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“Oh, I think we’re gonna get a lot more perfect before the night is over,” he said, slipping an arm around her. Then he kissed her.
“You know, I think you’re right,” she said.
Stef was surprised to see Griff’s name come up on the screen when her phone rang. She said a cautious, “Hello.”
He didn’t say hello back. Instead, he said, “Awkward moments suck.”
It made her sad all over again, remembering. “Yes, they do. Last night was a little more than awkward, though, wouldn’t you say?”
“It was hard. Are you going to give up on me?”
She didn’t want to. “Should I?”
“Yeah, you probably should. But I’m hoping you won’t.”
“If you’re not ready, I understand,” she said. It had taken her long enough after her disastrous marriage to decide she was ready to try again.
“I am ready. I miss what I had with Kaitlyn.”
Wrong thing to say. “I’m not Kaitlyn, and I can’t be her duplicate.”
“I wouldn’t want you to be. Stef, I’m so tired of being alone. I want to be with someone I can laugh with, someone who’s kind and smart and who likes kids. I think that someone is you. I’m sorry about last night, I really am. I just have these moments... It’s hard to put into words. They’re like phantom pains. You know, like when you lose a limb? Only...”
“You lost a person,” she supplied. “How about your heart? Did you lose that, too?”
“It’s still beating.”
That wasn’t enough. She took a deep breath. “Look, I’m not out to erase your wife from your mind. Or even your heart. I just want to be sure there’s room for me, too.”
“There is. In fact, I could almost believe she sent you. I want to get back to happy. It’s going to take me a while is all. Can you help me get there, Stef? Will you?”
She felt like she was standing at the edge of a cliff, poised to jump, but she couldn’t see what was below.
“Please,” he added.
Her pulse was climbing. Jump? Back up? Run away? She needed a sign.
“I’ll even write Santa. Maybe if I’m lucky, he’s putting in overtime.”
There it was. She smiled. “You know, I’m feeling like Chinese food,” she said.
She could hear the smile in his voice. “Funny, so am I. I’ve got snow tires and all-wheel drive. Corky and I will be right over to pick you up. We have plans.”
An hour later, Stef was at Griff’s house, eating takeout Chinese along with his sister, Jenn, and her boyfriend. Corky sat between his father and his aunt, beaming across the table at Stef as if she was the sugar plum fairy come to life. She gave her arm a surreptitious pinch to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.
She wasn’t. She was with a good man with a good heart and a darling kid. She had a feeling she and Griff’s sister could easily become besties. Now, if his mother turned out to be as nice, she’d know she’d won the love lottery.
The grown-ups entertained Corky by playing Wii games, and after he was in bed, they switched to a trivia game. Stef came close to winning but decided coming in second after Griff’s sister wasn’t a bad thing.
“She’s too smart,” joked Jenn’s boyfriend.
“I’d say you’re pretty smart,” Jenn told him. “After all, you’re with me.”
Ah, the confidence. Stef was finally getting hers back. Lucky Jenn wouldn’t have to face such a challenge. The man she was with was secure enough in who he was not to be threatened by her.
“We’ve got a couple of smart ones here,” said Griff.
Stef swallowed those words whole and was instantly warmed.
