Page 41 of Christmas With My Ex

I smirk, eyes still closed. “Good point. But hey, I’m learning how to slow down.”

He leans over and places the sweetest, softest kiss. I'm literally melting in this chair. The taste of his lips is everything.

For a moment, I wonder if this is what we’ve needed all along. To be pulled out of our routines, thrown together in this little snowy town over Christmas, with nothing to do but... be here. Together.

But before I let my thoughts drift too far, a server comes by, and Nicholas waves him down. “Two glasses of your best wine, please.”

I raise an eyebrow at him, teasing. “Look at you, getting fancy on me.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “The night calls for it, I'd say.”

Nicholas’s phone rattles on the table. He glances down at the screen and his face softens.

“It's my nephew. I hate to ask, but would you mind if I just tell him Merry Christmas?” He pleads, holding up his phone. The name reads BOBBY BLANCHARD.

I nod, giving him a smile. “Of course.”

He toggles the arrow to answer the FaceTime call, and the image of a giddy little boy fills the screen. Sammy’s got these bright, curious eyes and a smile that lights up his whole face. I can tell how close he and Nicholas are and it is so sweet he has taken his sister's child under his wing.

Sammy's buckled into a car seat, wearing a tiny suit jacket, and I can hear the faint hum of Christmas music in the background.

“Uncle Nicholas!” Sammy says, his voice high-pitched with excitement. “We just got out of Christmas mass! We are going home to get ready for Santa. I can't wait until tomorrow. Can you?”

“I'm beside myself I'm so excited,” Nicholas replies, his voice softening in a way that makes me pause. He looks at me and flashes a genuine smile at me. “You look sharp, Buddy! Did you have fun?”

Sammy grins, nodding. “Yeah! And we sang all the songs. I was the loudest.”

“Did you say hi to Grandpa and Grandma for me?” Nicholas asks, his tone playful but full of affection.

“Yup! And I told them you said Merry Christmas.”

Nicholas smiles, shaking his head. “That's my boy.”

As they chat, I can’t help but think about how great he is with children. Some people are born to be parents. I feel sad againabout the child he doesn't even know about, the child who doesn’t get to enjoy this phenomenal father.

And then it occurs to me, the child, our child, would have been about the same age as Sammy. How ironic. And it makes it all even more poignant.

“Are you going home soon?” Sammy asks, his face scrunching up a little. "Daddy and I will be home in two days."

Nicholas’s smile falters slightly. “Not quite yet, bud. I’m out of town for one more day than you, but I’ll see you after Christmas, okay?”

Sammy nods, but his excitement has dimmed just a bit. “Okay... I miss you.”

“I miss you too, Sammy. Have fun with your dad, alright?”

The little boy nods again, and then a voice from the front of the car—Bobby, I assume—calls out something about heading home. Sammy waves at the screen, and Nicholas says his goodbyes before the call ends.

Nicholas tosses his phone back on the table, but the warmth from that call lingers in the air. I glance over at him, noticing the way his features have softened even more after talking to Sammy.

“He’s adorable,” I say, meaning it. “You two seem really close.”

Nicholas nods, leaning back in his chair. “Yeah, he’s a great kid. Been through a lot, but he’s tough. I love that we get to talk about his mom. He loves seeing pictures of her and asking about different things about her.”

I hesitate, swirling my wine in my glass before glancing at him again. “You mentioned that before. He’s adopted, right?”

Nicholas nods, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah, my sister and her husband, Bobby, couldn't have children, remember?”

“Yes, I do. I just couldn't remember what exactly you said the other night. I was so taken aback about her death.” I reply, keeping my tone casual, but inside, something stirs. Suddenly, I'm very concerned about their relationship.

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