Christmas on 4th Street (Fool's Gold #12.5)

They were sprawled on her sofa, spending a quiet Sunday afternoon together. Since spending the night with her, Gabriel hadn’t left. Technically, he hadn’t moved in, but in the past couple of days, he’d started bringing over clothes and toiletries.

Noelle wasn’t sure what had caused the change of heart. She knew it was something about her illness but didn’t know if he now thought she could understand his world better or if he thought she was tough or what. She also wasn’t about to ask. If her goal was to live life to the fullest, then she needed to enjoy her time with Gabriel while it lasted and then accept that he would be leaving. When that happened, she would be hurt and have to recover.

Being with him, loving him, had made her realize that some part of her had been afraid to give in to a man again. She’d been so devastated when Jeremy had walked out on her. Intellectually, she’d known that finding out he wasn’t interested in the “in sickness” part of marriage before taking vows was a good thing, she’d also felt completely alone in the world. For all of her talk of wanting a man around, she’d been afraid to take that risk again.

But now she had. She’d given her heart to Gabriel, which meant she could give it to someone else eventually. The last piece of her had healed and that felt good.

He turned the computer so he could study the screen. “You’re saying Carter won’t like books for a present? I thought he enjoyed reading.”

“He does. But ebooks. I know this century has been hard for you,” she teased. “But there are now books you can download to your—”

She had more she was going to say, but he put the laptop on the coffee table and lunged for her. She squirmed to get away, knowing he was going to tickle her. The kittens, who had been crawling along the back of the sofa, joined in the game, jumping on her shoulder and his back. Needle claws dug in.

Gabriel straightened and gingerly pulled the kitten from his back. He held it up in the air.

“Watch it,” he said, his voice softer than his words. The kitten swiped at him with one paw, then relaxed in his arms when he rolled it onto its back and began rubbing its tummy.

“Giving an ebook isn’t the same,” he grumbled. “How do I wrap that?”

“I’ll admit the wrapping is a problem.” She shifted her kitten to her lap and scratched the side of its face. “You could get him a car.”

“He’s thirteen.”

“Yes, but he keeps telling his father it’s never too early to learn to drive.”

Gabriel shifted so he was facing front, then pulled her against him. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. His kitten started climbing his chest.

“No car,” he said. “I’ll keep looking. I have gifts for everyone else.”

Gifts he’d ordered online in the past couple of days, she thought. They were being delivered here. He’d already told her he would need help wrapping.

“How long has it been since you’ve spent the holidays with your family?” she asked.

“Years. It was back in college, I think. When I was in medical school, I couldn’t always get away. I needed the time to study.”

“Or so you told them.”

“Yeah, that, too.”

She looked up at him. “Let me guess. In the army you always volunteered to work on Christmas, claiming that it was so the others could be with their families. But in truth it was so you didn’t have to deal with going home yourself.”

“You think you’re pretty smart.”

“I have the LSATs to prove it.”

He smiled at her. “It wasn’t about not going home. By then my parents’ house wasn’t home. But you’re right. I didn’t want to deal with them. I felt bad for my mom, but I mostly couldn’t deal with my dad.”

“He didn’t like that you were different. He didn’t understand you.”

“He still doesn’t.”

“Men want their sons to be like them. It’s difficult to let that go.”

“Now you sound like Felicia,” he said.

She chuckled. “Wow, that’s an amazing compliment. But you know I’m right. Your dad was raised to believe in honor and service. He’s old-fashioned. If it’s not his way, it’s wrong.”

He nodded as he leaned back against the sofa. The kitten had curled up on his chest and fallen asleep. He folded his arm across his chest to hold it in place.

“He needs to get over that,” Gabriel told her. “And before you tell me he’s probably not going to, I already figured that out. I guess...” He paused. “I guess I don’t like knowing how much I disappoint him. Rather than deal with that, I stay away.”

“You’re a doctor,” she said, thinking Norm had to reconsider his standards.

“I’m not a soldier.”

“Well, he’s stupid.” She snuggled closer. “I’m sorry your dad makes it hard for you to be with your family.”

“I’m going to stay in touch with Gideon more. He’s made a life for himself here. Carter’s great and who wouldn’t love Felicia? In a brotherly way, of course.”

“You’d better add that,” she teased. “Otherwise, your brother will snap you into teeny, tiny pieces.”