Jess reached past Jimmy and tapped the turkey. It was frozen solid. “We could nuke it,” she suggested, and Jimmy actually lifted the poultry ice cube and turned around before they realized that the turkey was much too big to fit into the microwave that was built in over the stove.
He dropped it on the counter, where it thudded loudly before bouncing and skidding slowly but surely across the counter and toward the pumpkin pies. Jimmy stopped it just in time.
Jess stared at the frozen turkey. There was no possible way that turkey would be cooked today. “Think we could convince everyone that we’ve turned vegetarian?”
Amazingly, Jimmy laughed. “My dad would force-feed us steak until we changed our minds. Don’t you know that vegetarian liberals are ruining the cattle business?” He gave his best impression of his Texas-to-the-bone father.
He put his arm around her shoulder, and together they stared at the turkey. Hard. As if staring would make a difference. Maybe if one of them had x-ray vision...
“I’ve got it,” Jimmy said, stepping away from Jess to grab the turkey and return it to the refrigerator. “No problem.”
That irritating
no problem
again. “What are you doing?” Jess asked as Jimmy opened the freezer and started digging around.
“Could you move the pies off the counter?” Jimmy asked as he found what he was looking for.
Without asking another question, Jess moved the pies, two at a time, to the kitchen table. Jimmy deposited two huge freezer bags of ground beef on the counter, and then he stepped into the pantry. When he reappeared, his arms were filled with cans of tomatoes and beans. After dumping the cans onto the oak island, he delved into the refrigerator and came out with his hands precariously full of onions and bell peppers.
“What are you doing?” Jess asked again.
Jimmy gave her a quick smile as he reached for the spice rack. “I’m making my famous chili.”
Chili. For Christmas dinner. Chili and stuffing.
She heard the now familiar flap of the plastic doggie door, and the next thing she knew Rudy was dancing happily at Jimmy’s feet.
“And where were you this morning?” Jimmy asked the dog. His voice was accusing, and he stared at Rudy with one narrowed eye. “You never let me sleep late.”
Rudy did not appear to be at all repentant.
Jimmy made his famous chili, while Jess found the plates and bowls and silverware and carried them to the dining room. Rudy lay, contented, at Jimmy’s feet there beside the stove. When Jimmy said it was time, Jess took the casseroles and the stuffing from the refrigerator. Heat and serve. Thank goodness for Florence, whoever she was.
While he waited for the huge pot of chili to come to a simmer, Jimmy took the wrapped gifts from a hall closet and placed them beneath the tree. He warned Rudy several times, with a shake of his finger, not to touch. Rudy actually seemed to understand.
Before too much time had passed the chili was simmering, the casseroles were bubbling, and the pan dressing was browning. The house smelled wonderful, fragrant and spicy just like Christmas should smell. Jess made three pitchers of iced tea and set the long dining room table—complete with deep bowls and soup spoons.
She was admiring the table when Jimmy sneaked up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. “See,” he whispered. “I told you there was no problem.”
She glanced down at his wristwatch. “And it seems we even have twenty minutes to get cleaned up and change clothes.”
“I can think of something much more fun to do for the next twenty minutes,” he whispered as he kissed the side of her neck, beneath her ear.
She melted against him, falling back as he tightened his arms.
All of a sudden, Jimmy went very still. “Do you hear that?”
“What?”
“Nothing,” he said suspiciously. “Nothing at all, not a sound. Where’s Rudy?”
Jimmy broke for the living room and the Christmas tree, and Jess was right behind him. All was well, and quiet, and the packages were untouched. The lights on the tree shimmered on gold and silver foil wrapping and red bows, and there had to be fifty packages there, small and large.
Jimmy scooped up a single, square package from beneath the tree. “I think maybe you’d better open this one now,” he said, placing the package in her hands. There was a twinkle in his eye that told her this was the reason he’d brought her to the living room. He’d never been worried about Rudy, his well-behaved dog.
She hesitated for a moment before she slowly and carefully peeled the gold wrapping paper away from a plain brown box. She lifted the top and let the foil wrapping fall to her feet.
