Page 58 of This Christmas

Chapter Fifteen

Ally woke to a soft, silvery glow spilling in through the curtains. The world outside was muffled, hushed, the kind of stillness that only comes after a heavy snowfall. She pushed herself up on one elbow and blinked toward the bright window.

Olaf whined and Joe sat up quickly. “Morning,” he mumbled. “I’ll take him out.”

She chuckled. “The perks of having a baby.”

He grinned at her. “He went out twice last night,” he added, surprising her. She hadn’t heard him leave the bed once.

Standing up, she stretched and walked over to the window. Beyond the foggy glass, everything was blanketed in white. At least two feet, maybe more, had fallen overnight.

Downstairs, she heard the low creak of the back door and the faint jingle of Olaf’s new collar. She smiled and thought of getting back in bed and sinking deeper into the covers for just a moment. But since Joe was already up, she figured she’d take a hot shower to wake up.

When he came into the bathroom a while later, she was just getting dressed.

“It’s cold out there,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. “I was hoping to crawl back into a warm bed and make Olaf sleep in his own bed for a while.”

She held onto him. The dog let out a happy bark, and Charlotte giggled in the hallway.

“Later.” He sighed and kissed her. “I suppose the kids will be hungry.”

She smiled and followed him back out of the bathroom. While she got Charlotte dressed, she could hear him in the kitchen, and then the smell of coffee drifted up the stairs. It felt… nice. Normal.

When she and Charlotte came down the stairs, the fire was crackling in the hearth and Joe was whisking something in a bowl. Olaf was curled up on the rug, still damp from the snow. “Morning,” he said to Charlotte, glancing over at her with that easy grin. “I hope you’re hungry. I’m making waffles today.”

“Yay!” Charlotte climbed up on the chair to perch at the counter. Her hair was a tangled halo, and she was grinning. Joe picked her up and sat her on the counter.

“Here, you can dump the chocolate chips into the batter.”

“And whipped cream!” she added proudly.

“After they’re cooked, you can put it on your waffle,” he agreed.

Ally laughed and ruffled her daughter’s hair. “Okay, but you have to promise to eat some fruit too.”

They ate breakfast in the formal dining room, which had a big window overlooking the bluff, so they could watch the snow outside. Olaf sat patiently under the table until Charlotte slipped him a piece of waffle.

When breakfast was over, they bundled up in scarves, gloves, and every layer they could find and headed outside. The air was crisp, the kind that stung your cheeks and sent a shiver racing and got your blood pumping. Olaf bounded happily through the drifts like he’d been waiting for this moment his whole life. He chased Charlotte as she tossed handfuls of snow into the air.

Joe leaned on the deck beside her as they watched the pair tumble and play together. “She’s happy,” he said quietly.

“Yeah,” she murmured, her heart swelling as her daughter squealed and the puppy barked in reply. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen her like this.”

He looked so handsome as they laughed together. Snowflakes were clinging to his hair, melting down into the collar of his flannel shirt. She had the sudden urge to reach up and brush them away but tucked her hands into her pockets instead.

Instead, she bent down and picked a ball of snow. She walked over and, after hugging him, dumped it on his head, then sprinted away as he laughed.

Before he could retaliate, she threw two more snowballs in his direction. Each one missed.

He was a far better shot than she was. Charlotte joined in the fun, and the snowball fight went on until they teamed up and cornered Joe under the deck.

They were all wet, cold, and out of breath as they headed inside to warm up.

Around mid-morning, a truck came up the driveway. She watched as Nate hopped out, bundled in his heavy coat and gloves. She opened the door and waved at him.

“Morning!” he called. “It’s a beautiful morning.”

“Yes,” Joe answered with a grin, stepping up beside him. “You didn’t have to come out in this mess. I could have taken care of the horses.”