Chapter 22

22

After a sleepless night, Tahlia rose on Christmas Eve dreading the day. She had replayed every single second of her encounter with Matt the previous night to decipher what had gone wrong, but all she could conclude was that it was a mistake. A giant mistake. She knew Matt thought the same. Albeit, for different reasons.

Tahlia was hesitant to admit she was in love with him, but for Matt love wasn’t even a possibility. He’d been burned too badly. She couldn’t blame him. He would think their kiss was the result of an emotional week and an adrenaline rush from Dale’s idiotic display. Nothing more. As she worked on breakfast, Tahlia attempted to persuade herself of the same, but it didn’t work. She just couldn’t bring herself to believe they didn’t have a connection. There wasn’t another person - except maybe Violet - with whom Tahlia felt as safe.

That didn’t stop her from being any less anxious about seeing Matt that morning. An anxiety which skyrocketed when he entered the kitchen for breakfast. The twins were already seated, giggling excitedly about the plan to see Santa while awaiting the french toast Tahlia was frying. Tahlia met Matt’s eyes and they both froze. He looked a little scared and she probably matched his expression.

“I’m making french toast,” she blurted. He swallowed and gave her a curt nod. His jaw moved as if he might speak but Maddy called out and drew his attention.

“Daddy!”

Matt lingered on Tahlia for a few more seconds before turning to his daughter.

“Yes?”

“We’re going to see Santa today!” she exclaimed with a syrupy grin.

“You’re coming, right, Daddy?” Kaiden piped up, eyes large and round. Powdered sugar covered his upper lip in a little white mustache.

Matt took up a napkin and wiped his son’s mouth. “I won’t be able to make it today, kiddos,” he replied quietly, darting a look at Tahlia she thought was guilt. “I’ve got some business to do.”

“Oh.” The twins’ echoed each other, their disappointment obvious.

“Is there…” Tahlia’s voice cracked the second he turned to her and she cleared her throat before trying again. “Is there an estimate of when you might join us?”

“No,” he replied stiffly. “I have meetings all morning. I don’t know how long they’ll run.” He kissed the top of the kids’ heads and was gone without eating; he didn’t even take a bow of cereal with him. Tahlia stared after him for too long. He really did want to pretend their kiss never happened.

She couldn’t do that.

Santa’s meet-and-greet was outside, behind the lodge on its large stone patio. A circle had been created with brightly wrapped boxes around a red velvet and gold throne. There was a tall Christmas tree behind the throne, and candy canes lined the pathway, holding up strings of multi-colored lights, which culminated in an elaborate red and white archway where the children waited their turn to see the jolly old elf.

Jed and Ophelia were disappointed but unsurprised by their son’s absence. By force of habit if not by nature they swept the twins into a flurry of holiday distractions, the most important being the meeting of Santa. They were a great help for Tahlia, who was not quite up to her usual level of Christmas cheer, despite the reindeer emblazoned red sweater she wore.

As a result, she didn’t try to go with Ophelia when the matriarch took responsibility for standing in line with the twins.

“So, what’s going on, kid?”

When Tahlia looked at him, Jed bore a knowing half-smile. “What do you mean?” she asked, unnerved. “Nothing’s going on.”

Jed stuffed his hands into his coat pockets and lifted a brow. “Give me a little credit, Tahlia. I may be an old codger but I’m still alert. Something’s got you down. Is it that guy from last night? In the lobby?”

Shit .

Though the last thing she wanted was to tell Jed anything, she also was well aware he wasn’t going to take ‘no’ as an answer.

“No…Not…um, yes, tangentially.”

“Tangentially?” he repeated with an amused chuff. Rather than press that point, he asked another question. “Who was he, anyway?”

“My ex.” Tahlia scuffed her boot against a mound of snow, preferring to focus on that over facing Jed. Nevertheless, she was compelled to add, “I can’t apologize enough-”

“Hey, hey!” Jed raised his hands in a calming way. “Shit happens. Everyone’s got a past they’d prefer to forget. And people they never want to see again.” He paused. “You don’t want to see him again, right?”

“No!” Tahlia exclaimed, horrified she might have given any indication to that. “Never!”

Jed gave a quick nod. “Good, good. He was an asshole.”

For a little while they stood in silence while watching the long line for Santa move along. Ophelia and the twins were still some way from their target, but Tahlia didn’t see the kids acting up or looking bored. Yet.

“Is there a new guy?”

Jed’s question came out of the blue and a little too casually. Tahlia was instantly put on guard.

“No,” she answered slowly, peering at Jed. “Why?”

He shrugged. “Just curious. Seemed like your ex was acting jealous. Thought maybe there was a reason for it. Seemed,” he cleared his throat with a cough, “like he thought Matt was your boyfriend.”

Dale had definitely assumed Matt was her boyfriend but Tahlia hadn’t thought it was that obvious. At least, she didn’t think an old man standing twenty feet away would have been able to tell. That was the last time she underestimated Jed Nelson.

“He made a mistake,” she said lightly.

“Oh.” Jed sniffed. He got distracted for a second by a crying child. After realizing it wasn’t one of his grandchildren, he continued. “But there is another man.”

“No. Yes. Not really.” Tahlia groaned and looked to the grey sky. There was going to be a new layer of snow soon. “I don’t know.”

“That’s your first problem,” Jed said with a chuckle. His eyes were sympathetic when Tahlia met them.

“It’s not my biggest,” she muttered. She decided Jed deserved a little more candor since he’d already guessed half the truth anyway. “I don’t think he reciprocates. Besides, Dale was a pretty long relationship. I’m probably going through rebound feelings.”

Telling herself that made the pain easier to swallow.

“Did you love this Dale fella?” Jed asked curiously, but not unkindly.

Tahlia blinked at him, stunned into silence for a few seconds. “No,” she blurted. “I never did. It wasn’t much of a relationship in the first place.”

“It’s not really a rebound situation then, is it?” Tahlia didn’t know how to answer and Jed shrugged. “Maybe I’m wrong, but it seems like if you never loved Dale, and you love this guy, then…”

“I think I do,” Tahlia admitted, a tremor in her voice. “But it’s complicated…” she swallowed, about to reveal something she knew would give away too much. “He has kids.”

Jed’s eyes narrowed but his eyebrows rose by an inch and Tahlia knew he understood. Tahlia noticed the corners of his mouth twitching upward.

“It looks like the kids are done.” Tahlia announced, grateful to see the kids and Ophelia exiting Santa’s decorated pavilion. “Just in time for lunch.” She took a step forward but a hand on her arm stopped her. When she turned, Jed bore another friendly smile and he squeezed her arm gently.

“This guy would be lucky to be with you,” he said sincerely. “If it’s any help, something tells me his kids already love you. I think the grandparents do, too.”

Tahlia couldn’t help herself. She threw her arms around Jed and hugged him. An awkward pat on her back was his only reciprocation but Tahlia appreciated it anyway. A second or two later, she released him, before Ophelia and the twins could notice.

“Thank you, Jed,” she whispered. He cleared his throat and nodded his head.

Like a hurricane, Maddy and Kaiden swept up to Tahlia and their grandfather, both yelling happily about Santa and their Christmas lists and whether they were good or bad. Tahlia listened and shared in their excitement, every other concern - Matt, the job offer - pushed to the back of her mind.