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It was a bit ridiculous how he treasured those brief moments of contact. It wasn’t a sexual thing. It was the connection. The proof that she wasn’t avoiding him. That being close to him wasn’t objectionable to her the way it probably had been when he’d first come back.
“We can have them cut down one of our choosing, but they also have a section of already cut trees that people can choose from.”
“It’s more fun to look for the perfect tree,” Layla said. “Colby told me this morning that they went yesterday, and he and Aaron found the perfect trees for their houses.”
“Can we find our perfect tree and cut it down too, Daddy?”
“Sure, Berry.” Blake smiled at her in the mirror. “We can do that.”
Maybe some Christmas in the future, instead of needing a tree for each of their homes, they’d need it for just one. Blake hoped he wasn’t getting ahead of himself, but it was the future he wanted more than anything right then.
Once they reached the Christmas tree farm, the enthusiasm of the kids was infectious.
Quite a few people were already there, wandering around the large farm. As they walked down a wide path, Will and Jay led the way with the kids, while Janessa and Misha followed them.
Blake fell into step beside Charli, wishing he could take her hand. Such a simple thing, but he really wanted the freedom to do that or to put his arm around her shoulders.
Hopefully soon.
“This is an awesome tree,” Amelia said as she stopped to stare up at a huge tree.
“That’s not the tree for us, Berry,” Blake told her before she got her hopes up too high. “We don’t have a tall enough ceiling.”
“Yeah. Mom would say it’s too tall for our house, too,” Layla said.
“Aunt Selena’s house would be big enough for this tree.”
Blake nodded. “That’s true. I think the ceiling in her foyer would have room for a twenty-foot tree.”
Amelia stared at it for a moment longer, then turned back to the path. “I’ll look for a smaller one.”
Charli laughed as they fell back into their formation. Further down the path, they met another group. They all stepped to the side to let them pass, but when Charli moved, she lost her balance and grabbed onto Blake’s arm.
He instinctively covered her hand. “You okay?”
She tipped her head up to meet his gaze. “Yeah. I just stepped onto an uneven patch, I guess.”
Their steps slowed for a moment, as neither released the other.
“I think I found a tree,” Amelia announced, drawing their attention from each other and breaking the moment.
Blake turned his attention to where Amelia stood next to a tree that was about his height. It was only as he stepped toward her that Blake realized that Charli still had a hold of his arm, and he hadn’t moved his hand from where it covered hers.
She gave his arm a quick squeeze, then slowly slid her hand from beneath his.
Though he was afraid of what he might see on Charli’s face, Blake couldn’t help but look at her. Rather than look upset, she smiled at him.
When Charli had said she was ready for them to go public, he’d assumed that they’d have a conversation about how they’d do that. And he’d also envisioned them making an announcement at one of their family get-togethers.
Apparently, Charli had decided to just drop a few hints and let people come to their own conclusion. His thoughts went to Layla, wondering if she’d observed the interaction between them.
When he looked at her, the young girl gave him a quick smile. Had Charli talked to her about them being together?
Blake felt a little lost, so he decided to focus on their purpose for being there and marched over to where Amelia stood. “Which tree do you like?”
Behind him, he could hear mutterings of conversation, but it wasn’t loud enough for him to understand anything. This afternoon was turning into something far more important than just getting a tree.
Amelia reached out and touched the branch of the tree in front of her. “This one, Daddy. I think it’s perfect.”
