Read The Christmas Tree Guy Online

Authors: Railyn Stone

Tags: #Railyn Stone The Christmas Tree Guy Interracial

The Christmas Tree Guy (15 page)

“What?” Sara stopped in her tracks and looked at Sydnee.

“Uh, nothing.” Sydnee ducked her head and looked at a pink satin nightgown with matching robe. Sara’s eyes narrowed, noticing Sydnee trying desperately to hide her face behind the rack. “I do have to admit something though. You were definitely right about the tattoo thing. He has one on his back.”

“No, uh-uh Syd, what are you talking about? Just how do you know he has a tattoo on his back?” Sydnee slowly lifted her head to face Sara, knowing her face was probably as pink as the nightgown she was holding. She might as well tell her. One way or the other they would get around to talking about it anyway, and she was a little interested to see what Sara’s take on the whole situation may be. She smiled at the thought of the tattoo spanning across Quinn’s
shoulder blades and how the ink hugged every curve of his muscles perfectly. “Syd, you slept with him?”

“Shhh, keep your voice down,” Sydnee looked at a few sets of eyes looking their way.

“You did, didn’t you?” Sara’s voice entered the decibel level only dogs could hear as she moved closer to her friend. “Sydnee?”

“Yes, I did.” With a sheepish grin, Sydnee looked into Sara’s wide eyes and shrugged, biting her lip.

“He must have rocked your world! That’s why you’ve been acting so strange. So how long has this been going on?” Sara crossed her arms, tilting her head to the side.

“Just the night of Mina’s party.”
Oh what a glorious night.

“Really? So, what does this mean?”

“Sara, I honestly don’t know.” Sydnee felt the same overwhelming feeling she had the night she spent tangled up in bed with Quinn. It was starting to overtake her and she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I can’t believe I slept with him. I mean, it’s one thing for us to go to the movies. It’s a whole other thing for him to end up gloriously naked in my bed.” Sydnee had never felt so out of place and awkward. It was like she’d lost her virginity all over again and she wanted someone to reassure her she hadn’t made the biggest mistake of her life.

“Oh, honey, was it that bad?”

“No. It was…well, it was…amazing.”

“Really?” Sydnee watched the grin on Sara’s face nearly take over her body.

“Sara, you are really missing the point. What am I going to do? He’s already called me and he’s got it in his mind we are pursuing some kind of relationship.” Sara was teasing her and Sydnee was still struggling with the fact she had slept with a man she barely knew.

“Okay, first of all. Big whoop. So you slept with him. So what? Syd, it happens. And in all honesty, honey, you needed it.” Sara answered moving to sift through the racks again.

“What?”

“You needed it. Now maybe you can relax a bit.” Sydnee stared wordlessly at Sara and her nonchalant attitude. How could Sara possibly understand what she was going through?

“You don’t get it, Sara. I don’t do this kind of thing. I didn’t even have anything to protect myself. Thank the heavens above he did. It was so irresponsible of me.”

“See, there you go.”

“What do you mean ‘there I go’?”

“You are always so careful. So safe. You plan everything. Can you just let go for two seconds and enjoy your life?”

“Sara, I am all about enjoying life, but I do have responsibilities.”

“Okay, so what are you going to do?”

Sydnee shrugged as she turned her attention back to the racks of silky unmentionables. The metallic hangers screeched as she continued to sift through each of the sexy outfits. “I’m not sure. I haven’t talked to him. As far as he’s concerned, he’s ready to move into a relationship. I’m just not so sure about it.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. You heard Mina. All the horrid things she said. It got me thinking. If she’s my
friend
and she’s saying things like this—what are others going to say? And truly, he’s a personal trainer. What kind of stability could that possibly be?”

Sydnee watched Sara roll her eyes. “Please don’t tell me you are on that ‘future earnings potential’ bandwagon. First, before you go crossing him off again, maybe you should talk to him. See where his head is. Then make your decision.”

Nodding, Sydnee sighed. “I guess you’re right.”

