by Cindy Kirk
“You’ve got your own family.”
Owen stared into his beer. “I’m not going to screw up this time around.”
Krew frowned. “What are you talking about? You didn’t screw up. You and my sister, you just weren’t right for each other.”
“Did Tessa tell you I told her to stay away from Mindy?”
Krew released his handful of snack mix back into the basket. “Why did you do that?”
He was aware his sister hadn’t seen much of her daughter after Owen gained sole custody. But Tessa had never mentioned being told to stay away.
“Tess would promise to come and Mindy would get excited. Then something with her job would come up, and she’d cancel at the last minute.” Owen shifted his gaze for a second to the television over the bar before refocusing on Krew. “I’d had enough of seeing my daughter cry. In my righteous anger, I told Tessa to stay away. I said she was hurting Mindy. She argued, but finally agreed.”
“Tessa loved Mindy. And Mindy loved her. Why would she have agreed to stay away?” None of this made sense to Krew.
“Your sister and I talked in October when she was back in Good Hope.” Sorrow filled Owen’s eyes. “I hurt our child. I told Tessa that I was sorry.”
“What did she say?”
“She had her own regrets. She was sorry she agreed and sorry she stayed away.” Owen shook his head. “We were both at fault.”
“People make mistakes.” It was an inane comment, but the best Krew could come up with. Though Krew didn’t agree with what Owen had done, his former brother-in-law was a stand-up guy and Krew had always liked him.
Though, it baffled him how Owen could have done this to Tessa and Mindy.
“You’re right. Everyone makes mistakes.” Owen met his gaze, and suddenly Krew knew where this was headed.
“You’re saying I should forgive Cassie and move on.”
“Or forgive and hang around.” Owen shrugged. “Tessa forgave me. I forgave her. I like to think Mindy, with her big loving heart, forgave us both.”
“My situation is different.” Krew leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “How could Cassie not stand up for Dakota?”
Owen’s gaze narrowed, turning sharp and assessing. “How could you not stand up for Cassie?”
“What do you mean?” Krew’s voice rose. “You think I should have gotten between her and Dakota at Rakes Farm?”
Owen swiped the air with his hand, as if brushing aside a pesky gnat. “I’m talking way back. You had to wonder if the baby was yours when you heard Cassie was pregnant.”
“I thought it was Mitch’s.”
Owen’s gaze, fixed on Krew’s face, never wavered. “You’re telling me you were one hundred percent convinced the child she was carrying wasn’t yours?”
Krew hesitated, wanting to be honest. “Maybe not a hundred percent.”
“Do you ever wonder how you could justify leaving a young girl all alone to face a pregnancy she sure as heck hadn’t bargained for?”
“I told you, I thought the baby was Mitch’s.” Krew jutted out his jaw, as if daring Owen to take a hit.
“You said you weren’t positive.” Owen cocked his head. “I bet having a baby would have screwed with your college and pro dreams.”
“Big-time,” Krew responded, then cringed as he realized how that sounded.
“We all make mistakes. We all do things we regret.” Owen swallowed convulsively, as if his throat had suddenly gone bone-dry. He took a long drink of beer. “You and I, we can’t change history. But we can forgive ourselves and others and make better choices going forward.”
“I don’t know if I can forgive Cassie for not believing Dakota when she complained about Clint’s actions. He could have…” God, he couldn’t even say it.
“There’s no way to know if Cassie would have stepped up before that happened. Let me say it one more time: We all make mistakes.” Owen grabbed a handful of the snack mix. “Last week, Pastor Dan said, and I quote, ‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.’”
“You’ve made your point,” Krew grumbled.
“Good. Enough about that. What teams do you think we’ll see in the Super Bowl this year?”
Krew could talk football in his sleep. While he chatted with Owen, his gaze slid to Mitch. He thought how he’d left Cassie alone to deal with someone who knew just how to manipulate her innocence and destroy her confidence.
