Alison Roberts - Single Dad In Her Stocking / A Puppy And A Christmas Proposal

Max was staring at her. ‘I can’t do that.’

‘You can. You and your dad. All you have to do is love these children and I’m sure you do already.’

‘Yes, but…we don’t know how to do Christmas. It’s been more than twenty years since we even had a piece of tinsel in the house. Dad wouldn’t want it.’

‘Are you sure? It’s been a long time, Max. Sometimes it takes a gentle push to get people past something that’s holding them back. This new family of yours is a gift. It could turn out to be the best thing that could have happened.’

‘The breaking of the curse?’

‘If you like. The start of something new, anyway. Something very special.’

Emma’s tone had softened as she thought about these two bachelor men of different generations sharing their lives with three small children. About the amount of love that would be available within the thick stone walls of this ancient house. She was smiling at Max as she finished speaking. He was holding her gaze with that kind of intensity she had felt before—when it had seemed like he was really seeing her for the first time.

‘You’re right,’ he said softly. ‘This could be the most important Christmas these kids will ever have. It has to be special.’ He still hadn’t broken the eye contact and Emma was starting to feel an odd tingle spreading through her body.

‘You have to help me, Emma. Please…’ The plea in Max’s tone was so heartfelt. ‘I don’t know how to do this by myself. I… I need you…’

The tingle had just reached Emma’s toes.

‘We all need you,’ Max added, as if summoning every power of persuasion he could find. ‘Me and Dad. Ben and Tilly and Alice. Probably Pirate too. Just to be here when you’re not at the hospital. Just to be…well…just to be you … And…and you did promise to show Ben and Tilly how to make stars and we didn’t get time to do that tonight, did we?’

Emma nodded. ‘I did say I’d show them how to make stars.’

But to stay here in this house?

To spend Christmas with a family?

It was terrifying and compelling at the same time. Emma knew she should run a mile but there was something in her way.

Maybe it was a small boy with solemn eyes. A little girl with a bunny that had chewed ears or a baby that had been watching her as if she was the most important person on earth as she’d sucked her bottle. Perhaps it was a man of her father’s generation who loved his little dog but had lost the joy of this season so long ago. Or…maybe it was this man who was looking lost but was so determined to do his best for the entire little family that had just turned up on his doorstep. A man who wanted her to be here. Who needed her…

Christmas… With children. And a baby. How could she possibly cope with saying yes?

But Max needed her. Perhaps everybody needed her because she was outside the tragedy that had brought them together so maybe she could see what needed to happen more clearly. How could she possibly say no?

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