Page 24 of The Santa Rules
As we approach his adorable cottage, surrounded by the most breathtaking view I’ve ever seen, I’m reminded of two things. One, I love living in Colorado. And two, I really need to talk to Summer —the house she sold me looks like a shack compared to this.
Hardy slams the door to his truck and runs around to help Avery out of her booster seat. He picks her up, and she squishes his cheeks in her hands. “Can we have pizza for dinner?” Her eyes widen as she sees me trailing up behind him. “And Miss Carlisle can stay for dinner!”
I look at Hardy for confirmation. “It’s fine with me,” I offer.
“I’m in as long as there’s pepperoni,” Isaac adds.
“Great, it’s a date.” He grimaces. “Not like that, like a dinner date.”
“Is Miss Carlisle your girlfriend?”
The look of panic on his face is comical.
“Yeah, Mom, is he your boyfriend?”
“Oh jeez, there’s two of them.” I roll my eyes attempting to deflect, hoping Hardy will hop in.
Isaac crosses his arms, and Avery looks at him and mimics the gesture, putting on her sternest pout. It’s actually adorable, and I fight the urge to laugh.
I look between the two kids. “Hardy and I are working on a project for school. And we are happy to stay for a pizzanight, is what your dad meant.” Though I’d love an actual date with this man.
Avery’s eyes light up. “Can I help? I love projects!”
Hardy looks panicked, and my heart softens. The love he has for Avery is evident on his face, and his worries about ruining Christmas echo in my head. I can see how much this means to him.
Since I want to be able to plan parts of it without little ears present—in case we talk about Santa—I opt for honesty. “There’s part of this project you can help with, but there are other parts that are super boring with lots of math and paperwork. Which one do you want to help with?”
“Not the math.”
“Good thinking. How about you show Isaac around, and the two of you can hang out while your dad and I do the math part? Then we can eat and work on the fun stuff after.”
“Can we use glitter?”
“Maybe!” I don’t want to commit to glitter yet—that shit gets everywhere—but I know already from class how much Avery loves it.
She runs up the steps to the house, and Isaac gives me an annoyed look over his shoulder as he trails behind her.
“I feel like I just watched a magician at work. How the hell did you get her to go along with that?” Hardy asks once we’re alone.
“It helps if you give them a choice. I work with young kids every day. Now, teenagers are another story. Any advice on raising a teenage boy?”
“Make him do his own laundry.”
I give him a questioning look.
“Just trust me on that one.” He makes a motion with his hand like he’s jacking something off, and I erupt in laughter.
“Oh God. Oh God! Gross. Do you think he’s doing that already?”
“How old is he?”
“Thirteen.”
Hardy laughs. “Yeah, he’s doing it already.”
I cover my mouth with my hand. “I’m gonna be sick, but that would explain why we’re going through so much lotion and hot water.”
“Mom!”
