Page 37 of This Christmas

Her daughter frowned at that. “But in my letter to Santa, I asked for a new one. Then Joe came, and he makes me hot chocolate the way I like it. He helps me build a snow fort and snowman. He watches my favorite movies and doesn’t complain.” She yawned and snuggled further into bed. “Plus, I saw you kissing him. That means you like him and he likes you too.”

How had her daughter gotten so… smart?

Leaning down, she placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Joe and I like one another, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be your new daddy,” she said. “Go to sleep.”

“Mama?” Her daughter’s eyes flew open. “How many sleeps until Santa comes?”

Ally mentally counted. “Seventeen, baby.” She smiled.

“Okay.” She yawned again. “By then, I bet Joe will want to be my daddy.” Then she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

This time, when she shut her daughter’s door behind her and looked down the hallway, Joe was gone. She thought about going downstairs and finishing what they’d started, but then she glanced down at her pajamas and felt stupid.

Instead, she headed into her own room, showered and washed her hair, then put on something less childish, and crawled into her own bed. Alone.

She dreamed of slow, gentle hands roaming over her. Dreamed of his lips covering hers.

When she woke, alone still, she ached and knew that her daughter was right. The kiss did mean that she liked him and he liked her back.

Now, all she had to do was not mess this up.

When she and Charlotte headed down the stairs, both fully dressed for their breakfast in town with Faye and Nate, Joe was gone. There was a note on the fridge waiting for her.

“I had to run back into Portland for the day. I’ll be back tomorrow midday. If you need anything, I’ve written down Aiden’s and Nick’s cell numbers. Josh Williams, from the security company, will be by around noon to install the new cameras at the end of the driveway. You two have a good breakfast with your family. – Joe”

“Is Joe gone?” Charlotte whined when she spotted the note.

“It’s just for the night. He had to go back to his place in Portland, but he says that he’ll be back tomorrow.”

“No, I don’t want him to go.” Her daughter stomped her foot, her long hair swinging with the move.

“Me either, baby,” she admitted. “But for now, why don’t we go have breakfast with Aunt Faye and Uncle Nate?”