Kelly smiled and patted his hand as though Mitch were the child and she the adult. “Don’t worry, Daddy. I won’t cry or anything like that. It’ll be fun to be with you and be in Aunt Ivy’s wedding and, besides, I get a whole other Christmas when I get back here.”

The plane was taxiing down the runway and Mitch checked Kelly’s seatbelt.

“I’m kind of scared,” she confessed.

He took her hand.

Shay dampened her fingers on her tongue and smoothed Hank’s cowlick. “I want you to be nice to Kelly,” she said as the arrival of Flight 703 was announced over the airport PA system.

Hank scooted away, his dignity ruffled. “Mom, don’t spit on me anymore,” he complained. “I look good enough already.”

Shay laughed. “I’m soooooo sorry!”

The plane landed and, after several minutes, the passengers began to stream in through the gate, most carrying brightly wrapped packages and wearing home-for-the-holiday smiles. Mitch and Kelly appeared just when Shay was beginning to worry that they’d been left behind.

Kelly pulled at a little string and the Santa Claus face pinned to her coat glowed with light. “Look, Hank!”

Hank tried his best to be blasé, but he was obviously fascinated by the plastic Santa and its flashing red nose.

“I brought you one just like it,” Kelly assured him.

Shay could feel Mitch’s eyes on her face, but it was a moment before she’d shored up her knees enough to risk looking into them. She wondered what he’d say when he found out that he wasn’t involved with a modern woman at all, but one who wanted a time-out, who would willingly trade her career for babies and Cub Scout meetings and love in the afternoon.

Maybe he wouldn’t even want a woman like that. Maybe— “Shay.”

She realized that she’d been staring at Kelly’s pin and made herself meet Mitch’s gaze. Her throat was constricted and though her lips moved, she couldn’t make a sound.

“I know my nose doesn’t light up,” he said with a teasing note in his voice, “but surely I’m more interesting than a plastic Santa Claus.”

Shay found her voice. It was deeper than usual and full of strange little catches. “You’re definitely more interesting than a plastic Santa Claus,” she agreed. “But we won’t make any rash statements about the nose until after Marvin and Jeannie’s Christmas party.”

He laughed and kissed her hungrily, but then they both remembered the children and the airport full of people and they drew apart.

“Yuk,” said Hank, but his protest lacked true conviction.

Ivy’s face glowed as she turned, displaying her dress for Shay. It was a beautiful white gown with tiny crystal beads stitched to the full, flowing skirt and the fitted bodice. Because this was a Christmas wedding, the hem, neckline and cuffs boasted a snowy trimming of faux fur.

Shay’s gown, like Kelly’s, was of floor-length red velvet, also trimmed with fur. In lieu of flowers, the attendants would carry matching muffs with sprigs of holly attached.