Moving over to squeeze Sydnee’s shoulder, Sara giggled. “Yes, I am right. But wow. If you dating a younger guy doesn’t mess with Mina; you sleeping with one will put her over the edge.”

Sydnee stopped abruptly, turning to Sara. “Hey, can we keep this between you and me? I know I shouldn’t care what Mina says, but I kind of want to keep this hush-hush right now. I’m not ready to let the whole world in on my private life.” It all was happening so quickly and Sydnee was trying desperately to get a handle on everything.
      

“Honey, it’s okay. You’re a grown woman and I don’t care what society says or what anyone says, us girls have needs too.”

“You don’t think it’s too fast? I mean, me sleeping with him.” It was totally out of character for her to sleep with someone so quickly. Even when she first met her ex-husband, it was almost a year before they finally ended up in bed together. Quinn was doing crazy things to her psyche and she needed to get a grip on things. And fast.

“Puh-lease. There are women out there that would have sent the kiddies off to bed when he delivered the tree and gotten it on with him the first night.”

Grateful for her friends’ response, Sydnee felt a little better. It wasn’t that she needed her approval, but she worried if she had been a little too hasty falling into bed with Quinn. “Thanks, but I’d still like to keep this between us.”

“Honey, my lips are sealed. For what it’s worth, I’m glad you got some.”

“Oh Sara, really.” Sydnee shook her head.

“Yeah. Heck, maybe you should be buying something in here instead of me,” Sara winked, before pulling a lace candy apple red nightie off the rack and handing it to Sydnee. “Could make for a very interesting Christmas.”

 

###

 

“So where are we going?” Sydnee settled into the leather seat of Quinn’s car and continued her interrogation. She’d built up the nerve to call him back and he had asked her for another date. “You’ve been really mysterious about this date.”

“Why can’t you just sit and wait until we get there?” He cut his eyes to her while maneuvering the car onto the highway.

“Because I’m not good at waiting for surprises.”

“Okay, I’ll give you a hint…it’s something you told me you wanted to do with the boys.”

“Something I wanted to do with the boys? Hmm, I’ve told you so much, it could be absolutely anything.” Tapping her finger to her chin, she replayed their various conversations and struggled to remember what she may have told him.

“Well, let’s just put it this way, I’ll get to see the creative side of you today,” he grinned, exiting off the highway and navigated the car down a few side streets.

She sat quietly thinking as Quinn drove. The buildings and streets started to change from huge buildings and four lane roads, to smaller edifices interchanged with colorful houses and two lane streets. Finally, she felt the car turn and she watched as Quinn pulled into a parking space and turned the car off. “You ready?”

“Sure. What are we doing?” She put on her gloves as he got out and walked around the car to open the door for her.

“Well, I thought since you were interested in taking the boys to do something creative, you may want to try it out first. See if it’s really something they’d like to do.” He closed her door once she exited the car, taking her hand; he led her down one of the side streets. It was funny. She’d lived in the area for years and had never seen this part of town. As they walked, she started to smile when she saw the sign above the door.

“Quinn, oh wow. You really are attentive aren’t you?” She gushed as he opened the door and they headed in. The pottery shop was littered with brightly colored pieces from wall to wall. Polka dots and curly-cues popped off of plates, cups and saucers. Little speckled frogs, ducks and various other animals lined the storefront window. The storeowner approached the duo and gave them the tour of the quirky shop before letting them both pick a piece of pottery and led them to a table to paint.

“The boys would love this,” Sydnee quipped, dipping her paintbrush into the paint to start on the cup and saucer she’d picked. They were almost the only people in the shop, but she noticed a family sitting across the way and how the little girl and boy were so excited as they painted the bowls they had in front of them. “This is fun. I didn’t even know this was here.”

“I thought you would like it. Plus it gives me a chance to show you my artistic abilities,” he joked, painting the plate he had.

“Your artistic abilities? Really, Quinn, looks to me like that plate is going to be one big smiley face with all of the yellow you’re painting on it.” She snickered watching him load more yellow paint on the brush.

