Page 33 of Single Dad's Christmas Cookie

“I can’t believe this. It’s like a fairy tale.”

“The little miss needs to sit or be on her knees. I can’t have her standing,” the carriage driver said.

Nova wrapped her arms around Amelia. “You heard the man. On your knees or on your booty.”

Amelia immediately climbed to her knees and looked out the side of the open top carriage.

The carriage swayed and was not smooth as it bumped over the trail. I sat back and smiled and laughed as both Nova and Amelia could not stop gasping and smiling. It was a simple ride around the small downtown area, but somehow, the scattered snow made it all the more special. And I swear if I looked into Nova’s eyes, I could see the magic she was seeing.

The ride didn’t take long, just around the big block and through the park.

“Can we go again?” Amelia asked as the horses came to a stop.

I jumped down from the carriage and held my hands out for her. She jumped and I caught her in midair. I set her on her feet.

“Not today,” Nova said. “Maybe next time there’s a little festival like this.”

I turned and looked up at her. The light framed her face perfectly, highlighting her hair almost like a halo. I reached out to help her down. She placed her hands on my shoulders, and I let my hands slide over her hips to her waist. “I’ve got you.”

She was so beautiful. Whatever choices I had made that brought us here this afternoon had been the right ones. Time slowed as I held her. She slid down my chest until her feet were finally on the ground.

Our eyes locked for a long moment, and then I was staring at her lips.

“Come on, Daddy!” Amelia grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Nova, away from getting lost in her.

We strolled around the square. Amelia’s hand was in mine. She swung our arms back and forth. Nova was almost close enough that we could brush shoulders. I liked this. It felt comfortable.

“We should probably head home so you can get back to work,” Nova said.

“Nonsense. We haven’t seen the ice sculpting contest yet,” I said as I pointed ahead.

The truth was, I would much rather spend my time doing this than chasing down projections and anticipating the behaviors of certain investments.

“Bryan!” I turned at the sound of my name.

Ned waved. He had his kids with him. One had her knee resting on a scooter, the lower half of her leg wrapped in a purple cast.

“I see you managed to find something to do for your holiday,” I said as we got closer.

“I thought you’d be in the office,” Ned said.

Amelia tugged on my arm. I grabbed Nova’s hand. She shot me a panicked look before she realized what I was doing. I placed Amelia’s hand into hers. “Why don’t you take Nova and go look at the ice sculptures?”

I didn’t have to tell her twice. Amelia dragged Nova away.

“Who’s the new girl?” Ned said. “Is she why you aren’t getting those reports back to me?”

“She’s filling in as Amelia’s nanny while the regular one is on vacation.”

“Oh, is that what you call it? Filling in?”

“Don’t be crass, Ned. Nova is an elementary school teacher who needed some extra income over the holidays. And I haven’t gotten those reports back to you because I’m doing stuff like this with my kid. Just like you are.”

“She looks like that woman from the hotel bar the other week.”

“What woman?” I lied. I hadn’t thought he had seen her.

He shrugged. “We got kicked out of the house. My wife said we were wearing on her nerves.”

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