Let he who is without sin…
That wasn’t Krew, not by a long shot.
He’d made his share of mistakes, including pulling away from Cassie when she needed his support the most.
That ended today.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Cassie worked until five o’clock Sunday afternoon. Ryder brought in extra help for the Christmas Stroll, so she was able to leave at the end of her shift. She should head straight home. That would be the smart thing to do. In a household of four, there was always laundry to do and a house to clean.
Or, she could sit in her car, plan the week’s meals, then stop at the market and pick up groceries. The boys, who had absolutely no interest in strolling, were home with Axl. Not knowing if she’d have to stay late, Cassie had the evening meal in the refrigerator. All Braxton had to do was nuke it.
Feeling decidedly impractical, Cassie buttoned the coat Krew had bought her all the way to her chin, wrapped a scarf around her neck and pulled on her gloves.
When she’d been in high school, the Christmas Stroll had been a rite of passage. Shops were open late and served specialty foods. Most teenage strollers didn’t care about picking up a slice of kringle from the bakery or a bit of mistletoe from the Enchanted Florist.
See and be seen was the purpose of the stroll when you were young. Her mother had promised Cassie that once she turned sixteen, she could stroll with her friends. By the time that birthday rolled around, Cassie had had a baby.
Tonight, she sauntered down the sidewalk, reveling in the cold, crisp air and the heavenly smell of evergreen. She decided to make Blooms Bake Shop her first stop. No one made kringle as delicious as Hadley Chapin, Ami’s second-in-command. But when Cassie saw the place packed with high school-aged boys and girls, she hesitated.
“Quite a crowd.”
The familiar masculine voice had her turning her head and gazing into Krew’s beautiful eyes. Though Cassie had accepted that the closeness she and this man had once shared was over, her traitorous heart obviously hadn’t gotten the message. It slammed against her ribs, then began an erratic rhythm.
“I think this is the busiest I’ve seen Blooms.” Cassie forced her attention back to the bakery and considered how badly she wanted that slice of kringle. “Good luck braving the crowd. I’m going to pass.”
Wiggling her fingers good-bye, Cassie began walking.
To her surprise, Krew fell into step beside her. Cassie saw the assessing glances slanted their way and understood what this was about.
She lowered her voice to a hushed whisper. “You don’t have to do this, Krew.”
“Do what?”
She couldn’t keep the exasperation from her voice. “Show your support.”
Her foot slipped on the sidewalk, and she suddenly found her arm tucked firmly around his. One touch was all it took for yearning to rise up and strangle her heart.
“You have my support, Cassie.” His voice was low and husky. “I should have made that clear before now.”
Cassie’s heart rose to her throat as they strolled past storefront windows rimmed in brightly colored lights. On the doors, evergreen wreaths with bows and ribbons added an extra holiday punch. Banners hanging from vintage street poles and proclaiming “Seasons Greetings” and “Deck the Halls” complemented the heartwarming scene.
Whether it was the warmth of his hand or the companionable silence between them, Cassie began to relax.
“When I was a girl, I dreamed of walking these streets with a handsome boy.” She gave a little laugh. “Or I saw myself with a
pack of girlfriends on the hunt for a hot boy.”
“I ruined those dreams for—”
She stepped in front of him.
Only quick reflexes kept him from plowing into her.
“The time for regrets and looking back is over, Krew.” Cassie met his gaze, her voice firm. “Life is too short for either of us to stay mired in the past.”
Admiration filled his eyes. “You’re an amazing woman.”
When she found herself tempted to argue with him, Cassie took her own words to heart. She grinned. “Yes, I am.”
“Would you stroll with me, Ms. Amazing Woman?” He surveyed her with a lazy smile. “I’m a hot guy, and I feel naked without a hot girl on my arm.”
“It’s too cold to be naked.” Cassie shot him a wink. “Muddy Boots is selling cups of peppermint hot chocolate. Let’s get some.”
