“Oh!” Bianca’s eyes flicked over Gracie. “Hello. I heard you got a dog, Marsh. Two? Then it was smart to get a dog walker. Where is Olivia? I can’t wait to tell her I’m staying until the New Year!”
The New Year? A dog walker?
For a split second, Gracie considered letting go of the collars, knowing that winter white wool coat would suffer the brunt of the decision.
Instead, she held tight, straightened, and looked directly at Bianca. “I’ll get her.”
Pulling the slightly unwilling dogs with her, she pushed open the door with her hip and stepped out onto the patio just as the biggest, fastest, coldest snowball in history hit her square in the face.
“Mom! Oh, no! I’m so sorry! Mom! I didn’t mean to…”
Benny’s wail faded away as Gracie blinked into the snowflakes.
Life, not Benny’s wayward snowball, had just smacked her hard in the face.
Gracie wipedsnow from her lashes with the back of her hand, blinking while Benny gave her a crumpled tissue he dug out of his pocket.
“I’m fine,” she said, laughing like that might make it true.
Newt pressed his warm little body to her shin, contrite as if this was all his fault, while Kat hovered nearby, uncertain which human needed comforting more.
“Mom, I’m so sorry,” Benny whined again.
Olivia came tearing over. “Miss Gracie, are you?—”
“Your mother’s here,” she said, trying to make her voice sound bright but the words still came out like a death sentence.
“Mom? Here? In this house?” Olivia stepped by her toward the door, snagging Kat on the way. “What the heck?”
She disappeared inside while Gracie stood frozen—almost literally, but definitely in her heart—with Benny.
“Why is she here?” Benny asked. “I thought Olivia was meeting her at the airport.”
Gracie closed her eyes and tried to hold it together. “I guess she changed plans. I don’t know. Come on, let’s get you and Newt inside. It’s cold.”
They stepped into the mudroom and voices carried from the kitchen—Bianca’s lilting and self-assured, followed by Marshall’s low and careful responses. Olivia was uncharacteristically quiet.
After they took off their boots and jackets and brushed off Newt, Gracie and Benny stepped around the corner into the kitchen.
“So this in Benny!” Bianca cooed, coming over to him with arms out. “My Liv talks endlessly about you.” She hugged him tight and he stood, awkward, in a stranger’s arms. “And you’re Benny’s mom,” she added, pinning Gracie with a shockingly direct and impossibly perfect gaze. “I’m sorry I mistook you for the dog walker. You’re her friend’s mother.”
That was one way of describing her.
“Gracie McBride.” Gracie took a few steps forward, hand extended. “Welcome to Park City. First time?”
“Not really.” She sent a coy look at one very uncomfortable Marshall, who braced himself on the countertop as though Hurricane Bianca could wipe them all out.
Well, she’d certainly done a number on his big Christmas plans.
“Remember, we were here with your coach and his wife,” she cooed at Marshall. “We stayed in that astounding three-story Airbnb and skied for days. Oh, I loved it. In fact, it was that trip that made me call the airlines and get on an earlier flight so I could surprise you. I brought all my ski gear.”
She turned to Olivia and flashed a smile that was white and perfect and, yes, genuine as she gazed at her daughter.
Of course she loved Olivia. Marshall had said that Bianca was not “maternal” but who didn’t truly love their daughter? She wasn’t the enemy—just the ex.
“And look at you, Liv.” She opened her arms. Olivia hesitated—just a flicker—then hugged her mother. “It’s been too long, right?”
Marshall had shared that his ex had moved to L.A. in search of fame and fortune, always having excuses for why she didn’t see Olivia. But no excuse now, it seemed.
