One Christmas Wish by Brenda Jackson
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
VAUGHNWASCONVINCEDhe had not eaten a tastier meal. The Cajun fried chicken had been delicious, the macaroni and cheese was cooked to perfection, the broccoli was the best he’d ever had and the yeast rolls had practically melted in his mouth. And he also enjoyed their company.
Teryn was a chatterbox and told him all about school, her gymnastics classes and how she was doing with the Christmas songs she was learning. He thought she conversed well for a child her age and found the conversation interesting and enjoyable.
Vaughn didn’t make it a habit of having dinner with most people because he never wanted to impose. However, dinner with Sierra and Teryn was different.
“I really appreciate you inviting me to dinner, Sierra,” he said.
She smiled at him. “As your friend, I wanted to show how proud I am of your accomplishment.”
Vaughn noticed her emphasis on the word friend. He was okay with that for now. He would take his time to make their relationship into more than that. “Thanks.”
“Do you have a Christmas wish, Mr. Vaughn?”
He looked across the table at Teryn. “A Christmas wish?”
“Yes. You must have a Christmas wish that you want Santa to give you.”
“I do?” he asked.
“Yes. But you just get one.”
Vaughn nodded. “What if I want more than that?”
She shook her head. “You’re a grown-up, so you only get one.”
“Oh, I see.” He really didn’t and looked over at Sierra, hoping she would explain.
Her eyes twinkled and she said, “It’s a tradition that started with Teryn and her parents. Everyone has to make a Christmas wish. However, although Teryn gets to make as many as she wants, adults only get one.”
“One Christmas wish?” he asked.
“Yes,” Teryn said. “Just one, so you need to make it a good one. My list of wishes is all ready to go, but Goddy hasn’t made one yet.”
Vaughn recalled that last week when he’d asked Sierra about Teryn she’d mentioned her goddaughter was upset that Sierra didn’t have one Christmas wish ready to give Santa. Now he understood what Sierra had meant.
“Well, you know how it is with grown-ups. We tend to get busy and forget to do things,” he said.
“Then I’ll just have to remind you and Goddy about it. We need to mail our letters to Santa on time. My mommy said if we wait and mail them too late, he might not get a chance to read it before Christmas.”
He could hear the anxiety in the little girl’s voice. In a soothing tone, he said, “Well, I’m sure your Goddy will get hers done.”
“And what about yours?” Teryn insisted.
“I will start working on it.”
“Good,” Teryn said, smiling. “Please give it to Goddy so she can mail yours to Santa when she mails ours.”
“Teryn. He might want to mail his Christmas wish to Santa himself.”
When Vaughn saw the little girl’s crestfallen look, he said, “I’ll be glad to give you mine to mail with the two of yours.”
Teryn happily clapped her hands. “Good.”
Vaughn studied Sierra’s face and figured she wasn’t too keen on that idea, although Teryn clearly liked including him in whatever plans she and her godmother made. Now he had to make sure her godmother didn’t mind either.
For Vaughn, dinner ended way too soon, but it was close to six o’clock. The chocolate cake had been delicious, and he’d eaten two slices. He offered to stay and help with the dishes, but Sierra assured him that wouldn’t be necessary. All she would be doing is rinsing them off and placing them in the dishwasher.
He was impressed that Teryn had daily chores. Sundays were her day to sort her dirty clothes since tomorrow was laundry day.
When Sierra walked him to the door, he noted that she made sure Teryn was with them. That meant there would be no goodbye kiss for him tonight. He thanked her for dinner.
In a low tone, she said, “And remember this wasn’t a date.”
“I’ll remember,” he said, giving her a smile. Whether she knew it or not, to him it had been more than a date and had meant even more.
“Goodbye, Teryn,” he said, hunkering down to the little girl’s level to take hold of her hand. “I enjoyed eating dinner with you.”
“And I enjoyed eating dinner with you, too. I like you, Mr. Vaughn.”
That made him smile. It definitely made his day. “And I like you.”
“SO, HOWDIDdinner with Vaughn Miller go?”
Sierra should have known her sister would call the minute she’d gotten Teryn into bed.
“Everything went fine. Teryn and I enjoyed his company.”
Dani laughed. “Oh, so you kept Teryn around as a buffer? You know that’s going to backfire on you. You won’t have Teryn with you all the time.”
“I’ll worry about that when the time comes,” she said, easing down in the same chair Vaughn had sat in earlier.
“Stop being so afraid of connecting with a man, Sierra. That’s not healthy.”
“So you say.”
“What did Teryn think of him?”
“He made her day.”
“How so?”
“Vaughn is a real charmer, but I’ll have to say that today he went above and beyond.”
“In what way?”
“He brought us flowers. He brought me a vase of beautiful mixed flowers and brought her a smaller version in a cute little basket. You should have seen her face when he handed them to her. He made her feel special.”
“Ohh...that is so wonderful. Sounds like he’s accepted Teryn’s place in your life in a way Nathan never did.”
Dani was right and Sierra had thought about that a lot during dinner. Especially when he’d included Teryn in conversations. Teryn even mentioned Vaughn in her prayers that night, asking God to keep him safe every day.
After her call with Dani ended, Sierra had showered and was in her pajamas when she got a text message from Vaughn. May I call you?
Sierra raised a brow, wondering what Vaughn could possibly want to talk to her about. She hesitated before texting him her answer. Yes.
Within seconds her phone was ringing. “Hello.”
“I didn’t get my kiss and I want it.”
Sierra was glad she wasn’t drinking a glass of wine or she would have choked on it. “You think you’re entitled to one?” she asked, not certain how to take what he’d said.
“Entitled? No. No man is entitled to anything when it pertains to a woman, Sierra. But he can want, desire, need. The final decision is always hers.”
Sierra closed her eyes for a second as she drew in a deep breath. How could she fight this? How could she fight a man who was so charming, so charismatic, so full of sex appeal and who had more magnetism than any man she knew?
“Will you want a kiss whenever you see me?”
“Umm, that would be nice,” was his response.
She couldn’t help but smile. “My sister, Dani, likes you and hasn’t even met you.” Too late, she wished she hadn’t said that. Now he knew she’d been discussing him with Dani.
“That’s good to hear. What I really want to know is if you like me.”
“Of course. I invited you to dinner, didn’t I? I told you we’re friends.”
“I want more. And before you ask, the answer is no. I don’t think I’m entitled to more, Sierra. I’m merely stating what I want. Again, the final decision is yours.”
She thought about what he’d said. “And if I told you I didn’t want to give you more than friendship, would you respect my wishes?”
“Yes, I’ll respect them, but I would try my best to change your mind. I can be very persuasive.”
She fought a smile as she shook her head. “Can you?”
She heard the teasing glint in his voice when he said, “Yes, I can.”
Deciding to change the subject, she said, “Thanks for the flowers. They are beautiful.”
“So are you.”
She chuckled. “Boy, you’re laying it on thick.”
“Not as thick as I’d like, trust me.” He paused a moment and then said, “I’ll be leaving town again in the morning. Flying to Boston to meet with our suppliers there. I’ll be gone for a week and hope to see my sister while I’m there.”
To Sierra that seemed so far away...and for so long. But then she needed the time and the space. Today she’d felt herself being drawn to him, something she shouldn’t let happen again. “Have a safe trip, Vaughn.”
“Thanks. Good night, Sierra.”
A part of her was actually regretting the call was ending. She was missing him already, although she didn’t want to. “Good night, Vaughn.”