“Pot roast,” she said. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“I’m starving.” They shared a special smile before Oscar stopped in front of the gingerbread house.
“It’s for Halloween, not Christmas,” Oscar said proudly. “Mom wanted to try the recipe.”
“I thought I’d show my baking class how to make a Christmas gingerbread house,” Chloe explained. “Oscar and I didn’t make one last year, so I thought I’d better practice.”
Complete with gumdrop trees, snow made from thick white frosting, and orange jellybeans that looked like pumpkins, it looked pretty good to Liam. “It’s fantastic. How does it taste?”
Oscar pointed to a missing piece of the roof. “It’s yummy. Do you want some?”
Liam glanced at Chloe.
“Go ahead. Dinner’s still half an hour away.”
As everyone nibbled on fresh gingerbread, Trixie settled comfortably by the heater, content to let the rest of the world pass her by.
By the time they moved to the kitchen, everyone was looking forward to dinner. Liam’s stomach rumbled as he helped Chloe take everything out of the oven. Just seeing the pot roast, crunchy roasted vegetables, buttery mashed potatoes, and warm rolls made him realize just how hungry he was.
“This looks incredible,” he said as he took his seat.
“I used an old family recipe for the pot roast,” Chloe said. “I hope you like it.”
As they ate, the conversation flowed effortlessly. Oscar told him about his day at school, describing how he’d made ornaments for the town’s Christmas tree.
“And Mrs. Thompson said our snowmen were the best she’s ever seen!” Oscar declared between bites.
“I’m sure they were,” Liam said, grinning. “You’ll have to show me them when the tree goes up.”
“Mrs. Thompson said it won’t be too far away.” Oscar lifted a fork of mashed potato to his mouth. “Does Trixie like Christmas, Liam?”
He smiled into Oscar’s big blue eyes. “She loves it. Santa brings her the biggest doggie treat he can find.” That started a whole new conversation that made Liam remember his parents’ Sunday dinners.
After they’d finished eating, they cleared the dishes and Chloe made each of them a cup of hot cocoa. By the time she returned to the living room, Oscar was lying beside Trixie, reading her a story.
“He’s a great kid,” Liam said softly, watching the serious expression on Oscar’s face.
Chloe handed Liam his hot cocoa. “He is. Thanks for listening to all his stories. You’ve been a good friend to him.”
“It’s fun to be around him.” Liam held her hand. “I’m glad you talked to your lawyer today.”
“So am I. When I’m stressed, Laura has a way of calming me down so I don’t worry too much.”
“We all need people who can do that.” Liam turned to face Chloe. “Can I ask you something? It might not be the right time, but I’d appreciate knowing what you think.”
“Is everything okay?” she asked, concern flickering in her eyes.
“Everything’s fine,” he reassured her. “My agent called me today. A major publisher is looking for writers to create a series of travel books. They’ve seen some of my work and they think I’ll be a good fit for what they’re looking for. My agent’s sending me a copy of the contract.”
Chloe’s eyes widened. “That’s wonderful,” she said with a genuine smile. “It’s everything you’ve ever wanted.”
Liam sighed. It wasn’t everything, and that was the problem. “It’s a great opportunity, but...” he hesitated.
“But?” she prompted gently.
“It would mean leaving Sapphire Bay for a while. The series is set in Asia. I don’t know when I’d be back.”
Chloe gave nothing away. Instead, she nodded slowly as she processed what he’d told her. “How do you feel about leaving Montana?”