“Before we head there, I have a question for you. I’d like it if we could all be together at my house on Christmas Eve.” Krew held up a hand. “Full disclosure. This would also involve attending church and caroling in the town square. Dakota really wants church and caroling.”
Cassie smiled. He wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know.
“So you’ll come?”
Knowing what spending more time with him would mean to all her children, Cassie didn’t hesitate. “The boys and I would love to spend Christmas Eve with you and Dakota.”
When he smiled, Cassie went warm all over.
“I’ll be returning to Green Bay soon.”
It took everything she had to not let her smile slip. “Are you excited?”
“I’m eager to get started. But I’m going to miss everyone.” His gaze lingered on her for an extra heartbeat.
Cassie was glad the scarf hid the red creeping up her neck.
“How’s the real estate business going?”
“Could be better.” Cassie tried to sound upbeat. “Tim assures me December can be a slow month. Buyers are often more focused on the holidays than they are on looking for a new home or selling their current residence.”
Cassie realized they’d passed Muddy Boots and had made it all the way down the street to Swoon, a local boutique and bridal salon. Her gaze was drawn to the dress in the window, a gorgeous white gown with fur around the bodice and wrists.
When she glanced back and found Krew staring, Cassie lost her train of thought. “What were we talking about?”
Krew studied her with inscrutable eyes. “Real estate.”
“Oh, yes. I’ve been answering phones at Tim’s office as much as I can, hoping to pick up a new client of my own. So far, nothing.” She shrugged. “It makes me glad I kept my job at the Grind.”
“You could consider moving to a bigger market…”
“Like Green Bay?” Cassie forced a teasing tone, though she knew that was no longer a possibility, not that it had ever been one.
“It’s a great town.” Krew’s expression was serious as he took her hand. “About Clint—”
She pulled her hand back. “Not going there. Remember?”
“I should have called the second I heard you were pregnant.”
Cassie experienced whiplash at the subject change. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying you’re not the only one with regrets.”
She gazed into his eyes. In that moment, she understood that, just as she’d forgiven him, he’d forgiven her.
Cassie wondered if he had any idea that this was the best Christmas gift he could have given her.
On Christmas Eve, Krew glanced around his living room and watched the boys distribute the gifts. Cassie’s gifts to her children were already at her mother’s home, ready for Christmas morning. What surprised Krew was the growing stack of presents at his feet. He hadn’t expected them to bring him gifts.
Having Cassie, the boys, and Dakota here with him was gift enough. He wanted this woman and her family to be his, but sensed Cassie wasn’t ready for such a commitment.
Long ago, Krew had learned the value of patience, both on and off the field. Though he’d be leaving at the end of the week for Green Bay, Krew reminded himself that Good Hope was only a short drive away.
“What’s in this big box?” Cassie’s hand caressed the shiny red paper, then fingered the starched white bow.
“I guess you’re going to have to open it and see.” He waited for her to rip off the paper, but she didn’t make a move.
“Oldest to youngest, them’s the rules,” Braxton declared. “Which means, old man, you go first.”
“Open mine first, Dad.” Dakota pointed to a box decorated with dancing penguins and topped with a candy-striped bow.
Krew lifted the small box, shook it, then smiled at his daughter. While everyone watched, he tore off the paper.
Inside was a picture frame decorated with words like Good Hope, fun, daughter, dad and other words. The picture was of him and Dakota, his warm gaze filled with pride and her looking up at him with an adoring smile.
He cleared his throat. “I love it. Thank you.”
Dakota flushed. “Brax took the picture, and K.T. made the frame. I thought you could put it on your desk at work. Or maybe at home. I hope every time you see it, you’ll think of me.”
“It’s a wonderful gift. Thank you. I’ll definitely find a special place for it.” His gaze settled on Dakota, and Krew was struck again how lucky he was to have her in his life. “Even without the photo, I’ll always think of you.”
He shifted his gaze first to Braxton, then to K.T. “Thanks for your parts in this gift.”
