Page 12 of Christmas With My Ex

"In all reality, it isn't even four o'clock. How wild and crazy can I get eating dinner with the AARP crowd?"

“Feels later than it is,” Nicholas says, making me feel better. “But I guess it’s later in Knoxville, so our bodies really think it is after five.”

I nod, realizing that I’ve lost track of time. It’s still early here in Telluride, but the dark skies and heavy snow and a couple of beers in my belly make it feel like midnight. “Yeah, but after the day I’ve had, it might as well be tomorrow. I’m starving.”

He laughs softly. “Yup, I could eat. A nice dinner sounds like the perfect end to this day.”

The server approaches, a friendly woman with dark hair and a bright smile. “What can I get you two this afternoon?” she asks, handing us the menus. “Anything jump out at you?”

Nicholas glances at me, then back at the server. “We were actually hoping you could recommend something.”

She doesn’t miss a beat. “Well, if you’re looking for something hearty, we’ve got a lamb shank with polenta and roasted root vegetables that’s pretty popular. It’s a house favorite.”

My stomach growls at the thought, and Nicholas nods in agreement. “That sounds amazing. I’m in.”

“Same,” I say, not even pretending to look at the menu. “Lamb shank it is.”

As she walks away, the conversation flows easily, almost too easily. We start talking about Telluride, how beautiful the town looks this time of year, and soon enough, we’re sharing stories about our favorite travel spots. It feels comfortable. Like slipping back into something familiar.

As I watch him across the table, I can’t help but notice how damn handsome he is. The kind of handsome that used to make me lose my mind, back when we were together. His light brown hair is tousled in that effortless way, and the light from the window catches in his deep brown, intense eyes, making them seem warmer than I remember from the end of our relationship.

It would be so easy to let myself fall back into that, into him. Even if only for a holiday soiree, but I know better. I know who he is and what he’s not willing to give. We’ve been down this road before, and I’m not about to go tumbling down that slippery slope again, letting myself fall for him and then get disappointed.

When it comes to Nicholas Snowden, I know I can't just play and walk away. There are real feelings when it comes to him. It took me years to get over that broken heart.

I take a sip of water, reminding myself to keep him at arm’s length. It’s best that way. Nicholas is the kind of man who’s all in when it's new and exciting. But he made it very clear that his career and son come before anyone or anything else.

Plus, we’re polar opposites, and when we were together, he was never willing to meet me halfway. He couldn’t keep up with me, and wasn't willing to make room in his life for anything beyondhis career and Nicky, except to squeeze me in here and there on his terms.

I get it—being a single dad is hard, and I respect that. But I was young, eager to live life, to explore, and he was already weighed down by responsibility. We burned brightly, but it wasn’t sustainable.

We ended up fighting more than we loved toward the end, and I couldn’t keep up with the way he constantly pushed me away, made me feel like second fiddle.

As if sensing the shift in my mood, Nicholas looks up. “You okay?”

I force a smile, nodding. “Yeah. Just thinking about this storm. It is still daytime and it is dark out there.”

“Yeah, I’m sure its going to be a nasty one," he agrees, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before he looks away. The way those brown eyes narrow seriously melts me every time.

Shit, I'm in trouble.

The food arrives, breaking the tension, and we dig in. The lamb shank is everything I needed—rich, tender, with the perfect mix of hearty vegetables and creamy polenta. It’s the kind of meal that makes you forget all the crap that’s been piling up in your life, even if just for a little while.

As we eat, the conversation lightens again, and I let myself relax, enjoying his company. This is the good stuff, what I fought so hard to keep, and what broke my heart so badly when I lost it.

4:01pm

We are finishingour early dinner and I keep stealing glances at Nicholas. The warm glow of the restaurant's Christmas lights softens his features, reminding me of why I fell for him five years ago. Outside, the storm is picking up, fat snowflakes swirling past the frosted windows.

"Let me walk you back to your hotel," Nicholas insists, his brown eyes filled with concern as he glances at my crutches.

I hesitate, not wanting to seem weak, but the throbbing in my knee convinces me. "Alright, but I'm not made of glass, Snowden."

When I tell him I'm staying at The Auberge, a look of surprise crosses his face. "You're not going to believe this, but that's where I'm staying too."

The coincidence is annoying but I brush it off as we step out into the snowy evening. Telluride's main street is a winter wonderland, with twinkling lights adorning every storefront and lamppost. The scent of clean winter air surrounds us, mingling with the crisp reminder of the approaching storm.

Nicholas walks close, ready to steady me if I slip. His warmth is both comforting and unsettling, stirring feelings I thought I'd buried long ago.

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