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But when she finally settled into her seat and relaxed, she fit right in. She might drive an expensive car and carry designer luggage, but at dinner? She was as down-to-earth as the rest of us.
And Nora loves her.
My little girl, the sweetest soul I know, sees something in Penelope.
Me and Nora trudge across the snowy yard, and she grabs snow every few feet. We enter our house, stomp off the snow, and get ready for our nighttime routine.
Michelle came up with the routine when Nora was little. It consists of a bath, pj’s, hair brushing, teeth brushing, singing, and tucking Nora under the covers—snug as a mummy.
This time of the year, Nora always picks a Christmas song for us to sing. And although my voice is terrible and she makes fun of me, I sing with her every night without fail.
Tonight, since dinner was a little later due to the arrival of our newest guest, we skip the bath and go right to pj’s and hair brushing.
Before long, we’re singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and laughing at how awful we sound. Nora definitely got her singing voice from me, poor kid.
Once the song is over, it’s mummy time and then sleep for my little rugrat. Sometimes, I still can’t believe she’s growing so quickly. When I look at her, I still see her at two years old.
“Okay, now that you look exactly like a mummy, time for you to sleep,” I whisper as I kiss her forehead. “Have sweet dreams and I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Daddy?” she says when I’m almost out the door. “Do you think Penelope will be here for the festival?”
I don’t say what I actually feel—that I hope she’ll be. “I’m not sure honey. I bet she’ll want to get home as soon as she can,” I say instead. “We will see what happens. For now, go to sleep. I love you.”
“Love you too, Daddy.”
I leave her room and head into the kitchen, where I crack open a beer.
Today has been a day. I didn’t know when I woke up this morning that I’d be meeting a beautiful woman who I can’t stop thinking about. She’s only steps away, at the inn. I may need something stronger than a beer to keep my thoughts off her, but this will do for now.
After a few minutes, I’m restless and unable to sit still so I grab my flannel jacket and head out into the cold. Snowflakes continue to fall quietly around me, and as much as I hate it, it’s undeniably peaceful when the town is bathed in white.
To be honest, I didn’t always loathe this time of year. In fact, when Michelle was alive, snowy nights were my favorite. We would bundle up on the couch with blankets, hot cocoa, a lit fire, and let the world outside fade away.
I haven’t watched snow fall the same since I lost her. But tonight, the snow beckons to me.
Snowflakes melt in my hair and my breath escapes in white puffs. Closing my eyes, I can almost picture Michelle next to me, snow dotting her blonde curls and catching on her dark eyelashes.
Usually, these memories physically hurt. But tonight, I find peace in remembering what it was like when Michelle was here.
My mind is filled with the day’s events, and I feel like my whole world has shifted on its axis. The thing is, I like my life the way it is. I’ve worked hard to make it as normal as possible for Nora, and anything that disrupts that? I’m not interested.
The Christmas lights glow through the inn’s living room window. Almost all the other lights are out, which means Mom and Dad and the other guests are probably in bed, winding down for the night. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice that one light is still on in an upstairs room, and I quickly realize that it’s the Monarch Room.
Where Penelope is staying.
I’m wondering what she’s doing when I catch her figure in the window. She stops to look down at the yard below. As soon as I spot her, I quickly turn around and face my house, feeling like a kid who got caught doing something naughty. I highly doubt she can see me out here in the dark, but it still feels wrong to watch her through the window.
Adjusting my jacket, I head back inside and into the warmth. This has been the strangest day in a long time.
I chug the rest of my beer before crumpling the can and tossing it in the recycling bin. I take off my jacket, slip out of my boots, and turn off all the lights in the living room and kitchen. The morning is going to come way too fast, and Nora will kill me if we’re late to school again.
Quietly making my way down the narrow hallway, I peek into Nora’s room to make sure she’s sleeping. When I confirm she’s asleep, I head to my room and shut the door behind me.
My bones are still frozen, so I take a shower to warm up and calm my racing thoughts.
The instant attraction to Penelope twists my stomach into knots. It almost makes me feel like I’m cheating on Michelle.
I know that’s ridiculous, and Michelle would want me to be happy, but in my heart, I can’t help but feel guilty. She’s the only woman I’ve ever been in love with. One-night stands or isolated dates are one thing, but with Penelope, it feels different.
