“Takeoff your shoes!It’snot that cold.Stilltons warmer than anywhere inColoradoright now.”
Thatwas true.Whynot?Anythingto take his mind offChristmas.Heleft his shoes and socks on a bench and went out to the water’s edge.Thesand was soft beneath his feet and felt great.Hehadn’t been to a beach in far too long.
Beforehe knew it, he wasn’t only dodging the waves coming in—he was also dodgingKelli’skicks of water she was sending in his direction.Hesent plenty back in her direction.Andas she said, it wasn’t too cold, especially since he had already acclimated to theColoradowinter.
Atleast, it wasn’t too cold until he didn’t dodgeKelli’ssplash of water.Hegasped as the cold water soaked his pants. “Isthis to get even for my water bottle on the plane?Becausethat wasn’t my fault.”
“Andit wasn’t my fault that you didn’t move fast enough to get out of the way of that last one.”Therewas a teasing glint in her eyes and a grin on her face as she sent another splash of water his way that hedidmove away from fast enough, and then she took off running to get away from any retaliation.
So, of course, he ran after her.Hewould run after her as long as it took to catch her.
“Whoa,” he said out loud as he slowed to a walk.Wherehad that thought come from?Hewas not chasingKelli.Hewasn’t trying to date her.Hewasn’t looking for a relationship at all.Hehadn’t guessed that coming out here, seeing her running free and happy along the beach would be a bad idea.Adangerous idea.
Thewalk got his mind offChristmasand how he thought he’d be spending it.Nowhe just needed something to take his mind offKelli.
Kellihad stopped running, too, but she had stopped because she had found a few sticks that had washed ashore.Hecould’ve left right then and gone back to the mansion.Butjust because he was having a crisis of motivation didn’t mean he was just going to leave her out there alone.
Plus, he wanted points for this activity, too.Hecouldn’t let her get ahead already.
Thatwas all.Hewas here for the points.
Kellidrew a gigantic, very fancy “MerryChristmas” in the sand.Parkerwasn’t going to draw anythingChristmas-related, but then a memory of one of his favoriteChristmasescame to mind.HisbrotherEthanhad somehow talked their parents into letting them sleep in sleeping bags in front of the tree so they could seeSantawhen he came to bring them presents, so he decided to draw that.
Whenhe was finishing up,Kellicame over to look at it. “Wow.You’requite the artist.”
“Isn’teveryone who is drawn to marketing as a career?”
Sheshrugged. “Tosome degree,Iguess.Notoften this much.Isthis you and your brother?”
Parkernodded as he finished drawing the scene in the sand. “Wehad fun.Itwas whenEthanwas three andIwas fifteen.I’dstopped believing inSantabefore he was even born, but having a little brother who was that much younger than me let me relive the magic ofChristmasall over again.Imean, you should’ve seen the excitement onEthan’sface when we woke up and saw thatSantahad come while we were asleep.”
Whenhe finally looked up atKelli, she had a curious expression on her face.Theafternoon sun was right behind her, making her look like an angel as she gazed at his scene, and it made him wish all over again that he was good enough for her. “Itsounds like you loveChristmas.”
Heset down the stick and brushed off his hands, then stood up, brushing sand from his knees. “Usually.I’vealways wondered which had made me likeChristmasmore—my parents’ love of the holiday, or getting a second chance at experiencing the magic ofChristmasthrough a brother who was so much younger than me.”Hehoped that one day soon he’d be able to experience that all over again with his own kid. “Butthis year’s different.I’mnot a fan ofChristmasthis year, andIwould happily skip it all.”
“Isyour family not around this year?”
Heshook his head. “Myparents went on a cruise to celebrate their thirtieth anniversary.Theydidn’t think they’d be leaving me alone becauseIwas supposed to be on a cruise myself right now.”
Hedidn’t know why he’d felt the need to get that off his chest.Maybehe just needed someone to know.Maybehe neededKelli, specifically, to know.Heknew the second that she had figured it all out because her hands flew to her mouth and she gasped. “Ohmy gosh, it was supposed to be a honeymoon cruise, wasn’t it?”
Henodded.
“Iam so sorry.”
Heshrugged. “Itwas for the best.Ihadn’t believed it was at the time and didn’t thinkIever would, but nowIget it that it was.”
Theyboth looked down at the pictures they had carved in the sand, but he wasn’t sure either of them was actually seeing their drawings.
“Iknow what you mean.”
Parker’seyes flew toKelli, hoping she would say more.
“JamesandIbroke up too, you know.Hewas the one to break it off, and it had crushed me.Ididn’t thinkIwould ever feel like it was a good thing.Butit’s been a year, andIrealized months ago thatIhad been in love with his family, not him.Itwas a big, beautiful family with so many different personalities, andIfelt likeIfit right in with them.Likethey were my family.
“Itwasn’t until several months later thatIfinally understood that my relationship withJameshadn’t exactly been stellar.Ihad been letting the loveIfelt for his family color everything, soIhadn’t even noticed that things weren’t okay between us.”
Heknew exactly how it felt to not notice.Heshook his head and chuckled. “Well, then, it looks like we both have our exes to thank for figuring things out for us.”
