LITMIR.BIZ

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stepped away. “No. That’s okay. I’m fine.”

      She wasn’t fine. She was crying. He’d made her cry. Guilt and sorrow rippled through him. “I’m sorry.”

      Finley stomped her foot. “Daddy! We were supposed to stay.”

      And Finley the Diva was back. As if it wasn’t bad enough that he had to leave Shannon. Now he had to deal with Ms. Diva.

      “Finley, it’s snowing—”

      “I want to see Santa!”

      Shannon looked down. “What?”

      “I want to see Santa. I want to sit on Santa’s lap.” She stomped her foot. “Right now!”

      Rory had had his fill of giving in to her tantrums, but this one he understood. From the confused look on Shannon’s face, he didn’t think she had promised to take Finley to see Santa, but he did suspect that Finley had intended to ask her to. She’d been taking steps all along toward acclimating to Christmas and now she was finally here.

      Tantrum or not, he wouldn’t deny her this.

      “Okay.”

      Shannon glanced at him. “Okay?”

      He shrugged. “She’s been deprived too long. I think I should do this.” He paused, caught her gaze again. “Want to come?”

      She smiled. The sheen of tears in her eyes told the whole story even before she said, “Sure.”

      He directed Finley away from the candy counter. “Let’s go then.”

      They headed for the elevator and the toy department in the mezzanine that overlooked the first floor like a big balcony. Santa’s throne was in an area roped off and called Santa’s Toy Shop. Shannon led the way as Finley skipped behind her.

      Rory didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. In spite of the long line, Rory kept his patience as they waited. Finley was not so good. She stepped from foot to foot.

      “Don’t be nervous.”

      She glanced at Shannon. “I’m not nervous. I need to get there!”

      Finally, their turn came. Finley raced over to Santa as if he were her long-lost best friend.

      Rory snorted a laugh. “Look at her. This time last year—this time last week!—she didn’t even believe in him. Just a few days ago, she thought of him as a cartoon character. Now look at her!”

      Shannon blinked back tears. “I think she’s cute.”

      His heart stuttered a bit. Shannon always behaved like a mom to Finley and when he saw her tears his own perspective changed. He swallowed the basketball-size lump in his throat. “Yeah, she is cute.”

      “Ho, ho, ho!” Santa said. “And what would you like for Christmas, little girl?”

      “Can you really give me what I want?” she demanded.

      Rory hung his head in shame. “Oh, no. This could get ugly.”

      Shannon put her hand on his bicep. “Just be patient. Give her a chance.”

      He glanced down at her, once again grateful for her support, his heart hurting in his chest. He liked her so much. But it had all happened so fast and the choices he’d have to make were too big, but the most important thing was he didn’t want to risk hurting her.

      Santa boomed a laugh. Glancing at Rory and Shannon he winked. “Well, I can’t make promises, but I do try my best.”

      “Okay, then I want you to make Shannon happy again.”

      Santa frowned. “What?”

      Finley pointed at Shannon. “That’s Shannon. She’s my friend. I wish she was my mother. But this morning she got sad. Really sad.” Her nose wrinkled. “I even think I saw her cry.” She faced Santa. “I don’t want her to be sad. Make her happy again.”

      Santa—aka Rick Bloom, manager of the toy department—cast an awkward look in Shannon’s direction. He clearly didn’t know what to say.

      Shannon’s eyes filled with tears. Though it was strange having a child announce her sadness in front of a roomful of kids and parents waiting to see Santa, her heart looked past that and saw the small child who cared about her enough to ask Santa to make her happy again.

      Rory slowly walked over to Santa. He stooped in front of Finley. “Santa actually only handles requests for gifts.”

      Finley’s face puckered. “Why? If he can fly around the world in one night, he can do all kinds of things.”

      “Yeah, but—” Obviously confused, Rory glanced back at her.

      Holding back her tears, Shannon went over. She also stooped in front of Finley. “Honey, all of Santa’s miracles pretty much involve toys.”

      “Well, that’s a bummer.”

      Shannon couldn’t help it. She laughed. Rory laughed, too. Santa chuckled. The parents waiting in line with their kids laughed and shuffled their feet.

      But in spite of her laughter, Shannon’s heart squeezed with love. She would miss this little girl terribly. When the tears sprang to her eyes again, she rose and whispered, “Tell Santa what toys you want for Christmas. Okay?”

      Finley nodded. She glanced back at Rick and rattled off a list of toys. Rory stepped over beside her. “I’ll have to remember to get all those things.”

      She nodded, but turned away. Real tears burned in her throat now. He liked her. He understood her. He needed her. And his daughter liked her.

      Rory’s hand fell to her shoulders. “Hey. Are you okay?”

      She sniffed. “Finley’s just so sweet.”

      He laughed. “Only because of you.”

      Because her back was to him, she squeezed her eyes shut.

      “Are you not going to look at me?”

      She shook her head. If she turned around he’d see her tears and she was just plain tired of being pathetic.

      A few seconds went by without him saying anything. Finally, he turned her around, saw her tears.

      He looked at the ceiling then sighed. “I’m so sorry this didn’t work out.”

      She swiped at her tears, aware that at least thirty parents, thirty customers, were watching her. Not to mention employees. People who didn’t know her secrets. People she didn’t want to know her secrets.

      “It’s fine. You want the store. That’s why you came. To see the store.” She swallowed again. “It’s fine.”

      “Don’t you think I wish it could have been different between us? I like you. But I’m more damaged than you are. I won’t take the risk that I’ll hurt you more.”

      She sniffed. Nodded. “I get it.”

      “I don’t think you do—”

      “Ho, ho, ho!”

      Recognizing the voice as her father’s, Shannon snapped her head up and spun around. “Daddy?”

      Dressed as Santa himself, carrying a sack of gifts, Dave Raleigh strode toward Santa’s throne, gesturing broadly. “I’d like to thank my helper here for taking my place for a while this morning, but I’m here now.” He dropped the sack just as her mom strode over.

      Dressed in a festive red pantsuit, with her hair perfectly coiffed, Stacy Raleigh said, “Silly old coot. I tried to talk him out of this but you know how he loves Christmas.”

      Just then Finley scampered over. Her mom smiled. “And who is this?”

      “Mom—” she gestured to Rory “—this is Rory Wallace.”

      Her

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