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I looked over at Amelia who nodded her approval as I reached for Owen’s hand.
“Don’t have too much fun, you crazy kids,” she said with a grin.
When I stood, he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him. As we walked towards his chalet, he looked back over his shoulder to make sure Amelia was out of earshot.
“Maybe tonight, after the girls are in bed, we can make a tradition of our own,” he whispered.
I looked up at him, once again shocked by his bold and forward flirtatious manner. I never would have thought that the boy I knew would becomethisman.
“That sounds like a deal,” I said, hoping that the chill from the wind was hiding the fact that my cheeks were pink with heat.
We steppedinto the chalet to see the girls eagerly anticipating their dad’s return.
“Can we start now?” Laila begged.
“Go ahead. I’ll make the popcorn.”
Owen guided me to the couch and sat me on one end of it, then picked up a fluffy white blanket that he spread across my lap.
“Don’t go anywhere,” he whispered.
I smiled and nodded as he left the room, and Laila hit play on the movie. She and Cora were snuggled up together on the floor, still in their pajamas and surrounded by stuffed animals, blankets, and pillows. Clearly, this was something they both looked forward to.
“So you guys likeFrozen?” I asked, “You two are kind of like Anna and Elsa, aren’t you?”
“Shhh!” they said in unison.
I clapped a hand over my mouth to contain my laughter. I guess this was a family that did not appreciate conversation during a movie. I had to respect it.
A moment later, Owen returned with four bowls of popcorn, each of them covered in little chocolate candies. He handed one to each of the girls, who twisted and turned to see around him as he crossed in front of the TV.
Then, he handed one to me and plopped down on the couch next to me, pulling some of the blanket onto his lap.
“Where’s Beth today?” I asked.
“Shhh!” came the girls response once again.
I bit my lip to keep from laughing and Owen glared at me in a mock-disappointed manner. He shook his head at me, and that only made me want to laugh harder. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it through an entire movie without being able to talk or laugh.
But then, Owen’s arm was around me, and my head was on his shoulder, and everything felt right in the world.
14
OWEN
“Wait, it’s been so long since I’ve seen this movie. I don’t remember there being any trolls,” Skye said without taking her eyes off the screen.
“Shhh!” Laila and Cora said in unison, for at least the thousandth time.
“You have to stop talking. They take this movie very seriously,” I whispered into her hair.
“I’m sorry. I’m just not used to being quiet during movies. My family talks the entire time.”
“Well, if you’re going to join this family for movies, you’re going to have to adhere to the girls’ rules.”
Skye rolled her eyes playfully and turned her attention back to the TV. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was so unbelievably gorgeous, and it was starting to feel like she was part of the family. In fact, it didn’t take much work at all for her to feel like that. She fit right in with both me and the girls, like she was meant to be there all along.
I didn’t think I would ever have another woman in my life who could love my children so deeply. I always worried that if I ever started dating again, there would never be anyone who could care for them like they deserved. But with Skye…well, she was simply incredible with them.
