Page 12 of Gifted To His Dad

“Y… yes.” I barely get out the words, lungs refusing to work while he’s still so close.

“Sorry to break it up. You’ll have to continue your cute moment later. I need some help over here,” Cole says from where he’s holding the tree in an attempt to stop it from tilting further.

Griffin glances at my lips one more time before pulling back and shaking his head. “Alright, kiddo. I’m coming.”

“Who are you calling kiddo, old man?” Cole grunts out under the heavy weight.

It takes some intricate maneuvering, but they finally manage to get it down and onto their own makeshift sled.

Cole comes up to me, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tries to catch his breath. “Why don’t you go inside and get comfy while we do the rest?”

“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” I ask.

He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and pulls my beanie lower. “We’ll just worry about you if you’re out here.”

I glance at Griffin, and he nods.

“Okay then. I’ll see you inside.”

It doesn’t take long for my book to ease my mind, helping me settle into the couch. The world is fading into the distance with each chapter I consume. The living room is large, so I’m seated far enough away that I’m not in any danger of being struck by a stray branch. It’s only when Cole eventually joins me, pulling my legs over his lap and absentmindedly massaging my feet, thatI look up. The tree’s standing tall, but the branches are bent in weird shapes, clinging close to the stem from being wrapped up tight in plastic. I’ve never had a real tree before, but this doesn’t look right. “Is it supposed to be like that?”

Griffin chuckles as he passes Cole a beer and takes a seat on the sofa across from us. “It needs twenty-four hours to settle, then we can fluff it up and decorate it.”

“You have decorations?”

“Why else would we get a tree?”

I lean my head against the armrest and hum as Cole presses his thumb into my instep. “I guess I just didn’t picture you as the tree-decorating type.”

Griffin turns on the TV, switching it to a Bruins game before answering. “I like anything to do with spending time with my family.”

My throat goes thick as his words settle in me. There’s just the three of us here, and somehow, he’s made me feel included in that.

Chapter 7

Eve

I’m notsure how long I’ve been reading, but the sun’s already set when I look up.

Cole smiles at me. “Good book?”

My cheeks heat because there was more than one scene in it that had me squirming.

I clear my throat. “Hmmm? Really good.”

He swipes his thumb over my bottom lip, freeing it from my teeth. “You’ll have to read it for me someday.”

Embarrassment takes over, but I can’t deny it’s enticing. Would he like the things I read? Would he be willing to do them with me?

From the way he’s smirking, he knows exactly what happens in my books.

It takes several seconds for me to realize the hockey game is over and he’s moved on to the Xbox. He has a controller in his hand, dangling from his fingers.

“Do you want to play?”

I shake my head. “No way. I’m horrible.”

“That’s half the fun.” He looks up at me through his lashes, round eyes pleading. “Come on. Play with me.”

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