Page 107 of This Heart
“Jake! Opal!” I cried out as I quickly made my way over there. After Liam and I hugged each of them, I asked, “I thought you weren’t coming back until the week before Christmas.”
Opal let out a long sigh. “We needed a rest. All this traveling is wearing these two old people out.”
“Come inside, it’s so cold!” I stated, motioning for them to go to the front door.
Jake pointed to Liam, who had left without me noticing. He was carrying Winnie’s bag and her coat.
“We just swung by to pick up the little one. She’ll be staying with us tonight,” Jake said with a wide grin.
Winnie jumped in excitement.
“Let’s get you into your car seat,” Opal said to Winnie, who quickly made her way to the back passenger door and crawled into her car seat.
“She is going to be so happy to get to spend time with you guys,” I said as Liam draped my white coat over me.
“We’ve missed her, that’s for sure. Now you get back in the house before you catch a cold!”
Giving them each one more hug before they slipped into the car, Liam took my hand in his and walked back toward Harper and Declan’s house.
“I meant to tell you that Jake called and said they were in town. They’d like to keep Winnie for the weekend, and I told them she would love that.”
“First, Winnie is your daughter, and you don’t owe me any explanation. Second, do we need to pack a bag and bring it over?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I packed a few things in Winnie’s bag, and Opal has some clothes and things at their house for Winnie.”
Smiling, I said, “We can go to trivia night tonight.”
Liam stopped walking just before we reached the front door. “May I take you somewhere else first? It’s close by and a surprise.”
My chest fluttered with excitement. “I love surprises!”
He laughed softly. “I know.”
“Do you want to leave now?”
“Let me go grab your purse and hat. I’ll let everyone know we’ll meet them at The Muddled Moose.”
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his truck keys. Pointed them at the truck and it started. “Wait in the truck for me?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
Quickly making my way through the fresh coat of powdered snow, I slipped into the truck and put my hands in front of the heater. My white sweater was thick, but it felt like the temperature had dropped twenty degrees.
Liam came jogging out of the house carrying my purse and the black hat I had paired with my black boots and jeans. I also wore a black, white, and red scarf to match Winnie and Liam’s red shirts, which they had worn for Friendsgiving.
Once in the truck, he turned the heater up. “It’s freezing outside! Is the temperature falling at a rapid pace or is it just me?”
I laughed. “Well, it will be dark in about an hour or so. I imagine that’s why it’s getting colder.”
He nodded, put his truck in reverse, and backed into the pullout where he turned around and slowly headed down Declan and Harper’s driveway.
“Where are we going?”
Shooting me a smirk, he answered, “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise, Aurora.”
My head dropped back against the headrest, and I sighed. “I love a good secret, but I’m impatient.”
With a chuckle, he said. “Tell me about it.”
