Yours for Christmas (Fool's Gold #15.5)(25)

The doors to the school opened and the first children appeared. He got out of his SUV and stood by the passenger’s side so Chloe could spot him easily. He watched as groups of girls and boys walked together, talking and laughing. A few headed for the cars, but the rest kept going toward home.

He’d wanted this, he admitted to himself. Hell, he thought he’d had it with James. He’d imagined what it would be like to take his son to his first day of school. He’d had big dreams for that kid.

Of course he’d wanted him to be a football star and get the girl, but mostly he’d wanted to watch him grow up and have a good life and be happy. While he still wanted that to happen, he would never be a part of James’s life.

As the sea of children continued to move around him, he let himself feel the emptiness that was always there. The pain of what he’d lost—what couldn’t be recovered. In a way it was worse than if James had died, because he knew the boy was out there. Growing up without him. Connecting with the man who was his biological father.

Kenny knew that James had been young enough to forget him. By now he was only a distant memory. Eventually he would be lost completely. Natalie wasn’t going to ever tell her son what she’d done. No one shared stories that made them look bad.

Which left him alone. He knew he should move on. Find someone else. Start a family. And he would. It was just there hadn’t been anyone who sparked his interest. Not until Bailey—which left him totally screwed.

“Kenny!”

He looked up and saw Chloe waving frantically. She hugged her friend goodbye, then ran toward him. She was small and skinny and completely adorable. As she got close, she dropped her backpack and launched herself at him. He caught her and held her close.

“You’re here!” she said, hugging him tight. “I knew you would be. I was so excited that I had trouble paying attention and my teacher had to give me a yellow card.”

She leaned back enough to look into his eyes. “That’s only one card away from red and if you get three red cards, your parents are called in. My mom would die if I got red cards.”

“Have you ever?”

“No. I like school and I like following the rules. But today was hard.”

He lowered her to the ground. She picked up her backpack and grinned again. “We’re going to go shopping!”

“I know.”

He opened the back door for her and she climbed in. When her seat belt was secure, he walked around to the driver’s side and got in. While he wasn’t going to announce it with as much enthusiasm, he had to admit, he was a little stoked about their afternoon, too.

“I have a list,” Chloe told him. “I want to get a special Christmas ornament from The Christmas Attic and gloves. We saw them in Aunt Isabel’s store last week and Mom really liked them. But she said because of the house, she wasn’t going to get them.” In the rearview mirror, he watched as Chloe’s expressive face turned serious. “Buying a house is a big responsibility. We’re going to be careful with our money so we can afford it. I’m helping. I’m practicing turning off the lights when I leave the room, so we’re not wasting electricity.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you.”

“Mom and me are a team. Being in a family means taking care of each other.” She bit her lower lip. “I think it was easier when my dad was with us. Because they could take care of each other.” She glanced at her lap, then back at him. “Do you think my mom is pretty?”

A question with an implication he should have seen coming, he thought, pulling out onto the road.

“I do.”

“She says you’re not her boyfriend. That you’re just friends.”

“That’s true.”

“What’s the difference? Is it kissing? Because you don’t kiss my mom and Uncle Ford kisses Aunt Isabel all the time.”

“Some of it is the kissing,” he said, ignoring the memory of the incredible kiss he and Bailey had shared. She’d about brought him to his knees with a chaste kiss. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if things got hotter. Not that they would, because he wasn’t going there.

He tried a not-so-subtle distraction by asking which of the stores she wanted to go to first. Lucky for him, it worked.

They went to The Christmas Attic. He’d never been inside before and despite the name, he wasn’t expecting quite so much...Christmas. There were trees and ornaments, stuffed animals, decorations and Christmas music playing.

“I know what I want,” Chloe said as she took his hand.

“Good because this place scares me.”

She giggled. “It’s okay. You’re safe with me.”

The trees were all done with different colors and styles. He paused by one done in primary colors with Máa-zib tribal ornaments. Chloe made a beeline for one that was decorated in silver and red, and plucked a quirky ornament from one branch, an elephant on rockers.

“This one,” she told him.

He took it from her and they went to pay. The tall blonde at the cash register wrapped it in tissue.

“I wondered if you’d be back,” she said to Chloe. “You’ve been eyeing this one for a while.”

Chloe nodded. “You won’t tell her, will you?”

“Of course not.” The woman looked at him. “Hi. We met at the painting party. I’m Noelle.”