Page 66 of Mack

“Did you see our snowman, Mama?”

“I did. He’s very handsome.”

T.J. looked at Mack with great seriousness. “Mama thinks he’s handsome.”

Mack shook his head gravely. “We’ll have to let her think that. He’s a serious snowman. No silly handsomeness about him.”

Mallory looked at Mack. “Well, I think you’re handsome. Is that silly?”

“No.” He hung up his coat. “That’s just smart.”

She burst out laughing. “No conceit whatsoever.”

“Did you bring T.J. dry clothes?”

She gave him a look. “I’m a mother. Of course I brought dry clothes.”

“Good.” Mack hung his coat up. “I’m going to grab a shower. Feel free to warm him up in the bath.”

“Yay!” T.J. jumped up and down.

“Come on, you.” Mallory steered him toward the hall, then looked back at Mack over her shoulder. “I’ll deal with you later.”

“Lookin’ forward to it, darlin’.”

An hour later they were all three back in the kitchen, warm and dry, and Mack was making hot chocolate.

“Don’t forget the marshlows,” T.J. said from his chair.

“Not a chance.”

T.J. watched him work with great supervisory focus, then looked up. “Can we make a dine-sore snowman tomorrow?”

Mack turned slowly. “A dinosaur snowman.”

“Yeah.” T.J. nodded as if this was perfectly reasonable. “We can look at Rex to see how he goes together.”

Mack looked at Mallory with wide eyes. She pressed her lips together and offered nothing.

“We can try,” Mack said carefully.

“At Mama’s house?”

He looked at Mallory again. She nodded.

“Yes,” he said. “At your mama’s house.”

T.J. accepted this with great satisfaction and reached for his hot chocolate.

By the time he’d finished half of it he was fading, his head drooping. Mallory pulled him onto her lap and held him against her, one hand rubbing slow circles on his back. His eyes fluttered and closed.

“Want me to put him down somewhere?” Mack asked quietly.

“The floor worked last time. Less chance of him rolling off.”

“I’ll get a blanket.”

When he returned, he carried two blankets. Mallory held T.J. while she watched Mack snap one blanket out, then she placed T.J. on it, then Mack put the other one over him. He held his hand out to help Mallory up and once again, his manners impressed her.