The Christmas Cookie Wars

Chapter Sixteen

Sixteen

“I don’t want to wear these.” Tate tossed his snow pants over a kitchen chair. “I’m ten , Mom.”

“I’m thirty-seven and I’m wearing mine, but I guess it’s your choice.” The struggle for independence was starting, and now she had to figure out when to push and when to let natural consequences do their thing. “Remember, it’s only twenty degrees outside. You can get frostbite in minutes.” They should know that based on all those survival shows they loved to watch so much.

“I’ll wear two layers of pants.” Tate had always been the master of negotiation. One of his brows lifted. “And one of them will be my really heavy sweatpants.”

How was wearing two pairs of pants any different than simply putting on his snow pants? She kept the argument to herself. He’d be the one who had to literally freeze his butt off. Not her. Besides, the park was only four blocks away. If Tate got too cold, he could always run home and change.

“Fine.” She started to load the sandwiches she’d made and bagged earlier into the cooler. “But the gloves and hats are non-negotiable, mister. You don’t want frostbite on your ears. And at least add a pair of long underwear as your base layer.”

“Don’t talk to me about my underwear.” Her son tromped back up the stairs. He’d gotten smart enough to know when the negotiations were over.

Finn walked in from the garage. Surprise, surprise, he wasn’t wearing snow pants either. But he did appear to be layered up. “I got our hockey sticks and pucks and the collapsible nets in the wagon.”

“And what about our camping chairs?” Ice skating night was as much about sitting around the firepit Doug and Kels always brought along as it was about skating. At least for her.

“Whoops.” He grinned sheepishly. “I’ll go put those in too.”

“Add this.” She closed up the cooler and handed it to him.

“You’ve got it!” Finn rushed out the door. Ever since he’d invited Ainsley to meet them there, his enthusiasm for ice skating night had increased exponentially.

“Let’s go, Tate!” she called up the stairs while she put on her puffer jacket, beanie, and gloves. When it came to doing anything outside during the winter months, she always chose warmth over her dignity.

Tate half ran, half skied down the stairs, already wearing his coat, beanie, and gloves! She’d take that as a win.

They met Finn in the garage and then skated their way down the icy driveway with Tate pulling the wagon.

Melody paused on the sidewalk, caught up in the razor-edge sharpness of a memory. “Aw…do you remember when you two were toddlers and Dad and I would put you in the wagon to walk to ice skating night?” They used to get excited to go anywhere in the wagon. Back then they’d worn whatever she’d dressed them in. “You had the sweetest little snowsuits with teddy bear ears on the hoods.” Those were the days.

“Glad I don’t remember the snowsuit.” Finn stomped onward in his boots. “But I do remember skating with Dad. He was so much fun.”

“Yeah, he was awesome.” Tate grinned and Melody wondered if he knew how much he looked like his father.

“He was the best,” she agreed, trying to keep up with them. Finn and Tate only had two paces—pause and Mach speed.

“No one could ever be like Dad.” Tate led the way around the corner.

Melody’s stomach immediately tightened. Was this an opening to start discussing the possibility of her dating again? She couldn’t keep putting the conversation off.

“That’s true. No one will ever take his place in our lives,” she said carefully. “But, um, you know… someday , maybe there’ll be someone special who comes into our lives again. Uh, not really again , per se, but…”

“You mean like a boyfriend?” Finn interrupted.

Whoa. This was escalating quicker than she’d wanted it to. “No. Not necessarily boyfriend …er…I don’t know.” She stared at the ground, mortified at her verbal stumbling. Why was this so hard? How did single moms bring up dating with their ten-year-old sons? There was no blueprint for this conversation! But they had to talk about this. She couldn’t hide her and Jonathan’s feelings for each other forever. Not when those feelings seemed to multiply every time they saw each other. “I mean, if I did want to maybe date someone someday, how would you feel about that, do you think?”

“I think it’s pretty gross.” Tate pushed the crosswalk button and they waited on the sidewalk.

“I don’t.” Finn shrugged. “You can have a boyfriend if you want, Mom. Heck, I’ll probably have a girlfriend soon.”

“Ainsley’s too old for you, genius.” Tate started walking right when the light changed. “And she’s Mr. Braxton’s daughter.” He made a gagging noise.

That didn’t bode well. “What’s wrong with being Mr. Braxton’s daughter?”

“Mr. Braxton is so boring and strict sometimes. He probably won’t even let her have a boyfriend.”

At one time she might’ve thought the same thing but she hadn’t truly known Jonathan then. He was funny and playful and kind. She couldn’t exactly tell them how she’d come to learn those things about him. “I don’t know if he’s that strict. He seems pretty great to me,” she said, at the risk of giving herself away.

