Yours for Christmas

“I have sisters and a mom.”

“They’ll be so pleased to know some of what they said got through.”

Her gentle teasing made him want to pull her close. It made him want to kiss her and maybe buy whatever she thought Chloe would like...his treat. Instead he stuffed his hands into his pockets and jerked his head toward the rest of the floor.

“Let’s go be practical.”

A little while later, they stood in front of what looked to be the perfect compromise.

“Are you sure?” Bailey asked, then nibbled on her bottom lip.

“Positive.” Kenny pushed a few more buttons on his phone, then turned the screen toward her. “Look. There are all kinds of hardware available.” He pointed to a bright daisy knob. “These are eight dollars apiece but you only need seven or eight of them. You could change them out if you needed to.”

She nodded slowly, as if working through the problem. “I like the natural a lot. It’s a pretty color and a nice, neutral backdrop for her room. She wants it painted lavender.”

The bedroom set was both whimsical and practical, he thought, studying the design. A unique bunk-bed set. The bottom was a full-sized bed with a small night table tucked next to it. On the left side were stairs leading to a twin upper bunk that went across the top of the full, so the beds formed a T. The best part was the storage. Each stair was a drawer and there was a big drawer under the full-sized mattress.

“It’s more than I had planned to spend,” she murmured. “But with the free financing for a year, I could make it work. I just think this one is perfect.”

He moved next to her and put his hand on her arm. For a second he allowed himself to get lost in the feel of her warm skin. Then he shook off the guy moment and focused on the problem at hand.

“Don’t shoot the messenger,” he began. “Taryn wants to get you a housewarming present and she put me in charge.”

Bailey stared at him. “I don’t know if I should laugh or be afraid.”

“That was my reaction, too. I know she would really like to get Chloe a great princess bedding set. Like that one we saw by the stairs.”

They’d seen it on the way in. It was all ruffles and lace, done in various shades of pink, blue or purple. There were matching pillows and a great lamp.

Bailey surprised him by turning away. “Did Taryn really say that?” she asked, before holding up her hand. “Never mind. I know the answer. She is so nice to me.”

She turned back and he saw tears in her eyes.

She drew in a breath. “If it was for me, I would have told her no, but for Chloe, I accept. I’m going to get this one. She’ll love it and it will last her through college and she can have friends over.”

He couldn’t help himself. He put his arm around her and drew her close. “You’re a good mom, Bailey.”

“I think I’m like most moms out there. We love our kids and want the best for them.”

For a second, she leaned into him. He felt the weight of her body and wanted to pull her even closer. He wanted... Well, he was clear on that and how he couldn’t risk it. Not just for himself, but for Bailey, too. She was the kind of woman a man got serious about, and he knew the danger of that.

“Let’s go talk to the sales guy,” he said, steering her in that direction. “While you’re filling out the paperwork, I’m going to check online for some princess-worthy drawer pulls.”

CHAPTER SIX

KENNY WAVED JACK into the office. His business partner sat down and waited until Kenny hung up the phone.

“You make your calls?” he asked.

Jack nodded. “They mostly don’t care. For some reason they think you can do as good a job. Idiots.”

“You’d be happier if they were threatening to leave the company?” Kenny asked with a grin.

“You know it.”

Jack was leaving Score at the end of the year. Although he’d been a founding partner with Taryn, he’d been offered a coaching job at Cal U Fool’s Gold. And not just any coaching job. He was going to start the football program, from the ground up. A challenging project, but one Jack would see to the end. Kenny was confident the Cal UFG Warriors would have a winning season within three years of their first game.

In the meantime, Jack was contacting all their clients and letting them know he was moving on. Kenny followed up to assure them that he was committed to staying with Score. So far no one had minded about the change.

“It’s going to be strange not to be here anymore,” Jack told him. “But I’m excited about what’s ahead of me.”

“Let me know if you need any help.”

“You want to coach?”

“No,” Kenny said with a laugh. “But I’m happy to listen and offer advice.”

“Sam said the same thing,” Jack admitted. “You’re good men.”

Kenny held up a hand. “You’re not going to turn into a woman, are you? And start talking about your feelings?”

“No. Sam and Dellina and Larissa and I are thinking of going up to Henri’s for a fancy dinner.” Jack rolled his eyes. “Larissa says they decorate the whole resort and she wants to see it. Dellina agrees. Sam and I are going along because we love our women. You two want to join us?”

Kenny frowned at his friend. You two? As in...

“You and Bailey,” Jack clarified. “Before she left, Taryn mentioned the two of you were working on the toy drive together. She’s fun, right?” He shook his head. “Or is it a problem because of Chloe?”