When Andrew stood, their gazes collided. His eyes not leaving hers, he picked up his cup and took a drink. After a moment, he asked, “What about you? Do you think I’ll win the ugly sweater contest?”
“Just the ugly contest,” Cole piped up, causing Ben to laugh and Andrew to roll his eyes.
Morgan swallowed, taking in that he was talking to her. She knew it was probably just to break the ice to keep everyone at the table from feeling awkward, but it still thrilled her that he was looking at her, talking to her.
“Maybe. That sweater is definitely...” Keeping it light despite the heavy fireworks going off inside her, Morgan gave a dramatic pause. “Something.”
He was something. Something wonderful. Being so near, hearing his voice, made her head a bit woozy. Did he have any idea how worried she’d been about him? How much she wanted to hold him as tightly as she could and never let go? But even if he let her hold him here and now, she’d have to let go before long. Because soon, he’d be leaving Pine Hill.
“Grandma got it for me,” he said. That Ruby had found the sweater for him wasn’t surprising. Nor was the fact that Andrew was proudly wearing it. “Yours is great, too.”
Morgan’s blue sweater was covered with gingerbread men and a big Oh, Snap written on it with a fabric paint pen she’d bought at The Threaded Needle.
“Greyson, Rosie has a special place set up for young guests,” Sophie said, standing. “A lot of fun things will be happening. Would you like Cole and me to take you over to where the others are?”
Greyson gave Andrew a pleading look, then turned big eyes on Morgan. “Can Andrew take me, please? I need to tell him about Brynne.”
“I...I don’t mind, so long as he doesn’t,” she said.
Was Andrew imagining the way Morgan was looking at him? She looked...no, he wasn’t going to think on that. He’d be leaving in a couple of weeks, following his plan to be a smokejumper. His dreams were coming true. He was happy. Ecstatic. Only...
Only her words to him plagued that happiness. If he’d not been leaving, Morgan would’ve been willing to open her heart to him. He’d have her and Greyson in his life. But the smokejumper drive within him was real. He’d put it off for so long. When he’d look back at the end of his life, if he didn’t train as a smokejumper, didn’t fight wildland fires, he’d feel as if he’d been a failure. He had to go. It was now or never.
“No problem,” he said, focusing on Greyson. He’d missed the kid, wanted to hear about Brynne, and he needed to tell him goodbye. That wasn’t going to be easy. He wasn’t even sure if Greyson was aware that he’d be leaving. It was possible Morgan had already told him, but Greyson didn’t act as if he knew. “It’ll give us a chance to talk.”
Greyson beamed up at him. As Andrew tried to find the right words, he listened to Greyson excitedly tell him one thing after another while they walked to the back of the large open room.
“And Mom and I ran around the yard tasting snowflakes and laughing. We had so much fun, but we wished you were there,” Greyson talked a mile a minute. Off to the side of the room was a hallway that led to an area set up with ‘reindeer games’ for the kids. “I’ve been missing you bunches. Where have you been?”
“I’ve been missing you, too,” Andrew admitted, knowing he’d be missing this kid a long time. “Bud, do you remember when we first met? You told me you wanted to be a firefighter and I told you that I wanted to be a firefighter who is part of a special group who battles wildfires?”
“A smokejumper.” Greyson nodded. “I didn’t tell anyone your secret. Not even Mom.”
“That’s right. You pinky-promised. Like I mentioned then, I really want to be a smokejumper.”
Understanding began to light in Greyson’s green eyes. “You’re going to do that now?”
Andrew nodded. “I’m going to train as a Hotshot and, Lord willing, earn my qualifications to then train as a smokejumper. I’m excited to finally be making my dream come true.”
“That’s cool,” Greyson said, obviously not understanding the full ramifications of what this meant.
“It is cool,” Andrew agreed, wishing he could leave it at that but knowing he had to make the boy understand. It wouldn’t be fair to leave that to Morgan to deal with. He wanted to make sure Greyson knew how special he was and how much he’d miss him. What he didn’t want was to hurt him. Ever. “But I admit to being sad about a few things, too. Things such as not getting to see you and your mom.” He took a deep breath. “I leave in two weeks, Greyson.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“A long time,” he admitted, thinking his sweater must have spontaneously shrunk a few sizes, as it seemed to be cutting off his breathing.
Greyson went watery-eyed, and he sighed. “I’m gonna miss you lots.”
Something deep in Andrew’s chest jerked. “I’m going to miss you lots, too, kid.”
More than he would have dreamed possible. This boy was in his heart and he knew he’d think of Greyson, wondering what he was doing, how he was doing, for years to come.
“Is that why my mommy cried the other night? Because you’re leaving us?”
Andrew’s heart did its jerky thing again. “Your mom cried?”
Greyson nodded solemnly. “She used to cry at night a lot before we moved here. But not now. Except she cried after the big fire where people got hurt.” His lower lip trembled a little. “I think she thought you got hurt, too.”
