Page 45 of Snowed in with the Single Dad

We spent time in the lodge, we found a nearby snow-covered playground, and we looked at every Christmas tree on the resort at least a thousand times.

I guess I hadn’t thought this vacation through as well as in previous years. I assumed they would be enamored with skiing and the snow, unable to get enough, but clearly I was wrong. There weren’t a lot of other kid-friendly activities nearby, so that meant we spent a lot of time cooped up in the chalet.

I knew Beth would have been happy to stay with the kids for a few hours while I went skiing or maybe just spent some time with Skye, but it was afamilyvacation, and I wanted to be with my girls, though my heart ached for Skye.

I knew she was having a great time on the slopes, but I missed her, and I had to admit, I was a bit jealous. I loved watching movies, coloring pictures, and playing in the hot tub with my girls, but a little adult interaction was definitely needed.

Late one evening,just before the girls went to bed, there was a knock on the front door of the chalet. I told myself not to get my hopes up, but it was no use. They were up, and they weren’t coming down.

I heard Beth open the front door, and then it quickly squeaked closed as footsteps entered the cabin. I craned my neck from the bathroom where the girls were playing in the tub, trying to hear who it was.

“Owen!” I heard Skye’s voice call from downstairs, “where are you?”

Before I could answer, Beth appeared in the doorway, prepared to take over for me. I thanked her and left the room, promising to come back and give the girls a goodnight kiss. I stepped out into the hallway at the top of the stairs, and there she was. Standing by the door with her coat slung over her arms and a smile on her face.

Her eyes sparkled as I made my way towards her, and her smile only grew with each step. I couldn’t remember the last time my heart skipped a beat when I looked at a woman, but it probably wasn’t safe with how much it was skipping right now.

“Hey,” she said as I reached the bottom step.

“Hey,” I echoed, wrapping my arms around her without a moment’s hesitation.

I leaned in to kiss her, and she did the same. I dipped her towards the ground like we were in the middle of a romance movie, and held her there for a moment before setting her back on her feet.

“I’m so glad to see you,” I whispered into her hair as I held her.

I didn’t care if I was coming on too strong. I didn’t care if I seemed over-eager. I wanted her. I needed her desperately, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to wait much longer to claim her as my own.

“Me too. I’ve missed you.”

I kissed her again, unable to restrain myself. I wanted to hold her all night long. I never wanted to let her go.

“My mom keeps asking where you’ve been.”

“Oh really?” I asked, holding her at arm’s length.

“She loves you.’

“Well, I am quite lovable. Or so I’ve heard.”

“I guess you have a certain charm about you,” she said with an eye roll.

I grinned at her and tried to keep from taking her into my bedroom right then and there.

“Anyway, the reason I came over here is because we’re having a little party for New Year’s Eve, and we all want you guys there.”

“A party, huh?”

“I mean, it’s not really a party. But we’re going to have a ton of food and play games and let the kids stay up until midnight.”

“What if I told you we already had plans?”

“Oh, well, I guess I should have expected that. No worries. Um, we can spend some time together another day, then.”

“I’m kidding.”

“What?”

“I don’t have any plans. I probably wasn’t even going to stay up that late.”

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