He continued to stare at her, his eyes boring into her until she dropped her gaze and then he turned to Lizzie. “So, who is actually going with you sweetie?”
“Tasha, me, Philip, Juan and my friend Danielle. Can you or Tasha call Danielle’s mom to let her know that Tasha is going with us and we will take her home afterwards?” asked Lizzie.
“Yes, of course.” With a questioning frown he added, “Didn’t I tell Amanda six tickets?”
“Yes, Tia was coming too, but she is on vacation so we have a spare ticket,” replied Lizzie, probably already drawing up a short list of possible last minute replacements.
“Then I’ll come with you. Lizzie, give me the number for Danielle’s mom and I will call her,” said Jim.
Juan was staring at Tasha, as were Philip and Lizzie almost urging her to challenge his decision to tag along with them.
“Do you like Peroxide Pirates then?” Tasha asked Jim, trying to do the children’s bidding but without simply coming straight out with a suggestion that it might not be his thing.
“I’m not over familiar with their work, but what I’ve heard is okay.” He smiled a confident and knowing smile at her, obviously aware of what she was doing.
“Then I look forward to dancing with you.” She grinned back with a short wink.
“Bring it on, baby.”
“How lame is that? My dad is coming with us,” pouted Lizzie.
“You don’t have to come with us if you don’t want to, and don’t pout Lizzie,” said Jim seriously.
Tasha wondered if Lizzie would end up struggling to sit down if she pouted again and very much doubted it, but Lizzie said no more.
Philip leapt up and picked up Jim’s gifts and handed them to him.
He opened his presents enthusiastically as Philip and Lizzie informed him who they were off, as if he couldn’t read the cards attached.
Lizzie passed him a manila envelope. “I don’t know who it’s off, but the wrapping isn’t exactly imaginative.”
Tasha laughed and put her hand up.
Lizzie began to offer mumbled apologies, “I didn’t know, sorry, I am sure it’s great.”
Tasha laughed again. “Lizzie, it’s fine.”
Jim opened the envelope and lifted its contents out and gasped, “Oh baby, how cool is that?” Everyone looked at Jim as he explained, “There is now a star called James Maybury.”
He showed everyone the documents detailing the name and location of his star as Tasha moved down to where Jim was sitting and kissed him gently on the lips.
He pulled her across his lap to join him, wrapped his arms around her and landed a single delicate kiss against her cheek. “Thank you.”
“Why a star?” asked Sara.
“I remember Jim telling me that he used to be into astronomy and I was struggling to find a gift for the man that has everything, and then I found this star naming thing.”
“I didn’t know you were into astronomy,” said Sara, sounding a little irritated.
“Why did you think I had a telescope?” asked Jim equally as irritated by her irritation.
Tasha felt the tension between them and thought they actually did sound like a married couple now.
“Because you are a big kid who wastes his money on toys, gadgets and divorces,” came Sara’s barbed reply.
Tasha attempted to get up from Jim’s lap, but his grip tightened on her. She was going nowhere.
“Are you working today?” Tasha asked anyone and yet nobody in particular, just desperate to somehow change the subject and lighten the mood.
