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Taylor carried her from the elevator straight to the sofa. “She never said I couldn’t walk, Tay.”
“She said not to exert yourself and to rest. I’m making sure that you do.”
Jesse sat beside her and kissed her forehead. He took off her coat and her boots. “I’m going to get you some more pillows and make us something to eat, okay, babe?”
“Okay.”
“We can hang out, relax, and watch movies. Or talk. We have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”
“Yeah, I suppose we do.”
Taylor followed him into the bedroom where he got Chloe’s favorite pillow and the bright-pink satin blanket she liked to snuggle with on the sofa. “She’s right, Jess. This baby changes everything.”
“Babies usually do.”
“That’s it?” Taylor sat on the edge of the bed and pushed his hair back with his fingers. “That’s all you’ve got to say?”
Jesse sat beside him, holding Chloe’s blanket and pillow on his lap. He took his hand. “What is it, babe?”
Exhaling a breath, Taylor sighed. “I leave in five weeks, Jess. I’ll be gone for three months—a lot can happen in three months.” He snickered. “Hell, look how much has happened in twenty-four bloody hours!”
A new house.
A new baby.
A new life.
And all of it was theirs to share together, because it was their love for each other that created it. He pushed the blanket and pillow from his lap, grasped Taylor by the nape, and pulled him to his mouth. “We’ll figure it out.” Then he kissed him.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“The tree was your idea, Tay.”
“I was thinking of the tree in our living room on Christmas morning.”
Except they couldn’t wait until Christmas anymore, now could they? Not with Taylor leaving the week after. So they were taking Chloe to see the Christmas lights and the big tree downtown instead. Then afterward they were meeting up with everyone at Charley’s for dinner. Jesse had it all planned.
It’s a fucking good plan too.
“We don’t have a tree up yet anyway, babe.” He planted a quick kiss on his lips. “Chloe, are you almost ready?”
“Yeah,” she called out from the bedroom. “Two minutes.”
He exchanged a look with Taylor and they both chuckled. Two minutes meant it would be at least another five. He wasn’t going to put his coat on yet or he’d roast.
Ten minutes later a smiling Chloe appeared pulling a wool beanie onto her head. Her smile was so vibrant and dazzling it not only lit up her face, it brightened the entire room. Taylor wound a scarf around her neck and helped her into her coat. He kissed her with such abject tenderness Jesse thought his heart would burst just watching them.
His loves.
He was a lucky man.
The car dropped them off downtown. Ever since he was a little boy, Jesse thought the city never looked more magical than it did at Christmastime. A holiday wonderland, it shimmered and sparkled. Every tree that lined the avenue adorned in twinkling white lights. Each festive window display more elaborate than the one before it. Bells jingling. Carolers singing. Horse-drawn carriages lined up at the curb, waiting to carry shoppers laden with packages from one end of the avenue to the other, and there was one reserved just for them.
He’d made arrangements for them to go on a carriage ride to see all the lights and storefront displays, to take in the sights and the sounds and the smells of the season. They’d snuggle together under the blanket to keep warm, drink some hot chocolate along the way, and end up in front of the city’s official Christmas tree.
The driver opened the door to the carriage and Jesse got in first so he could help Chloe up. “Watch that step, babe.” Taylor guided her from behind.
They settled in their seats, huddling close together, and pulled the thick fur blanket up over their laps. Jesse tucked Chloe under his arm on one side; Taylor did the same on the other. Chloe leaned forward to get the driver’s attention. “Is this real fur? Please tell me it isn’t.”
