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“Oh my God, Jace! Are you all right?” Merry cried.
“Yeah, but she grazed my noots.”
Merry sat back on her heels, her jaw hanging nearly to her chest. She covered the lower half of her face with her hands, still holding her dog’s leash, and turned to Clark, her eyes big as the rims on his Jeep.
“Jace, where did you hear that?” Clark groaned.
“Uncle Sam said it. Actually, he said they’re called N-U-T-S, but that I’d get in trouble if I said that.”
A feminine snort got Clark’s attention and he noticed Merry’s eyes were shiny, like she was holding back tears. Another noise escaped and he realized she was trying not to laugh. Her barely contained mirth hit him and he bit back a smile.
“Remind me to smack your uncle when he gets home.”
“What?” Jace yelped and Merry exploded.
“I’m…so…sorry. I know…I shouldn’t laugh but…that was so unex…pected,” she gasped between peals of laughter.
Jace watched her with a wide smile, the wheels in his head turning. Clark’s lips twitched even as he gave Jace his best dad look and his son’s smile dissolved.
“While technically it isn’t a bad word, I don’t want you using it, all right? I doubt your teacher will think it’s as funny as Merry.”
She got control of herself and climbed to her feet with a little wince.
“Are you okay? How is your foot healing?”
“It’s better, thanks for asking.” Her hazel eyes were still sparkling as she addressed Jace. “Your dad’s right. It’s not an appropriate description for mixed company and I shouldn’t have laughed.”
Clark pursed his lips as another round of giggles bubbled out of her. “Very convincing.”
Jace cocked his head to the side. “Am I in trouble?”
“No, buddy. Your uncle is, but you aren’t. Just run any new additions to your vocabulary by me before you use them, okay?”
“Okay. Are we still going to Merry’s?”
“Sure. What’s for dinner?”
“Do you like tacos?”
“Absolutely.”
She beamed. “Then that’s what I’ll make.”
Jace held his hand out. “Can I walk the puppy?”
Merry looked to Clark, who nodded. “Sure. Why don’t you walk her into the yard while I get the stuff from the car? Just don’t let go of the leash until we’re done, okay?”
“You got it.” Jace grabbed the leash and took off with a whoop, the puppy biting the leash as she tried to keep up.
“I’ll help you,” Clark said.
“Thanks. It’s just a few Christmas decorations, puppy supplies, and a gift or two.” She pressed the button and the back of her car lifted and several bags tumbled to the ground. Clark cocked an eyebrow as he studied the packed back of her SUV, noting the folded down seats.
“A few, huh?”
Merry picked up the dropped bags with a groan. “I know. I always do this. I tell myself I’m not going to go overboard and I always do. Someday I’m going to end up like my mother, with a hoarder’s closet my kids will dive into whenever they need a last-minute gift, but I love giving presents. And this is my first Christmas in my own place…I want it to be festive.”
Clark grabbed the bag of puppy food and bowls, waving her ahead. “Hey, I get wanting to go a little overboard during the holidays. I have a tub of presents for Jace under my bed I’ve been collecting all year. Sometimes I dip into it if he gets a good behavior award or has a bad day, but I save most of them so that his birthday and Christmas are magical.”
