Page 4 of Everything I Want

“Hello Lorelei. You look beautiful.” He places a gentle kiss on my cheek, they heat with embarrassment at the act of a kiss from another man in front of my girls.

“Thank you. You look handsome yourself. Ready to go?” I am about to step out the door when I hear footsteps behind me.

“Wait just a minute Mom. You didn’t think you were getting out the door without a little payback did you?” Scarlett says and I groan softly.

I gave her a hard time with Preston and she warned me it was coming. I should have locked them all out when I was getting ready instead of embracing the chaos they bring. I chuckle to myself when I turn to see the three girls all standing there with their arms crossed.

“Girls, it’s so nice to see you!” Scott is completely unaware of what these diabolical children of mine have planned.

“What time do you plan to have her home?” Addy asks as soon as he finishes greeting them.

“What are your intentions with our mother? We don’t want any hanky panky in that car when you drop her off you hear?” Lacey jokes trying, and failing, to look stern.

And I brace myself for Scarlett. She’s the most recently tortured by my meddling in their dating life, and she didn’t like the openness I had about her sex life as an adult.

“If you do plan on hanky panky, because who could blame you looking at this woman, make sure you wrap it up,” Scarlett says with a wink and no shame.

I start choking, while my face flames. Did she really just tell a 55 year old man to wrap it with her mother?

“Scarlett. . .” I sputter when I finally catch my breath.

“I’ll have her home when she is ready, I don’t have any plans for hanky panky as you say, but if the situation arises I have prepared for such occasions,” he says with a smirk on his face and a confidence that surprises me.

“Okay. Thank you girls, for this. . . experience. I will see you for coffee tomorrow morning I’m sure.”

I shut the door before they can get anything else in and start down the walkway with Scott’s hand on the small of my back. The heat given off by his hand is enough to make me think I’m thankful he’s prepared. Then another wave of guilt comes.

“Thank you for being a good sport back there. They are just giving me payback from me meddling in their dating lives. Especially Scarlett since she lived with me when she started dating Preston,” I say shamelessly, avoiding eye contact with him.

“No problem, I got the same lectures from my sons, it just happened on the phone and not with you present. I’ll spare you some of the things they told me about dating in today’s world. Also, they thought it would be funny to drop off thosepreparationsat my doorstep today,” he chuckles as he starts the truck.

I lean my head back and laugh with him. I can only imagine the kids meeting one day and what hell they would give us.

I finish buckling my seatbelt, “It’s odd isn’t it? Dating at our age. I never thought in my life that at my age I would be going on a first date again.”

“So you think this is a first date? Does that mean I’m out of, what did your kids call it? A friend zone?”

I blush immediately.

“I suppose you are. Unless this isn’t a date and you want to stay friends,” I rush to add.

He grasps my thigh with his hand and my body lights up with the contact.

“No way. This is definitely a date. I’m just glad you caught up,” he winks.

Scott takes us to the tree farm right outside Lupine Valley. It’s a new tree farm, thank goodness. I don’t think I can relive all these memories with a new man in the same place as I did with Andrew and the girls. I know immediately when he pulls in that he already knows that and it’s why he chose this farm over others that are closer.

“They have some hot chocolate over there. Would you like some before we start looking for the perfect tree?” Scott asks, slowly sliding his hand into mine.

I freeze at the gesture but let his hand take over mine, “Sure, that sounds lovely.”

Scott orders our hot chocolate and we head out in search of a tree once he gets the sled and ax.

“Ok, what are we looking for in this tree? What criteria is most important to the Harper household?” Scott asks as he sweeps his arm out at the expanse of Christmas trees.

“Well first we need a tall one, and second it needs to have full, sturdy branches to hold all of the ornaments we have,” I say looking out at the rows of trees.

“Alright, let’s go find the perfect one.” He laces his gloved fingers with mine once again as we set off down the rows. The first snow of the year has left a fresh coat on all the trees but Scott is intent on inspecting each one fully.

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