A Family for Christmas (15 page)

Rachel had been left in the care of Michael and Jack for the entire day. At five years old, Rachel was in awe of Michael and his friend.

Liz had given Michael very strict instructions not to take his sister anywhere.

After spending the morning being bored to tears, Michael decided a little trip over to Jack’s house didn’t actually constitute leaving, since they were technically just going from one house to the next. Unfortunately, Liz hadn’t agreed. Especially after she heard what they’d been up to.

Over the years, Rachel had been to Jack’s house dozens of times. Back then, she’d been just the tagalong little sister of his best friend, which had been fine. Once she became his girlfriend and then later his wife, his father’s anger had hit the roof. He’d read his son the riot act.

On this particular day, his father had been away in New York and the housekeeper, who had been left in charge, was busy working and completely unaware of what they’d been up to until it was too late.

After spending the afternoon playing in the pool, the boys decided to do a little exploring and as usual Rachel was right there with them.

Rachel loved peaches. She’d cried and cried until finally he and Michael jumped the fence and went for it. They had just climbed to the first branch of Mr. Jackson’s prized peach tree, when it snapped and Michael fell hard on his arm, breaking it. Jack ended up bruised, but he’d gotten Rachel her peach even though they’d all ended up grounded for weeks.

“Your mother was always getting us in trouble back then. You see, she had this way of looking at me in particular that made me want to do whatever she asked. Which usually meant doing something that was going to get me in trouble.”

They’d reached the turn off leading to the house. He stopped the car for a moment and looked at her. Since they’d left the interstate, he could feel her tension growing. He didn’t even have to ask to know she was remembering the last time they’d been to his house.

It had been a few days before he’d broken her heart. The last time they’d made love together. At the time, he thought they’d be together forever.

He reached for her hand and squeezed it then started down the familiar drive. “I know what you’re thinking, but it’s different this time.”

“What’s different?” For a moment, they’d forgotten about their son listening to every word they said.

When the house came into view, Sammy forgot all about his question.

“You like it?” Jack grinned at Sammy’s awestruck expression.

“This is our new home?”

“Yes, this is your new home. Yours, mine, and your mother’s. Welcome home, Rachel
,
”
h
e whispered only for her.

It was all Sammy could do just to wait until the door was unlocked. Then he was racing through each room of the house.

“Momma, look there’s a pool
,
” he exclaimed and didn’t wait for her to answer before rushing off to explore the rest of the house.

“He’s so excited,” she told Jack when it was just the two of them again.

“You and I have a lot of history here in this house. Most of it good, I hope. I want you to be happy here. If not, then we’ll move. We’ll find someplace else to start our new life together.”

She turned to him, surprised by his answer. “You’d do that for me? You’d move?”

“I’d do anything you want. Anything at all.” He stepped closer, cupping her face.

And then he kissed her and held her close and prayed that she believed him.

Sammy ran back into the room then stopped when he saw them kissing. For a moment, he appeared a little uncertain about someone else, even the man who was now his father touching his mother.

“So what do you think, son? You like it?”

“You bet I do
.
Which room is mine?”

Jack shook his head and tried to control his laughter.

“Well, there are lots to choose from. We’ll let you decide. Come on, why don’t we go pick one out now.”

He turned back to Rachel and took her hand.

In the end, Sammy decided on the room closest to what would be his parents’ room. With all the changes in his life, he needed the reassurance of knowing they were close.

“Momma, can we call Gran now?” Sammy asked once they’d brought up all of his things from the Rover.

“Sure, baby, if that’s what you want.”

“Why don’t we see if your grandmother and uncle and maybe Molly want to come have dinner with us tonight?” Jack added while Sammy happily dialed his grandmother’s number.

They listened while Sammy told Liz all about the wedding and his gifts from Santa, and then the flight to Austin.

Jack knew how pleased Liz would be. This was what she’d hoped for all those years, even though her daughter was looking more than a little embarrassed when Sammy told Liz his room was next to his mother and father’s.

He pulled her close. “What are you so worried about? Your mother has been hoping for this marriage for a long time now.”

She looked a little confused. “What do you mean?”

“Oh I think you know. I’ve been talking to your mother for a while now. And you’re right, she told me you were coming home, although I have to admit I was shocked to find you at the office that day. Why do you think I came back from New York so suddenly? Not even Michael was expecting me.”

“Momma, she wants to talk to you.” Sammy held the receiver out to Rachel.

She took it from him reluctantly and turned away. “Hi, Mom.”

“Sammy, why don’t we grab something to eat and give your mother a little privacy?” Jack took Sammy downstairs for a snack.

“Let’s see, we have Mac and cheese or peanut butter and jelly. What’s it going to be, buddy?”

“Peanut butter and jelly.” Sammy climbed onto one of the chairs near the bar and watched Jack make a couple of sandwiches.

They were just polishing off the last bite when Rachel joined them.

“Daddy, can I go play in my room?”

From the look on Rachel’s face, he could only guess her conversation with Liz hadn’t gone so well.

“Sure, if that’s what you want.”

He waited for Sammy to leave. “What is it?”

“Nothing.” She was
n’t being completely honest
. He could see how upset she was from the tears she was trying to control.

“That’s not the truth and you know it. What’s wrong?”

