Page 48 of Heart of a Hero

“I get that. The biggest thing for me is that Lizzie has a good day.” He rolled over, tenderly running his hand over Forrest’s smooth chest. “That’s all I really hope for with the holiday.”

Forrest stroked Conrad’s cheek. “So there isn’t anything that you want for Christmas?”

Conrad shrugged. “I don’t know. Right now I have just about everything I could want. So there’s nothing more that I really need. Lizzie is amazing, Mom is in good health, and I have this relationship starting with this really great guy who listens, and he’s sexy as well. So as far as my list to Santa, I’d say that I already have the trifecta.”

Forrest leaned closer. “What’s that?”

“Okay. The trifecta of good things in life. See, you can have a hot place to live, a hot job, and a hot lover. But it’s really difficult to have all three at the same time. The world or the fates just don’t seem to allow it.” He knocked on the bedside table. “But right now, I have all of those, so I don’t need to ask for anything more.”

“That’s an interesting philosophy,” Forrest mused, and he slowly sat up and climbed off the bed. He had spent much of the weekend with Lizzie and Conrad, but now it was time for him to go home… and in a way, back to real life.

“Join us for dinner tomorrow. Mom always makes enough to feed an army, and then you can stay overnight and have Christmas with us. Come over about five.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I am,” Conrad told him with a smile. “I wouldn’t have offered otherwise.” He patted Forrest’s shoulder after climbing out of bed. “It’s Christmas, and we should be with the people we care about. So come, eat until you bust, and watch Lizzie rip through enough presents to choke a horse. My mother always goes overboard, so it’s going to be a wrapping-paper paradise.”

“If you’re sure,” Forrest said. This was almost too good to be true. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow night at about five?”

“Perfect,” Conrad said, and Forrest dressed and leaned over the bed to kiss him.

“I’ll see you then,” he said, peering out the window. “And you might want to get up and dressed, because I think your mom just drove into her drive, so she and Lizzie might be over sooner rather than later.” He left the house, used the back door to go to his car, and drove to his apartment.

The place felt empty and a little lonely, especially since he didn’t have much to do. His work was all caught up, and he was off until right after the new year. He took off his coat, hung it up, and sat in his chair in front of the television to watch a movie. Forrest put his feet up and, after a while, closed his eyes. The movie wasn’t holding his attention, but he continued watching because he needed something to pass the time until he went to bed. Anything to make tomorrow at five come faster.

CHRISTMAS EVE dinner at Conrad’s was great fun. They played games and nibbled all evening long, and once Lizzie was in bed, Conrad broke out a couple of bottles of wine. They drank, put out Santa presents, and talked some more. By the time Forrest climbed into bed with Conrad, he was more than a little tipsy. He had intended to go home, but there was no way. Conrad took him by the hand and led him to the bedroom, where he fell into bed.

The next thing he knew, he was being jostled awake by Lizzie bouncing on the bed. “Daddy, Santa has been here. You gotta come see. It was the real Santa. It was.” She jumped down, and Conrad rolled over.

“The real Santa?” Forrest asked.

“She asked for a dog, so Santa got her a stuffed one.” Conrad grinned and got out of bed. Forrest loved that show of delight and slipped out of bed as well. He dressed quickly, because he had no idea how long it would be before Lizzie returned.

“Gramma’s here,” Lizzie called, and Conrad groaned.

“Did you call her?”

“Yes,” Lizzie answered, and Forrest checked the time. It wasn’t even eight in the morning, and she was already up and excited as anything. Forrest managed to finish dressing and followed Conrad to the living room, where he turned on the tree.

“I need coffee,” Conrad groaned.

“I brought my own,” his mom said, lifting her travel mug.

Conrad headed to the kitchen. “I’ll be right back.”

“But Daddy,” Lizzie whined, and Conrad flashed her a look that stopped her right there. Grandma patted the sofa next to her, and Lizzie climbed up. Then, once Conrad returned with two mugs and handed Forrest one, he set Lizzie loose on her Santa gifts.

“So what was the Santa test?” Forrest asked.

Lizzie looked up from where she sat with her new doll. “I asked for a puppy.”

“And it looks like you got one,” Conrad said, pointing to the stuffed dog next to her. “So he must have been the real Santa.”

“Yes. But I wanted a real puppy.” Conrad was relieved until Mom got up and left the room.

“You mean like this one?” Mom said, carrying a small wriggling bundle of joy. Lizzie squealed and ran to her gramma, who carefully handed her the poodle-mix puppy. He was still small. “Santa left him at my house.” She grinned, and Forrest wondered if Conrad knew about this particular gift. “He also left all this little guy’s stuff, including a bed, food, and everything.”

Forrest leaned close. “Did you know?” Conrad shook his head as his mom patted his knee.