The Fireman's Christmas

Danny had picked up a paper napkin and was wiping peanut butter from Emma’s face. Instead of answering he changed the subject. “Alison, will you get your sister some breakfast? I’ll round up the boys so you can meet them before you leave, Tessa. But how about dinner tonight with the whole gang? We can talk more then.”

With a friendly smile at Alison, which was met with a perfunctory nod, Tessa stood. “Sounds good to me. Where?”

“McDonald’s,” Emma chirped.

“But I’m supposed to meet Bethany at the mall tonight,” Alison complained.

At that moment the room erupted as two boys burst through the kitchen door. “Hey, don’t we get a choice? We want pizza!”

Astonished, Tessa could only stare at them. They were as boisterous and identical as two blackbirds fighting over a crust of bread. They’d already been out in the dirt, she could see. And both had the strangest haircuts…. Tessa looked back at Danny and smiled. “They look like you.”

“I have more hair at the moment,” Danny muttered. Then he corralled the pair and made quick introductions. “So Kevin and Kyle want pizza, Emma wants burgers—what do your kids like?”

“That depends on what day it is,” Tessa replied. She glanced down at Alison, whose mouth was pursed in a sulky pout. “How about the food court at the mall? That way everyone can eat what they want and then play in the arcade afterward.”

“Yippeee!” The boys didn’t wait around for further discussion. Emma clapped her hands gleefully, and even Alison appeared happy with the decision as she led her younger sister into the kitchen.

“The mall it is.” Danny escorted Tessa to the front door. “Six o’clock?”

She stepped out onto the porch, turning back just in time to see Danny struggling to hide a yawn. She couldn’t resist teasing him. “Six is fine…if you think you’ll be completely awake by then.”

“MAYBE SHE CHANGED her mind.”

Danny stopped scanning the crowd of shoppers surging past the food court and glanced down at Kyle, who squirmed impatiently.

“Probably she’s just combin’ her hair or somethin’.” Across the table, Kevin aimed a packet of ketchup at his brother and smashed it with his fist. Fortunately, the packet remained intact.

Danny intercepted the ketchup before his son could try again. “What makes you say that, Kev?”

“That’s why Alison’s always late.”

“Nope, I don’t think she’s comin’ at all,” Kyle repeated slyly. “I bet she changed her mind just like all those other babysitters. She took one look at that big zit on Alison’s forehead and ran screamin’ for the hills.”

“Little creep,” Alison muttered, slouching in a chair at an adjoining table in a vain attempt to pretend she was an only child.

“Daddy, is that true?” Emma’s eyes widened solemnly. “Did Tessa change her mind?”

“No, honey.” Danny patted Emma’s head with one hand and lightly cuffed Kyle with the other. “She’s just a little late, that’s all.”

“Well, I wish she’d hurry. I’m starvin’!”

Danny silently agreed with his son, though not for the same reason. The thought of seeing Tessa again made his pulse pound just a little faster than usual, not to mention the fact that keeping all four kids gathered in one spot wasn’t easy. Lifting his head, he peered toward the mall entrance.

“I think I see them,” he said a few moments later after spotting a woman Tessa’s size as she angled through a cluster of teenagers loitering in front of the music store. “Wait here. Alison, keep an eye on these guys, please.”

Danny covered the length of the food court in long strides, dodging a couple of boys as they raced toward the arcade. Halfway across, Tessa looked up. Her smile deepened, sending a shock wave through Danny’s gut.

“Sorry I’m late.” She stopped directly in front of him, allowing a group of ambling shoppers to move around them. A bright-eyed little girl skipped behind her. Tessa indicated a dark-haired boy, who followed more slowly. “I forgot that Eric had a baseball meeting.”

Danny smiled back at Eric, who was all arms and legs. “You play baseball?”

“Sort of. I’m not very good.”

Tessa put her arm around his shoulder. “You will be. I just need to find more time to practice with you, that’s all.”

Eric rolled his eyes and shrugged her arm away. “No offense, Mom, but you stink worse than me.”

“Nobody stinks worse than you, Eric,” his sister said in a matter-of-fact tone as she skipped just beyond her brother’s reach.

