Page 198 of Forever

“No. I’m ridiculous.” He winked at me and spun me around again. “I know the two of you are heading to the beach, but my offer still stands. I can have a private jet ready for you to go to my private island in just a few minutes if you want.”

It was very sweet of him to offer. But I’d been looking forward to a simple trip to Rehoboth. Although I doubted that James’ beach house was simple. It didn’t matter now anyway though. “It’s snowing too much for us to leave the city.”

Tanner looked out the window. “Oh no.”

“Matt said he had an idea…” I felt a tug on my dress and looked down at Jacob.

“May I have this dance, Mommy?” Jacob bowed.

And I realized where he’d learned that from. It was 100% a Tanner move. “Yes you can, sweet boy.”

“I’ll leave you in my grandson’s care,” Tanner said. “I should go help Matt with the arrangements. Congratulations, Brooklyn. Thank you for coming back. Thank you for making my friend smile again.” He kissed my cheek and then placed my hands in Jacob’s.

I blinked away the tears in my eyes and smiled down at Jacob. “You’ve been dancing quite a bit tonight.”

He shrugged. “Scarlett likes to dance.”

“And so do you.”

“But even if I didn’t, I’d dance with her.”

God, he was the sweetest boy. I lifted his hands into the air and we both shook our hips.

“Jacob, Jacob!” Scarlett said and ran over to us. “Can you dance with me again? Sophie stole Axel. And I like this song too.”

I looked over at Sophie and Axel hopping around the dance floor. It actually looked like Axel did not want to be dancing. But Sophie kept pulling him back onto the dance floor. They were so cute.

“Duty calls, Mommy.” Jacob dropped my hands and practically sprinted off.

I laughed. He was so smitten with her.

“So I took into account that you love snow,” Matt said.

I spun around and looked up at him.

“Close your eyes, baby.”

I shook my head, but closed my eyes anyway. He guided me off the dance floor and helped me into a chair.

His hand fell from mine and then I felt his fingers slide down my ankle.

“Matt.” I opened my eyes to see him kneeling in front of me right off the dance floor.

“You said you trusted me.”

“I do.”

“Then keep your eyes closed.”

I smiled and closed my eyes again. My breath caught as he undid one of my high heels and then the other. And then I felt the most comfortable slippers replace my heels. I sighed. So much better.

“Okay, open your eyes.”

I opened them. Matt was still kneeling in front of me. But he hadn’t put slippers on my feet. I was wearing snow boots. My eyes met his.

“We are going to go for a snowy walk to a very nice hotel that overlooks Central Park. If that’s okay with you.”

“How on earth did you get snow boots here that fit me so well?” I stared at the pile of jackets on the table next to me. “And where did all those jackets come from?”

---