However, they’ve been so supportive of my plans to participate in the float competition that I’ve pretty much forgiven them both.”
The glint in his eyes told her that he saw right through her subject dodging. Thankfully, he didn’t press her.
“It’s unbelievable that you all have remained such great friends,” Jordan said. “It must be comforting knowing you always have someone you can count on.”
The envy in his voice caused a bit of sadness to tug at her heart. “You have people you can count on, Jordan.”
“I know I do. But I also know that I’ve made a few enemies lately.”
“If you’re talking about the election—”
He held up a hand. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not get into all of that. Not tonight. I’m decorating my family’s Christmas tree,” he said, running a hand over Mason’s smooth hair. “I want to enjoy this.” He looked up at her. “Having you here with us is going a long way in making tonight special, Vicki. Thanks for sticking around.”
“I said it before, but I guess it bears repeating. There is nowhere else I’d rather be right now, Jordan.”
They shared a smile before Vicki went back to stringing the lights on the tree. As she continued to thread the multicolored lights through the branches, she wondered if she’d eventually convince Jordan to trust her, not just with Mason, but also with his heart.
She understood his hesitancy. At the height of Allison’s treachery, a fair amount of the conversations over Monday-night dinner at the Quarterdeck had centered on the debacle between Jordan and his ex-wife. Sandra had kept Vicki and Janelle abreast of his ordeal and the toll it seemed to take on Jordan.
Suppressing her reaction to the demise of Jordan’s marriage became harder and harder with every story Sandra shared. She hadn’t wanted to appear overly interested. Even though Sandra and Janelle were the closest things she had to sisters, Vicki had kept her feelings for Jordan hidden from her two best friends.
If even half of what Sandra had claimed Allison had put him through was true, Vicki couldn’t blame Jordan for being gun-shy, but she had to think about herself, as well. She knew what she wanted out of life. As she caught glimpses of Jordan and Mason playing on the floor, she couldn’t help but think of how much the scene resembled everything she’d fantasized about for herself.
If she dwelled too long on just how close it was within her grasp, yet how far, it would crush her mood. Tonight was about living in the moment and enjoying it for as long as she could.
Jordan tried to get Mason to resume their decorating duties, but the little boy was more interested in the cylindrical container the Christmas balls had come in than actually putting the balls on the tree. When it was time to place the pointy star on the very top of the tree, Jordan grabbed a two-step ladder from the utility closet and held it steady while Vicki climbed. After a brief wobble, she positioned the star in the place of honor.
“There,” she said. “That looks pretty perfect to me.”
“I agree,” Jordan said.
She glanced over her shoulder and realized he wasn’t looking at the tree.
“I was talking about the star,” she said.
He lifted his eyes from her backside, a slight, sexy grin tipping up the corners of his lips. “Yeah, that, too.”
As she gingerly climbed down from the stepladder, acutely aware of Jordan’s eyes still on her, Vicki just knew her cheeks were flaming red.
“Where are the stocking hangers?” she asked once she was off the ladder.
That grin still on his lips, Jordan reached into one of the shopping bags and retrieved the hangers. He handed them to her, deliberately brushing his fingers over her palm.
“Do you remember what I said about needing time to figure this all out in my head?” he asked. Vicki nodded. “It’s taking me a lot less time than I thought it would.”
His words sent a rush of pleasure shooting through her
The glint in his eyes told her that he saw right through her subject dodging. Thankfully, he didn’t press her.
“It’s unbelievable that you all have remained such great friends,” Jordan said. “It must be comforting knowing you always have someone you can count on.”
The envy in his voice caused a bit of sadness to tug at her heart. “You have people you can count on, Jordan.”
“I know I do. But I also know that I’ve made a few enemies lately.”
“If you’re talking about the election—”
He held up a hand. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not get into all of that. Not tonight. I’m decorating my family’s Christmas tree,” he said, running a hand over Mason’s smooth hair. “I want to enjoy this.” He looked up at her. “Having you here with us is going a long way in making tonight special, Vicki. Thanks for sticking around.”
“I said it before, but I guess it bears repeating. There is nowhere else I’d rather be right now, Jordan.”
They shared a smile before Vicki went back to stringing the lights on the tree. As she continued to thread the multicolored lights through the branches, she wondered if she’d eventually convince Jordan to trust her, not just with Mason, but also with his heart.
She understood his hesitancy. At the height of Allison’s treachery, a fair amount of the conversations over Monday-night dinner at the Quarterdeck had centered on the debacle between Jordan and his ex-wife. Sandra had kept Vicki and Janelle abreast of his ordeal and the toll it seemed to take on Jordan.
Suppressing her reaction to the demise of Jordan’s marriage became harder and harder with every story Sandra shared. She hadn’t wanted to appear overly interested. Even though Sandra and Janelle were the closest things she had to sisters, Vicki had kept her feelings for Jordan hidden from her two best friends.
If even half of what Sandra had claimed Allison had put him through was true, Vicki couldn’t blame Jordan for being gun-shy, but she had to think about herself, as well. She knew what she wanted out of life. As she caught glimpses of Jordan and Mason playing on the floor, she couldn’t help but think of how much the scene resembled everything she’d fantasized about for herself.
If she dwelled too long on just how close it was within her grasp, yet how far, it would crush her mood. Tonight was about living in the moment and enjoying it for as long as she could.
Jordan tried to get Mason to resume their decorating duties, but the little boy was more interested in the cylindrical container the Christmas balls had come in than actually putting the balls on the tree. When it was time to place the pointy star on the very top of the tree, Jordan grabbed a two-step ladder from the utility closet and held it steady while Vicki climbed. After a brief wobble, she positioned the star in the place of honor.
“There,” she said. “That looks pretty perfect to me.”
“I agree,” Jordan said.
She glanced over her shoulder and realized he wasn’t looking at the tree.
“I was talking about the star,” she said.
He lifted his eyes from her backside, a slight, sexy grin tipping up the corners of his lips. “Yeah, that, too.”
As she gingerly climbed down from the stepladder, acutely aware of Jordan’s eyes still on her, Vicki just knew her cheeks were flaming red.
“Where are the stocking hangers?” she asked once she was off the ladder.
That grin still on his lips, Jordan reached into one of the shopping bags and retrieved the hangers. He handed them to her, deliberately brushing his fingers over her palm.
“Do you remember what I said about needing time to figure this all out in my head?” he asked. Vicki nodded. “It’s taking me a lot less time than I thought it would.”
His words sent a rush of pleasure shooting through her
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