Page 10 of Snowed In With The Second Chance Daddy

“Well, I’ve missed you all too.”More than I know how to say…“Now, how can I help?”

Dara waves me off. “June’s got the dishes, I’ve got dessert.” She quickly plugs some buttons on the coffee machine, and it starts to brew. “You sit and tell us about the new job.”

Yes. The job. That’s a good way to get me out of my head.

“Well, we just released our latest title. Sales have been good, especially for the holidays.” A first person shooter with online co-op. Nothing reinventing the wheel. But the money is good and once I get my foot in the door, I get to start pitching my own projects. More video games for the female gaze. More for the girl gamers. More variety.

I just have to be patient.

“And you like Seattle?” June squeezes soap into the sink, the bottle making a loud sucking sound.

“I like it.” Which is true. “I miss Chicago, but Seattle’s nice. The access to nature is pretty incredible.”

Dara smiles. “Yes, the mountains! And the ocean. We’ll have to all visit you some time.”

“Oooh! Family vacay.”

I smile. “I’d like that. I can show you my new city. Although I don’t think you could all cram into my apartment.”

The girls laugh.

Soon, the coffee pot is full. Amid arranging some ripe strawberries on the pretty white cake she’s made, Dara asks, “Iris, could you go around with the coffee pot while I –”

“On it.” Just what I need, a task to busy myself.

She smiles before pushing some blonde strands out of her face with the back of her hand. “Thank you.”

I grab the pot, my heart throbbing in my chest as I reenter the dining room.

I’m going to have to go past Trevor, ask him if he wants coffee and–

Scratch that. Trevor’s not at the table anymore. Everyone is where I left them, except him.

I pretend like I haven’t noticed, like I don’t care, working my way around the table. I save Oliver for last so I can be covert about my curiosity.

“Coffee?” I reach out to pour the bean juice before he can answer.

Oliver eyes me, his hand on his chin. “Please.”

Despite the chatter of the Hawthorns, the only thing I can hear is the coffee hitting the mug. “Does…Does Trevor want coffee?”

Oliver shifts, glancing through the door into the living room. “Probably.” He grabs Trevor’s mug and holds it out for me. “You could bring it to him?”

“I’m not here to serve, Oliver,” I say with a bite in my voice, however, I pour coffee into the mug.

Oliver rolls his eyes. “I know that. Just…a suggestion.”

Watching the brown liquid fill Trevor’s mug, I make a decision.

Might as well face it head on. Once we get the first interaction out of the way, the rest should be easy, right?

“Fine.” I exchange the coffee pot for Trevor’s mug. “I’ll take it to him just this once.”

Oliver’s eyes soften. “Thanks, Iris.”

“Yeah,” I mutter as I head into the living room.

The Hawthorn Christmas tree is a sight to be seen. So miraculous they should sell tickets for people to come gawk at it. They’d make a killing.

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