Page 99 of Can't Get Over You
Cody knelt in the snow and held out the delicate moss for a reindeer. He glanced up at them with a big grin. “He likes it.”
“He does.” This moment was surreal. The reversal of roles from a kid to the grownup was wild.
“It’s easy, isn’t it?” she asked quietly so Cody couldn’t hear. “To put a child first. It comes naturally. I mean, you changed your whole life for a boy just because of a phone call.”
At first, he thought she was reading his mind. But then, he remembered what she’d said in the car. “You’re thinking about your parents?”
“Yeah. I’m seeing them from a whole different perspective now that I’m living with you and Cody.” She looked up at him like she needed confirmation.
He didn’t want to speak badly about them. She was figuring things out on her own. “They’re just built differently.”
“Yeah, I guess. It’s just so easy, though. I can’t even imagine making my kids be quiet on Christmas morning so I could sleep in. Or telling them I can’t be bothered to decorate a tree or make cookies. I mean…” She set her hand on Cody’s head, and he glanced up at her with pure delight. “What’s more important than this?”
He wrapped an arm around her, drawing her close. “Nothing, Fee. Nothing’s more important.” At that moment, he wanted to make the magic for her. Give her everything she ever wanted. Shower her with attention and gifts. Anything to make her feel in her heart that she was worthy and loveable and the best person he knew.
A family joined them, holding cups of steaming hot chocolate and freshly made doughnuts. Cody jumped to his feet. “Can we get those?”
“Of course,” Finlay said. “Let’s go.”
It wasn’t too crowded in the tent, so they got in line for their snacks. She lifted Cody into her arms so he could see the choices.
“What can I get you?” the woman behind the table asked. “Cider or cocoa?”
“Is it good quality?” the boy asked.
The woman froze. Then she burst out laughing. “No, sir, it is not.” She reached under the table and held up a tub of powdered mixture. “My aunt buys it in bulk, and we offer it for free, so nope. It probably doesn’t even have real chocolate in it. The best I can offer is it’ll warm you up.”
“Sorry. He’s—” Jude began.
“I’m an offshando,” Cody said.
Since he’d heard the word so many damn times, Jude knew exactly what the boy was saying. “My dad calls himself an aficionado. But we need to warm up, so we’ll take three cocoas.”
“Got it.” The woman filled three cups and handed one to Cody. “Tell me what you think.”
The little boy took a sip. “It’s all right. But it’s not as good as my grandpa’s.”
The woman laughed and handed them a bag of doughnuts. “Have fun.”
Next, they headed for the table that held saws and twine. The rumble of an engine had him quickly knocking back his cocoa, dumping the cup into a garbage can, and grabbing the necessary equipment. “All right, let’s get on the wagon.”
“We get to ride that?” Cody watched in awe as the tractor came to a stop and the families got off the wagon it was towing.
“We sure do.” Finlay held her cup in her mittened hands. “It’ll take us out into the fields where we can pick our tree.”
As they waited their turn to board the hay-strewn wagon, Jude showed her a map stapled to a pole. “These are the different types of trees. Know which one you want?”
“I’m literally in hog heaven right now. I have my cocoa, a bag of warm doughnuts, and my two favorite guys. I’ll be happy with anything you guys want.”
“Douglas fir, it is.” He noticed Cody had finished his cocoa. “You want to toss the cup in that garbage can?”
Cody nodded and dashed off.
Finlay moved in beside him. “Is that what your family usually gets?”
“I’m sure we’ve switched it up over the years, but that was the one on your vision board.”
She gazed up at him with pure affection. “How do you remember that?”
