“Your clothes, babe. I mean, what’s going on with the flowy bathrobe?”
I swallowed back the comment that begged to come out. “It’s a kimono, Jake.”
“Where’s your jacket?”
I fought the eye roll, but it might have slipped. “I didn’t have one.”
“Sweet Lord, babe. You need a jacket in a snowstorm.”
“Realize that,babe. I didn’t pay attention to the weather this morning. Luckily I had a scarf and gloves in the car. We’re almost home anyway.”
“You’ve got about five more blocks until home,Ivy. And you aren’t going there without a jacket or in a Jeep with a busted tire.”
“Busted?” I trudged around to look at the front tire on the passenger side.Crapola.I had no idea how I’d done it, but the tire was moving toward flat.
“Snickerdoodle,” I swore.
“Snickerdoodle?” Jake was standing far too close for comfort.
“Can we get it off the curb and change the tire so I can get us home?”
Jake looked over the tire situation, then at my back seat. Addie waved at him. His face softened, and he tapped the window at her and waved back. My heart fluttered. Apparently today was the day for it to malfunction.
“Hate to say it, Ivy. But I think you and your daughter need to wait out the storm in my house. You shouldn’t be driving on a donut in this. I’ll get it off the curb and into my driveway. Then after the storm lets up, I’ll change your tire.”
Stay in Jake’s house? The tug-of-war between brain and heart began. I mean, it was Jake’s house. That wasn’t a hardship. Or it wasn’t as long as we didn’t dissolve into three-year-olds fighting over the last cookie.
Be the adult, I told myself.
Taking a deep breath, I looked at him. Large snowflakes clung to his jet-black hair. He had a day’s worth of stubble on his face. For all the grief he’d given me over my attire, he stood before me in a Henley and an unbuttoned flannel as well as a pair of jeans that were so worn I wondered if they’d split when he changed my tire. Small prayers. In short, he looked amazing.
“Thanks, Jake. We’d love to crash with you for a bit if you’re sure.” Let’s hope he’d been too distracted to notice I was checking him out. Gracious. I needed to get myself under control.
“Great. Grab your stuff. I’m the white house right here. Will your kid mind if I carry her?” He walked around the Jeep to Addie’s door, boots sinking into the snow with each step.
I was torn between swooning over him wanting to carry Addie and wanting to volunteer as tribute to take her place.Deep breaths, Ivy. I needed to grab some lavender oil out of my bag.
Jake met my eyes as he reached her door. “Ivy?”
Shaking my head, I found the ability to speak again. “No, Addie will likely love to be ‘up high,’ or that’s what she says when Max or Sully pick her up.”
He nodded and opened her door.
I made my way around as I heard him say, “Hey Addie, I’m Jake. Your mom said I can carry you into my house. Is that okay with you?”
I wanted to congratulate him on asking for her consent but figured that might have us devolve into one of our arguments. This sure didn’t seem to be the same guy whom I’d gone rounds with repeatedly since summer about the feminist movement.
“Hiya, Jake. Our Jeep is up high,” Addie said, doing her own version of jazz hands.
Jake laughed. “Yep, it sure is. I’ll fix your car in a bit.” He leaned over to unbuckle her harness. I watched as he made sure she was zipped up, mittens on, scarf wound around, and hat pulled down. My little grinchy heart began to melt.
“Jake?” Addie looked up at him from under her hat. It was riding a bit low. I waited with a grin. She was using her sweet voice that she brought out when she wanted something.
“Yeah, peanut?” he replied. Yep, the old heart was melting a bit more.peanut?
“Do you have hot chocolate and mellows?” she asked as she reached out for him to pick her up.
“Mellows are—” I began.