“Josie, don’t be rude.”

“Motormouth,” Eric countered.

“Hey, you two, put a lid on it.” Both kids pouted, but they obeyed. Hands on her hips, Tessa sighed dramatically. “Well, here they are.”

Josie butted her head around her mom to peer up at Danny. “Hi, I’m Josie.”

“Hi, yourself. You can call me Danny.” He leaned down to squeeze her hand. She was a miniature Tessa, from her honey-colored hair to the sun-kissed freckles dusting her cheeks.

Josie pointed past him. “Are those kids yours?”

Danny glanced over at his children, who were, remarkably, watching from the same place he’d left them. “Yep. Wanna meet them?” He was speaking to the air, however, because Josie was already skipping her way over to the table.

Tessa shook her head. “My extrovert. Now Eric, on the other hand…”

“Mom, don’t talk about me like I’m not here.”

“Sorry.”

Danny watched the boy blush, then reached out for a handshake. “You know, Eric, I played some baseball in college. Maybe I could give you some pointers or something.”

“That’d be great,” Tessa answered. “Wouldn’t it, Eric?”

Eric sent his mother a sidelong glance. “Maybe.”

“Why not—”

Danny stopped Tessa with a hand to her shoulder. He’d been a boy once, and knew what it was to be embarrassed about something and wanting a girl to stay out of it. Especially his mother. “It’s no big deal. If you’re ever interested, just let me know, okay? Let’s go meet the troops.”

“Okay,” Eric mumbled, looking relieved.

Danny led Tessa and Eric back to the table, where Josie was already engaged in conversation with Emma and Alison. Eric took a seat to one side, but the twins were not about to let him keep to himself. The noise level gradually increased. After allowing them a few minutes to get acquainted, Danny had to whistle to gain their attention. “Who wants what to eat?”

“Pizza!” the twins shouted in unison.

Eric shrugged. “That’s all right with me.”

“Me, too,” Josie chimed in.

“Me, too,” Emma repeated imitating Josie.

Danny turned to Tessa after Alison had also nodded in agreement. “We’d better get the pizza before they change their minds. Why don’t you help me play waiter?”

They left the chattering group and weaved their way toward the pizza counter. Danny glanced back once, but none of the kids seemed to notice they’d gone. “That’s funny. Emma’s usually shy, but she’s talking away to Josie.”

“As if she’d get a word in edgewise.” Tessa laughed. “Eric is shy, too, but he seems okay with Kevin and Kyle. It’s a good thing they’re not all shrinking violets.”

“You might wish they were in a few days,” Danny commented. “My house gets pretty noisy with my four around. But six might raise the roof. By the way, do your kids eat like you do?”

Tessa punched his arm playfully. “Not quite. You’re not changing your mind now, are you?”

“No…just wanted to know how many pizzas we need—eight or nine.”

“Two large pepperoni pizzas, please,” Tessa said to the waiting clerk with a smile. “I can always eat something when I get home.”

“Make that three large pizzas, then.” He grinned at Tessa. “I don’t want you to go home hungry.”

After placing their order, Danny watched Tessa gather napkins and straws onto a tray with quick, efficient movements. She moved with such easy grace and innate confidence that he found it hard to believe she was as unsure of herself—and as vulnerable—as Rhonda had implied. “Not worried anymore about handling six kids?”

“A little. Aren’t you?”

Danny shrugged. “I told you, it’ll be a piece of cake.”

“A piece of cake? Oh, you naive man.”

“Okay, a piece of very messy cake.” At Tessa’s chuckle, he added, “I hope you’ll give this arrangement a try. I think we’ll make a good tag team.”

Tessa gave him a quizzical look as the clerk slid three large boxes across the counter. Danny scooped up the pizzas while Tessa followed with the drink tray. They were met with a cheer. “Better stand back,” he added to Tessa as he placed the boxes in the middle of the table and flipped open the lids. “Here you go, troops. Dig in.”

“Talk about a feeding frenzy.” Tessa shook her head. “I didn’t realize they were all so hungry.” She slid into a chair near Emma and reached to help the little girl separate a piece from the rest without losing all her cheese.

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