Olivia reminded herself to breathe as she whirled around to confront the voice.
A young boy stood a few yards away, his broad smile fading as he took in her reaction.A few more yards behind him, a man stood watching them both.
An unfamiliar man who didn’t have a single creepy vibe about him.Sexy vibes?Yep, he had plenty of those.
A quick survey of the area showed no one paying them any attention, and a half-built snowman nearby.
She took several calming breaths but didn’t release Ella Mae as she looked back at the boy.“I’m sorry.My mind was elsewhere.What did you say?”
The boy smiled.“I didn’t mean to scare you.My dad and I are building a snowman.It’s my first time playing in snow, and I wondered if your daughter wanted to help us roll the snow for the head.”
Feeling like a complete fool, Olivia smiled.“Ella is new to this much snow, too.”
The boy grinned.“I’m Charlie, and that’s my dad Nash.Some of his friends call him Alice.”
“Alice?”
Charlie shrugged.“They’re kind of silly.Is it okay if I play with Ella?”
Heart pounding, Olivia took another look at the boy’s dad, Nash—a gorgeous man with a steady manner and eyes that smiled at his son.Nothing about him that screamedAliceand she wondered about the name.
Instead of asking, she nodded to the boy and looked down at the toddler squirming in her arms.Time to act normal with these two perfectly normal people.“I think Ella would like that.She’s learning to walk, but she’s not always steady.”Just like Olivia herself, but she didn’t say that out loud.
Olivia set Ella Mae on her feet and held one hand.Charlie moved closer and knelt in the snow.“Hi, Ella.I’m Charlie.Want to take my hand, too?”
Ella squealed and reached out her hand, making Olivia relax.If she was going to find a place for the two of them, she needed to act like a regular person.She couldn’t draw attention to them by panicking.
Nash drew nearer but kept his distance.He’d read her fear and respected her boundaries.
“I’m Nash Cooper.The Alice thing is an old army call sign.”
She nodded as if she knew anything about the army.“You don’t look much like an Alice.Nash suits you better.”
He chuckled, and the sound rumbled deep into Olivia’s skin.Over her years in foster care, she’d become an expert at reading people.
Nash was a good guy and so was his son.They were new to snow, which meant they weren’t from New York or connected with Adam Parsons.She was safe, and she needed to act that way.
Charlie walked slowly with Ella’s hand clutched in his.He chattered away to the little girl,who chatted back in a stream of toddler babble.
Ella had been mostly silent a few months ago.Now she was feeling safer, and her vocalizations were increasing.Olivia knew most toddlers her age were using words.That didn’t matter because Ella had been through more than most little ones.She’d develop at her own speed.
Charlie picked up some snow with his free hand.“Do you want to help us make a head for the snowman, Ella?We’re going to start with a little ball.It’ll grow, just like you.”
Olivia smiled and peeked to see how the boy’s dad reacted to the exchange.Nash’s eyes were soft and proud as he watched.Definitely no creepy vibes.
Ella let go of Olivia’s hand as she reached to grab the snowball Charlie was making.He grinned and handed it to her, putting his mittens around hers to help her pack it.
When she dropped it, he laughed and handed it to her again.And again.
Soon, Ella dropped the balls deliberately and waited for Charlie to hand her a new one.Her smile widened, and when she giggled, Olivia had to blink back tears.
When those giggles turned to full-out bursts of laughter, Olivia joined in.So did Charlie and Nash.
Nash’s chuckle was deep and rumbly.Warm and friendly.
She knew she was overtired and living with fear, but her system wasn’t overreacting.The man was potent.
Eventually, Ella plopped to the ground, tired from her bout of giggles.Charlie entertained her by rolling the snowball around her, making it bigger as he moved.
