Page 21 of Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope
“Fine. You win,” he conceded, but his face crinkled with a smile. “I’ll put in a good word for you if the firefighter comes near.”
Suppressing a laugh at his comeback, Morgan rolled her eyes. “Do it, and I’ll call your doctor and request extra therapy for tomorrow. Or better yet, I’ll return the favor and tell Maybelle what a great patient you are and that you’re currently accepting visitors.”
John laughed but settled back into his wheelchair, looking happy with his view. Giving him one last look, she turned to go.
“Morgan,” Grammy Claudia said, coming up and kissing her cheek. “I was hoping I’d get to see you while we were here. Will you get to stay and listen to the carols?”
“If all my patients are here, I’ll be able to. If not, then, I’ll be in and out.” She glanced at her watch. “Speaking of which, I need to go check to see if another patient wants to come down here before the singing gets started.”
After saying a quick bye in case she didn’t get a chance to talk to her again, Morgan went to her patient’s room. The lady wanted to join the others and Morgan stayed at her side as she slowly made her way down the hallway.
When she stepped back into the community room, Andrew was with the Butterflies, talking to Ruby. Morgan arrived just in time to see the woman reach up and pinch his cheeks as if he were a little boy rather than a grown, handsome man. Andrew didn’t seem to mind, though, just smiled indulgently, and seemed to eat up his grandmother’s attention. He turned, caught Morgan watching them, gave a little shrug of his shoulders, and grinned.
Lord help her, the man’s smile sent her heart into a reindeer stampede.
Unable to stop her traitorous mouth, her lips turned upwards. Which he seemed to take as permission to cross the room.
“Want a turn?”
“At what?” she asked, confused.
“Pinching my cheeks.”
“Um, no. You keep your cheeks to yourself.”
“Your loss,” he said, his smile not wavering as he teased her. “How’s my little buddy doing?”
“Still thinks you’re the greatest thing ever.”
Grinning, he rocked back on his heels. “Now, if we could just convince his mom of that.”
“Greyson’s young and easily impressed.” Unable to drag her gaze from his, she added, “His mother is a harder sell. It takes more than a helmet and flashy red truck to impress her.”
His expression growing thoughtful, he ran his hand over his jaw. “I should probably mention that flashy red truck has sirens. That’s sure to impress, right?”
Morgan shrugged. “You could try that angle, but you should know that she’s not really into men who toot their own horn—or sirens.”
Now why had she said that? He’d asked her to be his friend, so what did it matter what type of man she was into? Especially since she wasn’t into any type?
He laughed. “Touché.”
Morgan fought smiling again. Why did he have to be so likeable?
“Good thing I have Greyson on my side,” he added.
Morgan couldn’t argue with him there. Greyson would have been upset if he’d known Andrew had invited them on the sleigh ride and that she’d said no. Still, it had been the right thing to do.
“Think he would like to watch Cole and me jump? There’s an airfield nearby where friends and family can watch. Cole’s a pro from his military days, but I’ve only been jumping a few years. We could make it a day we’re off work when Greyson’s out of school. If you ask me nicely, you could come, too.”
“No.” Horrified, she shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
His brows drew together, and he gave an exaggerated sigh. “I take it jumping out of airplanes doesn’t impress you, either?”
“No.” Her husband had parachuted a few times with Morgan firmly on the ground, praying the entire time that his chute would open properly, that he’d make it safely back to the ground and to her. He’d loved it so much that she hadn’t had to the heart to try to talk him out of it. She’d hoped, though, he’d decide on his own to slow down his adrenaline junkie ways after Greyson had been born. If anything, Trey had just kept pushing himself further. Eventually, he’d pushed too far.
“Mind giving me a clue what does impress you?” Andrew asked.
“About you?” That he’d smiled at his grandmother when Ruby had pinched his cheeks. That he’d given extra time and attention to Greyson at school. That he’d included Greyson in his dinner invitation. That he was there, volunteering his time at the assisted living. “Professionally, I appreciate what you do. Fighting fires to save others at your own risk is admirable. But as far as personally,” she shrugged. “I’m not interested in a friendship with you. The sooner you accept that, the better for us both.”
