It’s not like I’ve had much time to date because back in Sacramento, where it was just the two of us, even though I had a sitter I trusted, I much preferred to be at home with my daughter.

“You would… do that?” Lucy whispers quietly.

Josie never hesitates, just nods. “Of course. I know that you’ll be very careful with them and take good care of them. I can tell you know how special ornaments are.”

“I would. I promise!” Lucy pauses, glancing over at me, then back to Josie, and lowers her voice. “I’ll have to convince my dad.”

It’s not quite the whisper she intended, and a low chuckle slips past my lips.

Josie laughs. “You do that, and let me know. For now, do you think you could hang these around the bottom?”

Lucy nods enthusiastically, grabbing as many as her hands can safely handle, and starts placing them around the lower branches of the trees. There’s no rhyme or reason as to where she’s placing them, but Josie lets her do her thing, never saying anything outside of encouragement.

After a few minutes, Josie comes to stand next to me, her gaze still fixed on Lucy. “You better let that sweet girl have a tree in her room, Wyatt Owens.”

My mouth twitches. “Planned on it.” I cross my arms over my chest, letting my gaze settle over her profile, taking in the corner of her soft, sensual mouth that’s curved even when she’s trying not to.

“Good.”

I’m grinning like a damn fool, and I’m suddenly struck with the urge to press my lips to hers and kiss the shit out of her, despite the fact that we’re in the middle of Town Hall.

And that she’s notmineto kiss anymore.

But I never was great at following the rules, even back then.

“Imagine if they did this whole competition back when we were kids? It would have been pure chaos between us and your brothers.”

Josie laughs. “Oh God, I’m pretty sure Jackson and Jensen would’ve gotten us disqualified before we even got to the second task. The whole point of the list is to make the town more festive, and you know the Pearce men mostly just bring destruction in their wake.”

“How are they? Your brothers?” I ask. “Your parents?”

“They’re good,” she says lightly. “Jackson is married to Emma Worthington. Surprising yet unsurprising at the same time?”

Holy shit. I mean… those two have always had some kind of weird sexual tension going on, but I honestly thought they hated each other more than anything, so that is a bit shocking. Especially since Josie’s family and the Worthingtons have always been at odds with each other.

My face must reveal that surprise because Josie laughs. “Yeah. Needless to say, there are no more feuding Christmas parties. We do them together now, so that’s good. I really like her though. She’s sweet and doesn’t let him get away with anything. And his dogs totally love her more than him, which I tease him endlessly about.”

I nod, laughing as I remember the lively Pearce sibling dynamic. “Jude? Jensen? Jameson?”

Yeah, allJnames. Imagine trying to keep up with that while I was dating their little sister.

“Jude…” she says on an exhale. “Still the biggest playboy of Strawberry Hollow, flirts with anything that has two legs. Same old. Jensen… still painfully frank, endlessly sarcastic, and sometimes uptight. Jameson. Grumpy as always. Honestly, it feels like not that much has changed—same guys, just older now. Time flies by and stands still at the same time.”

“Yeah, I get what you mean. Do you still collect your ornaments?” I ask.

She nods, rolling her lips together as her gaze travels to mine. “I do. Can’t break a tradition after this long. I… still have ours. I couldn’t part with it, even after you left.”

That one small admission plants a tiny seed of hope somewhere inside of me. Whether she’s ready to admit it or not, the fact that she couldn’t get rid of it? Yeah, it means something.

“I’m sorry, Josie. That I left how I did. I should’ve reached out after. I just thought it would be easier for you if there was a clean break. Hell, there were so many times where I missed you so fucking bad that I almost broke, but I didn’t want to hurt you any more than I already had. I was a stupid kid, chasing a dream that was always bigger than I was.”

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