Page 45 of Single Dad Christmas

“No, I love the idea,” Noah insisted, standing up and walking across to her, pulling her against him so his whole body charged with the kind of energy only Louisa was capable of invoking in him. “I love that you care enough to think about this, and I love that you want to make it work.” He kissed her. “When and where were you thinking?”

“Well, somewhere low-key,” she said. “You mentioned a wine region in South Australia. Maybe we could go on a road trip? Drive across the country, sing cheesy songs, talk, hope to get through to her?”

“You’d seriously be into that?”

“I’m going to want to get away after Christmas,” she said, lifting one shoulder, and Noah felt a blinding light of guilt. In the haze of everything pertaining to Taylor, he’d barely thought about Louisa’s past life and the fact an engagement announcement was coming any day now. “We could go for New Year’s.”

“How are you feeling about it all?”

She furrowed her brow.

“The announcement.”

“Oh, right.” She chewed on her lip. “I just want it to be over.”

“I know it might seem weird to say this, but if you want to talk about it…You must have some feelings about the man you were with for so long getting engaged.”

“I’ve told you how I feel, and I was honest about that. I’m happy for him. I’m actually looking forward to meeting Sofia next time I’m in Moricosia. I promise I’m not harbouring even a hint of jealousy or regret. I’ve never been more certain that I made a right decision in my life.” She stroked his back with her fingertips. “Have a think about it, while you’re back with your family. If you decide it’s a good idea, then…I’d like to do it.”

“Okay,” he said, recognizing that it was the least sufficient word he’d ever uttered. It did nothing to convey his wonder at her generosity and kindness, nothing to express how amazing he thought she was. The problem was, he felt those things in such abundance, he didn’t know how to say them. “Now,” he said, shifting his body a little so they were even closer, every part of them connected. “About tonight.”

“Yes?” She asked, breathily.

“Taylor’s staying at Melanie’s, under the strictest supervision, so we have the house to ourselves.” He moved again and her eyes shuttered a little, desire in her features so immediate and so obvious that it took all his self-control not to start undressing her then and there. “But,” he said, focusing on the matter at hand, rather than letting his libido run away with him. “I want to take you for dinner.”

She glanced up at him more fully. “Out?”

“When the press release comes out, it’s going to be hard, for a while, right? So, let’s make the most of the fact things are easier now, and go somewhere out of the way. Nowhere high profile, no likelihood of some paparazzi agency getting wind of you being there.”

“Okay,” she said, after a beat, and his chest tightened, because of the trust she was putting in him. “That sounds fun.” She tilted her head to the side. “But for the record, I also have a lot of fun staying in with you…”

“There’s plenty of that in our future, too,” he promised. And even though the future was a cloud of fog, Louisa was there, in the centre of it, like some kind of beautiful, magnificent waypoint he would always steer himself towards. At least, in that moment, that’s how it felt.

“You know the rules,”he said to Taylor, as he started the car.

“No alcohol, no parties, no social media.”

He gripped the steering wheel harder. “So, what will you guys get up to?”

“Watch Play School?” She said, but to Noah’s surprise, she tilted him a smile. “We’re going to watch the Blair Witch Project.”

“A classic. Nice choice.”

“We thought so.” Silence. He turned towards Melanie’s house. “What about you? Any plans?”

It was so unlike Taylor to ask, that he answered without thinking. “Actually, we’re going out for dinner.”

“You and Louisa?” He heard the hint of animosity, but chose to ignore it. His relationship with Louisa wasn’t a problem Taylor could wish away.

“Yeah. Somewhere low-key, so she’s not recognized.”

Taylor rolled her eyes. “You’re more famous than she is.”

He laughed. “I’m not famous.”

“You’re aFox, Dad.”

“You’re a Fox, too, Tay.”

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