She wanted to be like them. A take-charge woman who finds that balance of faith, hope and love. From this moment forward, she was determined to do just that.
Chapter Twenty
Brett strode up Haley’s steps, resolved to have his say. No matter how much Haley hemmed and hawed, he was taking a stance. Todd was getting out of this house and seeing the world today, no matter how nervous it made her.
The door whipped open before he had a chance to knock. “Here you go.” Haley flashed him a quick smile as she propelled the three-year-old forward. “He’s very excited to be spending the day with you.”
A happy grin brightened Todd’s face. The new camouflage jacket Brett bought him fit over the cast loosely, and left plenty of room to grow into next year. A camo hat and mittens completed the mini-soldier look.
Brett reached down and scooped the little man up, then planted a kiss on his cheek.
“That tickles!” Todd giggled out loud as Brett nuzzled in.
“Hey, I shaved.”
He went perfectly still when Haley’s soft hand tested his cheek for nubbiness. The feel of her fingers, cool and slim, the fruit-salad scent of her lotion softened by a hint of vanilla...
She flashed him a grin, tapped his cheek lightly and said, “I think you need a new blade, big guy. Kinda rough for first thing in the morning, isn’t it?”
He caught her hand. Held it. Then let his tone say more than his words. “Is it?”
She paused, her gaze locked on her hand in his, then she sighed, soft and low, the kind of sound that made him yearn for the dream he thought he’d missed years ago. “No.”
Her whispered answer made him grin and want to conquer vast worlds. But for today, he’d just take the kid off her hands and let her get to work. “I’ll bring him and Tyler home tonight. We’ve got a project going with my mom and this guy’s accident put us behind. So we’re finishing things up after school and that way you can work until closing.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“How’s that?” Brett turned, puzzled.
“What if I don’t want to spend twelve hours working?” Haley asked. “What if I want to spend the evening with you guys?”
He leaned down, cupped the back of her head with his free hand and kissed her. “Music to my ears. We’ll meet at my place for supper. Five-thirty.”
She nodded, stepped outside and locked the door behind her. “See you then.”
He tucked Todd into his car seat while Haley walked around the corner to the cooperative’s entrance. Her green peacoat and mottled Christmas scarf looked great on her, contrasted against the snow.
“Brett! Can we go now?”
Brett pulled his gaze away from Haley and nodded. “Yes, buddy. Yes, we can.”
* * *
“Haley Jennings?”
Haley turned from the display she was fixing and smiled right off, then stuck out her hand. “Mrs. Stanton.”
“Joanna, yes.” Brett’s mother looked puzzled. “How did you know?”
“Brett looks like you. Only bigger.”
Pleasure lighted the older woman’s gaze. She took Haley’s hand and Haley sensed a quiver of nervousness. “Would you like some coffee, Joanna? Or tea? Soda?” She indicated the retro diner with a thrust of her chin. “My treat.”
Joanna shook her head. “I don’t have a lot of time, but I was over this way with my friend and...” She hesitated, prissed her lips, then breathed out. “Do you mind if I spend time with your boys?”
This wasn’t the spin Haley expected. She frowned, puzzled. “No. Why?”
“I’m an alcoholic.”
Understanding dawned. Haley nodded. “Brett told me.”
Joanna’s expression showed no surprise. “My son is a full disclosure kind of guy. And that’s not a bad thing,” she added. She drew a breath, gazed around, then brought her eyes back to Haley. “I wasn’t a good mother.”
Haley made a sympathetic noise of understanding.
“I can admit that, although I’m ashamed of myself. But I’ve got all the time the good Lord gives me now, and I just wanted you to know that I like spending time with those little boys. It’s as if—” she faltered again, then waded in “—as if God’s giving me a second chance to do things right. But I didn’t want you to worry about them when I’m around. I thought it was better if I just came to talk to you directly.”
Brave, thought Haley. A quality this woman passed on to her son. “You’ve made the decision not to drink anymore?”
“I have.” Joanna’s firm tone matched the clarity of her eyes.
“Then I think it’s wonderful for the boys to have you around,” Haley told her honestly. “Brett says you’re very creative.”
“That’s nice of him to say. I try to be.”
“And that you don’t mind noise.”
Joanna smiled. “Not in the least.”
“Well, then.” Haley hoped her matching smile offered reassurance. “Because I’m finding my way step by step with this new role, I’m more than happy to have company. Welcome aboard, Joanna. You sure you wouldn’t like coffee or something? It will take only a few minutes and I could use a break.”
“Well.” Joanna glanced around, then acquiesced. “My friend Sue is shopping and that may take a while, so, sure.” She straightened her shoulders and moved with Haley toward the café. “A cup of coffee sounds real good right about now.”
* * *
“Can we give them to her now, Brett? Puuuhleeeease?”
Haley shed her jacket, tossed it on the back of a chair alongside Brett’s entry and sent a mischievous frown Todd’s way a little after five that night. “Do you have a secret, little man?”
“For Christmas,” Brett scolded. He took her jacket from the back of the chair and hung it on its rightful hook, alongside the boys’ coats. “No peeking.”