Finn frowned at her. “You’re the one who’s always telling us not to be late so we don’t get in trouble.”

Melody stared straight ahead so she wouldn’t come across as too desperate. But where would she and Jonathan end up if the boys didn’t like him or want him to be a part of their lives? She could never be with someone they didn’t accept. “Being on time is an important life skill.” The skating rink came into view down at the bottom of the hill, and her entire family was already all set up right next to it—her mom and dad sitting in their lawn chairs by a crackling fire in the portable firepit. Kels, Doug, and Genevieve already had on their skates and were gliding around the small oval pond.

“You’re late,” her niece announced when they’d made it down the hill with the wagon.

Finn cracked up. “That’s because we haven’t developed our life skills yet. Right, Mom?”

She ignored the comment and set up their chairs near her parents. “I brought the sandwiches and hot chocolate.”

The boys got right to work swapping out their boots for skates while she sat next to the fire.

“You look nice.” Her mom leaned in closer, studying her face.

“Nice?” A laugh sniffed out. “I’m wearing snow pants.”

“But your hair is curled under your hat,” her mother pointed out. “And you’re wearing makeup again.”

“So I’m putting a little more effort into my appearance. What’s the big deal?”

“I’m simply wondering what the occas—”

“Hey. You made it.” Kels came stumbling off the ice, and it was all Melody could do to not hug her and cheer. Her sister couldn’t have timed that interruption any better.

“Yep.” She heaved the cooler out of the wagon. “Brought the refreshments too.” Her father was already digging into the sandwiches. She might suck at baking but she could make a mean club sandwich.

“Delicious, Melly,” he declared.

“Whew.” Her sister collapsed into the open chair next to her. “I swear ice skating gets harder every winter.”

“That’s why we only do it once a year.” Melody found her skates in the wagon but wasn’t quite ready to put them on yet. As usual, the boys were about ten steps ahead of her, already lacing up. “We’ll set out the hockey goals a little later,” she called. “After we all skate together for a while.” She’d get her three laps in and then she could enjoy the fire the rest of the evening.

“Oh-kay.” Tate shoved out onto the ice and skated backward past Genevieve.

“No fair,” her niece squealed. “Teach me how to do that.”

“I’ll teach you!” Finn raced past his brother.

And they said they didn’t want to go skating!

“Looks like the fire needs another log.” Doug expertly glided to them and made it look easy to walk on the blades of his skates while he added the wood.

“I’ll pour the hot chocolate.” Her mother had given up on skating a long time ago, so she always concerned herself with the refreshments, but at some point during the evening their father usually still took a few turns around the rink.

With their mother out of earshot, Kels leaned in. “I logged into the computer before we came. Did Jonathan really spend that much money at the boutique today?”

Melody winced. “That was with a sudden buy-one get-one sale.” She hoped he knew he didn’t have to buy all those clothes just to impress her. Though he’d seemed happy about the new wardrobe.

“I hate to tell you this but someone’s got it bad, honey.”

Actually, two someones had it bad, but Melody couldn’t admit that to her sister yet.

“Got what bad?” Doug pulled a sandwich out of the cooler.

“Oh, nothing.” Melody let out a strained laugh. “Kels is just being her funny self.” More like loudmouth self. She glanced to where their mother was pouring travel mugs of hot cocoa from the thermos. She wasn’t quite ready to tell mama bear about her connection with Jonathan yet.

Their mother tended to make a big deal out of things like that. When she’d first started dating Thomas, her whole family had shown up on her doorstep all the way out in California for the weekend so they could meet him.

“Hey, Mom!” Finn skated past. “What time is Ainsley getting here again?”

Uh-oh. Melody shrank into her chair. “Soon,” she called weakly. She’d have to figure out how to explain Jonathan and Ainsley’s presence to her parents.

“Ainsley?” Her mother handed her a travel mug. “Ainsley Braxton?”

“Yep.” Finn made another lap around. “She’s gonna help me and Tate with the Great Cookie Race.”

Her mom turned to her, confusion denting her brow. “I didn’t realize you guys had been spending time with Mr. Braxton and his daughter.”

“We haven’t.” She shot her sister a silent SOS plea. “But they came into the store earlier and she said she wanted to help. So the boys invited them to come ice skating with us.” This hadn’t been her idea. Ideally, she and Jonathan would spend more time alone together before she exposed him to her whole family.

“What was Jonathan doing at your boutique?” her mother demanded. “And don’t tell me he was shopping .”

