Page 133 of One Good Puck
We make our way through the rows of trees, stopping every so often to look at one.
Gavin surprised us this morning with a trip to this Christmas tree farm. I watch as Emma walks by his side, excitedly telling him about her Christmas program at school and what her favorite Christmas movies are. He nods along, chuckling every so often.
A warm, contented feeling burrows in my chest. It’s always been just Emma and me, our little family of two. It’s always felt complete. As much as I had wished that I could find a partner to share my life with, all I’ve ever needed is my daughter.
But now we have Gavin too. He’s part of our family. And sharing these special moments with him makes me feel like my heart is going to burst in the best way.
“What about this one?” Gavin says, pointing to a pretty Douglas fir.
Emma squints like she’s concentrating. “I want a bigger one.”
Gavin walks down the row. “This one?”
The one he stops at is about six feet tall with thicker branches. Emma smiles and nods.
“That looks like the one on your sweater,” he says.
Emma beams. She was so excited for today that she insisted on wearing her Christmas tree sweater.
He pulls out his phone. “How about a selfie with our first Christmas tree?”
Emma runs up to his side, hugging him. He rests a hand on her shoulder, while I walk up to him. The three of us smile as Gavin takes the photo.
He turns it to us. “How does that look?”
I smile at the photo, then at him. “It’s perfect.”
He kisses my cheek, then sheds his coat, crouches down to cut the tree trunk, and starts hacking away.
I can’t help but stare at how sexy he looks. He’s wearing a flannel shirt, jeans, and boots. The muscles in his back and shoulders bulge through the fabric of his clothing as he drags the saw back and forth.
And his forearms…
My throat goes dry watching his thick, veiny forearm flex through the fabric.
A couple of minutes later, the tree falls to the ground, and Gavin hauls it onto the cart, like a hot lumberjack.
God. How lucky am I to end up with such a sexyandsweet man?
“Wow, you’re strong, Gavin,” Emma says.
He chuckles. “Thanks, kiddo.”
“What do you think we should put at the top of the tree? An angel or a star?” I ask Gavin and Emma as we make our way back to the main part of the tree farm.
“Tough choice,” Gavin says.
“A star,” Emma says.
I smile down at her. “I thought for sure you’d want an angel. That’s what you picked last year.”
“We could do both,” Gavin says. “I could duct-tape the star and angel together and make a super cool ornament.”
Both Emma and I laugh.
“Abby? Is that you?”
I look up and freeze. There’s my ex—Emma’s dad—standing a dozen feet away.
