Colton hung up the phone and Mandy was relieved. Eric usually wanted to talk to her as well, not for any reason other than to annoy her.
"Breakfast time, what do you want?"
"Pancakes."
Mandy faked a groan. Having pancakes was their breakfast for special days. "You have to help."
"Okay," Colton said.
The pan was hot and the first pancake was poured when the phone rang. Colton ran to answer it. "Merry Christmas," he said, smiling at Mandy. His smile faded. "Oh, hi. Thanks for the puck and stuff." He nodded and smiled again. "Yeah, my friend likes hockey. He'll think it's really cool. I can't wait to show him. You wanna talk to my mom? Sure, she's making pancakes." He delivered the phone to Mandy, not wanting to compromise breakfast.
Mandy pressed the cordless receiver between her shoulder and ear, while she flipped the pancake. She tried to tone down her excitement. "Merry Christmas."
Kip's voice was warm in her ear. "Merry Christmas. Did you like my gift?"
Mandy smiled, warmth flooding her chest. "Yes. Thank you for everything. You really didn't have to."
"No, but I really enjoyed it. How is your morning going? It's a little crazy here." Mandy realized there was yelling and music in the background. Her focus had been told, she was only thinking about Kip.
"It was an earlier morning than I would have liked, but it was nice. Quiet with just the two of us."
"You're all alone? I should have invited you here?"
"No, just alone for the morning. Well, we are going to friends in a little bit. After pancakes."
"Yay, pancakes," Colton yelled from his spot at the dining room table where he was playing his new video game.
"Good. Good." His voice was like a warm caress in her ear and she closed her eyes. January first couldn't come soon enough. Then again, it needed to be further away, she wasn't ready to meet him face to face, to breath in his scent. God, would he still smell the same as he always had?
Mandy forced herself to take a deep breath. Slow down, slow down. Supper plans weren't for a week. "So, are you enjoying having your house full?"
Kip sighed and she could imagine him glancing over his shoulder at the noisemakers. She hadn't had time to ask exactly how many were visiting. She hadn't kept in contact with his sisters over the years. When he spoke it was quieter. "Sorry, I went upstairs to get some quiet. My head is starting to ache. Yeah, it's nice. But I think Maggie will end up leaving before the twenty-eighth. I don't think they can manage three kids in public."