Page 3 of Dad Bod Secret Santa

For a second, our eyes meet, and desire explodes in my body with an intensity I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced before. My body burns until I’m half-convinced I’ll melt all the snow on this mountain.

This is going to be interesting.

CHAPTER 2

HANK

Hey, Hank! You alive over there?”

Jax’s voice slices through my daydream. I blink, realizing I’m standing in the middle of the Christmas tree lot, staring into the distance like I’ve never seen a silver pine before.

I shake my head and start moving again. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Just have some things on my mind.” A person is more like it. When you wake up and the woman you’ve lusted over for the last several years is on the other side of your bedroom wall, it gives you a whole fucking lot to fantasize about.

“Yeah, I can see that,” Jax says, hoisting a giant tree over his shoulder. “Just wondering if you were thinking so hard you forgot we’ve got a lot of work to get through today.”

I chuckle under my breath and fall into step beside him, helping him load the tree into the back of a pickup truck. The snow’s falling lightly, dusting the branches of the trees and making the air smell like pine and winter.

“Everything okay? You and Vivian doing alright after the storm?” Jax asks as we finish tying down the tree.

“Yeah, we’re good,” I say, pulling my gloves tighter against the cold. “Storm didn’t do too much damage up on the ridge, just knocked down a few branches. Power’s still on, and we have the genny if the power goes out.”

“You’re lucky,” Jax says, his breath coming out in clouds. “A lot of folks down in town weren’t so fortunate. Lines down all over. They’re saying it’ll be a week before they get everything back up.”

I nod. “Yeah, I heard. Vivian’s friend Wendy and her mom are staying with us.”

Jax gives me a surprised look. “Oh?”

“Yeah. They lost power last night, and Vivian insisted I invite them to crash with us until the power is restored.” I try to sound casual about it, but I know them staying means more than I want to admit, even to myself.

Jax grins. “And by Wendy’s mom, you mean Maggie, right?TheMaggie?”

I busy myself with making sure the ropes are secure on the trees we just loaded. “Yeah, that Maggie.”

“Man, haven’t you had a hard-on for her for years now?” Jax asks, clapping me on the back. “You’re telling me she’s staying at your place, and you’re just gonna play it cool?”

“It’s not like that,” I say quickly. “They needed a place to stay. It’s temporary. It’s the right thing to do, especially this time of year.”

Jax lets out a low whistle. “Still, it’s Maggie. I don’t know, Hank, maybe this is fate giving you a little nudge. It’s time you acted on that crush of yours. You don’t need to live like a monk.”

I shoot him a look, but he’s already laughing. “Dude. Like you’re one to talk. When was the last time you even looked at a woman?”

“Relax,” he says, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “Been a long time, but we’re not talking about me. I’m just saying, it’s not every day your dream girl ends up under your roof.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not like that. She got divorced a year or so ago, from what Vivian says. She probably doesn’t want a man in her life, much less a single dad like me.” I say, though even I can tell I’m trying to convince myself she wouldn’t be interested because I know it’s safer to keep my heart locked away. “It’s only for a week. It’s not like they’re moving in permanently. Not sure I could take living with three women.”

“Uh-huh,” Jax says, nodding, but the grin never leaves his face. “A week can be a long time when it’s the right company.”

I shrug, pretending not to care, but the truth is, he’s right. I’ve had feelings for Maggie for longer than I care to admit. Since Vivian and Wendy became best friends in school, I’ve run into Maggie more times than I can count. Every time, it’s the same. She’s warm, kind, but guarded. And until a couple of years ago, she was married. Now she’s not, but I don’t know if she’d even give me a chance. My body has seen better days and I like a beer in the evening.

Maybe Jax is right. Maybe this is some kind of sign. I’m not one to believe in fate, but there’s no doubt that sometimes things happen that feel destined.

“It’s time you stop playing it safe. Think about your own needs for once,” Jax adds, seeing the look on my face.

I glance at him, ready to argue, but the words don’t come out. Jax means well, but he’s been as much of a loner as I have for the last several years. It’s not like he’s wise when it comes to women. Doesn’t mean he’s wrong, though.

Before I can think too much more about it, another customer approaches, asking for help picking out a tree. Jax and I get back to work, lifting, cutting, and loading trees onto trucks as the afternoon moves along. It’s busy, but not enough to stop my thoughts from wandering to Maggie and Wendy at the cabin.

Around mid-afternoon, after we’ve loaded the last tree for a while, I step back to catch my breath. Jax comes up beside me, wiping the sweat from his brow despite the freezing temperatures.

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