“Mom and Ainsley made Mr. Braxton try on all kinds of clothes,” Tate yelled, skating away with his brother not far behind. “It was awful.”

“Is that so?” Her lovely mother crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, head cocked to the side. The woman had always excelled at silent interrogations. Melody nervously darted her gaze around while her mother’s eyes narrowed.

“I knew something was going on with you and Jonathan.” At least she lowered her voice. “Why haven’t you said anything? You were actually dressing him? From the sound of things, you two are ready to pick out china patterns.”

“First of all, no one gets china for their wedding anymore, so that doesn’t even make sense.”

Kels backed her up with an emphatic nod. “Truth.”

“Second…” She dropped her voice. “Jonathan and I have gone on one date.” In between sneaking moments alone here and there. “We don’t even know what we’re doing yet.” Though with the bantering texts and the flirty FaceTimes, she had a pretty good idea where things were headed.

“You don’t have to know right now.” Dad raised his travel mug in her direction. “Have fun, that’s what I say. God knows you deserve it, Melly.”

“But what about Finn and Tate?” Her mother clutched her arm. “He’s the boys’ principal . At their school . I mean, can you imagine what they’ll have to deal with if anyone finds out?”

Oh, she’d imagined, all right. But her feelings for him had only grown stronger. “That’s why we’re keeping things quiet right now.”

“Quiet?” Her mother scoffed. “Honey, you can’t keep anything quiet in this town. All it takes is one person who sees you two talking and the next thing you know, you’re the hussy who used Mr. Braxton to make sure her kids got good grades.”

Kels slapped her own forehead, but Melody only laughed. “Wow. Straight from widow to hussy. That’s quite the leap.”

In the dusky light, she caught sight of Jonathan and Ainsley making their way to the rink from their car. “They’re here. So no more talk about china patterns and hussies. Please.”

Her sister snorted.

“Amen.” Her father helped himself to another sandwich.

Melody stood, anticipation already buckling her knees, and she hadn’t even said hello to the man yet.

“Ainsley!” Finn careened toward the pair too fast, shooting off the ice and hot-footing his way right into the girl’s arms.

She caught him, laughing hysterically, and Jonathan had to steady them both.

“Sorry.” Finn extricated himself from the surprise embrace, his head hanging.

“Don’t be sorry. That was awesome,” Ainsley assured him. “You looked like a stuntman.”

Finn laughed a little. “Thanks. Do you wanna get your skates on?”

“Yep. They’re right in here.” She patted her bag. Melody noticed that Ainsley happened to be wearing snow pants too. She’d have to point that out to the boys later.

Finn went back to the rink while Ainsley sat down and started to lace up her skates and Melody finally got to greet Jonathan. “Hi there.” Even standing a foot away, the air between them seemed to crackle.

“Hi.” His eyes said the rest—that he was happy to see her, that he felt this magic too. “I brought my grandma’s red velvet cookies.” He reached into the reusable grocery bag slung over his shoulder and handed her a plastic container.

“Well, I oughta try them out, then.” Her father stole the container from her and sat back down.

Jonathan’s laugh sent a ripple through her.

“Nice to see you, Arthur. And Patsy.” Jonathan really should audition for toothpaste commercials with that perfect white smile. “How’ve you been?”

“Real good.” Thankfully, her father answered for both of them. She didn’t need her mother sharing her concerns about Melody becoming the town hussy.

“What about you?” her dad asked, munching on a cookie. “Looking forward to a break from school?”

“I am.” His gaze crossed Melody’s but didn’t linger too long. “Maybe more this year than ever before.”

An internal swoon nearly knocked her back to the chair. She was looking forward to his break too. Maybe they could sneak down to Denver for a day while the boys were with Kels or her parents…

“And what’re you planning to do over your break?” her mother asked Jonathan nervously.

“All right.” Kelsey braced her hands on the chair arms and pushed herself up. “We’re here to skate, so let’s all get out there. Mom, will you take some pictures of Doug and Genevieve and me?” Kels half dragged her to the edge of the ice in an obvious effort to give Melody and Jonathan space.

“I’d better help her.” Taking the hint, her father followed along behind them.

By now, everyone else, including Ainsley, had made it out onto the rink.

Melody sat down and invited Jonathan to join her. “You brought your skates?”

“Sure did.” He pulled a pair of worn hockey skates out of the bag. “It’s been a while since I’ve had these on.”

“I only wear these once a year.” Melody removed her boots and crammed her feet into the uncomfortable ice skates she’d had since college.

