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Nolan eased from the bed and felt around in the dark for his clothes before slipping into the bathroom and quickly getting dressed. It was still pitch-dark outside and the sun wouldn’t be up for at least another hour. Maybe it was wrong to be leaving her like this—letting her wake alone after all they’d shared together. But he also respected that she would need her space.
And then there was JJ to consider, as well. The little boy’s Christmas wish had plucked at Nolan’s heart and he’d wished he’d had the right to tell JJ that his wish could come true. He loved the child as if he was his own, there were no two ways about it. He wanted them both in his life but the decision lay firmly in Raina’s gentle but capable hands.
Once he was dressed, Nolan walked through the house to the sitting room. The tree lights glittered with their myriad colors, making the small room look exotic and exciting. He knew it wouldn’t be long before JJ wakened and raced to see what Santa had brought him. He wished he could be here to see JJ open his gifts, but with any luck he’d be able to share that delight with the little guy next year, and hopefully every year after that.
Nolan’s heavy winter jacket lay over the back of an armchair where he’d discarded it last night. He reached into the pocket and pulled out the small gift and the envelope with the note he’d written for Raina before picking her and JJ up last night. He placed them under the tree, in among the gifts for JJ, then quietly let himself out of the house and into the burgeoning dawn.
Sixteen
“Santa’s been here, Mommy. Wake up! Santa’s been here!”
Raina opened one bleary eye then the other as JJ’s joyful cries dragged her from sleep. She reached for Nolan, wondering how on earth they were going to explain his being there in bed with her, but her hand came up empty, the sheets cold beneath her touch. Raina quickly dragged on her nightgown and a robe and went to the living room where JJ was excitedly hopping from one foot to the other and staring at the bounty under the Christmas tree.
“Merry Christmas, JJ,” she said, scooping her son up for a cuddle and a kiss. As she expected, he squirmed in her arms wanting to be put down to get to the serious business of opening gifts. “Remember the rules, JJ. Only one gift now. Granddad will be here to have breakfast with us and you can open all the rest then.”
“Just one, Mommy?” JJ asked plaintively.
Raina held firm. She’d explained this all to JJ more than once in the days leading up to Christmas.
“How about you phone Granddad and let him know you’re awake? He can let you know what time he’ll be here.”
JJ raced to do as she’d suggested, pressing the speed dial button on the phone Raina had taught him to use. After a brief conversation, he ran back to the Christmas tree. “Ten minnit!” he announced, hopping from one foot to the other.
“Great, now which gift are you going to open first?”
JJ zeroed in on the massive present Nolan had left under the tree for him. “This one,” he said, and began tearing the paper off it immediately.
His squeal of delight was ear piercing when he saw the picture on the box. Raina hastened to help him open it and lift the bike out. There was a little assembly required but thankfully it only took a few minutes. Even better, Raina’s dad arrived to do it all for her. He raised an eyebrow in her direction when he saw the bike, knowing it wasn’t something she’d been able to afford for her son.
“It’s from a friend, Dad,” Raina said in explanation.
“Fancy wheels from a fancy man,” he commented with a brusque nod, his eyes not budging from her face.
Raina felt the heat of a blush rise in her cheeks and she turned away from her father’s piercing gaze.
“Now that you’re here, I’ll go and grab my shower and get dressed. Then I’ll make us all breakfast, okay?”
Without waiting for a response, Raina flew down the hall toward the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it for a few seconds, willing her blush to subside. Her father knew her too well. She’d seen that look on his face when she’d believed herself in love before. But this time it was different, she told herself. This time it was real.
Thankfully, her father didn’t seem inclined to say any more on the subject, and after they’d had breakfast and opened all the presents under the tree, he went back to his place. Raina started to clean up the mess of wrapping paper and boxes that JJ had strewn all over the room in his exuberance. She’d hoped that he’d have happy memories of this day. Goodness knew she’d tried really hard to make it so. Right now, he was in his room, playing with some of his new toys until Raina could take him outside on the sidewalk with the new bike.