“It’s almost Christmas,” Haley argued. “And girls love presents.”
“Do they?” Brett’s smile said that wasn’t exactly a revelation.
“Everybody loves presents.” Tyler sidled up next to Haley. He looked suddenly uncomfortable and wriggled. His brow creased.
“Are you okay, Ty?” Brett set plates on the table for Haley to spread around.
Tyler shrugged one shoulder. Concern wrinkled his brow. “Shouldn’t we go see Santa Claus soon? Or send him a letter? Because Christmas is really, really close, right?”
His worried gaze said he’d been thinking about this a long, long time. Possibly a day or two. Haley turned toward Brett. “Tonight?”
He had the grace not to look surprised that she was willing to jump in, both feet. He scanned the clock, then turned the burners off. “Get your coats, boys.”
“Really?”
“Really!”
“We can save the burgers for tomorrow, the roads are clear and it’s early enough. Let’s go.”
“I can’t believe it.” Todd drew out the l carefully, practicing. “I’m going to see Santa Claus. I’ll give him the biggest hug ever.”
“Me, too.”
Tyler’s declaration made Haley’s night. Such a little thing, to take time to go see Santa on the spur of the moment, but meaningful to a child. And Tyler wasn’t free with his hugs, like Todd, so to offer one to Santa? That highlighted the little boy’s longing. “Of course we won’t ask for too much,” she reminded them as they moved to the car. “It’s never good to be greedy.”
“I’ve got a few things to check out with the old fellow myself,” said Brett as he eased the car onto the road. “We’ll just see if he comes through.”
“Of course he will.” Haley turned and met his teasing look with one of her own. “Because it’s Christmas, Brett.”
* * *
By the time they vi
sited Santa and grabbed a quick supper, bedtime loomed.
“They’re zonked.” Haley closed the door with a quiet click and sank onto the couch, hoping Brett might join her.
He did. Then he lifted her hand, pressed a kiss to the palm and held it gently against the rough of his cheek. “Thank you for tonight.”
“It was fun, wasn’t it?”
He leaned back, put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close. “The best.”
“Do you think your mom can keep the boys Friday night so we can Christmas shop together?”
“You’re okay with that?” He leaned around to see her face. “Really?”
“I think she’s trying hard and deserves our trust,” Haley answered.
Brett couldn’t disagree. “I was wondering...”
“Yes?” She drew the word out to match his stretched-out tone.
“If we could have Christmas together. All of us. Like a family.”
She turned in his arm and her smile said he didn’t need words, but the words only compounded his happiness. “I think that would be perfect. You, me, the boys, your mother, Fiona and the baby and Charlie and LuAnn because Jess’s family is going to her in-laws on Christmas Day.”
“You’ve already planned it?”
“Hoped,” she corrected. She leaned up and planted a kiss to his chin, a kiss that found its way to his mouth when she smiled. “I hoped for just that and now we’ll plan it together.”
He’d been doing some planning of his own the past few days, determined to grab life anew. Planning a Christmas celebration with Haley made it seem even more possible.
Chapter Twenty-One
Brett figured they made an interesting crew at Christmas morning services. Todd and Tyler, excited and anxious to get on with their day and open presents. His mother, looking very much the grandmother as she doled out fruit snacks to one, then the other, buying time and quiet. Charlie and LuAnn, pleased to be part of a big family again. Fiona, holding Reilly, the tiny girl dressed in a My First Christmas red-and-white sleeper.
And Haley, a red plaid Christmas ribbon clipping the top of her long braid. The sight of her and those boys, dressed for a holiday with him made his heart soar.
Yes, it was soon.
Yes, they had time.
But he’d spent over twenty years on the sidelines. Now he wanted to be in the game, fully immersed. He only hoped and prayed she wanted the same thing.
Once church was over, Brett commandeered Haley and the boys. When he headed east out of town, she turned, confused. “Do we have a stop to make?”
The boys watched, intrigued, but not complaining even though gifts awaited them back at Haley’s. “A quick stop out here.”
“On Christmas?” She wrinkled her nose. “Brett, nothing’s open on Christmas, is it?”
“No.”
She frowned, then shifted her attention to the boys. “Hey, you two. Do you know what’s going on?”
“No.” Tyler shook his head but couldn’t quite hide the gleam in his eye.
“I don’t know anything, eiver!” Todd declared, but Haley’s look said she wasn’t buying it. Just before she opened her mouth to wrangle information out of Todd, Brett pulled up Buehrings Road and parked in front of the horse barn.
The boys giggled and scrambled out of their seats.
“We’re getting out?”
“Yes.”
“Brett, it’s Christmas,” she scolded as she climbed out of the SUV. “It’s winter, it’s cold, I’m in church clothes and we have people waiting for us.”
“LuAnn and my mother have it covered,” he promised.
“They knew we weren’t coming straight back?”
“Let’s just say they suspected as much.”
* * *
Haley drew a deep breath. She didn’t know a whole lot about throwing a family shindig, but she did know it was appropriate to show up, and she was about to remind Brett of that when the big, broad-chested soldier went down on one knee.
