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22
The following morning,Faith left Megan and her sister, Mikayla, who was visiting from Auckland, in charge of The Shack so she could join the Walker family for their first official outing together. She met Shane and the boys in the town square where the Christmas parade would be centered.
She waved to Hugh MacAllister, the town council representative who was coordinating the event, and then hugged Shane in greeting. When he kissed her cheek, the touch sizzled all the way down to her toes, and she felt an answering blush rise on her cheeks. After keeping their feelings on the down low, it was strange to touch him in front of the boys. Dylan rolled his eyes at their display, but she didn’t take it personally. Kids weren’t known to enjoy the adults in their lives engaging in public shows of affection.
Stalls lined the square, set up by local craftspeople selling handmade Christmas cards, fudge, artwork, and a range of other wares.
“Have you guys had time to look around?” she asked.
“No, we just got here.” Shane brushed hair off his forehead, looking far too handsome in a T-shirt and scuffed jeans. “Where do you want to start?”
She scanned the options, seeing nothing that really called to her. “I don’t mind. What would you boys like?”
Dylan shrugged, and Hunter pointed at a stall furnished with brightly colored children’s toys across the square, near The Den. On their way over, they ran into Caleb, Dylan’s friend from school, and the two boys dropped behind the rest of the family to talk between themselves. When they reached their destination, Hunter smiled shyly at the woman running the stall and walked alongside the edge of the table, checking out the options. Faith crouched beside him as he reached for a miniature toolkit and plastic hammer.
“Could I use this for DIY Saturday?” he asked.
“I bet you could,” she replied, thinking that Kat would go out of her way to make sure there was something he could do with it. Behind her, Shane was speaking with the stall manager. At the sound of her name, Faith straightened. “You mentioned me?”
The lady smiled. “I was just saying how lucky you are to have snapped this guy up.”
“I know, right?” She smiled back. “I don’t think he realizes what a catch he is.”
The woman shook her head. “He never has. I’m Lanie. Shane teaches my stepson. It’s lovely to meet you.”
“You too.” Faith liked Lanie already. She felt a tug on her skirt and glanced down at Hunter. “What’s up, cutie pie?”
He pressed his lips together and waved for her to come closer. Lowering herself down, she put her ear near his mouth.
“Can you ask Daddy about the tools?” he asked.
Faith exchanged a glance with Shane. “I think that’s your job. He’s not scary, is he?”
Hunter grabbed onto her hand and looked up at Shane. “Can I get the hammer and tools? Pretty please?”
“Let’s see them.”
Hunter released Faith’s hand and grabbed the little hammer. Meanwhile, Lanie leaned across the table and gestured for Faith to do the same.
“It seems like he’s taken a shine to you,” Lanie murmured.
Faith cocked her head. “He’s known me for most of his life. I babysit pretty often.”
“Ah.” Lanie gave a knowing smile. “Is that how you and Shane got together?”
“Kind of. It’s a complicated story.”
“The best kind.” Lanie reached into her pocket and offered Faith a business card. “Some of the other mums will probably snub you because you snatched up their eye candy, but if you ever need a mum friend, give me a call. I live just out of town and run the toy shop in Te Awa Tui.”
Faith beamed and slipped the card into her purse. “Thanks. That’s so sweet of you.”
Lanie winked. “We stepmothers need to stick together.”
Shane paid for Hunter’s new toys, and Faith looked around the square, feeling warm inside. A few yards away, Dylan and Caleb were chatting animatedly, and she could hear bagpipes in the distance, indicating the parade was about to begin. The local Highland Pipe Band always opened the action, and Hugh MacAllister, dressed as Santa Claus, closed it.
They filed over to the road and waited. The sound of the bagpipes grew louder. Shane hoisted Hunter onto his shoulders, and Faith’s heart nearly overflowed. The two of them were so damned adorable together. Even Dylan pocketed his phone and joined them. A number of floats came trailing behind the Highland Pipe Band. From here, she could see Bex’s daughter Izzy on the school float, dressed in a tutu and twirling happily. The Glamping Ground had decorated a float, as had the library, with Kyle Pride dressed as a reluctant sexy Jesus. More than one lady swooned as he passed. Then the swooning turned to shameless catcalls with the arrival of the surf life-saving club in red-and-green swimsuits.
Elliot, the police officer, drove his cruiser, its lights flashing, and children shrieked as he cranked the siren. The kapahaka group came next, swinging pois. A long train of bedazzled tractors drew up the rear, with the Santa Claus float at the end. Unlike the rest of the procession, which continued around a corner and onto Marine Parade, Santa stopped, and his elves hurried to lower a staircase for him to walk down into the square where he headed for an extravagantly decorated throne.
