Page 34 of Puck the Halls
“Her mom is so pretty,” another little girl says, leaning closer to look at the photo.
Nathan glances at me, his face soft with emotion. “She sure is. We’re really lucky that she wanted to be with all of us.”
The girls seem to accept that easily.
“If Isabel wants to be a skater, that’s great. But you can’t make her do it if she doesn’t want to,” one says.
Nathan lifts both brows. “Good advice.”
The same girl looks over at me. “You have to let your kids find what they're into on their own. But give them a chance to try lots of new things.”
I nod. “I’ll remember that.”
Nathan swipes across his phone to his notes section and asks the girl, “What else do you have for me? Tell me all about being a good girl dad.”
I put my new sweater up against the window and rest my head against it with a sigh.
Just a couple of hours and I can truly sleep on the plane, but now that Nathan seems taken care of, I’ll just rest my eyes for a minute.
I’m dead asleep two minutes later.
.
CHAPTER 9
Dani
I’m loungingon the couch with my head in Michael’s lap—not like that, we did that earlier—with a Christmas movie on and a spicy Christmas novella on my phone trying to keep my mind off the clock.
Michael told me the guys would be here around four. It’s just approaching one. I have hours yet to wait. But dammit, I miss them. I want them here. One, because this couch, thiscabin,is way too big for just me and Michael, but also because I’m worried now. Michael said he’s heard from them again and I trust him totally. I’m sure they’re fine. But I won’t be able to fully relax until they are here where I can see and touch them.
Suddenly, there’s a loud pounding on the door and I jump.
“I’ll get it,” Michael says, starting to shift under me.
But I sit up quickly and head for the door. “I’ve got it.”
It’s obviously Luna and at least one of her guys and they’ll distract us for another hour. Maybe we could bake something. Luna can make the most amazing things out of the simplest ingredients.
But when I pull the heavy door open, I’m immediately swept up into two big muscular arms.
“Dani girl!” Crew says swinging me around.
I pull back to look at his face.
And immediately burst into tears.
I am so relieved to see them. And so happy. It’s stupid because it’s been less than a day that I’ve had his arms around me, but they feel so good.
I bury my face in his neck. “Oh my God, you’re early!”
Technically, they’relatebut I’m too happy to see Crew to care.
His hands cup my ass and he carries me further into the cabin.
“We are. And you’ve got clothes on.”
I sniff and lift my head. “Yes. It’s winter.”
