Page 136 of Holiday Hire

I assert, "A horse is a pretty big responsibility. I'm not ready for that."

"Sure you are," Alexander claims, with mischief in his expression.

Wilder turns his head, shouting, "Ace, Dad's going to get Phoebe her own horse!"

"Yes!" Ace exclaims, pumping his arm in the air.

Several people look over at us.

I hold my hands in the air. "Whoa. He didn't say that. And I'm not ready for that," I repeat, unable to imagine anyone buying me a horse. I'm sure it's expensive, but it's also a huge responsibility.

Alexander teases, "It sounds like the boys have their hearts set on it. You know I don't like to disappoint them."

"Don't! There are plenty of horses on your ranch if I'm going to ride again."

"If?" He jerks his head back dramatically, as if I sinned.

"I don't need my own horse," I insist.

"Maybe we'll each get you one." He wiggles his eyebrows, lowers his gaze to my lips, then gives me a semi-lewd stare.

I've seen that look before. Heat rises to my cheeks. I squeeze my thighs together.

"Dad, come help me make a hat," Ace orders.

Alexander chuckles again and rises. He puts his hand on my back. "You take ornament duty, and I'll take hat duty."

I nod. "Sounds good."

Wilder and I make our ornaments. He grabs my hand, drags me across the gym, and exclaims, "Phoebe, let's go to the gingerbread house station."

I laugh. "Okay!"

We go to the table and sit down. We spend the next hour making a gingerbread house. Wilder dips his toothpick in the frosting and adds his dad's, Ace's, and his initials near the front door.

"Looks good," I praise.

He adds my initials next to theirs and announces, "Now it's done."

"Aww, thanks for adding me."

"Duh! Where should we go now?"

Joy and love surge through me. The boys always want to include me. It makes me feel like I'm part of the family.

Maybe someday I will be.

I scold myself for the thought. I shouldn't get ahead of where Alexander and I are. Neither of us wants to hurt the boys if things don't work out.

Why wouldn't we work out?

It's like what Alexander pointed out. No one gets together thinking they'll break up.

Don't romanticize what's going on between us until we're solid.

Aren't we?

Only when we can come clean with everyone.

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