Free Her Wish Before Christmas (Holiday Hearts) by Kimberly Quinton Page B

happened?”
    Connor poured her more wine and sat on the edge of the sofa, hands hanging between his knees. Genny sat next to him, calm and quiet. He knew it was time. This was his last chance.
    “Sylvia had a plan for her life, and it didn’t include having a child during her residency. I convinced her to have Jake and give me sole custody.”
    “You’ve been raising him yourself all this time?”
    “With help from my mom and some from Sylvia’s parents. They didn’t agree with her decision and fought me in court for several years before giving up and settling on being distant grandparents.”
    “How could you think I was better off without you? I loved you.”
    “But you wouldn’t have done all those wonderful things, become the amazing woman you are, if you had married me and followed me to college and medical school. At least, I didn’t think you would. My mother spent her life resenting my father for how young they got married, for having my sister and I so early, for everything that seemed to have stood in the way of her dreams. I couldn’t do that to you. I couldn’t live with watching you slowly start to hate me.”
    “You should have told me all of this then. Not my mother.”
    He turned, meeting her wounded gaze. His breath shuddered when she placed her hand on his leg.
    “But you would have tried to convince me it wouldn’t happen. And I would have let you because I loved you. Still love you. And I can’t regret it completely because I wouldn’t have Jake.”
    “You love me?” Her eyes widened at his words. She chewed gently on her lower lip. He stopped himself from grabbing her and pulling her closer for another taste.
    “Yes. I love you. I have always loved you. You’re kind and smart and beautiful, and I never want to make you sad again. Will you let me try again? Will you stay this time? For me?”
    He threw it all out there. She could stomp his heart into the ground. He was hers to reject. His head felt light and his chest tightened as he waited for her answer. The decision was up to her.
    “Daddy. Genny.”
    They both turned as the quiet voice from the hall broke the tension. “What are you doing up, buddy?”
    Jake shuffled his feet and looked down at the floor, one arm behind his back. “I have to tell you something.” Connor glanced at Genny who shrugged an I-don’t-know kind of look.
    “What is it?” They sat on the sofa side by side as Jake walked toward them.
    When he stood in front of them, he held out his fist, gripping Genny’s wishing necklace.
    Jake kept his chin tucked into his chest. “I’m sorry. I took something that doesn’t belong to me. I didn’t mean to steal out of Daddy’s pocket. I heard you talking and wanted….” The words rushed out of him, jumbled and strained. Tears wet his flushed cheeks. “I can’t open it. I’m not the one. I’m sorry.” At Genny’s quick gasp, Connor’s gaze darted from Jake to her. He lifted his son onto his lap and placed a hand over Jake’s tight hold on the necklace.
    “Oh, honey,” she whispered.
    What was going on here? His palm was warm over Jake’s. Connor tugged lightly at the necklace end attached to the stopper that held the small rose-colored jar onto the leather cord.
    “Let’s give this back to Genny.” Connor pulled a bit harder and the cord came loose with a pop . Gold glitter spilled over them.
    Jake and Genny stared at him and the sparkling flakes. Their eyes widened. Jake stopped crying and blessed him with the biggest smile.
    A buoyant feeling of joy rushed through him, filling him with an unexplainable happiness. “What just happened?” Whatever it was, he didn’t want it to stop.
    Jake laughed and hugged him. “You’re the one, Daddy. You’re the one to make Genny’s wish come true. The one her nona said would do it.”
    He eyed Genny over Jake’s shoulder. “Well. Am I? Did I make your wish come true?”
     
     
    She couldn’t speak. The clock over the fireplace read 12:01,