Tis the Season by Jennifer Gracen

Author:Jennifer Gracen [Gracen, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-08-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Charles made a point of tucking each of his children into bed Tuesday night, spending a few minutes with each of them. He’d gone on business trips before, all the time. But his ritual was to spend at least ten minutes with each kid at bedtime, so they’d feel his love before he left for a while. He went to Myles last, since Lisette would be with him. By the time he got to his room, the boy was half-asleep.

“I only throwed up three times today, Daddy,” Myles said. “Lisette says maybe tomorrow I won’t throw up anymore.”

Charles grinned and hugged his son. “I sure hope so, buddy. I really do. I want you to feel better already.”

“Lisette said the teacher said half of my class is out sick,” Myles said, wide-eyed. “We all caught the same bug!”

“That tends to happen,” Lisette said from the chair in the corner. She didn’t seem as rumpled as the day before. A long pink sweater hid her shape, but her gray leggings at least showed off the bottom half of her legs. The sheep slippers were on, and her hair had stayed in its long braid, with only a few tendrils loose. But she did look tired; the hint of dark circles beneath her dark eyes gave her away.

Charles leaned down and kissed Myles’s forehead, which was still a little warm. “I’m leaving very early, so I’ll be gone when you wake up. But I’ll be back a week from tomorrow, okay? The day before Thanksgiving. You can call me or text me whenever you want; Lisette will show you how.”

“I will. I’ll miss you, Daddy,” Myles said, curling into his blankets with a yawn. “I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.” Charles ran a hand over his son’s hair, then his back. “Feel better really soon. Lisette will take good care of you while I’m gone.”

“Yup. She’s awesome . . .” The boy yawned again and closed his eyes. “Good night, Set,” he mumbled.

Lisette smiled from her seat. “Good night, honey. Sleep well.”

Myles was asleep in about thirty seconds. Charles rose from the bed and held a hand out to her. “You. Come here.”

She slanted a sideways look at him, but got to her feet and crossed the room.

He took her hand and pulled her in, holding her close. With gentle affection, he wrapped her in his embrace and said against her temple, “Thank you.”

“For what?” she asked against his neck. “Doing my job?”

“You go above and beyond just doing your job,” he said. “Every day. And I know it. Thank you for taking such good care of him while he’s been sick.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. She moved to pull back. “Um . . .”

“I kinda wasn’t done hugging you,” he told her, still holding tight. “You feel really good. If that’s okay.”

A staggered laugh flew out of her. “Yeah, it’s okay.” After a few seconds, she leaned into him more. He felt her body ease and relax against his, felt her let go and let herself be held.

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