Page 13 of Merry on the Mountain
Baking has always been one of my favorite hobbies, especially around the holidays, but my lifestyle doesn’t reallylend itself to that. Which is okay, I wouldn’t trade my nomadic van life for anything. Having the flexibility to do and go where I want is always going to be a huge priority for me.
His truck is gone when I get back home. It takes me several trips to bring everything inside and an hour or so to get everything put away and organized. I have every intention of leaving his rental better than I found it. If that means helping to fill it with items people will need, so be it.
The sun has long since set when I finish doing everything I want. I walk into the primary bathroom en suite and strip out of my clothes to shower. Soap suds cascade down my body as my fingers ghost over my stomach in the same place his did.
I’m oddly turned on by him. Just that simple touch had me internally panting for more. It has to be touch starvation. Maya is the closest I get to any kind of physical touch, and as much as I love her, she’s just a dog. As I turn the water off, I decide to turn those thoughts off as well. Nothing good can come from lusting over the kind single dad next door.
CHAPTER 5
DREW
The Jeep was goneby the time I got back from taking Izzy to school this morning, so I let myself into the rental. The first thing I notice is that it already smells like Willa, a warm mix of coconut and vanilla. I head upstairs and into the bathroom to finish the tiling.
Why I thought putting a herringbone subway tile pattern in a secondary bathroom was a good idea, I’ll never know. And I’ll never fucking do this again. But it does look good.
When I bought the townhouses, I was told that Holly Ridge is going through a sort of renaissance. With the new resort and makeover the town has undergone, it's becoming more of a secret ski destination and drawing in a crowd that prefers luxury. High end finishes and design choices will enable my properties to be rented for top dollar. At least that’s the goal.
I had planned on pushing to get all the renovations done before Christmas, so I could list the property for at least the end of ski season, but I find myself slowing down. If I felt like lyingto myself, I’d say it was to ensure I do the best job that I can on the things I’m doing on my own. But I’m not delusional, so admitting that I want to spend as much time around Willa as possible isn’t a leap.
The way she was looking at me yesterday makes me wonder if she’s not thinking the same thing. Seeing her bake cookies with my daughter definitely didn’t help. Izzy has two sets of grandparents who love her immensely, but it doesn’t make up for the loss of her mother. As much as I would love to explore what could possibly happen between Willa and I, care has to be taken so Izzy doesn’t get attached. Especially when Willa appears to be such a free spirit, following where the wind takes her.
The sound of my phone ringing pulls me from my thoughts, and when I look down, I see my mom’s name on the screen. I set everything aside and lean back on my heels while I answer the call.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Hi. Are you busy?”
“Nope. What’s up?”
“Your father and I want to come out for Christmas. Where should we fly into?”
“Denver would probably be the easiest. Isabel and I can come pick you up.”
“Isn’t that a long drive?”
“It is, but I have a few things I need to do there. It’d be a two-birds-with-one-stone situation.”
“Okay, if you’re sure. We have some vouchers to use before the end of the year.”
“I can cover any overage on your tickets, just use the credit card I left you guys with.”
“No, we’ll be fine.”
They refuse to let me treat them to anything, even though I was smart enough to invest most of my paychecks from the NFL. Not to mention the various sponsorships I did while I was still playing. If I wanted to, I could live comfortably without working another day in my life. I couldn’t do that, though. I’d be way too bored.
Mom spends another fifteen minutes filling me in on all gossip. It runs the gamut from what her sister is doing to how the neighbor across the street got chased out of the house at six in the morning last Sunday. She thinks he cheated on his wife; Dad thinks Mom should mind her business.
My stomach is growling by the time I hang up with her, so I finish up what I was doing and wash my hands. I’m just about to the front door when it swings open and Maya comes loping over to me, her pink tongue hanging out the side of her muzzle. I crouch down and rub behind her ears while her entire body moves back and forth with the force of her wagging tail.
Willa walks through the door behind her with her arms full of groceries. I straighten and grab them for her.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize you’d be back so early. I was just upstairs working.”
“It’s your house, no need to apologize. I just had a few morning lessons today.” She pulls off her beanie and gloves, then removes her parka. “Where’s Izzy?”
“At preschool.”
She smiles as she walks into the kitchen. “She’s such a sweetheart. You’re doing a great job raising her.”
