Chapter Eight
JACK’S MIND FILLED with memories as he jostled on the front seat of Dad’s truck, with Casey at his side, following the one hauling the tree. Dad should be here, ushering his selection to the town green. Why had he picked that tree? Every year on Jack’s birthday, they had gone up and measured the majestic blue spruce, charting its growth. Dad had snipped and pruned and loved that tree. Choosing it this year was like Dad had known something would happen to bring Jack home.
Jack glanced over at Casey furiously typing on her cell phone. Who was she texting? He couldn’t help but be curious. Jealousy gnawed at his gut at the thought of a boyfriend receiving those messages. Was she serious with someone? No one at the lot or in town had mentioned a boyfriend or husband. Come to think of it, they hadn’t mentioned Casey’s private life at all.
Her eyes met with his. She typed a few more words and then slid her phone into her pocket. “I’m really excited about the tree lighting and sidewalk stroll this year.”
So she didn’t want to talk about who was on the other end of her conversation. That was fine. He could play along. “I was in the new Mug ’n Muffin last week. I love the North Pole scene on the window.”
Her eyebrows rose. Did she expect him to spend every minute he was here at the lot or holed up at home? She chuckled. “Hardly new. I think it’s been open almost three years now.”
“Well it’s new to me. It’s a nice place. I also ran into Lucas Bennett. He said he was on the crew that came for Dad.”
Casey covered her heart with her hand. “I’m so glad they did. If he’d been out there any longer, I just don’t know…”
She didn’t need to say the words. They’d been lucky that Casey had responded so quickly. “Lucas said Dad wouldn’t have made it if not for you.”
Color rose on her cheeks. “I did what anyone else would have done. I took CPR after…well, I took it a while back, in case I ever needed it. I never thought I’d be using it on your Dad.”
Jack slid his hand across the seat and covered Casey’s. “I’m glad you were there for him. I’m not quite ready to let him go yet.”
Casey’s eyes grew misty. Jack really wanted to clear the air with Casey, once and for all. “Casey, I, uh…”
As if she suddenly noticed their clasped hands, she pulled hers away and wrapped her arms around her middle.
Jack ignored the interruption and continued. “I really want us to talk. It’s been so long. We meant something to each other once. You at least owe me one dinner for old time’s sake, don’t you think?”
She stared out the window, and Jack wasn’t sure she was going to answer. Finally, she sighed. “I guess you’re right. Let me make a couple of calls and we can meet up somewhere tonight.”
No way was he letting her back out now that he’d gotten her to agree. “I’ll pick you up. How about seven? We can go to J.J.’s.”
Casey pulled her phone out of her pocket and tapped her fingers on the screen. A minute later, it vibrated. She glanced at the screen and then typed a couple more times. “Okay. Pick me up at seven.”
Jack grinned and focused his attention on the rest of the drive into town.
He parked Dad’s truck next to the one hauling the tree a few minutes later, opposite the spot where the tree would sit. Casey hopped out before he could stop her. “I’m gonna run across and let the fire department know we’re here.”
The door slammed, cutting off his response. Two firefighters stepped out of the bay as Casey approached. One of them wrapped her in a hug. She laughed and sank into the embrace. Jack’s heart raced. She wasn’t his girlfriend. He had no right to get jealous, but that didn’t stop the feeling from coursing through him.
He opened his door and a cold wind whipped through him. Snow was in the air. Maybe if things went well with Casey, they’d find themselves snowed in at her place for the night. Cuddled up under the covers, a fire in the fireplace…
Jack shook away the fantasy and reached for Dad’s coat. Dad had been wearing the same fleece-lined jacket and hat for years. It had become a tradition, and who was Jack to mess with tradition?
A few minutes later, the fire engine pulled around and Casey hopped out of the cab. She coordinated with the guys on how to position the tree in the stand and how they would secure it in place. Lucas climbed onto the engine and grabbed hold of the ladder. Jack stood back and watched. Casey had always had a take-charge attitude. She just hadn’t been willing to muster the courage for the one leap he’d needed—to leave town with him.
“Mom, Mom.” A fair-haired boy with a backpack slung over his thick winter coat cut across the green. Jack looked behind the child. Where was his mother? Who was the boy looking for?
The boy slammed into Casey, wrapping his arms around her waist. Casey’s demeanor immediately changed, and her expression softened as she looked down on the boy with love—a boy who Jack now had no doubt was her son.
Jack collapsed against the truck as he watched mother and son interact. Her face lit up when she laughed at something the boy said. She tousled his hair and wrapped her arm around his shoulder before shifting her attention to the tree. The boy yelled to a couple of the firefighters who greeted him with thumbs ups and waves.
Casey had a son?
Jack scanned the park for some evidence of the boy’s father, but he didn’t see anyone else. Just Casey and her son.
“Jack!”
Jack shook the fog out of his head and yelled up to Lucas on the ladder. “Yeah, whatcha need?”
“Hook the ropes in. We’re ready to lift the tree.”
