Page 31 of It Never Happened
“It means I’m moving back to Bluemoon.”
Her shoulders sag, and it's like the fight just left her. She’s been here before. “You have to be sure, Jack. We can’t have you coming and going anymore. You’re either in or you’re out, because we can’t do this back-and-forth anymore. But I know you, and you can’tnotwork. What are you going to do here?”
I sit up straighter and get closer to her, excited to tell her about the plans I’m still forming. “I’ve already set things into play. I’ve been speaking with a few businesses who are looking to change how they do things, and I am ready to help. I want to add to the town, not take from it. I will be supporting them as an investor only. I’m not looking to buy out or change things, and I’m starting with Dress Me Up.”
She listens to everything I say, but then quietly asks, “So all this time we were still married?”
“Yes.“ She searches my face, clearly wanting to ask every question that I’ve already had. “I’ve already told you, Courtney, I haven’t dated another woman, let alone touched one, since the day you walked out of our apartment. I couldn’t. No one was you and no one will ever be you.” Her eyes get glassy, and I quickly keep going. “There are no words to erase the time I missed, but all I can beg for is a chance to make the new year right. Let me save Christmas. Let me do this for Joey and for you and for us as a family. One call, and I can have it all canceled. The paperwork won’t go through. Tell me you want that too.”
Chapter 16
Courtney
Christmas morning
We came close to losing it all. We came close to ending it and never seeing the love we have for each other through.
And thank god Jack knew better than I did. While I sat here thinking he never grew up, he grew up faster than me.
I lay awake early the morning of Christmas Day, waiting to hear little footsteps come running down the hall. I lay awake waiting for Jack to stir next to me. I lay awake waiting for the dawn of today to bring forth a new life for all of us, one where the three of us are a family once again.
When Jack told me he never put the divorce papers through, I had a moment of sheer terror. All this time we were still married? And then I thought back over the last year and found myself remembering how much I missed him. Yes, I was mad. Yes, I left five years ago and sat in my own anger and bitterness. But when he showed up this yearwith a different attitude from the start, I allowed myself to wonder about the what ifs.
Those what ifs bring us to today.
Jack Fristoni saved Christmas.
I hear little feet running down the hall, right past my bedroom door and around the corner. “Santa came! He made it!” Joey calls out, and I giggle to myself.
Groaning, Jack comes to life. “What time is it?”
“Five thirty.”
“No fucking way.” His voice is husky. We’ve only had about three hours of sleep. Once we decided we were going to stay married, we made up for lost time, touching, tasting, and teasing into the wee hours, not giving a damn what time it was, a decision that we’re paying for right now.
“Yes fucking way. Get your ass up; he’s not going to wait.”
Jack rolls over, throwing his arm across my middle, stopping me from leaving the bed. “Do we have time for a quickie?”
I chuckle and push him away. “Quickie doesn’t exist in your vocabulary. Come on, I’ll give you a blow job after we open presents.”
He picks his head up quickly. “You better swear to that, Mrs. Fristoni.”
Mrs. Fristoni. My heart races, and my blood runs hot in my veins. “I love that name.” I kiss him and quickly slip from his hold, chuckling as he groans. “Get that under control,” I nod to the erection I see him stroking, “and come meet your son in the living room for Christmas presents.”
I open the door and call out to Joey. “Don’t open anything until I get there!” I run to the bathroom then head toward the kitchen for coffee. Jack comes in a moment later, hair ashaggy mess, a five o’clock shadow covering his face, and shirtless. I narrow my eyes.
“You’re not playing fair.”
He shrugs, grabbing the mug from me and filling his coffee. “Too late now. You’re stuck with me.”
I shake my head, dodging his grabby hands, and find Joey pulling his stocking apart. “Hey! Didn’t I tell you to wait?”
“I’m just looking! Hurry up! Where’s Dad?”
“He’s putting on a shirt,” I say loudly as he enters the room.
“No time for clothes today, Joey!” He places his mug down on the table and claps his hands loudly before rubbing them back and forth. “Let's see the goods!”