“Hey, don’t mess with the master as he’s painting.”

“Whatever.” They continued to paint and talk, but mostly giggle like two love-struck teenagers. Sydnee found out more about Quinn’s background and how close he was with his family. He was extremely close to his mother, who raised him alone after his parents divorced and she smiled at how he lit up talking about her. “Do you feel like you were deprived in any way since your parents were not together?” Being a single mother, she often wondered how children of divorced parents really felt. She was curious to find out Quinn’s answers and wondered if her own children would feel the same.

“Deprived? No. Even if they’d stayed together, my father was gone a lot with work, that I wouldn’t have seen him much anyway.”

“I often wonder how this is going to affect Charlie and Travis. With Matt walking out like he did, it’s got me wondering if I’m doing more harm than good with them.”

“What? How could you think you would be harming them?” Quinn’s eyes narrowed and she shrugged. “You spend so much time with them. You love them and you’re trying to make things as normal as possible for them. I can’t see anything you’re doing that would be harmful.”

“I don’t know. When they ask if their daddy is coming to see them or coming back to live with us, for the longest time, I had no clue how to answer. So I would just change the subject. Try to get them to think about something else. As they have gotten older that doesn’t work so well. And all I can honestly tell them is I don’t know when, or if, he’s going to come and see them.” She realized she’d been painting the same area of her saucer as they talked and she pushed it aside to finish the cup.

“Sydnee, I personally believe you aren’t harming them. If anything, being honest with Travis and Charlie is going to go a lot farther than lying to them or trying to make Matt out to be something he’s not.”

“What do you mean?” She finished the polka dots on her cup and put the brush down to focus on what he was saying. He seemed pretty adamant she was doing nothing to harm the boys and she wondered where those feelings were stemming from.

“Look, I’m not saying you have to do what my mom did, but she never pulled any punches with me. She never downed my dad to me, but she did let me know they split because she felt my father put other things before us.”

“So, he left?”

“He did. And honestly, I don’t feel deprived.” She watched his grim expression and she could tell he must still have some animosity towards the man. Something she was worried her kids would have towards Matt later on in life. “When my dad left, my Uncle Jack became like a dad to me. I personally believe someone who isn’t biologically your dad, can still be a father to you. I’m living proof,” he finished.

“But how did your mom do it without swaying how you felt about him?”

“She let me make up my own mind. She didn’t make him out to be some great hero that did no wrong, but she didn’t make him out to be a deadbeat either. She just told me the truth, and I respect her for it.”

“That makes sense. I just don’t want to be the bad guy, you know? I don’t want them to think I’m some old bitter woman that hates their father.” She glanced downward at her hands on the table and felt his forefinger and thumb against her chin tilting her head up.

“Honestly, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that. I can’t imagine anyone hating you.” Leaning over, he kissed the tip of her nose. “Now, is this a work of art or what?” She shook her head and laughed at the bright yellow ‘masterpiece’ he held up.

 

###

 

Over the next few days, Sydnee found herself juggling work, the kids, Christmas and Quinn. It had all been hectic, but it was the most invigorating time of her life. “All right beetle bugs, it’s time for bed.” She ushered them down the hallway towards their room as she carried a basket of laundry behind them.

“Aww, Mommy, do we have to?”

“Travis, yes, you do. Hey, you’re getting out of school tomorrow for Christmas break, the least you can do is be good and go to bed or Santa’s not coming to see you.” She walked into their room to put their clothes away.

“Mommy, will Santa bring you something this year too?” Charlie sat on the floor to pick up the crayons where they were drawing pictures earlier and was now watching her intently.

“Well, honey, I think Santa will be focusing more on bringing you and Travis gifts, as long as you’re good. Plus, Mommy didn’t ask for anything this year.” She put down the basket and took a seat beside him. Travis ambled over to where she and Charlie sat and knelt in front of her, picking up one of the crayons.

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