A Family Under the Christmas Tree by Terri Reed

It looked like the toy box had barfed all over the house. Only they didn’t have a toy box. Note to self: buy a toy box.
    The train track took up the entryway and crept into the space that divided the dining and living rooms. Train pieces littered the rug.A dump truck carrying building blocks sat on the back of the couch, where Troy had been playing last night before bed. A haphazard stack of books looked like it was about to topple off the coffee table. “We’re not too tidy around here.”
    She considered him for a moment. “No, you’re not. Why is that?”
    He opened his mouth to answer but realized he only had excuses. He was too tired at the end of the day to pick up. It was easier to leave everything where it was, since Troy would only drag it all out again anyway. He settled for a shrug.
    â€œLook,” she said in a modulated tone, “you’ve got to prioritize your life differently. Troy has to come first. If you can’t hire a nanny, then you need to work when he sleeps.”
    David ran a hand through his hair. He was exhausted. And he didn’t need a lecture. “Yeah. You’re right. I can do a lot when he’s in bed. It’s just—”
    â€œJust what?”
    He cringed at the sharp edge to her tone. “He has nightmares.”
    Her expression softened. “That’s rough.”
    He’d survived on little sleep in college; he could do so for two weeks. “And there are some things I can only accomplish during normal business hours. I have a company to run.”
    Her eyes widened. “You own your company. Okay. I get it.” A dose of derision filled her lovely face. “I do. My parents were like that. Workaholics. It left my brothers and me feeling very disconnected and unimportant.”
    He ached for the hurt he heard in her voice. He didn’t want Troy to feel that way, but what was he to do? He didn’t have a partner to share the load of parenting with. Though from the sound of it, both of Sophie’s parents put work ahead of their children. “Bysummer I can hire a nanny. But that doesn’t solve the immediate problem.”
    â€œDon’t you have employees who can take care of business for a while? What do you do when you go on vacation?”
    â€œI’ve never gone on vacation.”
    Her brows hitched to her hairline. “Ever?”
    Uncomfortable under her incredulous stare, he moved to his desk to save his work. “Not in the five years since I started my company. Not counting the time after Daniel and Beth’s accident. Troy and I were both a mess then.”
    And he hadn’t taken a vacation before that either, but he wasn’t about to share that tidbit. Growing up, money had been beyond tight. Day trips to the beach or hiking had been the extent of their family vacations. Then came college, and he’d worked as well as studied.
    â€œMaybe you should consider taking a vacation for the next two weeks while Troy is out of school,” she suggested.
    He considered her words. What would a vacation look like? It wouldn’t be a real vacation, since he wouldn’t be leaving town. Didn’t they call that a staycation? “I don’t know if I can do that.”
    She stepped closer. Her expression puzzled. “You don’t trust your employees?”
    â€œI do,” he was quick to assure her. “It’s not that. I don’t know if I”—he thumped his chest—“could take time away from work.” He glanced at his computer. All that still needed to be done on his project raced through his mind. “If I tell you what I’m working on, will you promise not to tell anyone?”
    She widened her eyes and canted her head. “Of course. Who would I tell?”
    â€œThere are people out there who would love to get their hands on my computations.”
    â€œAnd you think I’m one of them?” She laughed.
    Excited to share his