"Mommy, Mommy! Santa! I think I saw Santa!"
Sharon didn't know she could smile as widely as she had, but it was hard not to smile at the sight of Evie's excitement. It was Christmas Eve; the two had returned home from a Christmas Eve Mass, thankfully, one early enough to attend with Evie. 'Santa' had made an appearance around the back of the house, and Sharon was really having a hard time not laughing at the sight of Andy dressed up in his Santa costume.
"We have to look for Santa! Mommy, Santa's here!"
"Evie," Sharon told her as she helped her get out of the car, "I think you need to get to bed and to sleep very quickly. Santa doesn't stop if you are awake and looking for him."
"I saw him! I know it."
"I think I saw him too," Sharon whispered, her eyes widening. "Oh, my goodness. He might be here, ready to stop-"
Evie teared up and looked like she was going to cry, "What if he leaves?"
"Oh sweetie," Sharon ran her hand down the side of Evie's face, "he knows we were at church. I bet he'll give you a few minutes to run inside, brush your teeth, get in your pajamas, and get in bed-"
"And put out milk and cookies," she nodded vigorously.
"Yes, absolutely," Sharon smiled brightly at Evie. "Let's go." The two trudged through the snow to the shoveled sidewalk. Sharon shook her head knowing that Andy had done that while they'd been at church. It had snowed earlier in the afternoon, but with as busy as she and Evie had been making Christmas cookies and getting ready for Christmas, she hadn't shoveled yet. Now, here, it was shoveled, and she would have to thank 'Santa' later.
"Mommy, hurry!" Evie jumped up and down as Sharon unlocked the house. She'd left some lights on so the place wasn't completely dark. Sharon grinned watching Evie tear out of her coat and drop it on the floor as she tried to run down the hall.
"Evie, boots," she pointed, and Evie froze in place and turned to run back and remove her boots. Sharon picked up Evie's coat, usually one to insist Evie hang it, but it was Christmas, and she was excited. Plus, Sharon knew Andy was freezing outside and the sooner she got Evie in bed, the sooner she could invite Andy in for some tea and cookies.
"Ready for bed!" Evie yelled from her room, down the hall from the small kitchen. Sharon couldn't believe that Andy owned the home. Of course, he did. It was really odd to her how much of a coincidence things here were, almost like she was destined to meet and maybe even be with him. It seemed crazy, with her just being here over a month, that she would feel this way, but it felt good. It felt encouraging. It felt nice to be desired, wanted, and she was starting to feel those things. She almost couldn't remember the last time she'd felt like that, certainly years, if Jack had ever really made her feel that way. Yes, he had. She had to give him credit, but he'd chosen money and illegal activities over their family, and that was something she couldn't forgive. "Mommy!"
"Coming!" Sharon snapped out of her thoughts, there at the kitchen sink where she'd been trying to spot Andy out back. She knew he was there, somewhere in his Santa costume. Sharon turned and put the milk up just as Evie came running down the hall.
"We can't forget the milk and cookies!"
Sharon showed Evie the plate and almost melted at the sweet smile on her daughter's face as she almost ran the plate of cookies over to the table. Sharon followed with the glass of milk, not wanting Evie to potentially drop it.
"Okay, time for bed."
"I'm so excited!" Evie jumped up and down and then instantly ran to the window to look outside. "I know Santa is out there."
"Well, then, come on," Sharon gestured down the hallway. "Off to bed. It's almost Christmas."
10 minutes later, Sharon scurried down the hall, knowing that Andy had to be freezing outside. It was funny, to her, how quickly they had bonded. She was certainly attracted to him, but this wasn't some young lust or anything like that. No, they were mature adults with horrible things in each of their past experiences, and maybe, just maybe, they'd found a confidant and companion in the other.
She didn't get to the front door before she heard a tapping on the back French door, a nice upgrade to the house. Sharon spun around and smiled at the sight of Andy there, not in the Santa costume now, holding a load of wood.
"Come in," she whispered loudly, gesturing for him to step inside. "Gosh, it's cold out there," she said as she crossed her arms.
"You're telling me," he mumbled, kissing her cheek as he stepped in through the door Sharon was holding open. "Figured you could use more wood in here too."
"Thank you," she rubbed her hands together and smiled at him after closing the door. Andy had stepped to the fireplace to put the wood in the log holder.
"Hi," he surprised her, almost spinning around faster than she expected and pulling her into a warm embrace, looking down and smiling at her. "Good to see you. Was she surprised?"
Sharon let out a small laugh as a wide smile spread across her face, "Thrilled, amazed, even worried Santa would skip her because she'd been at church. I told her just now that Santa was very happy she'd gone to church and would never skip a little girl for that."
"Good," he grinned. "That Santa suit from the station came in handy."
"Where is it?" Sharon looked around, but he hooked his hand over his shoulder.
"Threw it in the back of my SUV. I didn't want her seeing that anywhere near me."
"It was a really sweet idea you had, a great gesture. I don't think she's willingly gone to bed that easily or that quickly."
"Good," Andy chuckled, looking into her eyes. The two met for a kiss, one that lingered, and as they broke apart, the slight awkwardness that was still there, well, both felt. Sharon gestured over her shoulder.
"Ahh, should I, I mean would you like a cup of tea or coffee? I promised you Christmas cookies."
"That you did," he nodded. "Decaf if you have it. I need to get some sleep tonight with the early shift I have for Christmas. I always hate asking my guys to work when they all have families."
Sharon nodded as she walked to the kitchen, glancing back at him, "They all have families?"
"Well, ahh, yeah," he nodded. "I've told you it's not that big of staff. They all do. It's fine. I've been okay with things."
"Have been okay?" Sharon asked, glancing his way from the counter. Andy sat down on the bar stool that was at the counter, just two stools there for the small home. "You said that in past tense."
"I did," he pursed his lips as he considered it. "I guess, yeah, have been. Meeting you," he paused again and shook his head, "can't explain it. I know it sounds crazy, but something about you just is right, with me, I mean. I know we've only known each other now just over a month, but I feel this strong connection with you and just feel content."
Sharon put her hand on her hip and nodded at him, "I know exactly what you mean. I've been thinking the same thing."
"So yeah," he shrugged. "I have been okay with things, but I guess when you meet someone-" he drifted off. "I guess what I'm trying to say is when you know, you know. We're not teenagers."
Sharon made a face and chuckled, "Most definitely not. On that note-I'm not some young thing-"
"Are you kidding?" Andy asked, eyeing her as he shook his head. "You took my breath away when I first met you, which yeah," he laughed, "only a month ago. I really think there's something there, Sharon. I'm sorry if I'm so forward."
"You're not," she put her hand out and touched the counter. Sharon shook her head and only turned back to the coffee pot as it spurted the last of the coffee it was brewing. She turned and was silent as she worked, pouring coffee for the two of them, finally turning back around to Andy who was waiting patiently. As she handed him his cup, she nodded toward the living room where the Christmas tree was lit up. "Let's sit and talk," she shrugged with a small smile. "There's definitely something special about you, Sheriff, and I think we could be each other's fresh start."