“I actually had a brief conversation with your ex too, when you took Lydia to the ladies’ room earlier.”
“Did you?”
“Yes. He basically asked me my intentions toward you.”
She closed her eyes, mortified. “Oh no. I’m so sorry! What did you say?”
His shoulder muscles rippled beneath her hand as he shrugged. “I told him I wanted to run away with you to Tahiti but I couldn’t manage to convince you yet, though I was working on it.”
The mental picture he created was undeniably enticing and she wondered what Ryan would say if she told him she wouldn’t need much persuading.
A few more dances and perhaps one or two more soul-stirring kisses like they had shared would probably do the trick.
“It’s clear Lydia loves her dad.”
She followed the direction of his gaze and found that Troy was now dancing with their daughter. Though he looked a little uncomfortable, at least he was trying.
“She really does.”
His words reminded her of the conversation she had before the wedding ceremony.
“Troy and Brittany want Lydia to spend Christmas Eve with them now. They want her to open her presents from Santa at Susan and Norm’s place.”
A frown furrowed his forehead. “I thought you told me you would have her Christmas Eve and they would pick her up for Christmas Day.”
“That was the plan. Brittany cornered me earlier today and asked if they could change the schedule. It’s Hudson’s first Christmas and they want his big sister to be part of it.”
“How do you feel about it?”
Like she wanted Ryan to pack her and Lydia away to Tahiti so she didn’t have to deal with all of this.
“All the emotions at once. I want to cry, yell and possibly throw every single flower arrangement I created for the tables against the wall.”
“Understandable.”
“Is it? For two years, I’ve been furious at Troy for walking out on his daughter. Now I’m angry that he wants to spend more time with her. Face it. I’m a hot mess, Ryan.”
“You’re not.”
She gave a short laugh, annoyed with herself for making this harder than it had to be.
“Okay,” she said, her tone almost a challenge. “What would you call it?”
Chapter Nineteen
WHAT DID HE THINK ABOUT HOLLY MOORE?
As he held her close, moving in time to the music, her flowery vanilla scent filled his senses. She fit so perfectly in his arms, as if this was exactly where she belonged.
Her head rested below his chin, her soft curls brushing against him as they moved together, and he wished he could freeze time and keep her here with him forever.
He wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer to her question. Would she even believe that he thought she was amazing, beautiful, gentle yet possessed of incredible strength?
Or that he thought about her entirely too often for his peace of mind?
Just now as she told him about Troy and his wife wanting Lydia to spend Christmas Eve with them, her voice had wavered and he’d felt the sharp stab of her hurt like it was his own.
His heart ached for her, knowing how fiercely she protected her daughter, how ferociously she fought for her, and how much she didn’t want to let go, even a little.
