Page 41 of Sean
Not just attraction, though.What he felt for her was more complicated than that.He liked her and enjoyed her company, and...and there was more, but beyond those truths, he couldn’t think.It was like a veil prevented him from seeing anything further.
What did he want to be there?
Before he could find an answer, the front door opened.Mom came in with Jace in her arms, Dad right behind.The second they cleared the threshold, Jace held out his arms.
“Hey, buddy.”Sean got to his feet just in time to catch the baby as he lunged forward.“Did you have a good time?”He received a stream of baby gibberish in return.
Sean sat with Jace in his lap and helped him out of his coat.As soon as his little arms were free, he threaded his fingers through Sean’s beard and tugged.
Sean yelped and grabbed his hands.“What’s gotten into you?”
Sean’s mom doubled over in laughter.
“Don’t encourage him,” Sean said.“I thought I broke him of that months ago.”
“He’s coming home with a new opinion on beards,” Mom said.“After tonight you may have to re-educate him on facial hair.”
Sean looked from his son to his parents.“Somebody want to tell me what’s going on?”
Mom opened her mouth but all that came out was choking laughter.
Dad’s voice wasn’t much better as he tried to explain.“When he sat with Santa—”
“No,” Mom said.“Let me tell it.”She took a couple of deep breaths to compose herself.“When he got his chance to visit with Santa, Santa leaned over him to try and make out what he was saying.”Mom paused to wipe tears from her eyes.“Santa’s beard must have tickled Jace’s nose.From where we were standing it looked like he reached up to scratch his nose.His fingers must have gotten tangled in the beard because when he pulled his hand away Santa’s beard came with it.”
Sean sat his son back on his knees.“Jace!”
“It was hilarious,” Dad said.“There were parents trying to cover their kid’s eyes, the elves were trying to reconnect the beard, and Santa was laughing so hard he almost dropped Jace.”
“I always miss the good stuff.”
Mom waved her phone.“We got pictures and once the commotion died down and Santa got put back together, they took a great picture.”She opened a small bag and handed a photograph to Sean.“I had them print an extra for you.”
Sean grinned down at the picture.Jace’s eyes were bright, his slobbery smile filled with joy.
Sean’s vacillating mood crashed under a wave of sorrow.
Brittany was supposed to be here for this.It should have been Brittany taking their son to visit Santa.Brittany hanging stockings and Christmas shopping.
It should have been Brittany that Sean had kissed under the mistletoe.Not Monica.
If he’d needed any clarification about his feelings, he’d just received it.
***
WHEN MONICA’S ALARMsounded the next morning, she groaned.It was the first time in her life that she could remember dreading Sunday morning service.She rolled under the blankets and pulled a pillow into her arms.What was she going to say to Sean when she saw him?
The question dragged her to the side of the bed.She swung her feet to the floor.Her hands trembled as she reached for the nightstand to pick up the picture the photographer had taken the night before.She’d captured the moment beautifully.
It was a kiss that Monica’d had no warning was coming but had sent her senses reeling.Even now, just looking at the picture, her heartbeat hitched.In her memory, she tried to slow down time, to drag out the feeling of his lips on hers, to remember the tilt of his head, the slight scratch of his beard.The sweetness of the moment.
When he’d drawn back there’d been an expression in his eyes that Monica could only describe as wonder.A wonder that died an instant later under a flash of pain.
I’m sorry.
She wondered for the thousandth time who he’d been apologizing to.
Her or his dead wife.
