The Secret Christmas Child. Lee Tobin McClain

to introduce me to this dog?”

      “Because I’m hoping you’ll take him on as your project,” he said, “if you decide to do our program. He’s a little much for the other boys to handle, but since you’re bigger and older than most of them, I think you’d be good at it. Up to you, though.”

      Gabby gave him a quick glance, looking much more friendly. Thank you, she mouthed to him.

      Warmth suffused his chest. He was glad he’d come.

      “I don’t know much about dogs,” Jacob said, “but I’d like to learn.”

      Now Gabby and Nana stared at each other, eyebrows raised in identical expressions. Reese was guessing that Jacob’s attitude hadn’t been consistently upbeat and eager to learn thus far.

      “Terrific.” Reese kept his voice casual. You didn’t want to show too much enthusiasm around teenagers or they’d balk. “Maybe you could get to know him a little. And would you mind talking to Gabby and me about this show we’re being asked to put on?”

      “Sure.”

      They walked into the front room, and Gabby turned down the sound on the television. Quickly, Reese explained about the show and how important it was. “So we were thinking the boys could plan the show, but I’m wondering whether they’ll be up to it. Wanted to get a teenager’s perspective.”

      “We watch videos all the time,” Jacob said with a shrug. “Probably could make a show like some of those.”

      “Those music videos are full of bad language,” Nana said. “Why, I’ve learned words I never heard in my life, volunteering down at the mission for families.”

      “The show’s going to be in a church. There can’t be any bad language.” Gabby looked at Jacob. “Do you think the boys will be able to do that?”

      “How would I know?” Jacob stuffed his hands into his pockets, still staring at the dog. “I don’t even know these kids.”

      Reese accepted Jacob’s mood shift with equanimity. He’d learned a ton about kids in a few short months, and that went with the territory. “What would make a project like that fun for you?”

      “Being able to do whatever we wanted,” Jacob said. “And music.”

      “Like Christmas carols?” Gabby asked.

      “No way!” Jacob said. “But...”

      “Yeah?” Reese dangled a treat in front of Biff’s nose, trying to get him to lie down. It didn’t work.

      “There is some good Christmas music that’s popular,” Jacob said reluctantly. “Maybe the guys would go for that.”

      “Maybe you could help talk them into it.” Reese kept his eyes on the dog, not wanting to pressure Jacob too much. “You’re older and from out of town. They might listen to you.”

      “That’s if I do the program.”

      “Right.” Reese stood to leave. “I sure hope you do, for Biff’s sake, if nothing else.” He pounded the dog’s side. “He doesn’t seem to be learning anything I try to teach him.”

      Jacob reached out a hand and touched Biff’s head, and his face morphed into a smile as he ran a hand over the dog’s soft ears.

      A sound came from one of the bedrooms at the back of the house. It sounded almost like... Yes, that was a baby’s cry, now rising to a higher volume.

      Huh? Reese looked at the three people gathered. “You have a baby here?”

      Nana smiled. “My great-granddaughter,” she said proudly.

      “Who never shuts up,” Jacob added, rolling his eyes.

      Gabby looked sick.

      Reese tried to puzzle this out. Nana’s great-granddaughter must be... He stared at Gabby.

      “I was hoping she was down for the night,” Nana said. “Guess that’s too much to ask for from a nine-month-old baby.”

      Reese’s head was spinning. “Whose baby?” he asked as he did the math in his mind.

      The baby’s cries got louder.

      “Better go get her,” Nana said to Gabby, who’d been standing as if paralyzed, looking toward the back of the house.

      Without a glance at Reese, Gabby left the room.

      Nana watched after her proudly. “She’s such a good mom. Hasn’t had an easy time of it, but she does a fine job.”

      He knelt to pet the dog, counting the months again, hoping he was wrong.

      He wasn’t. Anger surged inside him.

      Gabby’s baby must have been conceived the summer he’d left for the Middle East. Early in the summer, if she was nine months old now.

      But they’d been together early in the summer. He’d left at the end of June.

      That meant her baby had been conceived while they were dating. And he knew 100 percent that he wasn’t the father. He’d respected her boundaries, shared them. They’d never gone beyond a kiss.

      Apparently, she hadn’t kept the same boundaries with someone else...even while she was promising Reese that she cared and would wait for him.