A Family Under the Christmas Tree by Terri Reed Page B

never compete with the life she led. Not that he intended to compete. But seeing the reality of her exciting and fast-paced world was reason enough to keep his heart firmly locked behind the walls he’d built over the years.
    It didn’t matter if he was attracted to Sophie and liked her a lot. He couldn’t let her into his heart. He couldn’t let his defenses down. Not now, not ever.

    Thursday afternoon, David sat in a meeting with a team of people from an advertising agency that wanted his company to do an overhaul of their software programs to up the company’s efficiency. As David’s chief financial officer, Ken Larson, and the ad agency’s CFO talked dollars, David’s mind wandered to Sophie.
    When she’d arrived this morning, she’d looked so fresh and pretty in jeans and a green sweater that deepened the color of her eyes to match the inviting waters surrounding the islands in her photographs.
    He’d been hard-pressed to leave. But leave he did. Being around Sophie wasn’t good for him.
    He hadn’t been able to fall asleep after she’d left his house last night. His mind had wanted to play “what if?” What if he and Sophie fell in love? What if Sophie were content to live in Bellevue and help him raise Troy?
    What if he and Troy went with her on her travels? What if he developed his app and could afford to hire someone else to run his company so he could spend all his time with Troy and Sophie?
    But he’d learned as a kid that what-ifs were fantasies that never happen. And letting his mind entertain such ridiculous thoughts wasn’t productive. And being productive was the key to success.
    â€œWe’re in agreement, then,” David heard his CFO say, bringing him back to the moment. Both men turned their attention to their employers. David trusted Ken with the numbers and gave a nod of consent.
    â€œYes,” the ad agency owner said. “Mr. Murphy, how quickly will we be able to implement the new software?”
    Looking at his notes, he said, “By March.”
    â€œWonderful. I look forward to that day.”
    They shook hands, and David walked the man to the door. “We appreciate you taking a chance on us.”
    â€œYour company has an excellent reputation, Mr. Murphy.”
    â€œWe do our best,” David replied, pleased by the encouraging words. He and his team had worked hard to get where they were. In an area with more than three hundred software and tech companies competing for business, David’s start-up was gaining traction. To know that others thought well of the company meant a lot to him.
    After the client left, David wrapped up a few other issues with his design team and his production team before heading home. He parked in the garage and entered the quiet, empty house. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he was anxious to see Sophie. Troy, he amended. He was anxious to see his nephew. He hurried to the Griffiths’ without changing clothes.
    Louise answered the door. She had a set of crutches under her arms. “Welcome to the North Pole.”
    Louise’s living room did indeed look like a toy factory, complete with a little elf wearing a Santa hat and a large dog posing as a reindeer. Troy sat on the floor with a tape dispenser in his hands and carefully measured off a piece to hand to Sophie. She sat beside him with a matching Santa hat perched on her bent head. She took the piece of tape and put it on a festively wrapped present in her lap. There were stacks of wrapped gifts alongside a stack of unwrapped toys.
    â€œWhat is all of this?” David asked.
    â€œToys for the needy,” Troy announced proudly.
    David’s breath seized in his chest. Old memories rushed to the forefront of his mind. Memories of Christmases when he and Daniel were young and a parade of nice people would stop by with prettily wrapped presents to give to the poor little Murphy children. The shame and