Her Christmas Wish. Kathryn Springer

meeting his gaze directly. In the depths of her eyes, he could see a plea for him to understand.

      And knowing how much Olivia loved to sing, he was supposed to be the pin that burst her bubble?

      “From what I remember, Naomi does a wonderful job with the children,” Peggy said. “Do you need a costume?”

      “Leah is going to make me one,” Olivia said. “It’s going to have wings. And a halo. And glitter!”

      Glitter. Of course it would have glitter. Ben struggled with his feelings. At his mother’s encouragement, there were times when he’d volunteered his carpentry skills at Chestnut Grove Community Church, but he’d always managed to brush aside Reverend Fraser’s gentle hints about attending services. Now, if Olivia was in the Christmas program, he’d be forced to spend Christmas Eve there.

      There was an uncomfortable silence at the table and finally Tyrone’s booming voice overrode it.

      “Don’t forget to give me and Grammy your Christmas wish list before we leave, peanut,” he said. “We want to have time to find everything.”

      “There are only two things on my list this year, Papa,” Olivia said.

      “Only two?” Tyrone pretended to be shocked. “Well, that should be easy for an old grandpa like me to remember. What are they?”

      “I want boots like Leah’s.”

      Ben felt the turkey he’d just swallowed lodge in his throat. Boots like Leah’s! But it was her next words that made him choke.

      “And a mommy.”

      “Do you think Daddy’s mad at me for singing in the Christmas program?” Olivia pulled the covers up to her chin so the only thing Leah could see was a pair of worried brown eyes. She sat down on the bed beside her. She knew that Ben was upset, but she wasn’t sure what had triggered it—Olivia’s announcement about the Christmas play or that a mommy was on her Christmas wish list. Maybe, Leah thought with a sigh, it was both.

      “He’s not mad at you, peaches.” That much she was sure of. If anything, he was angry with her for not telling him about Olivia and the play sooner. Not that she could blame him. She’d been waiting for just the right moment, but the right moment hadn’t presented itself.

      There was a soft knock on the door before it opened.

      “Ready for bed?”

      “If I say no, can I stay up later?” Olivia sat up, her expression hopeful.

      “It’s already past your bedtime,” Ben said. “Technically, you have stayed up later.”

      “I don’t like technically,” Olivia said with a deep sigh. She reached her arms up for a good-night hug.

      Leah could smell Ben’s clean, woodsy scent as he leaned over and plucked Olivia right out of the bed, growling ferociously as he enveloped her in a bear hug. She shrieked with delight.

      When the hug was over and Ben dropped Olivia back into bed, both of them were breathless and slightly rumpled. A swatch of Ben’s sable hair had fallen over his eyes and his shirt had come untucked. Leah, who had watched their antics with fascination, was about to stand up when Olivia attacked. The weight of the little girl’s impulsive ambush sent Leah tumbling off the side of the bed.

      And right into Ben’s arms.

      She could feel the corded muscles in his arms as they automatically closed around her and they both landed in a heap on the floor. Olivia peered down at them, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

      She picked up a pillow.

      “Don’t you…” Ben gasped.

      Leah picked up the end of the sentence. “Dare!”

      “Incoming!” Olivia sang out.

      The pillow landed with a thump next to Leah.

      “Thank goodness her aim is off,” Ben murmured. His breath stirred her hair and Leah was suddenly aware of his steady heartbeat through the thin fabric of his shirt. Embarrassed, she rolled off him and jumped to her feet, not quite sure how she had ended up smack-dab in the middle of this unusual bedtime ritual.

      “Good night, Livy.” Now she was rumpled! Leah had braided her hair that morning and now she could feel loose strands escaping from all directions.

      “Aren’t you going to pray with me tonight, Leah?” Olivia asked.

      It was something they’d been doing together for the past few nights. Shortly after Leah had moved in, Olivia had crept into her room and found her sitting on the bed, reading her Bible and praying. Olivia was so curious about praying that the next night, Leah had tucked her in and prayed out loud. A simple bedtime prayer, but Olivia had amazed her by joining in after she’d finished.