She was taking care ofhim.
The sound of small feet on the stairs announced the kids’ arrival. Teddy burst into the kitchen first, pajama top askew, hair sticking up in wild directions.
“Holly! You’re still here!” he exclaimed, as if her presence each morning was a delightful surprise.
Maisie followed more sedately, already dressed for school, her backpack clutched in one hand. “Morning, Dad. Morning, Holly.”
Daniel cleared his throat. “Slight change of plans today, munchkins. I need to head to the bakery early. Holly’s going to take you to school.”
He waited for protests, questions, any sign of distress at the disruption to their routine. But the kids just nodded, accepting the change with remarkable ease.
“How are we going to get there?” Maisie asked practically, climbing onto a stool at the counter.
“Oh, my car...” Holly began, her brow furrowing.
Damn. Daniel had hoped, irrationally, that she would forget she ever had a car and stay in Bear Creek forever.
“Take my truck,” he said quickly, fishing the keys from his pocket and holding them out to her.
“Are you sure?” Holly asked, eyes widening slightly.
“Yes,” Daniel said firmly, pressing the keys into her palm. His fingers lingered against hers for a heartbeat longer than necessary.
“But how are you going to get to the bakery?” Teddy asked as he settled on a stool beside his sister.
“I’ll call James,” Daniel said, already pulling out his phone. James answered on the second ring, agreeing to pick him up in ten minutes with the cheerful efficiency that made him such a good friend.
Daniel ate the toast Holly placed in front of him, washing it down with a second cup of coffee. As he ate, Holly made breakfast for the children and listened to them as they chatted about their day. She even managed to stop a potentially heated debate over what was the best thing to spread on toast before it began.
See,his bear said.She’s a natural with them.
All too soon, a horn beeped outside.
“That’s James,” Daniel said, reluctance heavy in his voice. He bent to kiss Teddy’s head, then Maisie’s. “Be good today. Listen to Holly.”
“We will,” they chorused, mouths full of breakfast.
Daniel turned to Holly, suddenly awkward. “Thank you for this.”
“It’s nothing,” she said softly. “Go save your bakery.”
Without thinking, Daniel leaned forward and kissed her cheek, the gesture as natural as breathing. Only when he pulled back did he realize what he’d done. Holly’s eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted in surprise.
The air between them crackled with sudden tension. Daniel’s heart hammered against his ribs as Holly’s gaze dropped to his mouth, then back to his eyes.
The horn beeped again, longer and more insistent.
“I should go,” Daniel said, his voice rougher than he intended.
Holly nodded, a flush spreading across her cheeks. “We’ll be fine.”
Daniel forced himself to move, grabbing his coat from the hook by the door. Every step away from Holly felt wrong, like fighting gravity. At the doorway, he turned for one last look.
Holly stood between Maisie and Teddy, one hand resting on each child’s shoulder. The three of them waved, a perfect tableau of everything Daniel had ever wanted.
His bear rumbled contentedly.This is right. This is how it should be.
Daniel waved back, then hurried down the path to where James’s truck idled at the curb, exhaust creating clouds in the cold morning air.
