This Christmas (11 page)

“Oh, sure. What do you need?”

Bree told him where to find her pajamas, and she changed her very tired girl out of her dress and tights, got her to the bathroom and then settled into bed easier than she thought. The kid was done, but she did manage to give Bree a hug and then she reached for Jake.

“Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered. “I can’t wait until we all go skating.”

Huh?

“Me too. But I’ll see you before that. I’ll figure something out with your mom.”

“Okay.” Charlie pulled him close and Jake clutched the child like he’d never let her go.

“Good night, baby girl.”

Their daughter was asleep before her head hit the pillows. All Bree could do was slump into the doorframe for support as Jake pulled the blankets over Charlie’s shoulders. The two of them were melting her heart and the wash of regret she felt was palpable. He was a good man, and she’d treated him so badly. So had her family.

Stepping out of the room, Bree pressed her back into the wall and wondered what happened next. Did they work out some kind of schedule? Did she wait for a call? Did they have to get lawyers involved?

Jake pulled Charlie’s door closed and then faced Sabrina. He was all sexy and sweet with his rolled up sleeves and easy manner. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and grinned at her.

“I’m so sorry about my dad today. What he said was uncalled for and I’m sorry.”

“He told you?”

“I made him tell me,” she said. “And I feel terrible about it.”

“Forget about it. He pissed me off, but I was out of line threatening you. I don’t want to upset Charlie. Or you.”

“Okay, you’re sure?”

“Positive. Your dad can go to hell, though.”

Bree, who adored her father, had to agree because Jake didn’t deserve the blame. Her dad, as good a man as he was, could get mighty nasty when he thought someone was threatening his family.

Jake moved around the upstairs hall and picked up a glass Christmas ball that was in a small dish on a table. He looked at it, ran his thumb over the pattern and then returned it to its spot. Bree on the other hand was holding her breath, waiting for him to say something—anything—about their situation.

“You should have warned me how rabid she gets at games.”

Uh oh
. “Why, what happened?”

“It was the third period. Team was losing, and I was sitting in the back of the seating area in the team box talking to the general manager and the owner, when all of a sudden, the three of us hear our darling daughter screaming at the refs for a penalty they called.”

Bree’s eyes grew wide and she clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, no.”

Jake was smiling, thank God, because she could only imagine what Charlie said. She never actually swore, but what she did was pretty close for a nine-year-old.

“I believe I did hear her tell the ref he needed to pull his head out of his butt.”

“No, she didn’t.”

He chuckled. “Leaned right over the rail and let loose. The fans in the section below the box started cheering for her and a guy in the box next to us gave her a high five.”

“But the GM. The owner...”

“Loved her. They want her there for every game because she can say things they can’t.”

Bree laughed and so did he. It was a nice moment, comfortable.
Heartbreaking.

“I’ll call about seeing her sometime this week if that’s okay.”

“It’s fine. You can see her whenever you want.”

“Thanks.”

There was a burst of giggles from down the hall and the corner of Jake’s mouth ticked up in response. Suddenly, Sabrina felt more like the eighteen-year-old student she was when she met him than the twenty-nine-year old professional she was now. Her girlfriends were still there, still giggling.

“Having a sleepover?”

“We always do after baking days. I think during the holidays they’ve always slept here more than their own homes, except Jade, maybe.”

“She lives upstate, right?”

Bree was shocked he remembered. “Yes. She’s leaving tomorrow to go home. I don’t know if I’ll see her again before Christmas.”

“The other two I met? Cass and Kara? You’ll see them?”

“They both live in the city. Kara’s going to have her baby soon.”

Jake nodded and fingered the pine garland that circled the railing around the stairs. Her mother didn’t just decorate part of the house, all three floors glittered with silver and gold ornaments, tiny lights, and pine, the scent of which mixed with whatever Jake was wearing and it made her think of their night in Acadia.

“I was always amazed at the bond you all had. I mean I know I never met them, except for Elena, who was around a lot the summer I was here. But you talked about them so much.”