“I love that your family has so many traditions.” Jonathan worked on his laces. “I wish Ainsley and I had more. But her mom and I were always so busy with work that we never made the time. That’s one of my biggest regrets now that she’s getting ready to go off to college in a few years.”

“It’s never too late. You can borrow some of our traditions.” Melody stood up and immediately wobbled. “Whoa.”

Jonathan might have steadied her arm but his touch completely destabilized her heart. If only she lived in a world where she could grab his hand right here in front of everyone. And maybe brush a kiss across his lips like her body was begging her to.

“Easy,” he murmured while they slowly made their way to the ice. The first step was always the hardest. Melody inched her way on, her feet clumsy and slipping while Jonathan effortlessly glided.

“I didn’t realize you were such a good skater.” Meanwhile, they were five steps in and a cramp had already worked its way into her calf.

“He was a hockey player in college.” Ainsley cruised past them and then turned herself around to skate backward.

“That’s so cool!” Tate zoomed by next. “What college did you play for?”

“I went to DU.” Jonathan waited for Melody, sweet man that he was. Was it just her or was the ice choppier than usual this year?

“They won a championship.” It was adorable how Ainsley loved bragging about him.

“Wow.” Finn came to a twirl-stop and peered up at his principal with new stars in his eyes. “That’s amazing.”

“It was a long time ago.” Jonathan offered his arm to Melody, and she took it gratefully. She’d thought physical challenges weren’t supposed to get harder until you turned forty, but ice skating proved her wrong. At least her clumsiness gave her a good excuse to stay close to Jonathan. The boys wouldn’t question that.

After a few slow turns around the ice, the boys closed in on her.

“Can we play a hockey game now?” Tate begged.

“With Uncle Doug and Genevieve and Mr. Braxton and Ainsley, we can have three on a team,” Finn added.

Jonathan looked to her to make the decision.

“Sure.” She wouldn’t mind sitting back down with her hot chocolate anyway. Her feet were already starting to hurt.

Jonathan helped her make her way off the ice.

“You sure you don’t wanna play, Mom?” Finn skated behind her. “You could be goalie, if you want. Then you don’t have to move very much.”

But she might very well take a puck to the face. “I don’t think so, hon. I want to watch and cheer from the sidelines with Nonna and Papa and Auntie Kels.”

“Forget that.” Her father wobbled onto the ice, teetering on his ancient skates. “I get to be goalie for one of the teams.”

While the players got themselves organized, Melody sat in her chair between her mom and Kels and tucked in a blanket around her. This was more like it.

The game started with Tate dropping the puck.

“Mr. Braxton! Pass!” Finn waved his stick and Jonathan delivered.

Melody watched him skate, transfixed. He could move out there, graceful and effortless and—

“Oh my God,” her mother murmured. “You’re in love with him.”

Melody managed to pry her gaze off Jonathan to give her mother a proper glare, her irritation boiling over. “Would that be so horrible? If I cared about someone again? If I wanted to date someone? Wouldn’t you be happy for me?”

It took her a few seconds too long to answer.

“Of course we’d be happy for you. Right, Mom?” Kels jabbed an elbow into her ribs. “No one’s saying you shouldn’t move on, Mel.”

“You’re right.” Her mom clutched Melody’s hand. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I think I’m in shock, that’s all. You haven’t wanted to date anyone. And Jonathan is the last person I saw you being interested in.”

She had her there. “There’s more to him than I thought.” He’d slowly been revealing himself to her. In a few weeks, they’d come a long way from those lectures in his office.

“We want you to be happy.” Her mom leaned her head on Melody’s shoulder. “I don’t want you to hurt again, that’s all. I never want to watch you hurt like you did after Thomas passed away. You’ve only just come out of it all.”

“And I’m a lot stronger now.” There were times it had felt like the loss would crush her soul, but it hadn’t. Somehow she’d emerged on the other side, happy and healthy and ready to take on life again. Yes, she was ready. More ready than she’d realized.

“I know how people talk at the school, that’s all,” her mother said. “I’m being protective.”

“And I appreciate that.” She slung an arm around her mom and around Kels because they were the very best. “I appreciate how you’ve all been there for the boys and me. I wouldn’t have survived without you.” Even when they were being nosy and overprotective. “I didn’t realize I was ready for something new until Jonathan told me how he felt. And I felt the same. We’re taking it slow and we’re being careful.”

“And having some fun along the way too, I hope?” Her sister shot her a devilish grin. “Don’t forget about the fun.”

She couldn’t if she tried. Thoughts of the fun were keeping her up late into the night. “Yes. We’re having fun.”

