Page 56 of Snowed in with the Rancher

“Maybe Thomas and I could stay and have dinner here and put the girls to bed?”

“Would you?” Olivia said hopefully. “You wouldn't mind?”

“Not a bit, sweetheart.” Lucy patted Olivia on the cheek. “I think everything's going just like it should. This was all meant to be, you, the girls, Thomas and me.” She paused before setting a platter on the counter. “And Tate.” She nodded to herself. “I think you and Tate are going to be just fine. All you needed was some time.”

Some time, Olivia thought as she kept unpacking. Maybe time did heal all wounds. And if it gave her and Tate a second chance, she'd have all the time in the world.

* * *

A few hours later, Tate gazed at Olivia over a table of deep-dish pizza and grinned. “Well, it's nothing like our first date, but I'm so hungry, I'd eat just about anything at this point.”

She pulled her third piece of pizza from the tray, melted cheese draping off the slice. “As much as I love a fancy meal once in a while, you won't hear any complaints from me about pizza. Especially this pizza.”

He watched her devour the slice and thought about how much she looked like the girls when she had that sparkle in her eyes. As their dinner went on, she told him funny stories about her new staff and mimicked the stuffy congressman they'd had a conference call with.

He remembered this Olivia. This was the Olivia who'd convinced him to snorkel and eat sushi on board the ship. And he realized that life with Olivia would be like a little mini-vacation each day. Her smile was like sunshine on a beach. Her laugh felt to him like splashing in a turquoise pool on a ship's deck.

Yes, this was the Olivia he'd fallen for all those years ago. Only, now she was so much more. Because that fun-loving Olivia was also a brilliant businesswoman and a responsible mother. She could tease him about being too serious, then turn right around and bandage up a child's skinned knee.

“Tate?” her voice brought him back to the restaurant. “Did you want that last piece?” She pointed to the lone remaining slice of pizza.

He smiled as warmth spread over him. “No, you go ahead.”

She grabbed it before he could change his mind, and it was gone in moments.

“The girls are probably already fast asleep,” she told him as they put on their coats before leaving the restaurant. “They had a really long day.”

Tate opened the door for her, then reached for her hand as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. “So you have a new house—with a sofa and a TV, I might add—and two silent, sleeping children, all tucked away in their beds.” He gave her a sideways glance, waiting patiently to see if she'd say what he hoped.

She smirked but didn't look at him. “Huh. Now that you mention it, that sounds like the perfect time for me to watch a movie. It's Friday night. I don't have to work tomorrow.” She continued their stroll, and he gritted his teeth, knowing she was playing with him but suffering anyway.

“What should I watch, do you think? Something romantic?”

He blanched. God no. Anything but rom-coms.

“Ooh, or maybe a British drama!”

Okay, anything but a rom-com or a British drama.

“What about an action flick?” he suggested.

She seemed to think about it for a moment. “Hmm. Nah, I'm not really a fan. And since it's just me watching and all…” She let her voice trail off.

He finally lost his patience and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. Turning to face her, he grabbed her by the shoulders. “For God's sake, woman, invite me over to watch a movie with you,” he cried in mock desperation.

She laughed. “Oh! Did you want to join me?”

He rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around her neck, pulling her in for a kiss before leading her down the sidewalk again. “Better,” he muttered. “But we're not watching a rom-com.”

She snuggled against him, laying a hand on his abs and sending a wave of lust through him.

“Really?” she asked sweetly.

“Okay,” he conceded. “Maybe a rom-com.”

Her throaty chuckle echoed in his ears all the way to the truck.

* * *

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