Page 44 of Wild Promises

"I think it is. He decorated the trees with lights. Just wait until you see it."

"You did?" Joey asked, his eyes wide.

Xander nodded. "I thought you and Aunt Tori would like it."

"I loved it, and you will too," I said to Joey.

We sat on the lift with Joey between us. I could imagine us on this lift with our son one day. I met Xander's gaze over Joey's head and wondered if he was having similar thoughts.

But then I reprimanded myself. Xander had fingered me to an orgasm last night because he felt sorry for me. It wasn't because he'd held some crush on me since we were teens. I was the one with the ridiculous crush. I was the one who was horny because I was living with him.

Xander was a good friend, and I needed to remember that's all he could be.

All too soon, we were descending. We stepped off, each of us grabbing Joey's hand, guiding him away from the lift. At this time of night, there would be a few couples on this path. The teenagers preferred the downhill slopes where they could race each other.

The sign for our trail was covered in white twinkling lights. Lights hung from branches on either side of the path.

"This is so cool," Joey said as he dropped our hands.

We skied for a few minutes, all of us lost in our own thoughts. I couldn't help but think it was magical.

When we got to our lookout spot, Xander waved at Joey to follow him "Come on."

"I'm not supposed to go off the trail." Joey pulled back on Xander's hand.

"Yeah, but I'm an expert on these mountains. I'd never put you at risk."

He was so good with him, whereas Hugh was terrible with people.

"You trust me?" Xander asked him as we paused at the edge of the trail.

Joey nodded. "Daddy said you're the best on the slopes."

Xander's eyes were suspiciously shiny before he looked away.

He was caring and kind and good with children. I couldn't understand why his family didn't see that as an asset.

We glided the short distance to the lookout. The area was covered with fresh snow.

Joey took off his skis with Xander's help and climbed on top of the rock. With his arms outstretched, he yelled, "I'm king of the world."

I couldn't help but laugh. Joey was so full of energy and life. It felt good just to be around him.

Xander snapped a picture, and I was positive he sent it to Oliver. He was a great uncle, a good man, and I suspected he'd be the perfect boyfriend if he gave himself a chance. But he was too scared to put himself out there. He was weighed down by others' judgments of him, and it hurt my heart.

Joey jumped down and dove into the snow, turning onto his back to make a snow angel.

"Did you tell Eli and Oliver that you did this?" I asked Xander, suspecting he hadn't.

Xander looked over at me. "No. Should I?"

"Isn't this an example of doing something for the business? Something new and innovative?"

Xander huffed out a laugh. "It's a few lights."

"This must have taken you hours." Days even, and he'd done it for me and Joey. "You should tell people it's here. Advertise a holiday light trail. People would love it. I bet most people don't even know it's here."

"You think so?" Xander asked, his voice full of so much vulnerability.

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