AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And?”
“You know I do.”
“I overheard your conversation with him.”
“I know.”
That made him smile.
Liv leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder, and put her arm around his waist. “You’re too used to being in control of everything to have let that go.”
“You think that was about control?”
“Of course it was. I was talking to your son. The one you’re worried about. If things had started to go badly, you would’ve stepped in to make sure he was okay.”
“I guess I would’ve.”
“We have a lot to work on, Ben.”
“If you’re willing, so am I.”
Liv stood and held her hand out to him. “Take me to bed, cowboy.”
They went back to the ski area the next day. A long-time snowboarder, Jake wanted to ski instead, so Ben rented him ski equipment.
“He’s got the best snowboarding stuff made, and today he wants to ski. What’s that all about?”
Liv raised her eyebrows. “You should consider this a good thing. At least he’s talking.”
She was right. If Jake wanted to be closer to Liv or Renie all day it was better than having him off sulking in a corner, or refusing to go along.
When Renie decided at the last minute to try snowboarding, Ben’s groan was audible.
“Great. Now he’ll want to go back to slidin’ down the hill. I know the guys in the rental place, I’m sure they’ll give me my money back.”
But Ben was wrong, Jake wanted to spend the day with Liv. The two of them went on several runs on their own and showed up twenty minutes late at their designated lunch stop.
Ben put his arm around his oldest son. “Tryin’ to steal my girl, are ya?” He messed up his son’s already mop-top hair.
“She enjoys my company,” answered Jake, standing up taller and throwing his shoulders back.
“We’re making dinner tonight,” Liv and Jake announced when the group met back at the lodge at the end of the day.
“Who is?” asked Ben.
“Jake and I are.”
“What are you making?”
“You’ll see.”
“Are you makin’ pizza?” asked Luke.
Jake started to answer his little brother, but Liv stopped him by putting her finger in front of her lips. “Shh,” she said.
Ben knew that if heaven existed, today was a slice of it.
“Stop at the market on the way back to the house. Jake and I will run in and get what we need.”
