Page 11 of Daddy's for December

Yes. Yes, I am.

Five

WINTER

“I’m telling you, January, he made my thighs quiver so hard I couldn’t walk the rest of the night.”

My best friend’s scream rings out through the video call until I quickly lower the volume. “Iknewit!”

“Yeah, but then he left for the night. I feel like he loves me, but… does that just mean as his goddaughter? Still a little girl?”

She grimaces, her almond-shaped eyes peeking up as if deep in thought. “Maybe… you’ll have to show him just how grown up you are now. That you’renothis goddaughter, but an adult woman.”

“Right… Well, I need to do that now by heading into my new job at the lodge. When are you visiting?”

Her bright white teeth flash with her smile. “If you love the place, then I’m coming next month! See if they have a job available for me there, too, and I may just stay if you do.”

After we hang up and I finish getting dressed, my stomach ties into a knot.Staying… It’s something Ben already hintedwould be an issue. He works too much and is rarely here. It seems like he wants me to know I’m just a guest and there’s a time limit to things.

If I can just show him for the holidays that things can be different. I’d follow him anywhere. Maybe I can make myself so invaluable while here, he won’t want me to leave.

With a tug, I pull on my fur-lined suede boots over tight jeans. Then, I give myself a once-over in the mirror. Hmm, the pigtails are too juvenile. I let my hair loose, then apply another layer of red lipstick.

Ben sits at the island with an expression of guilt wracking his face as I descend the stairs. But his eyes flicker over my body as I wander over to pull up the stool next to him. “I made you breakfast. Don’t want my girl going into her first day on an empty stomach.”

Pressing my mouth against his cheek, I murmur, “Thank you.”

“But you don’t need to work through the entire holiday. I want you here for Christmas. There’s, um, traditions I want to do.”

Spearing some scrambled eggs, I chew slowly and look around at the decorations we put up. “What do you want to do?”

“I thought we could watch some Christmas movies tonight after dinner. Make some popcorn and cookies like you and your mom used to do.”

Tears spring to my eyes. He wants me to feel welcomed and loved, even without my mother here to do that for me. His hand rubs my shoulder in a very fatherly way as he clears his throat. “Would you like that, baby?”

Nodding, I swallow and say, “Yes, Ben. I would love that.”

His brow furrows when I say his name, but I shovel in the rest of my breakfast before I have to explain why I didn’t call himDaddy. Tonight will be a good time to prove just how grown up I am. It can be a romanticdateand less of a family thing.

Ben drops me off at the lodge with a bid of good luck, and I find my supervisor,Blaze, at the check-in counter. Blaze is definitely a regular, with his name-brand logos on every article of clothing he has on, including his ski pants. A spray of white-blond hair escapes his beanie, which he shoves further down on his head. Silver hoops in his ears shine as I open the door, and his jaw drops when I step inside.

Pushing his long-sleeved shirt up to show off some veiny, tattooed forearms, he smiles broadly in a warm greeting. “Are you Winter?”

“Blaze?”

He sticks out a hand and shakes mine firmly, almost pulling me into his body. “Great to meet you. Let me show you around.”

Long lashes flirt with me over the course of the morning as he escorts me through the entire campus on a golf cart. His hand seems to find its way to my arm often, and once to my lower back, as he teaches me about the lodge. He introduces me to his regular crew, all good-looking guys in their early twenties that throw a lot of wild parties in their staff apartments. “And you’re invitedany time.”

By the time I reach the ski shop where my new position is, I’m exhausted with all the attention. A few of Blaze's friends are my new co-workers and don’t stop making googly eyes all afternoon while I train at the cash register.

While waiting for Ben to pick me up, I ask the front desk staff if they know of any more job openings for January. Misty, one girl I immediately befriended at lunch, hands me a brochure. “Grant’s Ice Inn has been closed for a long time, but Justin Grant himself said he needs someone to help set things up before the grand opening, then help with the day-to-day. It’s more of a permanent position, if that’s what she’s looking for.”

I take the paper and thank her as Ben’s SUV pulls up.

It’s toasty inside the car, and my seat is already hot by the time I slide onto it after Ben buckles my belt for me and shuts the door. “I told you. I’m an adult now and can do my own seatbelt, Ben.”

His eyes dart down to my lap as he takes off toward home. With a flat smile, he says, “And I told you, you’ll always be my little girl.”

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