J.M. Snyder

Six months after his wife leaves him, Bob Jansen finds himself spending the holidays with his parents in the town where he grew up. With him is his seven year old daughter, Jenna, who sometimes seems to be handling her mother's absence better than Bob is himself. But he's worried that, in her letter to Santa, Jenna has asked the jolly old elf for something Bob knows he can't pull off. He's afraid she wants her mother back for the holiday.<br><br>While shopping for his daughter's Christmas presents, Bob runs into Dave Knarr, an old friend. They used to be best buds in high school, before Julia, Bob's soon-to-be ex-wife, came between them. The two men catch up over drinks, and before the evening ends, Dave makes his real feelings for Bob known.<br><br>If Bob is shocked to learn Dave has always been attracted to him, he's more surprised by his own reaction. Even if he's willing to take another shot at romance, what will his daughter think of his old friend?

A Present for Daddy

Dave shrugs. “She already has better. She has you. But who do youhave?”


I don’t know. My parents? My daughter?


A large hand covers mine, his fingers warm as they squeeze my wrist. “You have me, now. You’ve always had me.”


Tears prick my eyes and I blink them away. “Dave, I…”


I was awful to him, I know it. Letting Julia come between us. Drifting away after high school. Forgetting to keep in touch. I pull my hand out from under his. “You deserve better, too,” I murmur, my voice quiet between us.


He takes my hand again, holding tight this time so I can’t pull away. “I never wanted anything else.”


The waitress brings another beer for me, but Dave still nurses his first mug. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out after Jenna’s gone to bed. The beer buzzes through my system, threatening to make me maudlin, but I don’t want to dwell on Julia tonight. It’s just me and an old friend, and I want to keep it that way.


Chapter 10