Dear Santa(28)

    “Peter and Chad put together that paper chain in no time.”

“We put it on the Christmas tree,” Peter said. “It’s pretty.”

Lindy had found the paper-chain kit in a catalog and ordered it for Peter, knowing how much he’d enjoy it.

At six, when her mother set dinner on the table, Billy had yet to show. Ellen looked to Lindy, as if to seek her advice.

“Should we wait?” she asked.

Before she could answer, the doorbell rang. Billy had arrived.

Lindy was surprised with how well Billy fit in with her family, especially her dad. It was as if he’d been part of their Christmas traditions for years. Chad and Ashley and Peter planned to spend Christmas Eve with Ashey’s parents. The two families traded off the holidays. This year it was the Carmichaels’ turn for Christmas Day. Christmas morning was reserved for Chad and Ashley and young Peter to set their own family traditions. Then, in the afternoon, they would come for dinner and the gift exchange.

    Lindy knew it was a delicate balance when in-laws became involved. She admired her parents, who along with Ashley’s had come up with a workable plan so neither family felt as if they were being slighted.

Chad and Billy chatted away like long-lost friends. It pleased Lindy how accepting her family was of him. Lindy sat next to Billy at the table. He reached for her hand and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze as if to say how pleased he was to be with her.

Naturally, the topic of her childhood letter to Santa arose, and Lindy was the subject of a lot of teasing. Seeing how much she enjoyed being with Billy, she took the joking in stride, laughing along with them.

The hour flew past as if it were only minutes, and all too soon Billy rose, declining dessert. Lindy walked him to the door. With his touch at her elbow, Billy gently pulled her outside and wrapped her in his arms to kiss her. She could easily grow accustomed to Billy’s kisses. If she remained in town much longer, she feared they would quickly become addictive.

Once again, she reminded herself whatever this attraction was between them wasn’t meant to last. With every passing day she struggled to remember this could be only a holiday fling. Every time Billy kissed her, however, it became harder to hold on to that resolve.

    “Can you stop by the restaurant later?” he asked, knotting his hands at the small of her back and looking down on her.

With his eyes full of warmth and hope, she found it difficult to refuse him. “You’re going to be busy, maybe—”

“It’s always busy. I’ll find time to steal away, even if it’s just for a few minutes.”

Lindy gave in for the simple reason that she wanted to spend time with him, however long he could spare. “I probably won’t be able to get away until after ten.”

“Anytime. I’ll take what I can get.”

Lindy felt the same. Whatever few minutes he had to spare would be worth the hassle. She’d help her mother with cleanup and spend as much time with Chad, Ashley, and Peter as she could. Because Peter would need to go to bed at a decent hour, she suspected they wouldn’t stay much later than nine.

Once Billy left, Lindy helped her mother clear the table and dealt with the leftovers. Peter was vying for her attention as she started stacking dishes in the washer. Her mother shooed her out of the kitchen to entertain Peter.

Her nephew was a precious little boy, curious and eager to learn and grow. Smart, too. The range of his vocabulary shocked her.

“Can you come live with us, Aunt Lindy?” he asked, as he sat at her side with a book in his hand.

“I live in Seattle, remember?”

    “But couldn’t you move here?”

“My apartment is there,” she explained patiently.

“You could get an apartment here,” he said, reasoning with her with his head tilted back to look up at her. His dark brown eyes implored her.

“My job is there, too. I go to work each day just like your mom and dad. There are people who would miss me if I left.” How Lindy wished that were true, although she suspected her coworkers at Media Blast wouldn’t.

Peter sighed and leaned his head against the side of her arm. “You could work here. Daddy works here, and Mommy, too.”

Rather than go into details and lengthy explanations, Lindy opened the book. “Maybe someday,” she said, hoping that would satisfy her sweet nephew.

“When Mommy says ‘someday,’ that means no,” he said with a pout.

Lindy laughed. The kid was smarter than she gave him credit. “Are you ready for the story?” she asked, hoping to change the subject.

“Okay.”

The story was one Lindy had from her own childhood, about the donkey in the stable who stood guard over the manger. The much-loved book was held together with duct tape on the binding. As she read the story, she glanced down at Peter and watched as his eyes slowly drifted closed, even while he fought to stay awake. By the time she finished the last page, he was slouched against her side and sound asleep.

    Chad sat down on the ottoman in front of Lindy. “Tell me about you and Billy,” he said, not bothering to ease into the subject.

“What’s there to tell? We connected and I’m enjoying his company.”

“Are you two serious?”

Lindy laughed off the question. “No. We’re having fun together while I’m home. That’s it.”