kids.”
“And Lillian?”
“She raised three of her own, adopted one more and has six grandchildren with another one on the way. She can be as ruthless as the day is long, but her heart melts when it comes to children.”
“And does yours?”
Smiling, Jamie climbed to her feet and held out her hand. “Come with me and you’ll get your answer.”
Sensing that Jamie’s party plans for the night had not yet ended, as Diana took her hand, she said, “How come I don’t think you’re done playing Santa Claus?”
Without answering, Jamie simply smiled as she led Diana through the room. Coming to a stop next to where Ted Phelan was sitting, Jamie touched his shoulder to get his attention.
For a split-second, Ted sneered back at her, but then remembering his children were close by, he displayed the biggest of grins. “How you doing, Jamie?”
“Sorry to interrupt, Ted, but can I see you for a moment in the foyer?”
“Sure thing, Jamie,” he said, springing to his feet. After tousling his son’s hair, he gave his children strict orders to behave themselves and then followed the women out of the room. As soon as they reached the entrance hall, the sneer reappeared on his face.
“What’s this all about, Nash? I don't get a lot of time with my kids, so I prefer not to waste it on the likes of you.”
Taking a deep breath, Jamie shook her head. “Listen, Ted. Tonight isn't about you and I, okay? It's about these kids. So I'm asking you, just for tonight, can you please just give me a break? Please?”
He opened his mouth, preparing to let fly another cutting remark, but her words stopped him in his tracks. He had expected her to return his barb with one of her own, but instead, she only asked for a bit of common courtesy, and she was asking for it on Christmas Eve.
Remembering that he had just spent the last two hours in her home, enjoying a night with his children, Phelan’s expression softened, and he nodded his head. “What do you need, Nash?”
Relieved, Jamie said, “Linda had to leave to catch a train, and I’ve got a few things I need to do before the clock strikes nine. When it does, I need you to gather everyone and get them onto the patio. Can you do that?”
“What? Why?”
Thinking for a moment, Jamie smiled. “Because, what’s Christmas without Santa Claus, Ted?”
As much as he tried not to, a smile appeared on his face. He didn’t like the woman. He didn’t like her kind. He didn’t like her intelligence, or the fact that the most beautiful woman in the room was on her arm, but damn it all to hell, the merriment in Jamie’s eyes had just become contagious. He had no idea what she had planned, but suddenly Ted Phelan wanted to be a part of it.
“Consider it done.”
~~~
Standing on the patio just outside the kitchen, Diana took a breath of the frosty air and looked up at the heavens. Snow had begun to fall again, but unlike a few days earlier when it had rushed to the earth in whirling squalls, now it was just drifting lazily to the ground in silence.
The light of the full moon found its way through the clouds, and in the misted darkness, hundreds of twinkling stars sparkled against the backdrop of night.
Lowering her gaze, she looked out across the rolling, snow-covered meadow behind Jamie's house.
Appearing to go on for several hundred feet before ending at a stand of trees at the base of a hill, the only disturbance to the thick, white quilt of snow were a dozen trees dotted across the field, all of which were covered in white lights.
Drawn to a brightly lit steeple atop the hill, Diana asked, “Is that a church?”
Behind her in the darkness, Jamie smiled as she stubbed out her cigarette.
Walking over, she didn't stop until she was a hairs-breadth away from Diana.
Looking up at the church, Jamie snickered. “No, all homes around here come with steeples.”
With a snort, Diana glanced over her shoulder. “Ha, ha.”
Grinning, Jamie said, “Actually, this
“And Lillian?”
“She raised three of her own, adopted one more and has six grandchildren with another one on the way. She can be as ruthless as the day is long, but her heart melts when it comes to children.”
“And does yours?”
Smiling, Jamie climbed to her feet and held out her hand. “Come with me and you’ll get your answer.”
Sensing that Jamie’s party plans for the night had not yet ended, as Diana took her hand, she said, “How come I don’t think you’re done playing Santa Claus?”
Without answering, Jamie simply smiled as she led Diana through the room. Coming to a stop next to where Ted Phelan was sitting, Jamie touched his shoulder to get his attention.
For a split-second, Ted sneered back at her, but then remembering his children were close by, he displayed the biggest of grins. “How you doing, Jamie?”
“Sorry to interrupt, Ted, but can I see you for a moment in the foyer?”
“Sure thing, Jamie,” he said, springing to his feet. After tousling his son’s hair, he gave his children strict orders to behave themselves and then followed the women out of the room. As soon as they reached the entrance hall, the sneer reappeared on his face.
“What’s this all about, Nash? I don't get a lot of time with my kids, so I prefer not to waste it on the likes of you.”
Taking a deep breath, Jamie shook her head. “Listen, Ted. Tonight isn't about you and I, okay? It's about these kids. So I'm asking you, just for tonight, can you please just give me a break? Please?”
He opened his mouth, preparing to let fly another cutting remark, but her words stopped him in his tracks. He had expected her to return his barb with one of her own, but instead, she only asked for a bit of common courtesy, and she was asking for it on Christmas Eve.
Remembering that he had just spent the last two hours in her home, enjoying a night with his children, Phelan’s expression softened, and he nodded his head. “What do you need, Nash?”
Relieved, Jamie said, “Linda had to leave to catch a train, and I’ve got a few things I need to do before the clock strikes nine. When it does, I need you to gather everyone and get them onto the patio. Can you do that?”
“What? Why?”
Thinking for a moment, Jamie smiled. “Because, what’s Christmas without Santa Claus, Ted?”
As much as he tried not to, a smile appeared on his face. He didn’t like the woman. He didn’t like her kind. He didn’t like her intelligence, or the fact that the most beautiful woman in the room was on her arm, but damn it all to hell, the merriment in Jamie’s eyes had just become contagious. He had no idea what she had planned, but suddenly Ted Phelan wanted to be a part of it.
“Consider it done.”
~~~
Standing on the patio just outside the kitchen, Diana took a breath of the frosty air and looked up at the heavens. Snow had begun to fall again, but unlike a few days earlier when it had rushed to the earth in whirling squalls, now it was just drifting lazily to the ground in silence.
The light of the full moon found its way through the clouds, and in the misted darkness, hundreds of twinkling stars sparkled against the backdrop of night.
Lowering her gaze, she looked out across the rolling, snow-covered meadow behind Jamie's house.
Appearing to go on for several hundred feet before ending at a stand of trees at the base of a hill, the only disturbance to the thick, white quilt of snow were a dozen trees dotted across the field, all of which were covered in white lights.
Drawn to a brightly lit steeple atop the hill, Diana asked, “Is that a church?”
Behind her in the darkness, Jamie smiled as she stubbed out her cigarette.
Walking over, she didn't stop until she was a hairs-breadth away from Diana.
Looking up at the church, Jamie snickered. “No, all homes around here come with steeples.”
With a snort, Diana glanced over her shoulder. “Ha, ha.”
Grinning, Jamie said, “Actually, this
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