The Christmas Baby Bump. Lynne Marshall

to make the kid understand he has to follow the rules—” Phil snapped his fingers as if the greatest idea in the universe had just occurred to him “—or he won’t get afternoon snack!”

      Stephanie laughed. The guy was barely coping with this new responsibility, but he wasn’t griping. He seemed to catch on quickly, and, she had to admit, it made her like him even more. She glanced around the table at all the adoring female gazes on him. Okay, so she’d finally joined the club.

      “So who’s Santa this year?” Phil asked, one hand on the door.

      Jason grinned. “You!”

      He flashed a glance at Stephanie, pointed, and mouthed, “You owe me.”