All it had taken was one kiss from Ian to make it crystal clear to Nola that she haddefinitelybeen kissing the wrong guys for her entire life, but she decided Ian didn’t need to know that. She didn’t want him to think she was desperate or anything, because she wasn’t. She’d simply made up her mind a long time ago that she wouldn’t settle for anything less than feeling the earth move under her feet.
After a long sigh that seemed to mirror everything Nola was feeling, Ian picked up the box.
“Usually I’d do the ladies first thing,” he told her, “but if I have to follow your ass all the way up the stairs, there’s no box score or algebra equation that would make me fit for mixed company again anytime soon.”
It was quieter when they returned to the dining room. Only Ian’s kids and the Hendersons remained and Rosie must have decided they could be trusted with the open liquor cabinet because they passed her pushing the cart of bus pans back to the kitchen. Rosie had given them a knowing smile, but had kept her mouth shut, much to Nola’s relief.
After setting the box on the bar, Ian’s gaze lingered on her mouth for a few seconds before he smiled and went to join his kids. Nola couldn’t help watching him walk away.
“You look a little flushed, Dad,” Maddie said when he reached the table, a knowing look in her eyes. Jacob chucked a balled-up napkin at his sister, but she batted it down with the lightning reflexes of a girl with a pain-in-the-ass younger brother.
“Heavy box,” she heard him say, and then she turned her back so his kids wouldn’t look over and notice that she looked a little flushed too.
The last thing she needed was Ian’s children doubling down on their matchmaking efforts. It was hard enough to keep her growing attraction—hell, herfeelings, if she was being honest with herself—for him in check without their help.
As was often the case with cake, one bite hadn’t even come close to satisfying her.
Six
Saturday, the 19thof December
Ian knew as soonas he got out of bed that they wouldn’t be riding today. There had been one frigid day in the forecast and, though the lodge was cozy enough, it was the kind of cold and wind chill combination that made cold radiate from the walls and windows, no matter how well they were insulated.
He was surprised to see Jacob’s bed was empty, the quilt thrown up in a half-assed attempt at making the bed. He was even more surprised when he looked at the clock and saw that it was almost nine o-clock. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d slept so late.
Maybe if he’d fallen asleep when he went to bed instead of imagining all sorts of things he could get up to with Nola if only they were alone, he wouldn’t be late to breakfast.
After he took a quick shower and got dressed, he went to the dining room and found his kids at the table with empty plates in front of them and their phones in their hands.
“Good morning,” he said, getting their attention.
“Oh, look who decided to get out of bed,” Maddie said, her mouth quirked into a grin. “You sure do know how to vacation, Dad.”
He wasn’t about to tell them why he’d had trouble falling asleep, so he just shrugged and went to the bar to make himself a coffee. Just stepping up to it made him remember the time he’d spent here last night, laughing with Nola, and he found himself wishing she was there during the day.
And then he realized it was Saturday. The town hall was closed. Even though he knew she probably still only showed up to help with dinner and serve drinks in the evening, he found himself hoping she might show up early. If he was going to be stuck in the lodge all day, he’d rather be stuck there with Nola.
“It’s cold outside,” Jacob muttered.
“That’s why we ride in the winter,” Ian said, ruffling his hair—making Jacob jerk away with an annoyed grunt—before pulling out his chair. “Warm days are hell on the snow.”
“Dad.” Maddie’s tone made it clear his kids were about to present a united front, which meant he was doomed. “It’s fifteen below zero.”
Yeah, that was cold. He’d give them that. “It’s supposed to get up almost to zero, though.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s the high temp in the forecast, which means for a few glorious minutes, probably about one o’clock in the afternoon, it’ll bealmostzero degrees.”
The two little Kowalski kids ran into the dining room, squealing with laugher. The little girl wasn’t as fast as her big brother, so she’s the one Josh caught first when he followed them in. When he saw Ian and the kids, he shook his head. “Sorry about the noise. They hid my phone and they know when I catch them, I can tickle the location out of them. Especially little Bella here.”
When he lifted the girl and blew a raspberry against her belly, Bella squealed again and Ian had to admire the volume and pitch from such a little girl. He knew Josh’s wife owned the barber shop in town so the kids spent a lot of time in the lodge with their dad and grandparents. On the one hand, he envied that, but he also wondered how they ever got anything done because Nate and Bella might be cute, but they were also a handful.
“I guess using the lodge phone to call it would ruin all the fun,” Ian said, smiling at the wave of nostalgia that washed over him. Sometimes it was hard to remember when Maddie and Jacob were that small, and other times it felt like just yesterday.
Josh grinned and snagged Nate as he tried to sneak out past his dad. “I never pass up a chance to torment my little monsters.”
“I’m going to give my not-so-little-anymore monsters a break today. It’s too cold for them, I guess.”
Maddie snorted. “I like how you blame us, but you certainly weren’t in any hurry to get out of bed and hit the trails today.”
