A Family for Christmas Read Online Free

her concerns. “Of course.” She gave Jack a quick smile then shook his hand. “I was so sorry to hear about your father. How are you doing?”
    “I’m okay, I guess. It’s been hard. I got the flowers you and your husband sent. Thank you. That was kind.”
    They stood together in awkward silence, uncertain what to say next, when Jack knelt in front of Jason.
    “You have to be Amanda’s boy. You’re the spitting image of your mom.”
    Jason, hiding behind his mother’s leg, nodded shy. Then Jack turned to Sammy. He held out his hand. Sammy didn’t even hesitate before grabbing hold of it.
    “It’s nice to meet you, Sammy. How old are you?”
    Rachel took her son’s hand and answered for Sammy. “He just turned four. Honey, we should really get going. You need to take a nap.”
    Sammy took his mother ’s hand and they walked side-by-side to the SUV then he turned and waved at his new friend.
    As Rachel fasten ed the seatbelt on the car seat , Sammy chattered on about what he and Jason had been doing.
    ”Momma, Jason has two bikes. His mom said when I come back we can go riding.”
    Rachel got in the passenger side next to Jack. She c ould almost feel the tension escalating in him. She’d seen all the questions in his eyes. He had to be dying to ask them, but Jack had enough forethought not to ask them in front of Sammy.
    “Momma, when can I come back to Jason’s?”
    Rachel tried to ignore the strain in the man beside her. “We’ll see, honey.”
    “Momma, can I have a cookie when we get home?”
    “Maybe. We’ll see, but only one. You don’t want to spoil your appetite.”
    “Ah, Mom.”
    Rachel grinned in spite of herself. Whenever Sammy was unhappy with her he called her Mom.
    Jack pulled up in front of her mother’s house and she got out and unbuckled her son.
    “ You want a cookie? ” Sammy asked Jack unexpectedly in the hopes of keeping the man who’d captured his interest with him for a little while longer.
    “Honey, I’m sure Jack has other things to do.”
    “Are they your mom’s homemade Christmas cookies?” Jack clearly surprised Sammy by this revelation. Somehow, the boy managed to nod.
    “Then I’d love one.”
    “The y’ re the best . ” Sammy took the house key from Rachel and ran ahead to unlock the door. His new favorite thing to do.
    “Honey, go wash your hands,” Rachel prodded when her son continued to stare in awe at Jack for a few more minutes. “Do you want a cookie or not?” Sammy rushed off to do as his mother asked.
    “You’ve done a great job with him, Rachel. He’s a good boy.”
    “Thanks. Would you like some coffee?” She didn’t wait to hear Jack’s answer. She needed something to keep her hands from trembling. The task of making coffee kept her busy and avoiding Jack’s questions until Sammy could return and fill the void with conversation.
    Rachel was still taking her time prepar ing the coffee when Sammy came rushing back to grill Jack some more.
    “Where do you live? What ’s that car ? What was Uncle Michael like as a kid?”
    “Sammy,” Rachel scolded as she brought the plate of cookies over and allowed Sammy to have one along with a glass of milk.
    With the bit of silence that followed as Sammy took a huge bite of cookie, Jack started to laugh. “It’s okay. Let me help your mom with the coffee and I’ll answer any question you want to ask me.”
    For the next half hour, Sammy threw question after question at Jack, who never once faltered, while Rachel tried to pretend that she wasn’t comparing the older version of Jack to the boy she’d grown up idolizing.
    “Momma, when are we going to the Trail Lights?”
    “Trail of Lights, honey and n ot until tonight. And definitely not until you’ve taken a nap.”
    “Ah, Mom.”
    “You should do what your mother tells you to do. You don’t want to miss those lights. They’re a Texas tradition and you’re part Texan.”
    Part? The way he empathized the word, she knew he didn’t