The best thing for me to do would be to head home with my tail between my legs and beg my parents to let me move in for a bit so I could get back on my feet.
“Winter…” Cole called my name from where he stood in the doorway to the bathroom. “I’m so sorry he hurt you. I tried to raise him better than that. He doesn’t know what he gave up when he let you go.”
“Please stop.” I put my hand up, palm out, unwilling to let Cole blame himself for the asshole his son turned out to be.
“What can I do, Baby Girl?” His eyes filled with emotion. I wanted to reach up and skim my palm across his cheek to offer comfort. Helooked more broken up about the news than I did, and I was the one who’d been dumped and replaced.
“Just take me home.” I couldn’t wait to curl up in a ball on my soft pink bedspread and hide from the cruel dose of reality I’d just received.
He didn’t move for a few long beats. Then he let out a huge sigh and grabbed both of our bags.
CHAPTER 12
COLE
She didn’t saymuch during the rest of the trip, not even when I stopped at a tacky little diner for lunch and tried to make her laugh by putting on a headband that made me look like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. I’d hoped she’d be over Ryan enough to give me a fair shot, but clearly the news of his engagement had broken her.
I’d never been in a situation where I felt so helpless, and my fingers itched to strangle my son’s throat for the pain he’d caused her. Winter deserved to be loved and cherished, not tossed aside. He had no idea what he’d given up and because of him, I’d never have the chance to win her over.
Static broke through the station we’d been listening to, and I searched for a new source of holiday songs. The music filled the silence, but I missed hearing Winter sing along. She just sat curled up against the passenger door, her head tucked down with her chin resting on her chest.
She looked like a wounded little bird whose spirit hadbeen broken. I would have given anything to see her smile again. Then it clicked. The best way to ease her pain would be to put some distance between us. My son was the one who hurt her. Being with me had to be a constant reminder of him. I’d been so stupid to think she was over Ryan. A woman like Winter loved with her whole heart. Once given away, it was impossible to get all the pieces back.
I knew that because I’d fallen for her. Being around her had opened me up to the possibility of finding love… true love… something I’d never experienced before.
We finally pulled into town around dinnertime. Her hometown wasn’t too far from Broken Bend and had the same small-town feel. As much as I wasn’t ready for our time together to end, I wanted her to find the peace she needed to be able to heal her heart.
“I’d offer to stop and treat you to dinner, but I imagine you’re eager to get home.” My fingers gripped the steering wheel a little too tight. Letting her go was going to be the most difficult thing I’d ever done.
She looked over at me. Her eyes had lost their shine. “My mom and dad are waiting for me, but thanks. You’ve already done so much. I’ll never be able to?—”
“It was my pleasure.” I reached over and brushed her hair back. The silky strands glided through my fingers. Damn, I missed her already.
“Turn right just past the light. It’s the fourth house on the left.” Winter shoved her arms into her jacket and pulled it over her shoulders as I followed her directions.
We passed a large lit-up snowman in one yard and an oversized little drummer boy wooden cutout in another.
“Where are all of your decorations?” I pulled into the driveway, expecting her house to be the most festive one on the whole block. A small tree stood in the front window with blinking twinkle lights decorating its branches. There was nothing in the yard and not even a wreath hanging on the front door. With how much Winter loved the holidays, I was surprised her house didn’t look like it was lifted straight from the Griswolds.
“Oh, my parents like to keep things simple. It’s okay, though. At least they’ve got a tree. I didn’t even bother to put one up at my place.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and picked her purse up from the floorboard. “Someday I’ll go all out with the holidays. Until then, I’ll take what I can get.”
Our time together was coming to an abrupt end. There was so much I wanted to say to her, but I wasn’t going to add to her troubles. I left the engine running while I got out and grabbed her bag from the back.
“I can take it from here.” She met me at the back of the SUV and reached for the bag. “It would be pretty awkward to introduce you to my parents and try to explain how we ended up driving from Chicago to Texas together.”
A slight smile turned the corners of her mouth up. I ached to pull her into my arms, hug her against my chest, and tell her how I felt. Instead, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the photo we’d taken at the Cozy Little Christmas Inn. When Winter had excused herself to go tothe restroom, I’d gone to the front desk and had it made into an ornament. Hard to believe that had been less than twenty-four hours ago.
“Here, I want you to have this.” I pressed it into her hand. “Maybe it’ll make you laugh every once in a while.”
She turned it over and looked down at the picture of the two of us wearing Santa hats. “I never thought you’d go along with getting your picture taken as Santa.”
“What can I say? You bring out a whole other side of me, Baby Girl.”
Her lower lids brimmed with tears. Fuck. Seeing her like that slayed me. Just when I didn’t think I could take another second and was about to pull her into my arms, she thrust out her hand.
“Thanks for a memorable time.” She bit down on her bottom lip and looked at her outstretched hand.
This was it. I slid my palm against hers, so sorry I wouldn’t have another opportunity to touch her.
