Page 39 of One Golden Ring
But tonight she needs space more than comfort, and I have to accept that.
I climb up to my bunk and slide under the blankets. It’s already getting cold in here with the door shut, but my body heat gets everything nice and cozy within a few minutes.
I crack open my book to distract myself a little. It’s a wonderful historical romance about a schoolteacher. It has a bit of a mystery to it, and I love the author. But tonight I just can’t seem to get into it.
“Hey, Darcy,” J.B. says from the bunk under mine. “Thanks for making me a fort.”
“You’re welcome, J.B.,” I tell her, my heart squeezing.
I wait, but she doesn’t say anything more.
We’re okay. For now.
But I wonder if our friendship will survive what her father and I are doing.
13
DARCY
The next morning we’re driving up to the lodge in relatively friendly silence and I’m feeling a little better than I did last night.
J.B. had her headphones on in the cabin for the early part of the morning, but she did come out and drink a mug of coffee beside me while I dealt with her father’s emails and voice messages.
It felt like her way of confirming that we’re still friends, which feels really good except I know it won’t last long.
The more I’ve replayed it in my mind, the more amazed I am that as mad as she was last night she still didn’t throw our engagement in her dad’s face.
I guess that means she actually wouldn’t mind having me for a stepmother.
That gives me a pang that I don’t want to give any attention to, so I focus on how pretty the lodge looks with the morning sunshine shimmering off the snow-frosted roof instead.
Icicles hang from the gutters, twinkling merrily in the warm light and there are pine boughs strung with lights along the porch railing. I can see what people love about this place, even though it’s really casual compared to the fancy chalets on the mountain above. The lodge feels homey and welcoming, like an old friend.
Derek parks the SUV and we all pile out and head up the porch steps. He opens the door to the lodge and I follow J.B. inside.
There’s a fire crackling in the grate and the Applebaums are in their usual spot on the loveseat right beside it.
Mrs. Applebaum smiles and waves to me.
“Good morning,” her husband says.
“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Applebaum,” I reply, happy that I’ve made a few new friends here.
Michael is sitting at the little table where he and J.B. were playing chess yesterday. He’s wearing another of his fresh outfits today—a blue cardigan over a white turtleneck. He looks every bit as handsome in it as I knew he would.
“You made it,” he says teasingly. “I thought you three were going to sleep all day.”
Being an early riser must run in the family. Derek was up for a workout and a protein shake before the sun this morning.
“Great-grandpa,” J.B. says, running over to him and sitting in the chair opposite his. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you,” he replies, winking at her. “My favorite girls treated me to a new wardrobe yesterday.”
“That was fun,” she tells him. “Especially the fashion show.”
“Is everybody ready for the Angel Mountain Christmas Mingle?” Michael asks her.
“What’s that?” she asks.
