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They drifted apart and Reece started moving their bags toward the closet when Alesha gasped.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Look!” she said, pointing toward the window. “It’s coming down harder!”
Chuckling, he walked back over to her side. The snow had picked up, soft flakes falling steadily now.
“Well,” he said, “then we should grab our coats and go for a walk. Enjoy it while it lasts.”
She turned to him, her eyes bright. “I’m just going to unpack real quick. And then, when we come back, we can put all our focus on warming up.”
“Exactly.”
Her smile widened. “This is starting to feel like the best weekend ever.”
And for a moment, Reece wished he could find a way to make it last a little longer.
eight
The following weekend was…less than ideal.
At least for Alesha.
It was Saturday night, and they were having dinner with her father and Joanne.
“I’m so glad we’re doing this!” Joanne gushed as she arrived carrying a large, covered casserole dish.
“Let me get that,” Martin said quickly, taking it from her. The two of them disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Alesha and Reece alone in the living room.
“You okay?” Reece asked quietly. “You look tense.”
“I’m fine,” she lied. Then leaned closer and added under her breath, “This is just…weird. It feels like a double date. With my dad.”
Reece’s lips twitched. “Okay, when you put it like that, yeah. It’s a little weird.”
“Come on, you two!” Joanne called. “Dinner’s ready!”
“And it’s even weirder that she brought dinner,” Alesha muttered as Reece gently guided her toward the dining room.
“Well, this is certainly a treat,” Martin said as they all sat down. “I’ve been looking forward to this.” He smiled at Joanne. “And thank you for making dinner.”
“My pleasure,” Joanne said warmly before turning to Alesha. “Your father loves my lasagna. I hope you do too.”
“I’m sure I will,” Alesha replied politely.
They had barely taken a few bites when Joanne launched in.
“So, Alesha, have you thought about moving back to Harbortown? With you and Reece…and you reconnecting with your father, it seems like perfect timing.”
Alesha froze. “Um…”
“You could help with the bookstore,” Joanne continued, undeterred. “Your father works so hard, and with your flexible job, it just makes sense. And eventually, the store would be yours, and your father could finally retire and travel.”
Alesha’s fork hovered midair. If she’d taken a bite, she would’ve choked.
“Joanne,” Martin said gently, a note of warning in his voice. “That’s not something we’ve discussed.”
“Really? Why not?” Joanne pressed. “You deserve to retire at some point, and having Alesha take over would be ideal.”
