Page 61 of Blue Lines & Chrismukkah Nights
A few minutes later, one of the moms was kind enough to return our daughter into Gracie’s arms because heaven forbid you get to hold your own child on a holiday.
I keep my hand on the small of Gracie’s back as we admire the new ornaments on her parents’ tree. She plays with Talia’s hand and pretends to bite it. I look on, soaking in the scene.
She gushes over our daughter. “Our little girl’s first Chrismukkah. A special time for our little cutie. This is a holiday for kids, and now that we have her, it just hits differently, you know?”
Reflecting for a second, I have to agree. “You’re right.”
“And.” She throws me a teasing look. “We have a story to tell her because of her daddy’s romantic skills.”
I’m proud and maybe my face shows that.
Gracie steps closer. “Fiancé, how do you feel about Santa-themed sleeping attire? Light on the coverage front,” she whispers with a sultry voice that only I can hear.
I cover Talia’s ears with my hands. “Truthfully, it would kind of freak me out a bit. Naked works, though.”
She giggles under her breath, her eyes taunting me. “Thank goodness that we think alike because I ditched the Santa idea and opted for the classic winter colors in satin for later.”
“Gosh, you’re meant for me.” I dive in to steal a kiss from her plump and soft lips.
“Nah, really meant for you would be me telling you that I made sure my mom added extra rum to my dad’s favorite yule log.”
“Lucky that I’m marrying my soulmate then.”
She smiles with a shade of agreement on her face before stealing a kiss from me.
In the back of my head, I remember how this all started. I’m used to the blue lines on the ice deciding the fate of a play. Two lines on a pregnancy test decided my fate for life. There were no boundaries, but I knew exactly where I stood. It was then I looked into Gracie’s eyes, and I knew that a slapshot had just hit my heart.
We were unexpectedly thrown together. And now every holiday season only seems to get better with her.
Lainey & Tyler
Lainey is a single mom with a sharp tongue, a killer glare, and hockey’s #1 hater—her brother’s my biggest rival on the ice, too. She calls me grumpy, which is fair. I’m not exactly the “borrows jars of pumpkin spice for holiday cookie baking” type.
But then her ridiculously adorable kid ropes me into snowman building, Thanksgiving dinner, and—somehow—getting to know the woman behind the eye rolls.
Before I know it, things are heating up. Less arguing, more flirting. Less tension, more tangled up in my sheets…and Christmas lights.
Now we’re navigating Hanukkah chaos thanks to my loud and nosy family. While surviving Chrismukkah madness, I think I might be realizing this isn’t just a fling with the girl across the hall.
Because this year, the best holiday surprise didn’t come wrapped in paper. It came with sass, a smile, and a kid who thinks I’m a superhero.
