Now she touched the bowl and remembered all the good times they’d had as a family. She might not have been madly in love with Will before he died, but she would always remember how he’d been a good husband and father.
She picked up the crystal bowl to wrap it and saw there was an envelope tucked inside. Her name was on the front, in Will’s handwriting.
She started to shake. After picking up the envelope, she walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. She opened the envelope and found a Christmas card inside. She opened it.
Bailey, I’m putting this where I know you’ll find it on Christmas Eve. I’m heading out tomorrow and I won’t be back for six months. I’m sorry to be away from you and Chloe, especially at the holiday. Know that I’ll always love you both, so much.
Her eyes filled with tears. She hadn’t found it on Christmas Eve, she thought sadly. Hadn’t known he left it. Now, looking back, she wondered if having his card would have made last Christmas easier or more difficult.
She turned the card over in her hand, then got up and took it into her bedroom. She had a box of Will’s things she was saving for her daughter. When Chloe was a little older, they would go through them together.
She placed the card inside and closed the box. Then she got back to her packing.
* * *
KENNY WAITED BY the elementary school. He was a couple of minutes early, with his SUV in line with all the parents picking up their children. In Fool’s Gold most kids walked home from school, so he was surprised at the number of drivers. Then he noticed all the sports equipment and stickers for things like dance and drama and figured the kids being picked up were heading to an activity.
He was there for Chloe. Bailey was finishing up the last of her packing before the move tomorrow, so he’d scheduled his stocking shopping trip with Chloe for that afternoon. Bailey had been grateful to have more time to get work done and had tried to give him money to pay for the stocking contents, but he’d refused. He wanted to be a part of their Christmas morning, however remotely.
The doors to the school opened and the first children appeared. He got out of his SUV and stood by the passenger’s side so Chloe could spot him easily. He watched as groups of girls and boys walked together, talking and laughing. A few headed for the cars, but the rest kept going toward home.
He’d wanted this, he admitted to himself. Hell, he thought he’d had it with James. He’d imagined what it would be like to take his son to his first day of school. He’d had big dreams for that kid.
Of course he’d wanted him to be a football star and get the girl, but mostly he’d wanted to watch him grow up and have a good life and be happy. While he still wanted that to happen, he would never be a part of James’s life.
As the sea of children continued to move around him, he let himself feel the emptiness that was always there. The pain of what he’d lost—what couldn’t be recovered. In a way it was worse than if James had died, because he knew the boy was out there. Growing up without him. Connecting with the man who was his biological father.
Kenny knew that James had been young enough to forget him. By now he was only a distant memory. Eventually he would be lost completely. Natalie wasn’t going to ever tell her son what she’d done. No one shared stories that made them look bad.
Which left him alone. He knew he should move on. Find someone else. Start a family. And he would. It was just there hadn’t been anyone who sparked his interest. Not until Bailey—which left him totally screwed.
“Kenny!”
He looked up and saw Chloe waving frantically. She hugged her friend goodbye, then ran toward him. She was small and skinny and completely adorable. As she got close, she dropped her backpack and launched herself at him. He caught her and held her close.
“You’re here!” she said, hugging him tight. “I knew you would be. I was so excited that I had trouble paying attention and my teacher had to give me a yellow card.”
She leaned back enough to look into his eyes. “That’s only one card away from red and if you get three red cards, your parents are called in. My mom would die if I got red cards.”
“Have you ever?”
“No. I like school and I like following the rules. But today was hard.”
He lowered her to the ground. She picked up her backpack and grinned again. “We’re going to go shopping!”
“I know.”
He opened the back door for her and she climbed in. When her seat belt was secure, he walked around to the driver’s side and got in. While he wasn’t going to announce it with as much enthusiasm, he had to admit, he was a little stoked about their afternoon, too.
“I have a list,” Chloe told him. “I want to get a special Christmas ornament from The Christmas Attic and gloves. We saw them in Aunt Isabel’s store last week and Mom really liked them. But she said because of the house, she wasn’t going to get them.” In the rearview mirror, he watched as Chloe’s expressive face turned serious. “Buying a house is a big responsibility. We’re going to be careful with our money so we can afford it. I’m helping. I’m practicing turning off the lights when I leave the room, so we’re not wasting electricity.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you.”
“Mom and me are a team. Being in a family means taking care of each other.” She bit her lower lip. “I think it was easier when my dad was with us. Because they could take care of each other.” She glanced at her lap, then back at him. “Do you think my mom is pretty?”