Page 73 of My Secret Santa Daddies

I give him a tight smile. “Not hiding, just working. It’s a mess.”

Marty chuckles, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’ll bet it is. That place was falling apart before you even bought it. How are the renos going?”

“Slow,” I admit, glancing over at Jack, who’s happily munching on his cookie. “But we’re getting there. Got most of the walls up, flooring in. It’s still a work in progress.”

Marty’s eyes twinkle with curiosity. “What made you buy that old place anyway?”

The question feels heavier than it should, but I keep my tone light. “Just needed a fresh start. Somewhere for Jack to make some good memories.”

Marty’s grin softens, his eyes flicking toward Jack. “Good man. It’s nice to see you back. This town’s missed you.”

“Thanks,” I say, my voice gruffer than I intended. “It’s good to be back. Most days, anyway.”

Marty laughs, slapping me on the back again. “You’re still the same, Griffin. Never could admit when you’re actually happy about something.”

Before I can respond, Jack tugs on my sleeve, his face smudged with red punch. “Can I have another cookie, Dad?”

I crouch down to his level, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Only if you promise not to get it all over your shirt this time.”

“I promise!”

As Jack goes back to the table, I find myself scanning the room, half-expecting to see Sierra among the crowd. I catch myself and try to focus on Marty’s chatter about the movie theater’s latest renovations, but my mind keeps drifting.

“Have you thought about what you’re gonna do with the big fireplace in the lodge?” Marty asks, pulling me back to the present.

“Yeah,” I say absently. “Thinking about turning it into the centerpiece of the main room. It’s the one thing worth keeping in there.”

Marty nods, taking a sip of his cider. “Makes sense. Nothing says home like a good fire.”

I scan the room again,my eyes skimming over familiar faces.

Still no Sierra.

What if she doesn’t come?The thought gnaws at me, a mix of anxiety and disappointment that I can’t shake. Cody and Wyatt promised to drag her here, but would she come?

Jack’s voice breaks through my thoughts. “Dad, look!”

I follow his gaze, and my heart does a weird little flutter when I see Sierra walking in, her green dress catching the light. She looks beautiful.

I can’t tear my eyes away from her, and the noise of the room fades into the background.She came.Despite everything, she came.

Thank God.

Behind her, Cody and Wyatt stumble in.

Marty elbows me, grinning. “Looks like the night just got a little more interesting for you, huh?”

I clear my throat, trying to play it off. “Yeah, well… we’ll see.”

But as Sierra makes her way through the crowd, something inside me shifts, settling into a strange mix of hope and fear. Because this time, it’s not about running away or hiding behind excuses.

It’s about facing her. Facing everything.

And maybe, just maybe, finding a way to start over.

“Excuse me, Marty.”

I stand up, and as I make my way over to her, I can feel our eyes locking onto each other like magnets.

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