Page 50 of Single Dad's Christmas Cookie

“Almost,” I said.

Amelia made sleepy grunting noises and reached out to wrap her arms around my waist.

I stroked her hair and looked down at her peaceful face.

“This is just like getting a mommy for Christmas,” she said in a sleepy voice.

My heart skipped a beat, and my breath caught in my throat. I wasn’t brave enough to admit that was my Christmas wish. She was a terrific kid, and I was head over heels in love with her father. Every day, I learned something new about him, and he was fascinating. I could discover something new about him every day for years, and I didn’t think I’d ever be bored by him.

I glanced up nervously to see if Bryan had heard her. He didn’t seem to have noticed anything. He got up and tended the fire. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, and when I did, it was to gaze down at Amelia, who was falling asleep next to me.

I was comfortable and at peace with them, and I knew that this was such a bad idea. I wasn’t supposed to develop these feelings for either of them.

Amelia was right. This felt like getting a family for Christmas. That was something I knew I shouldn’t even think about. This was a temporary job. As soon as Bryan’s regular cook and her daughter returned from their vacation, school would start. I would be back teaching first grade and not cooking for Bryan or keeping Amelia entertained. I needed to stop thinking this way. It would only lead to disappointment and heartbreak. But the problem was, I had already developed feelings for both father and daughter.

22

BRYAN

“Is she asleep?” I asked Nova.

She didn’t say anything for a long moment, just stared down at Amelia.

When Amelia mumbled something about getting a mommy for Christmas, my gut clenched.

It was precisely what I had been thinking. I wanted Nova for Christmas too.

Having Nova stuck with us was probably the most fortuitous result of what could have been an absolutely disastrous day. My blood pressure spiked every single time I thought about it. Unfortunately, every time I glanced over at Nova and saw the way she smiled and the way her hair shone in the firelight, I felt that stab of ‘what if?’ We could have lost her. There was a very real possibility that I never would have found her car and she would have been stuck under inches of snow. At some point, her car would have run out of gas.

I shook my head. I didn’t need to be thinking about that. She was here. She was safe. She was whole. She had all of her toes.

I chuckled.

I knew exactly why she had been so offended when I asked her how her toes were.

I remembered exactly how she giggled when I nibbled on them, running and swirling my tongue around before sucking them into my mouth. Things that I should not have remembered, or at least I should have pushed back and savored for later.

She worked for me, and I wanted her. I didn’t think I could wait until this professional arrangement was over between us before I made my move and claimed her.

I busied myself with the fire and hoped Amelia hadn’t scared Nova off with her comment.

Nova was still here, and she was cuddling my daughter as if she cared for her as well.

“I think she might actually be asleep now,” Nova said quietly.

I scooted over next to them. Amelia looked completely limp. I reached out and carefully, not wanting to wake her but needing to confirm that she was asleep, shifted her onto the couch and tucked a blanket around her, making sure that she was comfortable.

“Here.” Nova held out Humphrey. That stuffed animal had seen better days. But I could see Amelia carrying him around with her when she went away to college, and she would for the rest of her life. She would show Humphrey to her kids and say, ‘this was my special lovey animal when I was a baby, and he’s been here for me the entire time.’ Humphrey probably needed a bath and maybe some new stuffing. But that wouldn’t stop Amelia from loving him.

Once I had Amelia all tucked up, I slid in next to Nova. She didn’t wiggle away from me as I ran my hand over her leg and squeezed her knee. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“You’ve said that.”

“I’m serious. I’m glad I found you.”

“Found me to cook, or found me in the snow?” She laughed softly.

“Both.” It was getting harder to speak around my need to kiss her.

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