Sofia motioned for me to stand behind her, next to Maddox.
He placed one arm around my shoulders and a hand on Sofia's shoulder. I smiled right before Frank took a few shots. What would people think of the three of us in a Christmas picture? Would they assume I was trying to replace Marla? Or that it was too soon for Maddox to be dating someone new?
Then there was the other problem. This entire relationship was supposed to be fake, a way to get Maddox in good with the town council so he could be promoted to fire chief. I had to remember that none of this was real, no matter how good it felt.
CHAPTER 15
MADDOX
After taking pictures, we grabbed some hot chocolate. Eve was stopped several times by visitors who thanked her for everything she was doing in the town. There were quite a few comments from people who said they didn't normally visit Christmas Town, or they hadn't been since they were kids. The message was that people were visiting again, and it was all because of Eve and her sister.
I was impressed with her success. They'd only owned the town for a short while, and they'd renewed excitement in the venue.
We drank hot chocolate and ate chocolate-peppermint-flavored popcorn, watching the carolers singing. Sofia got in line to see Santa, and I stood off to the side, waiting for her.
When we were alone, Eve said, "Thanks for coming."
"It worked out because Frank was here." The night was a success if you considered the fact that Frank saw us together as a couple. Whether he believed it was real or not didn't matter, as long as we impressed on everyone that I was moving on and ready to accept the most important position in the fire department.
She winced slightly before she recovered. "Hopefully, we were convincing."
I pulled out my phone to show her the images of the three of us in front of the tree. We looked like a family, smiling brightly for the camera. Sofia was happy because Eve had asked her to light the tree. Our relationship was more than convincing Frank or the council of something; it was making Sofia happy. "Thanks for letting Sofia light the tree. She wasn't expecting that."
Eve smiled. "That was a last-minute kind of thing. It didn't feel like I should be the one lighting it, and then she was standing there. It made sense that she was the one to do it. She helped out with the toy drive, and she's important to me."
She liked Sofia. That would be a requirement of any woman I dated. It was too soon for me to be thinking about a relationship. I was positive Eve wasn't looking to add any baggage to her life, and that's what we were.
Sofia ran over to me with her candy cane. "Santa said I've been good this year."
I smiled down at her, ruffling her hair. "Of course you were."
She ripped open the candy cane. "I'm going to get exactly what I want."
I raised a brow because I'd already done my shopping for her.
"I want a mom," she said as she sucked on one end of the candy cane.
My heart skidded to a stop. "You have a mom."
I felt Eve move away.
She smiled sheepishly. "A few of the kids at school have stepparents."
I squeezed her shoulder, my throat tight. I didn't want her to feel like she was replacing her mother with someone else.
She shook her head. "You always said that your heart expands when someone else comes into it. I can love both of them. Can't I?"
"Of course," I said, but my throat was dry. Was I a hypocrite because I didn't think I could move on, but I was telling her it was fine?
She bit off a piece of the peppermint candy. "Santa said I'd get what I want, and that's what I want."
My mom appeared by my side. "What's this about getting what you want?"
I was grateful that Mom was here. Maybe she could help with this conversation, because I wasn't sure how to handle it.
"I asked Santa for a stepmom. She could bake cookies with me and read bedtime stories."
Mom exchanged a look with me over her head. "Grandparents can do that too."
