Maybe she’d ask him the next time she saw him.Because they had plans.
It had been so long since she’d been able to make plans.So long.
She kissed Ella Mae’s cheek and set the squirmy toddler down to let her explore the room.“Maybe it’s not Wonderland, Ella, but it sure is Wonderful.”
Nash texted his buddies while he waited for Olivia and her daughter to be safely ensconced in the B&B.Whatever she was afraid of, it wouldn’t get to her in the safety of the inn.Ginny had made a point of talking up the security in place when she suggested the accommodation to Olivia, proving she’d picked up on the wariness and worry.
Nash wanted to know more.
Driving away was more difficult than it should have been.
The drive to the farm was about thirty minutes after stopping back in the same lot to fill up on groceries.Charlie spent the entire time talking about their new friends and the adventure before them.
It looked like his son had been craving kid company, even that of a toddler who was full of joy but not many words yet.
How lonely had school been since Maribel left?Nash probably should have jumped on Gray’s offer to join him at the farm sooner.But then they wouldn’t have met Olivia and Ella Mae.And that wasn’t something he was willing to wish away.Charlie had enjoyed the day, and so had he.
A lot.
The roads between Phail and the farm twisted through hills and valleys, snow blanketing all the landscapes.When they dropped into a wide valley, the GPS announced they were almost there.
Charlie straightened and leaned forward.“It looks like how I imagine Norissamin.”
“Is that the one with the dragons?”Nash managed a straight face with the question.About ninety percent of the books his son loved had dragons.
Charlie grinned, knowing Nash was being silly.“Sure is.It’s the Livie Sanchez series.The one with the brucans who partner up with the dragons.”
He remembered that one.“That’s the one we read last year.It was good.The humans were trying to talk the brucans and dragons into making an alliance, right?”
Charlie nodded.“Yep, although they managed that in the second book.The third book should be out in a couple of weeks.I can’t wait.”
Nash loved that his kid was a reader.And a reader who liked to share those books with his dad.“When it comes out, how about we read it together?”
Charlie nodded.“You’ll have to catch up on book two before then.”
“Remind me to download a copy later.”
Then the GPS told him to slow, and they turned into a driveway that was plowed but didn’t have a sign indicating that it was an apple farm.
Charlie frowned.“Are you sure this is the right place?”
Nash shrugged.“If not, they’ll probably be able to point us in the right direction.”
They passed a farmhouse on the left that showed signs of recent renovations but no cars around it.Soon another farmhouse and a barn showed up on opposite sides of the road.The number of vehicles in the lot told him they were probably in the right place.
Sure enough, he’d barely parked when three men appeared from the farmhouse.Gray, Ford, and Knox.
“Alice!”
Nash grinned as he was surrounded by hugs and backslaps.“Hey, everyone.This is Charlie.Charlie, these guys are Gray, Ford, and Knox.”
The men all shook his kid’s hand, and then Charlie pointed at them.“Claus, Dodge, and Annie.Am I right?”
Knox ruffled his hair.“Got it in one try.We’re so glad you guys decided to join us up here.”
Gray gestured around them.“Can you believe all this snow?December’s still a couple of days away.”
As another Florida native, Claus knew how they would feel.
