Page 13 of Christmas With My Ex

At the hotel, he suggests a nightcap. "One cocktail," I agree, "then I really should elevate this knee.”

"Why don't we grab a bottle of wine instead?" he counters. "My suite has a living area. You can put your foot up properly."

Against my better judgment, I agree. "You know wine is my weakness, how can I refuse?"

"Perfect. Just let me make the order and grab some glasses."

In his suite, I sink into a plush couch, propping my foot on a pillow. Nicholas is pouring the wine when his phone rings. The moment he answers, his whole demeanor shifts.

"Hey, buddy," he says softly, his face lighting up. It's his son. Immediately, he abandons preparing our wine, a familiar trope while spending time with him. Everything else always comes before me.

As Nicholas paces, engrossed in the call, I'm sharply reminded of why we didn't work. His dedication as a father is admirable, absolutely, even sexy. But as a partner, I constantly felt sidelined, never the priority.

He ends the call, tucking his phone back into his pocket. He walks over to me, looking genuinely apologetic.

"Sorry about that," he says, handing me a glass of wine. "It was Nicky. He wanted to tell me about riding the horse carriage in Charleston. He was so excited that I couldn't cut him off."

I take a sip, letting the rich flavor of the wine spread across my tongue. "No worries," I say, softening. "We all want to be heard."

He laughs, the sound warm and familiar. "Have you been to Charleston? I know you love to travel. I've always wanted to visit and it's one place I've never been that's on my bucket list."

"I have been a couple of times," I tease. "Seriously, though, it is a great place. I would suggest you go for the food, alone. And, of course, the carriage rides. Gotta do at least one of those."

He grins, his eyes lighting up. "You had me at food."

I'm grateful for the easy banter, my earlier irritation dissolving. Nicholas has this way of disarming me, making me forget why I was upset in the first place.

"So," he says, settling into the chair across from me, "what's the most adventurous thing you've done since we last saw each other? Besides getting a bum knee skiing all alone in the backcountry before a huge snow storm."

I lean back, considering. "Well, since you put it that way, it does sound quite adventurous. I did this crazy cliff dive in Bali last year. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time."

"Of course you did," he chuckles, shaking his head. "I love the way you continue to seek the craziest thing to do. That sounds amazing."

"And you always were the voice of reason," I counter.

"Hey now," he says, raising his glass in a mock toast, "someone has to be the grownup."

"Easy."

"Cheers to taking risks and living life to the fullest," he thoughtfully says as he holds his glass toward me for a toast.

"Cheers."

Nicholas leans back in his chair, looking at me with that familiar intensity that used to make my heart race. And I'm not going to lie, my heart is racing right now.

"So what's next on your adventure list?" he asks.

"I don't know," I admit with a shrug. "I think I'm just going to take it easy for a while. Let my knee heal first before any more crazy stunts."

"That's probably a wise decision," he nods approvingly. "But not forever—you have to keep being you."

"I appreciate you saying that," I say with a smile.

I laugh again, feeling myself slipping right back into old habits with him. As we continue talking about lighter topics—the best ski slopes we've tackled, funny ER stories—I'm reminded of why we worked so well together once upon a time.

Suddenly, the lights flicker and go out. Then, the dim glow of the emergency lighting comes on. Nicholas looks almost ethereal. And then as fast as they went off, the lights are back on.

The air between us crackles with tension. His fingers brush against mine, sending shivers down my spine. For a moment, I consider what it might feel like to have his lips on me again, but then reality crashes in.

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