Her heart clutched.
Her hands clenched.
Her chin quivered as she thought of just how amazing this man was.
“I fink she’s happy,” Todd whispered loudly.
Tyler squirmed, but he looked pretty happy himself.
“Haley Jennings, I know we haven’t known each other long, and I—”
“Yes.”
He stared at her, hard. “You didn’t let me finish.”
She dimpled. “Do you really need to? I think my answer summed it all up.”
“A man would still like the opportunity to actually pose the question.”
“Oh. Well, in that case.” She dropped a wink to the boys. “Pose away, Colonel.”
He smiled up at her, and in that smile she saw the grace and goodness of a man like no other she’d ever known.
“Haley Jennings, would you do me the honor of marrying a crusty old soldier like me and letting me be a father to these two little boys? In the interest of everyone’s health, it might behoove you to know that it’s very cold down here in the snow.”
“Oh, you silly, delightful man.” She reached down, pulled him up and laughed when he twirled her around in the snow. “Yes, yes and yes. I will be delighted to marry you and raise these two beautiful boys together.”
“Leaving ourselves open to the possibility that they may at some point be joined by younger brothers and sisters?”
“At some point.” She sent him a look that said one step at a time. “And I wouldn’t object to a little girl with her daddy’s hazel eyes and my naturally curly hair.”
That made him grin.
The boys swooped in, offering their approval. “We get to live with the trains,” Tyler whooped.
“And Derringer will be my doggie,” Todd added.
“Our doggie.”
“I love him more than you do.”
“Do not.”
“Do so.”
“Do—”
“And on that note.” Brett scooped Todd up, leaned down and gave Haley a sweet, long kiss, a kiss that held the joy of the moment and the promise of tomorrow. “I’ve got one more question to ask.”
Haley snuggled in with the boys, the feel of Brett’s arms, his strength and warmth, wonderful beyond words. “What’s that?”
“I’d like to buy this barn, this land. We can have the barn made over into a house...”
“With so much room to run,” shouted Tyler. He wriggled free and jumped into the air. “I would love to live out here with Derringer, Aunt Haley! Please say yes!”
For the first time in a long, busy month, Tyler was acting like an excited, normal little boy. A child of hope, his fears erased, at least for the moment. That blessing, that step forward...
She reached up and drew Brett down for one last kiss. “I’d love that, Brett. So much. And I bet your mom would be a good one to help me plan things out. The minute I saw those Christmas ornaments, I knew she and I would see eye-to-eye.”
Her words pleased him. She saw it in his smile, his eyes.
Todd tugged his sleeve.
Brett leaned down. “Do you have to use the bathroom?”
Todd made a face at him. “No. You forgot the ring.”
“Got it right here,” Brett assured him. He pulled out a navy velvet jewelry box and flipped open the lid. A sapphire-
and-diamond ring gleamed against the satin setting. “Do you like it?” he wondered as he slipped it out of the box. “I wanted something as pretty as your eyes, but this was as close as I could get.”
“Oh, Brett.” She threw her arms around him and hugged him, then stood back and let him place the ring on her finger. “I don’t like it. I love it.”
His smile said she’d used th
e perfect words. He bent, brushed a quick kiss to her mouth, then herded Todd over to his side of the car. Tyler climbed up into his seat, his smile marking the day.
And that little-boy grin was the best Christmas present Haley could have imagined.
Epilogue
“Do you have Todd?” Brett wondered, glancing around the driveway late Easter morning.
“No. I thought you had him.”
Brett made a face. “Oops.”
Haley cupped her hands around her mouth, yelled for Todd, then sent a bemused look to Brett as the little boy came racing over from the convenience store. “Nipping cookies, I bet.”
“Growing boy.” Brett laughed as he caught the boy up and noogied his head. “We’re having dinner with Grandma. Stop eating.”
“I’m so hungry.” Todd breathed the words through a mouthful of sugar cookie. Crumbs spattered Brett’s clean white shirt. Haley brushed them away once they had Todd belted in his seat, and Brett seized the moment for a quick kiss and a smile.
Oh, that smile.
“We’re good?”
“Flowers, dessert, two boys dressed in camouflage.” She hiked a brow at that, then sighed. “I don’t know what was wrong with your Easter suits, boys.”
“This is cooler.” Tyler pulled his camo cap low on his brow. “Now we look like Dad in the army.”
“And Brett,” Todd added.
“You look adorable,” Haley assured them.
Both boys scowled.
“She means rugged, boys.” Brett met their gazes through the rearview mirror. “Fierce.”
“Yeah!”
“Yeah.”
“I am so in over my head,” Haley murmured.
His big right hand covered her left one. “There’s two of us. Man-to-man defense. We’ve got it covered.” He angled the car up the driveway of the well-treed cemetery in Bolivar a short while later. He steered the SUV around the winding road, then pulled to a stop just short of a wooded hillside. While Haley gathered the boys, Brett retrieved a patriotic wreath from the back of the SUV.
His Mistletoe Family Page 20