Right—the tree. Jack could worry about Casey and the secrets she’d kept from him later. It would do him good to focus on the work and not dwell on who else had put their hands on Casey, had kissed her and loved her…Damn it. He had no claim on Casey to feel what he was feeling. He’d left, telling her he was never coming back. And until last week, he hadn’t. She had every right to move on. Why, then, was an ache building in his chest?
He rigged the harnesses, and the firefighters slowly raised the tree, spun the ladder, and had the huge evergreen positioned over the footers in no time. Jack hurried over to help, and Casey stepped up beside him. “I hope we left enough room for the base. I think I underestimated the size of the tree.”
How could she act like she hadn’t just turned Jack’s life upside down in the past few minutes? Well, let her keep her secrets…for now. But tonight was a different matter. “It’ll be close, but it should fit. Can’t wait to see it all lit up and decorated. When’s the lighting?”
“Saturday night. It’s become an all-day event, with musicians playing in the gazebo during the day. All the stores will be open, serving hot chocolate and cookies and hosting crafts and projects for the kids. It’s topped off by the tree lighting just after sunset.”
Jack couldn’t mistake the sparkle in her eye as she spoke. Casey had always loved Christmas, dressing up in outrageous sweaters and wearing jingle-bell earrings the entire month of December. She was like a kid at, well, Christmas. What traditions did she have now? Did she and her son leave milk and cookies for Santa? Did they open a present on Christmas Eve or save them all for Christmas morning? It surprised Jack that he wanted to learn these things about Casey. About her son.
He and Casey guided the tree into the stand and, with the help of the ladder truck, secured the trunk in place. No way was that sucker going anywhere until they cut the ropes securing it in place after the holidays. After Jack was back in Boston. Just a few days ago, the thought of returning home excited and motivated him. Now, the idea of losing the slower life in Oak Grove didn’t sound so good.
The boy stepped up beside Casey. “It looks great, Mom. Who’s that?” He pointed his thumb at Jack.
She snatched his finger down. “Stop pointing, Riley. That’s Mommy’s old friend, Mr. Murphy.”
“Old friend?” Jack smacked one hand over his heart in mock outrage and extended his other to Riley. “I’m Jack, Sid and Jackie’s son.”
Riley’s eyes widened. “You’re Grandpa Sid’s son?”
Jack’s gaze landed on Casey. Of course his parents knew about Riley. No way they didn’t, living in this small town. But more than that, their relationship with him apparently encompassed family endearments. He raised his eyebrows as he mouthed the question over Riley’s head. “Grandpa?”
She shook him off. That was just another in a long list of questions he’d have for Casey when they went to dinner tonight. No way was she getting out of it now. But her having a son explained some of the shared looks between his parents, Casey’s secrecy around the lot, and why she always left on time and never accepted one of his invitations.
What had changed for her to finally agree to dinner? Did she realize he would meet her son today and accept the inevitable? He might have left her behind when he moved to Boston, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care about what had happened to her. He wanted to get to know this boy who looked like the spitting image of his mother. He shook the boy’s hand. “I sure am, buddy. But I call them Mom and Dad.”
Riley laughed and immediately bounced to another topic. “Mom, can I play basketball with Mark again tonight?”
She cupped her hand around Riley’s shoulder. “I don’t know, Riley. You remember what happened last time. You landed in the ditch on the way home. Besides, Mrs. Jenkins is coming over.”
Riley fist pumped. “Yay. Video games after dinner.”
Jack watched the interaction of mother and son, and something deep in his soul turned over. That could have been his son. Their son. The child he and Casey were meant to have. His heart wrenched and he choked back a surge of unexpected anguish.
Jack busied himself with returning the tools to the truck, leaving Riley chattering away with his mom. The reminder of what could have been was too much for him. Casey was a mom. And he wasn’t the father.
How old was Riley? Jack didn’t know a lot about kids, but he had to be at least school age. How long after Jack had gone to Boston did Casey find someone else? Not long, by the looks of it. Jack had so many questions, he wasn’t sure one dinner was enough to get them all answered.
“Jack, it’s all done.” Casey’s voice startled him and he spun around.
The ladder had been retracted and the tree stood in all of its glory. Dad had picked the perfect one. And Jack was so glad he was here to witness it. He couldn’t wait to see it lit up.
Casey stepped up beside him and he had an idea. There was only one person he wanted to witness the tree lighting with, and she was standing right beside him.
Casey spoke as if the sight of the tree hadn’t moved her at all. Maybe it didn’t. After all, she’d been here the past ten years. Without him. “Are you ready to go back to the lot? I have some paperwork to wrap up.”
“Sure, I’m ready. You need to finish in time to go home and get all gorgeous for tonight.” He waggled his eyebrows and grinned. He couldn’t help it, especially when he was rewarded with the blush that crept up her cheeks.
“Maybe tonight isn’t such a good idea, Jack.”
“No way. You said you’d go, and I’m holding you to it. I’ll be there at seven. And don’t be manufacturing an excuse of no childcare. I’m sure Mom would be happy to watch him if your sitter falls through, since it sounds like they know each other well.”
She flinched but schooled her features. He hadn’t meant to hit on a sore spot, but he was still reeling from the idea that she’d had a child.