Braxton grinned.
K.T. gave him the thumbs-up.
Krew moved on to his other gifts. He received lightsaber chopsticks from Braxton, a painting of the screaming heads alley art project Krew had admired from K.T. and a picture of everyone in the “family,” drawn by Axl in bright purple crayon.
Each gift brought a lump to Krew’s throat.
He opened Cassie’s present last, a sports whistle set. She’d had his name monogrammed on the side of the whistle with a simple message engraved on the box: Push forward.
The woman knew him so well.
He turned to her and smiled. “Thank you. It’s perfect.”
“Mom was all worried about what to get you,” K.T. told him.
“Yeah, money is a little tight right now, and—” Braxton stopped at the look Cassie shot him.
Krew met Cassie’s gaze. “I really do love it.”
He experienced a surge of satisfaction when her smile blossomed. It took every bit of his self-control not to pull her into his arms and show her just how much he liked it…and her.
Cassie went next, saving his box until last. Her fingers trembled as she lifted the two gift certificates from the tissue. One was for Swoon and the other for the consignment store she’d mentioned in Sturgeon Bay. Her gaze sought his. “This is too much.”
He waved away her concern. “You need clothes for your new career. This will give you a good start on that wardrobe.”
She opened her mouth as if to argue, but Dakota pointed to the gift at her eldest brother’s feet. “Braxton, you’re up. K.T., be ready.”
“You’re next, Dakota,” Braxton reminded her.
“I already opened my gift.” Dakota pulled the latest iPhone from her purse and shot a sunny smile at Krew.
Braxton ripped off the paper on his gift.
“Oh, man, these are sick.” Braxton reverently lifted one of many AR/VR gadgets from the huge box. “Thanks, Krew.”
Cassie took one look at the gift and raised her brows, obviously having some idea of the cost.
When K.T. opened his gift—raw pigments and a grinding set—he looked at Krew, wide-eyed. “I can make my own paints.”
“That’s the idea.” Krew breathed a sigh of relief. The person he’d spoken with at the art store in Green Bay had said a serious artist would appreciate such a gift.
“I’ve been wanting these for so—” K.T. paused to clear his t
hroat. “Thanks, man.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Hey, brat.” Braxton tousled his little brother’s hair. “Your turn.”
The child tore at the paper on his gift, flinging it and the bow aside. He pointed at the picture of the car carrier truck on the outside of the box. “My truck.”
“Yes. Your truck.” Krew sat on the floor beside the boy and helped Axl take out the toy.
The boy squealed when he saw not only a truck, but the cars that went with it. In seconds, Axl was pushing the truck all over the hardwood floor, making zooming noises.
Krew looked up to find Cassie gazing at him with misty eyes. “It’s not much.”
“You know what he likes.” Cassie’s gaze slid around the room, pausing on each of her children.
Dakota scrolling on her phone.
Braxton checking out the VR goggles.
K.T. intently studying his paints.
“What they all like,” Cassie added.
“What about you?”
“It’s too much money, but I know you won’t take it back.”
“We know each other so well.”
After a moment, she nodded. “I believe we do.”
He and Cassie—with Dakota’s help—cleaned up the wrapping paper and boxes. Once that was done, they toasted marshmallows in the fireplace and made s’mores.
“I’m going to take Axl with me to Gram’s,” Dakota told her mother when the child’s eyes began to droop. “She and Len have this whole big thing planned in the morning.”
“I heard Len is going to dress up as—” Cassie stopped, as if conscious of little ears.
Dakota nodded. “Are you sure you don’t want to come and spend the night? She’s got enough room for all of us.”
“I already told Mom the boys and I will sleep in our own beds and then head over there bright and early.”
“We told Grandma we’d sleep over, too,” Braxton announced.
Cassie frowned. “When did you tell her that?”
“This afternoon when she called.” Braxton’s gaze dropped to his gift. “Len is going to think these are so cool.”