“Oh, Jack, I’m such a bad person. I married Sam because I thought if I did I could get over you. I used him. He deserved better than a wife who was in love with another man. My marriage to him was a lie. He loved me, but I never felt the same way about him. And now you and I are married because of Sammy. I’m such a fake.”

Jack brushed aside her tears and brought her into his arms. “You cared about Sam. He had to know that. And there’s nothing fake about you or us. This marriage is very real.”

“
What happened between us isn’t
love or commitment. We’re no closer to that than we were five years ago.”

“You don’t believe that. We love each other. That hasn’t changed. We realize the mistakes we made and we’re committed to making our marriage work. We have a second chance, Rachel. How many people get that in life? It will be different this time. I can promise you, I’ll never let you go again. And I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”

Chapter
Twelve 

Liz was standing on their doorstep less than half an hour later, so excited that her daughter and grandson were actually back home for good that she could hardly sit still.

“Mom, why don’t you sit down for a bit? It’ll be hours before Michael and Molly get here.”

They gave Liz the tour of the house. Sammy couldn’t wait to show his grandmother his new room.

“I can’t believe in all the years you and Michael have been friends, I never once got a look inside this house.”

Liz stopped in the living room to smile at the three of them. “I can’t wait for you two to start making more babies.”

“Mom, for crying out loud.” Rachel could feel the color rising in her face.

“As much fun as that is to consider, could you give us a little while? We’ve been married less than a week and I’m enjoying have a son.”

“Oh, Rachel, grow up. And Jack, you’ve told me a dozen times how much you look forward to having children. You and Rachel were always crazy about each other. I think I knew you’d end up together when you two were just kids. I mean, Jack was always the one to look out for you. Your brother usually got you into trouble. But Jack, well, he’d save you.”

Sammy erupted into a fit of giggling that had both Jack and Liz joining in.

“It’s true. You two were just always together. And I for one couldn’t be happier.”

Rachel put her arm around her mother. “Well, that much is obvious. I’m glad you’re happy.”

Sammy tugged at Jack’s hand. “Daddy, can we go explore?”

Jack looked at his son with his heart in his eyes. “I don’t see why not? Come on, let’s grab our jackets and I’ll show you the first place I ever kissed your mother.”

Jack winked at Rachel and left her alone with Liz to catch up.

With Sammy and Jack’s voices barely disappearing in the edge of the woods, Liz turned to give her daughter one of those
looks that
usually managed to get her to confess everything back when she was growing up.

“What?” Rachel fidgeted with her hair. Another tell-tell sign.

“Don’t what me. You know what. That’s a good man there, and I hope you know how lucky you are to have him back in your life again. Sammy needs him.”

“I know that, Mom.”

“Do you? Because frankly you still look as if you could run at any moment.”

Liz spotted the truth in her statement, took her daughter by the hand, and led her to the sofa.

“Honey, he loves you. He’s always loved you. Anyone can see that. Let the past go.”

“I’m trying, but it’s hard and not for the reasons you think.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mom, I wasted five years of my life trying to hate Jack. Now, I find that he never wanted our marriage to end. He wanted to come after me.”

“This is good news, honey. It should make you happy,” Liz reminded her.

“It does. And you’re right, I love Jack and I know that he loves me—and he adores Sammy.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“Mom, what if Sammy isn’t his son? What happens if we find out Sammy is really Sam’s son? Will any of this matter? Will his love for me matter if Sammy isn’t his?”

“Oh, honey, do you really think Jack would leave you? Rachel, stop worrying about things that might happen and just be happy. You and Jack have a second chance. Take it. Stop looking for problems that don’t exist.”

“But what if something is seriously wrong with Sammy? What if Jack decides he doesn’t want to be stuck with a sick child? Especially if that child isn’t his?”

“Rachel, stop it right now. That’s not going to happen. If there is something wrong with Sammy then you will both get through it together. You can’t think like that. Marriage is a partnership. You and Jack are partners now. Jack has so much strength. You can let yourself lean on him if you give him the chance to prove himself. Don’t start expecting the worst before or if it even happens.”

“I’m trying. I really am.
I want to
forget about the past and accept this marriage as a new beginning for all of us. That’s all I can do.”

“I know that, honey. And so does Jack. He’ll help you if you let him.”

After Sammy and Jack returned from their trek in the woods, the four of them went out to the back deck to wait for Michael and Molly.

Even for Texas, it was a warm day for December.

The house and grounds looked just as Rachel remembered them from all those visits with her brother. Sammy went to show Liz the famous peach tree his father had shown him earlier, while Jack and Rachel stayed behind.

“So what do you think, Mrs. Bryant? Do you like your new home or should we move?”

She glanced up and caught him watching her with an expression in his eyes that had her squirming. In spite of all the years she and Jack had known each other, she still found that particular look had the ability to set her nerves on edge. It was a look full of promises.

“If you keep looking at me like that, I’m afraid I’m going to have to embarrass both you and your mother
by kissing you quite thoroughly
.”

She could feel the color creeping up her neck. Of course, she knew he was teasing, but even the sound of his soft laugh sent shivers down her spine. She couldn’t look away. Couldn’t break the magical spell that was Jack Bryant.

*****

When Michael and Molly arrived, there was little time for
being alone with Rachel
, which was both a blessing as well as a major irritation.

Every time he looked at
her,
he wanted to be alone with her. And every time he was, he wanted to make love to her. It shouldn’t have really surprised him that nothing had changed between them. For them it had always been that way.