He ran out the front door and into the street–headed for the last place he’d seen Santa, which was in the commons on Main Street.
“Ethan!” Mom called behind him. “Come back! You’re not wearing a coat!”
He didn’t stop. The wind was cold and tore at his clothing, scratching his face and making his eyes water. He grabbed his phone and paused long enough to find Nick’s number. Then he started running again. It seemed like the only productive action, even though he knew it was crazy.
What was he supposed to do? He’d wished his son away.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Valerie cleaned the kitchen, wiping the counters twice. There wasn’t a crumb big enough for a mouse in this house on Christmas Eve. She wasn’t cleaning to clean; she just needed to keep her hands busy and her mind from falling all over what had happened with Ethan. Instead of the warmth she thought would fill this house with snuggles and whispered I love yous, it was empty and cold.
Once again, she was spending Christmas alone.
Dog tags chimed, and she turned to find Tanya and Tucker looking up at her expectantly.
“Why do you two look sad? You have each other.” She squatted down and rubbed both of their ears. “Beagles always look sad, though, don’t you? I should feel sorry for myself that the only ones I have to talk to tonight are you two, but I’m grateful you’re around.” She hugged their necks and then leaned back. “Let’s open your present.”
Digging under the tree, she found the gifts she sought and opened them for the dogs. Holding them up, she gauged their response. Tanya was the first to move. She sniffed and then snorted.
“You don’t like them?” Tucker huffed and lay as flat as possible on the floor. His cheeks even spread out. Valerie shook the elf-like doggie headbands she’d bought at The Christmas Shop, making the bells at the end of the elf hat ring.
“It’s like you don’t want me to know you’re there.” She teased him. “Just keep it on long enough for me to get a picture for Auntie.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket and spent ten minutes trying to get a good picture of the dogs in their festive headwear.
When Tanya scraped her headband off using the coffee table leg, Valerie tossed her phone on the couch. “This is more of a disaster than my conversation with Ethan.”
Acknowledging the moment brought it all flooding back to her. She flopped onto her bottom next to the coffee table and let the tears fall.
“What did I do wrong?” she asked the pups.
As the more sensitive soul, Tucker waddled over and licked her cheek. She pushed him back, rubbed his chest, and poured her heart out. “If he didn’t want to go with me, he could have said. Am I that pathetic of a case that he had to make up an ex-wife and a kid to scare me off?”
Tucker rolled onto his back to give her full access to his belly. Tanya gnawed on her headband, ignoring them. “At least I know what kind of a man he is.” She rubbed faster. “The kind who makes everything my fault. Right?”
Tucker wiggled and stood up, shaking his ears out. He put a paw on her knee in a comforting gesture.
“I’ll be okay. I’ve survived worse,” she assured him. “Although, this is a new kind of pain.”
Tucker whined, empathizing with her tears.
“Maybe love isn’t worth the heartache.” She huffed. “Don’t think I don’t know that would make an excellent country song.” She smiled softly at Tucker. “Merry Christmas, boy.”
It looked like it was one more year she was alone for the holidays. Guess Christmas wishes didn’t always come true.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Jingle bells sounded overhead, and Ethan looked up to see Prancer’s hooves and belly less than two feet above him. The reindeer appeared deadly, with is hooves galloping through thin air.
Ethan ducked for cover as the sleigh dropped to the ground.
“Are you crazy?!” he yelled at Nick as he exited the sleigh.
“Crazy fast,” Nick replied. “Do you know what flying over American airspace is like? Tricky–that’s what. Americans are serious about their unidentified flying objects.”
Lux stumbled out of the sleigh, as green as the grinch, her jaw set in determination. A nerdy version of Captain America supported her. He was buff and quiet, with an edge that told Ethan not to mess with him. His protective hold on Lux also spoke to how much he adored her.
Lux thrust her laptop at Ethan. “Open it,” she gasped for air, bending over and putting her hands on her knees. Prancer whined an apology. She waved him off. “Not your fault.”
Ethan didn’t have time for their antics and didn’t bother to open the computer. “Collin’s gone!” he yelled. “No one knows who he is. Some lady lives in my house, and Valerie acts like she’d never met Pearl.” He barely held down his panic.
