Christmas in Texas by Rebecca Winters, Tina Leonard Page A

Daisy’s
head.
    “Thank you for the baby gifts, Daisy.” Capri made herself
smile.
    “I came as soon as I could.” Daisy put her arm through Jack’s.
“Walk me to my car, Jack.”
    Jack raised a brow at Seagal as he walked out with Daisy.
    “Well, that was interesting,” Seagal said. “Let that be a
lesson to both of you.”
    “About what?” Capri demanded.
    “That men need guidance.” Seagal looked innocent. “Cute
outfits, though. Very thoughtful of her.”
    “Whatever,” Capri said, feeling very disagreeable. In fact, she
felt strange stirrings she recognized—and didn’t want to have. “Ask Jack out,
Kelly. Don’t give up without a fight.”
    Seagal smiled at her, a slow, sexy smile that Capri tried to
discourage with a frown. “What?” she demanded.
    “I was just wondering if that’s why you asked me out.”
    “What do you mean?”
    Seagal turned to Kelly. “She’s right. Ask him out. What’s the
worst that can happen? He says no.”
    “Exactly,” Kelly said, “and that will stink.”
    The babies were wheeled in and Capri sat up to gaze at her
children. “Look how perfect they are,” she told Seagal.
    “They’re amazing,” Kelly said. “I can’t wait to be able to hold
them.”
    “Auntie Kelly wants to hold you,” Capri told the twins. “Not to
mention your parents do, too.”
    “Do they have names?” Kelly asked. “Not to rush you or
anything, but as an aunt-in-waiting, I’d like to be able to call them something
besides Baby Number One and Baby Number Two. I feel like I’m reading out of a
Dr. Seuss book.”
    Capri looked at Seagal. “We haven’t talked about it yet. Since
they came early, we hadn’t had a chance to debate names.”
    “Debate?” Seagal raised a brow.
    “Do we ever have a discussion without a debate?” Capri said. “I
thought it was part of your nature to dissect every detail.”
    “Yeah, but not baby names.” Seagal grinned.
    “I’ll leave you two to discuss. I think the parking lot should
be clear of Daisy by now. I do wish she wouldn’t ride that motorcycle around
everywhere,” Kelly griped.
    “Better than a broom,” Capri said, and Seagal laughed.
    “You girls are mean.” He went over to look in the bassinets at
his children. “I’m naming the girl Lila May.”
    “That’s…not happening,” Capri said.
    “And the debate begins. Goodbye, you two. Let me know what’s
going on the birth certificates.”
    Kelly left the room, and Capri raised her brows. “Lila May
sounds like a name a man picks when he wants the wife to do all the work.”
    Seagal shrugged. “Probably.” He reached out to touch his
daughter. “She’s so tiny we’ll have to give her a big name to compensate.”
    “Why are men always concerned with compensating?” Capri asked,
still nettled by feeling what she recognized as jealousy. “Do you have to look
so happy every time Daisy shows up wearing a short skirt and a smile for
you?”
    He sank back on the bed beside her. “It’s an ego boost. Not a
love story.”
    Capri sniffed. “Still.”
    “The babies are getting restless,” Seagal said, glancing over
at the bassinets. “Aren’t you supposed to feed them?”
    “I can’t with you in the room,” Capri said primly.
    “Oh.” Seagal nodded. “You want me to leave just when things are
getting interesting.”
    “Breast milk is not interesting.”
    He looked hopeful. “There’s never a time a breast isn’t
interesting.”
    Capri sighed. “Hand me Carter, Seagal, please.”
    He looked at her. “Carter?”
    “Can you do better?”
    “Sara and Carter West,” Seagal said, mulling the names. “I
think it’ll work. Now, can we get on to the good stuff?” he said, handing her
Carter.
    “Go,” Capri said.
    “I didn’t look under the sheet,” he reminded her. “I promise
not to look at anything you don’t want me to.”
    It seemed mean to cast him out when he wanted so badly to be
with his children. She thought about their impending divorce,