Jack took him and danced in a circle, bouncing softly. “Hello, little wrangler.” He blew a raspberry on the baby’s cheek, and Nat’s heart melted at the giggles that erupted.
A great big dash of disappointment followed closely at the end of that feeling. The baby was obviously in love with Jack, which meant his mother probably was too. There was no need to feel jealous–even though tendrils of green shot out of her in all directions.
She decided to introduce herself to the woman while Jack played with the baby. Was there anything more attractive than a guy who knew how to make a baby happy? “We’re looking for the veterinarian.”
“That’s me.” Faith talked over the baby’s squeals and laughter. “… been working with the reindeer for two and a half years now. I’d be happy to talk to your animal rights representative. Let me get my coat.”
As she turned to grab her winter gear, a strikingly handsome man appeared behind her in the hallway. Natasha stared at him for a full three seconds and then turned and stared at Jack. “Twins?” she exclaimed like an idiot.
Faith chuckled. “Double the trouble, that’s for sure.” She pecked a kiss on the new guy’s cheek. “Caleb, can you take Ryder for a bit?”
“Love to.” He stepped onto the porch.
The minute Ryder spied him, he put up his hands and babbled, “Da da da da.”
Jack let him go, and Ryder placed a slobbering kiss on his dad’s scruffy cheek.
Nat put her hand over her chest, surprised at the lightness that rushed through her body as she realized Jack was the uncle and not the father. It shouldn’t matter at all. And yet she was having a physical reaction.
Would the butterflies please stop fluttering?She demanded, aiming her thoughts at her stomach where the foolish little things danced.
“So you could tell the difference between them?” Faith asked her.
“Of course, she could tell the difference,” Jack quipped. “I’m the better-looking one.”
“I let him think that.” Caleb winked.
“I’m starting to understand the double trouble issue,” Nat teased as she eased into the sense of family and home that seemed to circle the porch.
Faith finished buttoning up her coat. “I’m off to Hollywood.”
“We’re dubbing it Tinsel Town,” Jack said, elbowing Nat.
She smiled. “I like it.” And she did. She also warmed slightly at the intensity of his gaze. Had a man looked at her that intently before? She didn’t think so.
Faith grinned up at Caleb. He paused in his bouncing to kiss her on the lips. The moment was tender, and Nat filed it away to include in one of her movies.
“Take your time; I’ll get a little elf down for his nap.” Caleb tickled the baby and spun in a circle, making him laugh harder. He had the kind of laugh that was contagious.
Natasha would love to get it on a laugh track; she’d make billions with that sound.
The three of them headed back to the side-by-side. Natasha deferred to Faith, letting her take the front seat. It seemed safer that way, like she would have been staking a claim on sitting next to Jack if she’d sat up front.
They rode slowly into the trailer park–though they’d need a better name for it than that. The far section was where the living trailers lined up. She’d find her assigned trailer later tonight. She might be in with the makeup artist, which would be totally awesome.
She wasn’t the only one hard at work. The art department was hard at work building the Christmas tree lot. Two men carried a stack of 2x4s on their shoulders, unloading the moving truck that held the lumber. The foreman had a temporary desk nailed together, and the blueprints rolled out in front of him.
A sense of excitement filled her. She was finally on set in a movie where she would get credit for being the production house representative and a featured extra. Elf number one, two, or three–depending. This was it; she was on her way.
Takethatex-boyfriend and everyone that told her she’d never do better than him.
Okay, so that was his younger sister who mistakenly thought Nat was the one who broke off the three-year relationship, but still–she could hold her head a little higher today.
She drew in a deep breath of crisp country air, and a wave of homesickness washed over her. Perhaps she shouldn’t have let old what’s-his-name chase her out of town. Perhaps she should have handled the gossip, gasps, and stares better. But she’d been younger then and brokenhearted.
They went over a bump, and she had to grab the side as they rocked. Thankfully, the movement shook her thoughts away from home and back to Sleigh Bell County.
Next year, she was going home for Christmas, and she’d do so with a movie credit to her name.