“Good. You deserve that.” Her mother kissed her cheek. “You know we’ll be supportive no matter what. I mean, I love Jonathan.”

Melody suspected she did too. And what a surprise to feel something so powerful again, something she thought she’d lost forever. She went back to watching him out on the ice, giving high fives to the boys, chatting with Doug. Yes, those weren’t fleeting emotions coursing through her. They were real, deep and raw and sustaining.

“Wow, Ainsley’s pretty good out there,” Kels said. “She seems to fit right in with your boys.”

“Better than I could’ve imagined,” she agreed. The whole group fit—laughing and trash talking and zooming around the ice in near chaos.

Melody cheered for both teams, as did Kels and their mom, until everyone seemed to slow down.

“All right, Nonna.” Her father came hobbling off the ice first. “I think it’s time for you to take me home before I crack an ankle.”

Everyone clustered around to say good night to her parents, and this was why she loved traditions so much. Family. Closeness. This was what wove their lives together and made them part of something bigger. Even on a cold night at the skating rink.

Before walking away, her mother hugged Jonathan. “You’re a good one,” she told him.

Melody winked at him to let him know she agreed.

“Hey, let’s take a few more laps together before we go home.” Her brave sister waved the kids out onto the rink. Doug caught up to her and held her hand.

But Jonathan sank into the chair next to Melody, legs stretched out while he rotated his feet around. “There’s a reason I don’t play hockey anymore.”

Melody scooted a tad closer to him, a fire warming her from the inside now. “You looked pretty good to me.”

“Yeah?” He always appeared so surprised when she said something complimentary like that.

“You looked really good, actually,” she murmured.

He let his gaze run over her, lazy and unhurried. “You look really good to me too.”

She laughed and patted the billowy material covering her midsection. “Even in my Stay Puft Marshmallow Man pants?”

“They’re better than mine.” He lifted the hem of his coat. “I had to safety-pin these bad boys because I haven’t worn snow pants for a good ten years.”

She must have it bad because she found those safety pins hugely endearing. “I hope it was worth it. Digging out the snow pants.”

“I have no regrets.” He watched the kids out on the rink. “I like your family. My family has never been close. I think my parents wanted my sister and me to be adults the year we started first grade.”

Everything he revealed to her felt like a gift. “Where’s your sister now?”

“She’s a professor at Oxford. I became the big disappointment of the family when I went into elementary education.” He shrugged. “I knew that was where I belonged. I love my parents but I wasn’t going to live my life for them.”

“I’m not sure my parents had any real expectations for me.” They’d always given her such freedom in choosing for herself. “I think they’ve only ever wanted me to be happy.” Even when they didn’t agree or worried about her choices.

“That’s a gift.” He was gazing into her eyes now, steadily and seductively, and she couldn’t do a damn thing about it with the crowd around. But she embraced the way her body simmered with anticipation.

After a few minutes, everyone came off the ice, tired and cold.

“Can we go, Mom?” Tate asked. “My legs are freezing.”

Hmm.

“Seems like you should have snow pants on then, kid.” Doug started to put out the fire. Good old Doug.

Her son got to work taking off his skates. “Yeah, you were right about the snow pants, Mom.”

Melody held her cheers inside.

Ainsley and Finn sat down too, still chatting earnestly about the Great Cookie Race. And Kels was busy managing the removal of both her and Genevieve’s skates.

“Thank you for sharing your family with us tonight.” Jonathan slipped his boots back on and then stood up, offering a hand to help Melody to her feet. “I know this is something you usually do with the boys. But we don’t have a lot of our own traditions and it was fun to be part of someone else’s.” He held on to her hand for a beat longer.

Melody walked with him a few steps toward the parking lot before stopping. She and the boys had to walk the opposite direction to get home. “I think this is the most fun I’ve had at an ice skating night in years. You and Ainsley are welcome anytime.”

“Maybe next year I’ll bow out of the hockey game.” He winced and stretched his back.

“Bye, Finn! Bye, Tate!” Ainsley waved to the boys from the parking lot. “Thanks, Ms. Monroe. I had the best time.”

“So did we!” Finn called.

Kels, Doug, and Genevieve left next. “You call me later,” her sister instructed as she gave her a hug.

Once the wagon was all packed up, Melody and the boys started for home.

“Hey, Mom. I’m really glad we went ice skating tonight,” Tate said. “And I’m glad Mr. Braxton and Ainsley came too.”

“Yeah,” Finn said thoughtfully. “Maybe traditions are better when you invite other people to be part of them.”

She hugged her boys to her sides. “I think you’re right.”