As she looked into the tissue-lined box, she let the box lid fall to the floor, where it landed atop the gold paper. Resting on white and lavender tissue paper were the tiniest pair of cowboy boots she’d ever seen, black and white with a touch of red piping at the top. She ran her fingers over the leather, tracing the toe and the little heel. “I didn’t know they even made boots this small,” she whispered.
At any other time, she would have laughed at such a ridiculous sight, but at the moment it wasn’t ridiculous at all. The tiny boots were a clear and concrete reminder of what was yet to come.
“I know I should have waited, but I saw those in the boot shop and I just couldn’t resist.”
Jess didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She felt as if she were on the verge of breaking into both tears and laughter. “Dean would be very proud.”
“There was this tiny little vest...”
He was silenced when she threw her arms around his neck. “They’re wonderful, and you’re wonderful, and I can’t believe I was ever...” How much could she safely say? What if she said too much and the spirit who had brought her here decided it was time to send her back?
“I can’t believe I ever thought this day would be anything less than perfect.”
For a long moment, Jimmy held her. How could she ever bear to be alone again? Already she knew that what she and Jimmy had was much more than physical attraction... more even than love. They were connected in a way she’d never believed possible.
A loud crash from the kitchen interrupted her perfect moment. Jimmy dropped his arms, spun away, and ran, and Jess followed slowly behind, studying the boots as she went.
If she’d seen them in the store she would have laughed at such an absurdity, but the sight of these tiny boots actually brought tears to her eyes. Why did this gift touch her heart?
Because it was a sign of so much unknown left to come, of life and love and endless possibilities. Of future Christmases rich with magic and wonder for their children. Goodness,
their children
.
“Rudy!” Jimmy shouted, and Jess hurried toward the kitchen and the unusual sound of her husband’s voice raised in anger.
The Black Lab was standing on the kitchen table, pumpkin pie on his nose, and in his mouth, and on his paws. One paw, in fact, was resting in the only pie he hadn’t eaten. One empty pie plate had fallen or been pushed to the floor. But for that, Rudy might have eaten all four pies before getting caught.
The dog was looking at Jimmy with an expression that was at first childlike and innocent, and then sheepish. Then the coward leaped from the table, dragging the pie his paw was planted in. It crashed onto the kitchen floor, upside down, and Rudy escaped through the mud room and out the doggie door.
Jimmy glanced over his shoulder. “I don’t suppose you fed him this morning,” he said, his initial burst of anger fading away.
She shook her head.
“Neither did I.”
He started to clean up the mess. “I think there are a couple of boxes of Twinkies in the pantry,” he said as he tossed the pie plates into the sink. He cast a quick grin over his shoulder. “A benefit of having a pregnant wife around. We could cut them into thirds and put toothpicks in them and hope no one notices.”
It was ridiculous, so ridiculous that Jess began to laugh. With one little boot in each hand, she threw her arms around Jimmy’s neck and laughed so hard he had to hold her up.
“You’re hysterical,” he accused softly.
He released her slowly as the laughter died, and she pulled away to look into his face. “You’re wonderful,” she whispered. “Perfect, in fact.”
Jimmy raised his eyebrows in disbelief, but he smiled and moved in close. “Would you care to put that in writing? I can think of several times in the past three years an affidavit like that would’ve come in handy.”
“Do I not tell you often enough that you’re perfect?”
“Not nearly often enough,” Jimmy said with an exaggerated drawl.
Jess raised up on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly. They came together so naturally, so easily.
“Merry Christmas, sugar,” he whispered as she drew away.
“How much time did you say we have?” she asked breathlessly as he pulled his mouth from hers.
She would never get enough of him, never tire of the way his lips came to hers, the way her body seemed to awaken when he touched her.
His hands slipped beneath the sweatshirt. “Six weeks pregnant, and you’re already borrowing my clothes.”
“Do you mind?”
The smile he gave her as he lifted her off her feet was brilliant. “Are you kidding? I like it, I love it. You look better in that sweatshirt than I ever did or ever will.”
The doorbell rang, and they both jumped. “They’re early,” Jimmy said, just a heartbeat behind Jess.