Had she? Bree wasn’t aware, but they were all such an important part of her life she supposed it was true.

“They must think I’m an asshole,” he said with a wry smile.

Bree was fairly sure with her obnoxious outburst right before he’d brought Charlie home that she was the one they thought was the asshole. Boy, did she have some apologizing to do.
Change the subject, Bree. Change it.

“I should go...” He thumbed toward the stairs. “Thanks for trusting me with her.”

“Don’t thank me for that.” Bree looked away, completely overwhelmed by his presence. “Um, what was it she said about skating?”

“Oh, right.” He snapped his fingers. “Her team is having a family skate. She asked me to go.”

“That’s great, you’ll have fun. Ryan and my dad always go with her.”

Jake nodded and cocked his head to the side. “You don’t go?”

“Uh, no. I can’t skate, you know that.”

“I’ve never actually seen the train wreck that is you on skates, but you’ve told me. So has Ryan.”

“I mean, I’ll be there, but safe. On a bench. With hot cocoa at the ready.” Just the thought of getting skates on made Bree’s knees shake. She and the ice did not get along.

“I don’t think so.” Jake folded his arms and leveled a steely gaze at her. “I’m going to teach you.” That wicked intense look might work intimidating some rookie player, but with her? No.

“Teach me? I don’t think so.”

“I think so.” He reached out and tapped her nose. “Charlie said she wants you to skate with her. So I’m going to teach you how.”

“Jake, I can’t skate. As soon as my blades hit the ice, I’m down.”

He leaned close enough for her to feel his breath on her face. “I won’t let you fall.”

“Jake, no. I can’t.” Bree started for the stairs, but he was right on her heels. She wasn’t prepared for him getting hold of her hand pulling her toward him.

“If you don’t try, what kind of example is that for our daughter?”

He smirked, damn him, looking too cute for his own good. Or hers. Why did he have to pull the “good example” card?

“Fine. But when I’m in the emergency room with a broken tail bone, you’re going to have to explain it to her.”

“I’ll be there, Bree. You won’t get hurt.”

The words, so full of meaning, brought tears to her eyes. Hurt? All they did was hurt each other. “Jake, I....”

“You know what I mean. God, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’ve had some wine, and it’s the holidays. Add all the changes to that, and I’m a lot more emotional than usual.”

He brushed a tear from her cheek. “Yeah, there have been a lot of changes, especially in the last twenty-four hours, huh?”

“Yeah.”

Jake followed her downstairs, the two of them lingering by the front door.

“When are you free this week? Any evenings?” he asked.

“Uh, Wednesday. Why?”

He grinned again, the gesture lighting up his eyes, and Bree’s heart just stopped in her chest. Stopped. Jade was right about him.

A panty dropper, indeed.

“I need to reserve ice time. You’re getting a private lesson.”

“Reserve time? Um, don’t go through any trouble for me.”

“You want to be out there with little kids darting around your legs?”

She didn’t want to go ice skating at all. She
really
didn’t want to be alone with him, but for Charlie? She’d do just about anything. “Do what you have to do. Let me know the time.”

He nodded and for a second leaned forward, almost like he was going to kiss her, and Bree wanted to go the last couple inches and finish the job.

God, did she want to kiss him.

Sensing they were treading on dangerous ground, each stepped back at the same time. “Okay. I’ll pick you up around eight on Wednesday.”

“I can meet you wherever you want. No need to go out of your way.”

“And risk you standing me up? Hell, no.” He opened the front door. “I’m picking you up.”

She rolled her eyes because he knew her so well, even after all these years. His leaving, smiling at her, waving goodbye as she stood in the doorway freezing—it was all a blur as she went back upstairs to her room. The second she walked in and closed the door, Bree burst into tears.

“Oh my God!” she cried. “Oh no! You were all right. I’m so sorry I was a bitch. I’m so sorry.”

