When the server brought papers and crayons for the kids, Charlie grinned.“Thanks.Want to draw some dragons, Ella?”
She squealed and grabbed a green crayon chantingLeeandLa,making Charlie laugh.
It might not have been the best pizza in New York, but it was one of the best meals in Nash’s lifetime.
And he wanted more of them.
A lifetime of more.
His heart ached at the thought.He’d already lost one woman he’d loved with his whole heart.
What if something happened to Olivia?What if Parsons hurt her?What if an accident took her?Or cancer?
Fear and pain lanced through Nash.He wasn’t sure he had it in him to survive another heartbreak.Was he making a mistake after all?
Olivia’s nerves were strung as tightly as a brucan's bow.This time in New York was amazing.
They’d watched a matinee performance with incredible puppets and finally found a hotdog cart for Charlie.They’d taken a dip in the hotel pool where Ella had filled the room with her delighted squeals.They’d checked out thrift stores and markets where they’d all snuck Christmas presents into bags to hide from the others.
Nash had hired a limo to take them on a tour of the city lights and window displays.They’d stopped at the Rockefeller Christmas tree and Olivia had thought her heart would melt at the family feeling that had enveloped their group.
Magical.
And terrifying.
She’d worried continuously about Adam.What if he spotted them?What if he tried to snatch Ella?What if he hurt Nash or Charlie in the process?
She’d fallen for the two of them and she worried her past was putting them all in danger.
Everyone they’d met had assumed they were a family and none of them had corrected a single person.Charlie reveled in being seen as a big brother.
Just as she reveled in being seen as a mother to the two kids.Even more at being seen as being Nash’s partner.The thought of it sent joy and contentment soaring through her in equal measure.
If only they were safe.Which made her roll her eyes internally at herself.New York was a ridiculously large city.Adam didn’t know her new legal name.He didn’t know her pen name.The odds of him knowing she was here and bothering to track her down were as likely as Lelja flapping her silver wings as she landed beside them on the sidewalk.
Adam had probably moved his obsession to another woman.The man had no desire to be a father.He didn’t know Bella Eldritch was now Ella Mae Gonzalez.
They were safe.
But Olivia would sleep a whole lot better once they were back on the farm.The hotel’s fixtures were new and shiny, but the pink ones had grown on Olivia.And Ella loved them.
Nash and Charlie put the bags into the back seat on the other side of Ella’s car seat.
The packages they still had to pick up would take up most of the room in the truck’s bed.
She didn’t know what Nash had ordered but the snowshoes she’d ordered for everyone at the farm wouldn’t be in small boxes.
When they’d decided to come to New York, she’d told Nash she wanted to order something big from a sporting goods store.He had the same idea, so they’d found a store along their route.They’d also asked the store to help them keep the contents secret as they were Christmas presents.
When the GPS told them to turn for the store, Olivia’s heart grew lighter.She couldn’t wait to surprise everyone with the snowshoes and then spend time with them all making paths through the orchard.
Family time with their new extended family.
Nash pulled around to the back of the store near the loading dock and they all got out to stretch their legs.Even crossing the city had taken an hour.Olivia lifted Ella out of the seat and the girl reached immediately for Charlie.“Lee.Lee.Mama.Na.”
Olivia laughed.“Nash.Are you saying Nash?”
“Na.Lee.Mama.”Her little face brightened with pride as she looked at each of them and shouted their names.