Chapter Nine
Jess’s father said grace, throwing in phrases like “at least we won’t starve” and “this bountiful and
unusual
holiday meal.” She cringed, and beneath the table Jimmy squeezed her hand.
It was overwhelming and humbling and perhaps a little frightening to sit at the table with both families, and Jess had already decided that she was better off keeping her mouth shut as much as possible.
Her parents had changed little, physically and emotionally. They’d argued endlessly since stepping through the front door, about the trip and the airport van, the method of packing the Christmas presents they’d brought to add to the mountain under the tree, and even the weather. Her mother had all but groaned at the sight of the chili, but she hadn’t actually said anything, since Jimmy had been right there.
Marty looked great. Goodness, she’d matured in three short years. Jess’s little sister was prettier than ever, and didn’t seem to be indulging in any singular fashion revolution at the moment. She was obviously happy—a fact Jess attributed to the attentive and handsome man, Winston Conrad, who sat at Marty’s right.
Peter was seated between his two kids, Matthew and Heather. From what she’d overheard of their conversation, Jess figured he’d collected them early this morning, after they’d celebrated Christmas with their mother and new stepfather. He looked tired, but happy to be sitting between his kids.
Jimmy’s family was, well, what had she expected? The brothers were fascinating. Five men, all very much like Jimmy and still each his own man. If you lined the six of them up you’d know they were brothers. The strength of their features were similar; and they all were wide in the shoulders and long legged.
That aside, Frank was the tallest by better than an inch, and Luke had electric blue eyes, and Robbie was the only true blond. John was the shortest of the six, and still he stood at least six feet tall. And Will, goodness, Will was more beautiful even than Jimmy.
Will and Frank had brought their wives, pretty and intelligent women, both of them. Will and Christine had been married three months, Frank and Sarah six.
The three youngest Blue brothers were happily single, though Jess suspected they wouldn’t stay single for long if there were any more smart and pretty women in Texas.
Ginny was the sole Blue daughter, the youngest child, and she was clearly the darling of the bunch. Ginny Blue was a stunning dark-haired girl with clear gray eyes so much like Jimmy’s it hurt Jess to look at them.
Studying Jimmy’s brothers once again, Jess felt a pang of pity for the man Ginny would one day bring home.
His parents, Clara and Rance Blue, were wonderful people, she knew already. Rance had expressed delight in finding his son’s chili was being served for supper, and Clara had laughed out loud as she’d taken her seat. You could tell, by the way they looked at each other and touched... a hand on an arm or a shoulder so easily... that they loved each other, still.
It was no wonder Jimmy had grown up so beautifully.
She couldn’t help but wonder if she and Jimmy could stay so much in love as the years passed... and then she knew without doubt that they would.
Whenever she’d pictured her own future, alone in her apartment during a long, lonely night, she’d never imagined anything quite like this. A child in the distant future, maybe, she’d conceded. Perhaps two. A boy and a girl.
But she looked at the big, beautiful Blue family, and wondered how many she and Jimmy would decide to have. Two would be manageable. Seven would be constant turmoil. Maybe they’d settle for a number in between.
She dipped into Jimmy’s “famous chili” and brought a spoonful to her mouth. The spiciness surprised her, and her eyes watered as she reached for her iced tea to cool the burn in her throat.
“Did I make it too hot?” Jimmy asked as she drained half her glass.
She shook her head, but her eyes continued to water. Glancing around the table as inconspicuously as possible, she saw that his family was having no trouble at all eating the chili, but her family was quickly becoming vegetarians.
It was chaotic but fun, in an odd way. Her family filled up on dressing and vegetables, and Jimmy’s family chowed down on the chili. No one laughed too loudly or long when dessert—fruit salad and quartered Twinkies—was served. Jess was ready to admit that this was a good day, in spite of the early disasters.
And it was a good day, if you liked chaos.
Seven people in the kitchen made short work of the cleanup, and only three dishes were broken.
Matthew and Heather discovered Rudy, and Heather discovered that she fit quite nicely through the doggie door. Matthew was not so lucky. He got stuck on his first attempt. It took one Lennox and three Blues to get him unstuck.