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After he finished wrappingChris’s gifts, Declan jogged down the stairs into the great room and looked out the front windows. Chris was laughing, his head thrown back in glee, as he and Natalie walked around on the weird tennis racket ski things. Both had poles in their gloved hands and were using them to push off the ground, racing as fast as they could across the yard. The woman who denied being a klutz lost her balance and landed ass-first in the snow but laughed it off while struggling to get back to her feet. Chris must have razzed her about it because Natalie teasingly tossed a snowball his way.
His heart lurched.
Long ago, Declan had stopped believing he could have a simple family life like the one he’d had as a child. Although there was never snow in the historic neighborhood in Phoenix where he’d grown up, there was always laughter. His dad spent so many nights playing catch and pitching to him and Finn in the street in front of their house. And Thursday nights were game nights. Their parents let Declan and Finn take turns picking the games, and friends were always welcome, but what never changed was that they were together.
But even when he and Lauren were together, they’d never felt like a family. They didn’t have the partnership. Noyou got this, and I got thatlike he and Natalie had so effortlessly fallen into already. Nothing with Lauren had ever felt natural. It was probably why he never took the next step with her. But with Natalie, everything was easy.
Declan headed to the kitchen and pulled out chicken and vegetables. Everything was sautéing in the big pan when Natalie and Chris came in through the mudroom. Natalie’s cheeks were flushed from the cold, and a drop of water ran from her snow-covered hair down the side of her neck.
He fisted his hand to keep himself from reaching out for her. “Did you put your boots in the cubby and hang everything up, or is it all over the floor?”
“Uh.” Chris glanced over his shoulder and giggled. “Myboots are right.”
“Traitor!” Natalie scoffed but chased him back into the mudroom. The racket implied they were organizing.
“Do you know where Dad likes this?” Chris’s whisper was just loud enough for Declan to hear.
“I don’t really get his system.” Natalie chuckled.
Declan rolled his eyes. He’d have to go back in and straighten it out later. “Hurry up, you two. The stir-fry’s only got like twenty minutes.”
Natalie appeared first, with Chris trailing behind her.
“And don’t worry; I’ll make rice for you two.”
She smiled. “We’ll change fast, and then I’ll teach you to set the table.” She looked down at Chris. “I know a fun dance to go with the rap aboutspoon, right; fork, left.” Natalie’s shoulders bounced as she sang the words.
“You’re silly.” Chris giggled.
“You love it,” Natalie teased and headed out the kitchen door. And that lurch was smack dab in the middle of Declan’s chest again.
Dinner and dishes went quick, and Declan found himself on the sofa next to his son while Chris watchedThe Grinchfor the tenth time that week. Declan had his phone out, streaming the Suns basketball game on silent. Natalie was curled under a blanket on the other side of Chris, so lost in her book that the noise of the movie and Chris’s occasional singing didn’t bother her. Every once in a while, she’d smile like she’d read something funny, and her laughter would float through the air, making Declan smile.
Thiswas the dynamic some of his teammates talked about. Since Ryan Daily, his closest friend, had gotten engaged, he championed the “alone together” notion. When everyone was in the same room and enjoying the company but happily doing their own thing. Peeking over his son’s head to Natalie and back again, Declan finally understood what Ryan had been going on about these last few months.
The chorus of a Britney Spears song rang out, and Natalie reached for her phone.
“Hey, girlie.” The smile on her face when she talked to her daughter was different from any other Declan had seen this week. But the loving adoration Natalie sported only made her more gorgeous.
“Is that Addy? Can I say hi?” Chris asked, scrambling toward her on the couch.
“Chris…” Declan interjected, but Natalie waved him off, so Declan paused the movie.
“It’s totally fine. Come here and say hi.” She put an arm around Chris’s shoulders and pulled him close.
Declan smiled as the kids, who didn’t even know each other, dropped into easy conversation about which part ofThe Grinchwas better; when the Grinch steals the stuff (Chris’s choice), or when he gives it back (Addy’s pick).
“Are they staying at your house too, Mommy?” Addy asked after Natalie had convinced them that both parts made the movie the best.
“Yeah, they are.”
Declan couldn’t help the snort that popped out.
Natalie darted a look at him before she smirked. “Well,technically,I’m staying at their house,” she corrected.
“Yeah, it’s all Uncle Finn’s fault,” Chris chimed in. “Dad says he’s a real—”
Declan coughed, stopping his son from blurting what he knew he shouldn’t be repeating. “Chris…”