Cass and Jade were at her side, and Kara was making room on the bed for her. “Come here, oh, you poor thing.” Kara rubbed Bree’s back as she dropped her head on the pillow.

Cass and Jade knelt next to the bed, offering comfort, but there was nothing to be done. Bree was in a hell she’d never escape from... she was in love with a man who didn’t love her. Sure, Jake was attracted to her, but he didn’t love her. If he did, he would have come back. He wouldn’t have left in the first place.

“What is wrong with me? Am I still in love with him? Am I always going to love him?”

“Yeah,” Jade said patting her knee. “Yeah, you probably are.”

Cass blotted her eyes with tissues, her friend’s face was so kind and sweet. Bree hated how mean she’d been to Cass. If anyone understood how Bree felt, Cass did.

“You’ll handle it,” Cass said. “You will. You’re strong.”

Bree didn’t think she’d ever be able to handle how she felt. Ever. And she wasn’t strong. Curling up, with her friends around her, just like the day she found out she was pregnant, Sabrina cried for the man who didn’t love her.

J
ake stood on the front porch at Sabrina’s house and he had no idea how this date was going to go. He hoped knowing he was trying to do the right thing for Charlie, and that he and Sabrina were doing okay would be enough to keep her parents off his back, but he had a feeling he was going to have a hard time with Ed Gervais no matter what.

Sure enough
The Big Guy
was the one who answered the door.

“Hello, Dr. Gervais.”

“Jake.”

The man was holding an iPad, and eyeing him up and down. It was uncomfortable until Charlie came bouncing in the room with Holly following. His girl jumped into his arms and rewarded him with a strong hug and the dog sat at his feet, tail wagging. Her grandfather, however, was pretty pissed off about the open affection Jake received from his daughter. Jake, on the other hand, didn’t care what Bree’s dad thought. The only person who mattered at that moment was Charlie.

Jake set her on the floor tugged her finger. “How was school today?”

“Okay, I guess.”

“Those girls still bugging you?” Charlie had told him about the girls in fifth grade, just a year older than her, who teased her about pretty much everything.

“Kinda. They said I was lying about you coming to the dance. Marissa said everyone knows I don’t have a dad.”

Jake rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “I guess they’ll be surprised to meet me then.”

“Charlotte?” Her grandfather squatted down. “Who’s teasing you? Marissa Lake?”

Charlie nodded and Bree’s dad reached out and pulled her into a hug. “You don’t let anyone make you feel bad. You know the truth, and that’s all that’s important.”

“I know. But I overheard the class moms talking about Mommy, too.”

That changed the game. Dr. Gervais looked at Jake over Charlie’s head and instead of his angry look, he’d softened and appeared more concerned. “Your mother loves you, my dear girl. Don’t you listen to a word.”

“Even if the word is bad?”

Jake felt all his muscles tighten. His urge to protect not only Charlie, but Sabrina was strong, and while he should have been surprised to feel that way, he wasn’t. It felt right.

“Why don’t you go tell your mom Jake is here.”

She nodded, and without another word, ran upstairs with Holly in tow, leaving Jake and Bree’s dad alone again.

“I hate that this kind of nastiness is touching Charlie.” So much for feeling intimidated. He and Dr. Gervais were feeling the same thing—concern for family.

“Has it been going on for a long time?” Jake asked.

Dr. Gervais rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “People forget this is a small town and I know everyone. The place is a blessing and a curse. I grew up here. Marissa’s mother, Amanda, was a mean girl growing up and she hasn’t let age change her ways. She’s a year or two younger than Ryan. Had a crush on him that didn’t work out and she’s been spewing venom in our direction ever since.”

“So now her kid is taking it out on Charlie?”

“Kids make mistakes, Jake. They’re kids. Bullying or teasing is never right, but it happens. Our job is to teach them so, as they grow up, it’s not part of who they are. Unfortunately, some parents don’t learn, so their kids will keep the cycle going. If I remember, Marissa’s grandmother wasn’t very nice either.”