Page 17 of Welcome Home for Christmas
“Hey, Jess. Yeah, it has.”
“Being a Marine looks good on you.” She was talking about the fact that he’d buzzed his hair short and packed on fifteen pounds of muscle since she’d last seen him.
“You look good, too,” he said, meaning it. He was aware that Allison was watching. He wondered if she’d get all jealous again like she had when he’d talked to the very pregnant Shelby Summers at the auction.
A kid skated up toward Jess and called her mom. That stung a little. His old flame was someone’s mom now.
“Thanks. This is my Petey,” she said, laying a hand on the boy’s back. “I’m Jessica Leonard now.”
Troy’s mouth fell open. “You married Peter Leonard?”
A smile swept over her face. She looked happy, really happy. For a moment he wished he’d been the kind of guy who could’ve offered her that—not that he’d ever truly been in love with her. He wasn’t a guy who committed easily, and according to his brother David, probably never would be.
Jess glanced at Allison with a smile.
Troy cleared his throat. “This is Allison Carmichael. She runs the Veterans’ Center in Seaside.”
Allison stood and shook Jess’s hand. “Hi.”
“I’m Jessica. Nice to meet you, Allison,” Jess said, as her son skated off. “Don’t let this guy break your heart,” she warned teasingly, glancing back at Troy. He was glad to see she could laugh about it now.
“Oh, no. We’re not…” Allison started to say, but Troy stepped up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She stiffened under his hold.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said. He didn’t want to leave Jess with the impression that he was still that guy who didn’t believe in forever. That he was still lost in the jungle and swinging from tree to tree.
Even if it was true.
Jess smiled. “Things really do work out the way they’re supposed to, don’t they?” The corners of her eyes crinkled as she looked at them—the happy couple for all outward appearances. “Good seeing you, Bullet.” She waved and skated away.
Allison quickly peeled his arm from around her shoulders. “What was that,Bullet?”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “An ex of mine. And if you get to use me to make yourself look good, then I get to use you, too.”
Allison’s brow lifted. “I paid for that privilege. And, you think I make you look good?” Her voice softened on that last question.
“You’re gorgeous. Hell yeah, you make me look good.” He studied her. “You really don’t know that you’re hot?”
“I’m not hot,” she argued, lowering her head.
“Smoking,” he confirmed, loving the blush of her cheeks. “I guess fair is fair. I used you so I’ll buy an hour. Hell, for the kids at Mercy’s Place, I’ll buy ten. Might need to use you again before this is all over with.”
“That would be great. To donate more money for Mercy’s kids, I mean. I really want to make this a good holiday for them.”
Troy studied the woman beside him. She was right. This place really was romantic. The chilled air, the bench, the holiday music circulating around them. He suddenly wanted to pull Allison back into his arms, and not for show. He wanted to lean in toward her ear and whisper more things that would make her cheeks turn rosy.
“So how serious was your relationship with Jessica?” she asked.
He tore his gaze from hers and shook his head. “She thought it was more serious than I did. I was always just having fun. Jess, on the other hand, was dreaming of wedding dresses and babies.” He swallowed and looked at Allison, whose demeanor was suddenly rigid. She looked upset. Or angry.
“Well, this has certainly been fun, but I think it’s time I get home.” She took a small step away from him. “That’s enough research for us tonight.”
“Okay. Did I say something wrong?”
“No. Not at all. You said exactly what I needed to hear.” She started walking back toward his truck.
“You’re going to have to get better at pretending if you want to fool your parents at that Christmas party,” he said, climbing into the driver’s seat beside her a moment later.
She glanced over. “What do you mean?”
