The Christmas Baby. Lisa Carter

arrival of Father Kiptohanock. Spotting her teachers, Maria dragged her family over to meet them.

      Maria’s mother toted a baby on her hip. A toddler perched on her father’s shoulders. The Guzmans spoke very little English, but Maria and Oscar chatted easily. It was the most animated she’d seen Maria yet.

      Standing next to her brother, Sawyer Kole, Evy waved from the edge of the town dock. On duty, Charlie was probably somewhere overseeing security.

      “Would you like to join Evy?” Ryan’s breath made puffs of air.

      “Let’s stay here so Maria and Oscar can enjoy the parade together.” She scanned the nearby church, open for potential emergencies. At least that’s what she hoped. “These days it’s best to never get too far from a bathroom.”

      He laughed, the sound rumbling out of his chest.

      She was reminded of how close he’d been in the car when he fastened her seat belt. And how he smelled of Old Spice and spearmint gum.

      Her pulse did an unauthorized staccato step. “I’ll stay here with the kids and the Guzmans. But you can go.” A little distance might prove wise.

      “I’m right where I want to be.” He settled in beside her.

      Shoulder to shoulder at the seawall, she forced herself not to inhale too deeply. It wasn’t as if she were trying to capture his scent again in her nostrils. That would be too ridiculous. And pathetic. Despite the chilly temperature, her cheeks burned with an awareness of him.

      Hands stuffed in the pockets of his coat, he smiled at her. For an instant, something blazed in his eyes. But before she could identify the emotion, he turned toward the water. “Think we’ll have a white Christmas?”

      She gulped past the boat-size boulder lodged in her throat. “Has there ever been a white Christmas in Kiptohanock?”

      Taking his hands out of his pockets, he leaned his elbows on top of the wall. “My gram used to tell us about one white Christmas when she was a girl.”

      “Doesn’t seem fair, does it?” She shrugged. “The cold temperatures without the reward of snow.”

      “Make it your Christmas wish, Anna.” The corner of his mouth lifted, zinging straight to her heart. “And tell it to Father Kiptohanock.” His gaze flicked toward the harbor. “It’s starting.”

      Oscar and Maria strained forward as far as the seawall allowed. Vessels decorated like parade floats chugged past the judges on the dock. Charter boats with cutout cardboard Christmas trees glowed red and green.

      Max and his dad, Chief Braeden Scott, waved to the crowd from one of the sailboats. A Star of Bethlehem on top of the mast and a blue string of lights festooned their entry.

      Adorned with neon cats and dogs, the Santa Paws boat encouraged people to adopt a pet. Flags aflutter, the Coasties had embellished a rapid response boat in red, white and blue. Izzie Clark waved in a queenlike fashion from onboard the sea turtle hospital float.

      Ryan chuckled. “Izzie and Max. Always a competition with those two. Yet the best of friends.”

      She elbowed him. “Remind you of anyone?”

      Ryan elbowed her back. “And here we are, the two of us, teaching the bright young minds of Kiptohanock. Full circle, huh?”

      Her smile faded. Only temporarily. Ryan was leaving after Christmas.

      Oscar tugged her arm. “Look, Miz Reyes.”

      Decked out like a pirate ship, the high school float loaded with students maneuvered past the wharf. A tall, gangly boy lifted his imitation hook and whooped. A teenage girl with flowing dark hair and an eye patch brandished a fake sword. On the shoreline, a ruggedly handsome man and a blonde pregnant woman broke into cheers.

      “Is that—?” Anna started to point but thought better of it.

      Ryan clapped furiously as the students hammed it up for the judges. “Yes, it is,” he whispered. “One of the Colliers.”

      She tried not to let her jaw drop. “Not the one who...?”

      He shook his head. “That one’s still in jail. This is his older brother, Canyon. A respected agriculture pilot now. Lives in the family homeplace. The swashbuckling girl pirate is his. Canyon married the widowed mother of Captain Hook. She owns the florist shop.”

      Anna smiled. “From the looks of things, it’s his, hers and theirs.”

      Ryan folded his arms across his chest. “They found their happily-ever-after after much heartache. Kristina lost her first husband in Afghanistan.”

      Anna’s heart stirred with sympathy for the woman who appeared to be in her first trimester. “I had friends on the base who lost their husbands that way, too. Sudden and horrific.”

      “What you endured was as horrific as losing a husband to combat, Anna.” Ryan closed his eyes momentarily. “Perhaps worse.”

      “Either way.” She sighed. “Goodbyes are never easy.”

      “No.” He stared out over the color-dappled water. “They’re not.”

      Did he pine for the woman who’d broken their engagement? The woman must’ve been an idiot to bail on a man like Ryan. Great guys weren’t a dime a dozen. She’d found one in Mateo. Ryan, her dear friend, was no less a prize for some woman to claim.

      She inhaled sharply. Some woman, not her.

      “Are you okay?” He made a move to touch her but let his hand fall to his side. “Do you need to sit down?”

      “I’m fine. Got to get my teacher legs back. Anyway, I’m glad to see Canyon Collier and his lady got their happy ending.” She placed her hand on her abdomen, rubbing small circles on her belly.

      “You were born to be a mother, Anna. You’ll be the best.”

      “I hope so.” She patted his arm. “By the way, I like the scruffy look on you.”

      He snorted. “Thank you, I think.”

      “I mean it.” She nudged him with her shoulder. “You rock the intellectual vibe.”

      He rolled his eyes. “You mean the geeky vibe.”

      “I mean the too cool for school, good-looking—”

      “You think I’m good-looking?”

      She blushed.

      “Thank you, Anna.”

      And they shared a look from which she couldn’t turn away. Her pulse pounded.

      * * *

      Ryan gestured to the end of the pier, where the judges handed out the award for Best Powerboat to the Coasties. “Nobody does Christmas better than Kiptohanock.”

      She gave him a sideways look. “And yet you’re leaving.”

      He could hardly believe he was standing on the waterfront with Anna after all these years. How many times had he wished...? He shook himself. Best not to get too attached. She was right. He was leaving.

      The excitement in the crowd ratcheted as the judges awarded the remaining prizes. Braeden Scott won best in the sailboat division. Ten-year-old Max smirked at his glowering archrival, Izzie.

      But the sea turtle float scored People’s Choice. The little redheaded girl smirked right back at Max. Santa Paws garnered Best in Show. The high school captured the Best Costume and Best Crew Spirit award.

      And finally what everyone had been waiting for. With electric reindeer mounted on the bow, one last vessel negotiated the waters between the anchored parade participants. Excited, Maria and Oscar bobbed like baited hooks in the water. Mrs. Guzman and Anna exchanged smiles.

      Father Kiptohanock threw a mooring line to a Coastie, who tied the boat to the dock cleats. Applause