They piled into Jack’s truck, giving Danny the whole backseat so he could sleep on the way home. He stayed awake long enough to see some of the Christmas lights on display in Griffith Park. Once they hit the freeway, he was out.

“He had a great time. Thanks for this, Jack.”

He merged into traffic, which was incredibly heavy even though it was past seven.

“What about you? Did you have a good time?” he asked.

“I did. It was a nice day off. I can’t remember the last time I stole a day to just have fun.” Her feet ached from walking all day, her cheeks from smiling.

“You have a great kid, Jessie. You’re doing a wonderful job with him.”

She peeked into the backseat at her sleeping son. “He’s a great kid. He adores you.”

Jack smiled. “Feeling’s mutual. Listen, about the Christmas play—”

“If you can’t go, he’ll understand. I can make—”

“No,” he interrupted. “I want to go. Only if it’s really OK with you. I saw how he latched on to me, which I’m fine with, but if it bothers you, I’ll understand if you want me to keep my distance.”

Jessie stared at Jack’s profile for a few seconds and considered his words. “You really do get it, don’t you? The emotional toll of any relationship I may have with someone and how that can affect Danny?”

“Didn’t you tell me your mom brings men in and out of your life?”

“Yeah, she does.”

“You must think about that when you bring friends around Danny.”

“I don’t bring ‘friends’ around Danny. I can’t even tell you the last time I was on a real date. I refuse to be my mother. If you and I were dating, I’d probably have said no to the zoo today. For the very reasons you bring up. Danny is missing a father in his life. There’s nothing I can do about that other than try and keep him away from the men I date. Or risk him getting attached and disappointed when things don’t work out.”

Jack managed to get into the carpool lane, and traffic flowed a little easier. “I guess it’s a good thing we’re not dating, then.”

“Right.”

Later, Jack hoisted a snoozing Danny from the truck up onto his shoulder and let the poor tyke sleep while he walked him into Jessie’s apartment.

She led him through the tidy living room and into Danny’s bedroom.

Jack laid him down on his bed, and Jessie removed his shoes and tugged off his jeans. Danny murmured in his sleep and rolled over with Tex in his grip.

Jessie kissed his forehead and led Jack back to the living room.

A Christmas tree stood in the corner of the room, up on a table to give it some height. There were a couple presents under it, a few strands of lights giving it some life. The apartment was tidy, but incredibly small. How the three of them lived in such a compact place baffled him.

“Would you like some coffee?” Jessie offered. “Or cocoa?”

“I haven’t had cocoa in years.”

She smiled and walked toward the kitchen. “First the zoo, now cocoa. I’m showing you all the good things in life.”

More than she could ever know, he wanted to say. “Monica lives with you here?”

Jessie removed mugs from a cupboard and filled them both with water before placing them in the microwave. “There’s a hide-a-bed in the couch. When I work, she uses my bed.”

“How long before she’s done with school?” Jack sank into a chair at the kitchen table.

“May. I’m so proud of her. She’s done well in school, never complains about things here. She’s going to be a great nurse.”

“Big praise from the older sister.”

The microwave dinged, and Jessie removed the steaming mugs and put generous portions of cocoa into the cups. She fished into the pantry and pulled out a bag of mini marshmallows.

“You’re a serious cocoa die-hard.”

“I have a five-year-old. Marshmallows are a must.”

Jessie topped the mugs and handed him his cup. The first sip reminded him of snowy winter days and ice-cold noses. “Has Danny ever been to the snow?”

“No, I wish. The closest we came was a few flurries that hit the foothills near my mom’s place. It didn’t stick. I keep meaning to drive us up into Big Bear when it snows.”

“Christmas in California is strange for me. I’m used to bundling up and knocking the dirt or snow off my boots before going into the house.”

“I didn’t think it snowed much in Texas.”

“It does, some.” He almost told her that he’d spent more than one Christmas in Colorado. Once his father realized how much he and his sister would pine for their mother’s return during the holidays, he’d distract them with ski trips to Colorado. They had a cabin up there that Jack tried to visit once a season to get some skiing in. “A lot more than it does here.”

“It’s always a palm tree Christmas. Last year we actually ate on my mom’s patio. The inside was too warm from the oven being on all day.” Jessie blew into her cocoa and caught Jack’s eyes.

Both of them sat there staring at each other. He’d give anything to know what she was thinking. What did she really see when she gazed at him? He saw an honest-to-goodness girl next door whom he was quickly learning he couldn’t live without.

What was he to her? A dreamer, a wanderer. A liar. Jack broke their eye contact and glanced at his watch. “Wow, look at the time.”