The Lawman's Christmas Wish by Linda Goodnight

Author:Linda Goodnight
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2010-10-05T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

This was what Christmas was supposed to feel like.

Reed held one end of a hundred-bulb strand of multicolored lights while Amy twirled in a circle around the tree, looping and draping and humming along with a CD of Christmas carols.

Dexter and Sammy were piddling around, digging in plastic storage boxes Amy had insisted on bringing from her house.

The local chief of police, renowned for his aplomb in difficult situations, was still feeling a little shell-shocked by the morning’s events. Shell-shocked and amazingly peaceful and happy. His tension, always present and pinching at the back of his neck, had dissipated as he’d sung Christmas carols, thrown snow at Amy and behaved like a kid out in the woods.

When had he ever done that? When had he ever felt like a kid? Now twice in the space of a week, Amy had reminded him of how good it felt to let go and enjoy himself.

He looked at Amy’s boys, so cute and innocent, they made his heart squeeze. They were depending on him to keep them safe, and with God’s help he would not fail.

He’d never considered God much, other than to appreciate the stunning universe He’d created, but Amy was getting to him on that front, too.

Sammy had stuck a red bow on Cy’s head and a blue one on his own. Now the pair lay side by side in front of the fireplace, watching the decorations go onto the tree. Sammy’s little arm was looped over Cy’s back as they snuggled close together. Both dog and boy looked ridiculously happy.

Amy was a fantastic mother, and her kids deserved an equally fantastic father.

Acid filled his stomach. Even if Amy agreed to marry him, he could never be that kind of father. The only father he’d ever known was harsh and hard, expecting too much. And his mother had been dead too long for him to remember any parenting he may have learned from her. He knew nothing about being a good dad like Ben. What if Amy married him and he was like his father? He’d snapped at Dexter out there in the woods. The reaction had been fear, but still, he’d hurt the boy’s feelings. What if he was too hard on Dexter and Sammy? What if they grew up resenting him the way he resented Wes Truscott?

Sweat broke out on the back of his neck. Maybe marrying Amy wasn’t for the best.

But he’d promised. He groaned.

“What did you do? Poke yourself?”

Amy’s voice came from behind the tree. He could see her through the gaps of evergreen-scented green. He could also see her toe socks, a hilarious pair in bright red, with a silly black yarn face. The fringed eyebrows and googly eyes jiggled whenever she walked. He focused on them. Those were fun. His thoughts were not.

“Not enough branches here to hurt anyone,” he muttered, knowing the comment would bring a smile. It did. And he felt better.

“Dexter, are you about ready with those ornaments?”

“In a minute.” Sitting

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.