Page 42 of Christmas With My Ex

Nicholas shakes his head. “Yeah, I get it. It still stops me in my tracks when I stop to think about it. Almost too tragic to imagine. She prayed for a child for so long, and then she was taken once she got him.”

I see tears well in the bottom of his eyes. He was so close with Helena. She was an amazing woman.

"Helena was such a great person, Nicholas. I loved her, too. I'm so sorry for you and for Sammy that she was taken. He is so lucky to have you."

"I'm lucky to have him."

SIXTEEN

Nicholas

Dashing through the snow In a one-horse open sleigh O'er the fields we go Laughing all the way Ha ha ha

8:28 pm

The fire is still roaring.It matches my energy and hope that this isn’t where our night ends.

The warmth wraps around us like a cozy blanket. The Christmas lights twinkle in the background, adding a soft, magical glow to the room. Almost everyone else has cleared out except for a skeleton crew working and a guest or two meandering about.

I guess everyone is home getting ready for the big guy.

Rives leans back in her chair, and I can tell she’s getting a little too warm—she’s been fidgeting for a few minutes now, itching inside of her bulky knee brace.

She shifts again, pushing her hair off her neck. “I'm getting a little warm,” I say, knowing she is too proud to admit it if she thinks it will ruin the moment.

"Me, too. This fire is on point.”

"How about we go up to my suite for a change? We can cool down,” I suggest, keeping it casual. “A nightcap and then call it an early night. Gotta get ready for Santa, after all.”

She laughs, shaking her head. “A night cap and an early night sounds perfect, actually.”

I signal to the server, ordering two more glasses of wine and asking to settle the tab. Rives seems content, and I can’t help but notice the soft glow of her skin. She’s always been beautiful, but tonight, it feels like she’s glowing from the inside out.

Her long brown hair falls loosely around her shoulders, catching the light just enough to make the natural blonde highlights shimmer. And those bright blue eyes are as striking as ever.

The server returns, and I sign the receipt before standing up and offering her my hand. “Shall we?”

She grins, grabbing her crutches and getting herself up from the chair. We make our way to the elevator. She's gotten pretty quick on those crutches.

I keep an eye on her, resisting the urge to offer help, knowing she’s strong enough to handle herself.

As we ride up to my floor, there’s a comfortable silence between us, the quiet hum of the elevator filling the space. I glance over at her, catching the reflection of the holiday lights from the lobby in the mirrored walls of the elevator. It’s a simple moment, but something about it feels special.

We reach my room, and I push the door open, letting her step inside first. The soft glow of the room’s lamp flickers on as she moves toward the small seating area. I close the door behind us. “Wine delivery,” I say, handing her the glass.

She smiles up at me, her eyes warm and playful. “Thanks for being my sherpa. Walking and drinking has become a new challenge.”

"You can always count on me."

I sit down across from her, and for a moment, we just sip our wine in silence. The room feels calm, peaceful. Outside, the snow is still falling, blanketing the resort in a quiet, wintry charm. There’s something about this moment, about sitting here with her, that feels... perfect.

“You know,” I start, glancing at her, “I never thought we’d be spending Christmas Eve like this.”

She looks up at me, raising an eyebrow. “What, stuck in a snowstorm in the middle of a tiny resort?”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “Something like that. I'm grateful for the surprise reunion, for the chance to spend some time with you. It might not have happened otherwise, and what a shame that would have been.”

Her smile softens, and I can see a flicker of emotion in her eyes—there is something deeper than the usual playful banter.

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