Page 11 of Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope
“He took over for another, much shorter, fireman, Bob, last year. Andrew told me there were several wardrobe malfunctions after I left the fire hall.” Sophie shook her head with a soft smile. “I’m not sure how he managed to pull that off since I fitted that suit perfectly for him and made a few upgrades this year for increased authenticity. But from what I heard, the issue was with the padding. It’s not easy to make such a strong, in-shape man look as if he’s not.” Sophie’s expression became a bit dreamy, as she added, “But you’re right. Cole is absolutely adorable as Santa.”
“Of course, you’re a little biased.” Morgan was glad her cousin was so happy. She remembered that totally in love feeling, the “walk on air because the world is all sunshine and rainbows” euphoria. She wanted her cousin to enjoy it, so she wouldn’t point out that all that happiness sometimes came with a high price.
“A little,” Sophie agreed, smiling. “But you have to admit, he pulls Santa off very well, especially with the makeup I picked up after Halloween this year.” Her expression grew dreamy again. “He certainly makes every day feel like Christmas to me.” Then glancing at Greyson in the rearview mirror, she asked in a much louder voice, “Hey there, Champ. You excited to go to the fire hall?”
Lifting one side of his headphones away from his ear and looking up from the computer tablet he held, Greyson answered, “Yes! I hope Firefighter Andrew is there today. I like him.”
Sophie’s gaze cut to Morgan in question. Earlier, Sophie had cornered Morgan to ask about why she’d blushed when Andrew’s name had come up. Morgan hadn’t seen her cousin since then, and she’d hoped Sophie would’ve forgotten or not thought much of it, but she should’ve known better. Her cousin had been raised around the Butterflies, and apparently, that rubbed off.
Morgan shrugged. “Andrew gave him a firefighter helmet and they bonded.”
“So much for those books and crayons Col—er, Santa gave out.”
“No worries. Greyson has been coloring in his Santa book, too. He hasn’t started his contest sheet, though.” It was a page-sized ornament that each child was supposed to decorate however they wanted, just using crayons.
“I’m practicing,” Greyson piped up, having kept his earphones at an angle to be able to hear his game and their conversation. “My ornament has to be really good because it will hang on the fire hall wall.”
“That’s great. If you need any help coming up with design ideas, I’ve got tons of Christmas books we could look through for inspiration,” Sophie offered. She pulled into the fire hall and parked her car. “The guys are going to be excited to get those brownies. Thanks for making them.”
“Greyson did most of the work,” Morgan praised. “He helped me pour the batter into the pan and put candy on top of them after they’d cooled.”
Morgan had loved the time in the kitchen with her son that morning. Greyson had talked nonstop about the firefighters and wondering what the fire hall would be like, and whether or not Andrew would like a few candy sprinkles or a lot. He’d made the full gamut from nearly plain to heavily sprinkled to be sure his hero would get something to his taste. Although she was a bit nervous over how excited he was about going to the fire hall—and a little anxious for herself over possibly seeing Andrew again—she’d smiled and answered his questions as best she could. Seeing Greyson so animated about the trip was worth her bout of momma nerves over his love of firefighting.
That was almost certainly why her insides were all jittery.
It was because of Greyson, and not the prospect of seeing Andrew again.
Whether or not Andrew was at the fire hall didn’t matter. Not one little bit. And definitely wasn’t why her stomach had gone from quivery to twisted.
When Sophie had parked, Morgan got Greyson out of his safety seat, then got the container of brownies.
“Can I carry them?”
“Sure,” Morgan answered, smiling at how her son looked in the plastic helmet he’d insisted on bringing with him. He’d also donned a cloth firefighting vest that was left over from his Halloween costume. Yep. He was adorable.
“I want to make sure Firefighter Andrew gets to pick one first,” Greyson announced, holding onto the box as if it held precious and fragile items. “I hope he’s here. If he is, I think he’ll pick lots of sprinkles, don’t you, Mom?”
Morgan ignored Sophie’s speculative glance and focused on her son’s question. “Lots of sprinkles is what I’d pick.”
“Me, too. That way you get a brownie and candy,” Greyson agreed, holding the box with great care.
“Somebody was seriously impressed by Cole’s bestie,” Sophie whispered when Greyson got just enough ahead of them to not overhear. “He should be here today, by the way. He and Cole work the same shifts.”
There her belly went, starting its shaken-snow-globe thing again.
Trying not to look Sophie’s way, Morgan watched Greyson stop at the stretch of sidewalk leading into the fire hall to wait on them and smiled that in spite his impatience to go inside, he’d still followed the rules.
Sophie obviously took her smile to mean something else. “What about you? Were you seriously impressed, as well? Based on that look on your face, I’m thinking you were.”
She was saved from answering by their reaching Greyson’s side.
“Today is the best day ever,” he told them and looked one hundred percent convinced it truly was. “I can’t wait to give him a brownie.”
Neither Morgan, or Sophie, had to ask who he meant.
“Cole, your honey is here,” Jules called over the Christmas music Chief was already insisting upon, her tone teasing.
A few of the firefighters groaned at the merry tunes continuously playing, but it didn’t bother Andrew. He never got tired of Christmas music and was all for rocking around the Christmas tree at any time of year. Grandma Ruby was just as likely to have her favorite Elvis Christmas soundtrack playing during July as she was in December. Andrew knew most of the tunes by heart, as some of his favorite memories were belting the tunes out with pretend microphones with her as they danced around.
