“Dad, I think you could help, if you wanted to.”
He looked up. “Absolutely. How much does she need?”
She shook her head. “Mom wouldn’t take your money.”
“Then you take it and give it to her. Don’t tell her where it came from.”
“I don’t keep secrets from her,” she said. “Except maybe…well, we could surprise her, and I think I have an idea for how you might help us generate income.”
Slowly lowering his fork, he stared at her, the slightest smile tugging. “Why do I think I’m going to hate this?”
She laughed. “Because you might. But hear me out, okay?”
“’Kay.”
“Come back, just for the season, and run the sleigh rides again.”
He drew back, surprise in his eyes.
“We could advertise the Snowberry Sleigh all over the place and I know it would bring in more business. Families absolutely loved that, and no other resort or lodge has anything like it and, come on, Dad. No one, and I do meanno one, on Earth can run that sleigh like you do. You made it such an experience! Flying Jack and the Snowberry Sleigh! It’s an event, it’s a vibe, it’s an?—”
“Insane idea,” he finished, no smile on his face.
She huffed, out a breath after her speech. “Why?”
“Because…” He shook his head and stared at his meatloaf again. “I can’t go back, Nic. And at Christmas? I can’t.”
“Why not?” she pressed.
“Because Cindy Starling doesn’t want to look at me.”
She cocked her head. “She never changed her name back, Dad. She’s Cindy Kessler, your wife of twenty years. And what makes you think she doesn’t want to look at you?”
He shifted in his seat. “Because we ended badly.”
“Ten years ago,” Nicole said. “And if you showed up to save the lodge and help us fill every empty room for the month of December? She’d forgive you.”
“And then give up on me again.”
She stared at him, a million emotions swirling through her. It mattered to him more than she realized. She chose her words carefully.
“Um, Dad, I think it was the other way around. You are the one who left. Midlife crisis and a fat ESPN gig. Remember?”
“I left because she gave up on us,” he said quietly. “She didn’t think she could compete with my job?—”
“She couldn’t,” Nicole said. “No one could.”
He swallowed, a storm of emotions in his eyes, even though he was silent.
“So, is that a hard pass?” she guessed, feeling disappointment thud in her chest.
“You’re right, Nic, ten years have passed,” he said. “And every day during those ten years, I’ve questioned…what went wrong.”
“You wanted to travel,” she whispered. “She wanted you home.” Was it more complicated than that?
“She gave up too fast, Nic. And, you know, I’m not surprised she’s talking about selling the lodge. She’s a little bit of a…”
“Quitter?” she filled in when his voice wavered.
