Chapter Fifteen
CASEY PRESSED THE button on the cash register to ring up the bushy blue spruce the family of four had picked out. The jingle of the bell when the cash drawer opened usually gave her a small thrill, each ring signifying another happy family celebrating the holiday season. But she took no pleasure in the gleeful smiles of the customers today. It was just another day of dragging herself into work when all she wanted to do was huddle in bed and pull the covers over her head.
But she was a mother. She couldn’t afford to shut out the world and cry for her loss. Not like the last time when Jack had run off to Boston without her. Sure, he’d made fleeting promises that they’d work it out. But she’d heard that before. Hollow words. She wasn’t going to waste her life pining away for something that wasn’t going to happen.
She was having a hard time convincing her heart.
She screwed on a smile and extended her hand. “Thank you, Mrs. Simmons. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.”
“We will. And please tell Sid that we’re thinking about him.”
Casey forced a smile. “He’s really missing everyone this season.” She handed over the receipt, and Mrs. Simmons hustled her kids to the car where one of the employees was strapping their tree on the roof.
When Casey and Riley had visited Sid last night, he’d been subdued. Like the light Jack’s homecoming had brought to Sid’s eyes had been extinguished. Casey hated to see the disappointment in Jack’s parents because of his abrupt departure. Sure, they said they understood how important his business was, but they couldn’t hide the hurt. Casey wasn’t sure even they realized how much they’d missed having Jack home until he had been…and then left again.
Casey could kill him for putting his parents through that.
She scanned the lot. The last of the customers were wrapping up their purchases. It was almost time to shut down for the night. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and then they’d be closed for the rest of the holiday season. Normally, by this time of the year, she and Riley would be knee deep in Christmas spirit, baking cookies and wrapping presents. But she’d lost all the joy for the holiday season this year.
Everywhere she looked, she saw Jack. The way he laughed and joked with the other employees, leading by example with a charisma that made people want to follow him.
No wonder he’d been so successful at his job.
She also couldn’t walk into her bedroom without picturing his eyes darkening as he hovered over her just before he entered her. Remembering the way his masterful hands had brought her to pleasure over and over again, and the way he’d held her in his arms like someone to be revered and cherished.
And then there was Riley. Riley had warmed up to Jack and his absence had been reflected on her son’s face since Jack left. She shouldn’t have let him into their lives. But Jack had a way of digging in and grabbing hold. She couldn’t deny their past—Jack was the only man she’d ever loved.
Casey closed down the lot and headed home.
As soon as she walked through the door, Riley yelled and gestured to the large box on the coffee table. “Mom, look, you got a package.”
“Really, who’s it from?” She scanned the plain brown wrapping but there was no return address. There wasn’t even a street address for Casey’s house. Just her name scrawled in black ink across the top of the box. “How did this get here?”
“I don’t know. It was on the porch when I got home. Open it. See what it is.”
Casey tore off the brown paper and used her keys to slice through the tape that sealed the box. Inside she found another box, this one covered in bright red paper and wrapped with a wide gold sparkly bow. On the top was a small white envelope with her name neatly printed in block letters. She opened the envelope to find a single notecard inside with words scrawled across the front.
Do Not Open until Christmas!
“What’s it say, Mom?” Riley snatched the card out of her hand. He flipped it over and back again. “Is that it? It doesn’t say who it’s from.”
“I guess we’ll have to wait for Christmas.”
“Aw, Mom. We don’t even know who sent it. They’ll never know if you open it now.”
Casey smiled at her son. She couldn’t blame him for being enthusiastic. He’d been so down the past few days that it was good to see him excited about Christmas.
“I’ll know.” She lifted the beautifully wrapped package out of the box. “Wow, it’s heavy. Could you put this under the tree? Carefully.”
Riley lowered the box and pushed it up against the pile, making the small mound of gifts that much brighter. It was all she could do to wait until Christmas herself, like the note instructed. Growing up, she’d always been the one every year who would shake all the presents, trying to figure out what was inside. One year, she’d even peeled back the tape on a few packages for a peek. All that did was dampen her excitement when Christmas actually arrived.
She’d never spoiled the surprise again. And she wouldn’t now, either.
“Come on, Riley. Let’s get some dinner.” She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and together they headed to the kitchen. It didn’t take long, though, before her thoughts drifted back to Jack. At least for a few minutes, she’d replaced the heartbreak of him leaving her again with the anticipation of Christmas.
She shook her head. No more. Starting right now, she was going to embrace the holiday season. Christmas was her favorite time of year. What was she doing letting someone else ruin that for her and Riley?
“How about after dinner we pop some popcorn and string it to wrap around the tree?”
“Yay!” Riley’s innocent eagerness helped melt the ice that had formed around her heart this week. This was the way it should be—the two of them celebrating Christmas together. They would go to Sid and Jackie’s on Christmas morning like they’d planned, sharing the holiday with their adopted family. She refused to let Jack’s absence ruin Christmas for any of them.