Page 13 of Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope
“They are,” Greyson assured him. “I taste-tested them before we came.”
“Taste-tested them eh? Good to know. Let me check you to make sure they aren’t magic Christmas brownies meant to turn me into an elf.” Andrew lifted the plastic helmet off the kid’s head and pretended to look behind his ears. The boy’s laughter made Andrew’s insides feel warm and squishy. “Good news. I think we’re safe to have some, Ben.”
“They won’t turn you into an elf.” Greyson giggled. “My mom taught me how to make brownies, but they’re just plain, not magic.”
“Also, good to know since I like plain brownies, especially ones with red and green candy sprinkles.”
“She could teach you how to make them, too,” Greyson offered. “Or if she is busy with work, I could teach you. My Grammy Claudia has a big kitchen.”
Claudia, as in his Grandma Ruby’s friend? That would explain how Morgan and Sophie knew each other. Sophie’s mother was Claudia’s much younger sister. Andrew didn’t see a lot of similarities between Morgan and brown-haired Sophie, but come to think of it, there was a resemblance between Morgan and Isabelle. Possibly it was more obvious because Sophie’s older sister had blond hair, too, but there was something about the high cheekbones and dimples that said “related.” Maybe the shared traits with Isabelle was why he’d been struck with the sensation that he knew Morgan when he’d first seen her at the school. Looking at Isabelle had never made him feel hot beneath the collar, though. So maybe it was more likely that, at some point in the past, he’d seen her when she’d been visiting Pine Hill. It was hard to imagine that he wouldn’t remember her, but if she’d been a kid at the time, he might not have paid much attention.
“I’m glad you like to learn new things. It’s always good to gain new life skills,” he told Greyson, smiling as memories of making various items with his Grandma hit. She’d insisted he learn everything within her power to teach him and he’d been an eager pupil.
Ben cleared his throat and gestured to the open box. “You going to pick one of those so the rest of us can partake? Man’s starving here.”
Andrew eyed the brownies and chose the one that was most smothered in red and green, earning an approving look from Greyson. “This one looks like it has my name written all over it.”
“Cause you’re so sweet?” Ben teased, looking to Greyson for permission to grab a brownie. When the boy nodded, he chose one.
“Nah,” Cole said, coming over to eye the box’s contents. “It’s ‘cause he needs to be sweetened up. Let’s let him have two in hopes it works.”
Andrew rolled his eyes, then glanced toward Greyson. “You see what I have to put up with? Are you sure you want to be a firefighter and deal with the likes of these clowns?”
Greyson nodded. “I like Firefighters Cole and Ben. Just as soon as I’m big enough, I’ll come help you.”
Andrew held out his hands as if measuring Greyson. “Won’t be too much longer because I think you grew an inch from when I met you the other day.”
His comment earned a big grin from the boy, which he found even sweeter than the delicious, still-warm brownie practically melting in his mouth. Glancing up, his gaze met Morgan’s and a whole new sweetness spread through him.
One that had everything to do with the tenderness in her eyes as she watched him and Greyson.
He got the sense that she didn’t want to like him. But she did. And that might be the sweetest thing ever. Because even though it went against his not dating a single mom rule, he liked her and Greyson, too.
Morgan gave a nervous glance toward the man she was now alone with—if one could call standing next him in the middle of the fire department dayroom with four other guys and one female firefighter finishing off the remaining brownies there, “alone.” She’d counted on Greyson being by her side for the whole visit to the fire hall. Or at least, she’d thought that if he left her side, it would be to stand with his new favorite person, meaning that she or Andrew would be chaperoned at all times. But Cole and Sophie had lured Greyson away with the promise of a drive around the block in the fire truck, and now here she and Andrew were.
“Did you miss me?”
At Andrew’s question, Morgan blinked. “Pardon?”
“You heard me,” he pointed out, his hazel eyes sparkling with humor. “I asked if you missed me. I think you did.”
Feeling self-conscious and wishing there had been room for her to go with Cole, Sophie, and Greyson out in the fire truck—why had they taken the smaller truck, anyway?—Morgan folded her arms over her fuzzy sweater, then arched her brow. “Why would I have missed you?”
He’d been on her mind almost continuously since they’d met. Did that mean she’d missed him or that he’d confused her by making her feel things she’d not felt in so long?
“Because you haven’t seen me since Monday,” he pointed out, hooking his thumbs in his pants pockets and rocking back on his heels.
Morgan rolled her eyes. “Oh, the horrors. However did I survive?”
“I know, right?” His lips twitched. “We should do something about that to make sure you aren’t deprived of my presence for so long next time.”
Once upon a time she’d have dived into the fun she saw reflected in his eyes. But not these days. These days that fun terrified her as much as it attracted her. But he was good with Greyson and her heart had practically melted at how he’d giggled at being checked to see if he was turning into an elf.
“Sure of yourself, aren’t you?” she asked, keeping her voice wry, despite how much her lips threatened to curve upward. She wasn’t even sure why she wanted to smile, she just did.
He shrugged. “Life’s too short for self-doubt.”
That got her attention.
