Page 38 of A Lucky Little Christmas

Obviously. I tie up the sack I’ve filled, and stack it against the wall before getting another. “I get it. If some random guy was staying with my sister, I’d be worried, too.”

“It’s not that. Well, it is partly that. But the kids like you, and Piper says you’re good to them. To Scar.”

“I’m trying to be,” I tell him and he searches my expression, perhaps looking for any sign that I’m not trustworthy.

“Why?”

“Why am I trying?” I ask, and he nods. “Family is important to me. And they’re my family—you all are, as far as I’m concerned. I’m angry, really angry, that my dad kept this from us and we missed out on so much time with them. And even angrier that he’s left Scarlett to struggle for so long. I want to help—as much as she’ll let me.”

“And is she? Letting you, I mean.”

“More than she was when I got here.” Scarlett still pushes back when I try to do what she deems “too much”—usually the bare minimum, like folding the laundry when it’s dry, or cleaning up after myself. But she’s doing it less and less, and I’ve been able to help out more this week. The fact that she called me instead of walking home with Caitlin feels like a big step.

“How do you think she’s doing? Like, in general. She’s not great at opening up, even to me or Pipes, but you’re with her so much, so you probably see a different side of her.”

“I think … I mean, she’s killing it, obviously. She’s an amazing mom, she works hard, and she’s holding everything together. But she’s struggling. She shouldn’t have to hold it all together on her own. She doesn’t have to. I didn’t know her before my dad, but I’m guessing he has something to do with why she doesn’t like to let people in.” It’s impossible for me to talk about my dad without sounding pissed off.

“Yeah, it has everything to do with him. I wish she’d open up to someone—anyone, honestly.”

“She has been to me. A little,” I tell him, and he sits back, clearly shocked.

“Seriously? Damn. I guess Piper was on to something—as usual,” he says, chuckling and smiling fondly. “Your dad has been messing her around for so long. At least she knows the truth now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not totally sold on you yet, but you could be worse, I suppose.”

From Landon, that feels like a lot.

“I promise, I only want what’s best for them.”

“Maybe you could convince Scar to have a little fun and let her hair down. It’s been so long since she had even a night where she just got to be Scarlett, instead of Caitlin and James’s mom, you know?”

Convincing her to put herself first for even one night wouldn’t be easy, but maybe that’s exactly why I should. A couple of days ago, when Piper came over for dinner, she was telling us about a party at the only bar in Clover Pines, Grizzly’s. “Clover Pines Country Christmas Night”, she called it. She didn’t outright ask Scarlett to come, presumably because she knew she would say no and didn’t want her to feel guilty, but she heavily hinted that it would be fun.

Landon whoops, scaring the shit out of me. I follow his line of sight to the TV, where there’s a replay of Piper’s brother trying to shoot a goal, missing, skating straight into the goalie, and landing face first on the ice. At first, I think he’s being taken off the ice because he’s injured, but the referees lead him to a closed-in box off the ice, and a penalty flashes up on the screen for “goaltender interference”, whatever that means.

“Damn. I’m going to need you to come watch games with me more often,” Landon says, grinning from ear to ear. “I’d call you a lucky charm, but I don’t want to stereotype you.”

I laugh, grabbing another piece of wood for my bag. “Just say the word and I’m here. But I have a favor to ask in return.”

“Shoot.”