“Like making my bed and drying the dishes?”
A smile tugged at the corners of Liam’s mouth. “Something like that.”
Oscar grinned. “You can be my assistant every day!” And with his tiny hand clasped in Liam’s, they walked back to Liam’s truck.
Regardless of what happened in the future, Liam was glad he was here to spend Christmas with Chloe and Oscar. With everything that was happening in their lives, they’d need all the support he could give them.
Chloe stoodin front of her cottage’s large bay window, her gaze fixed on the quiet street. The winter afternoon was calm, with snowflakes gently falling and blanketing Sapphire Bay in a pristine layer of white. As she waited for Paul, her fingers nervously twisted the hem of her sweater.
“Mom, when will Dad be here?” Oscar’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. He stood beside her, his small hand tugging at her sleeve.
She looked down at him, forcing a smile. “Any minute now, sweetheart.”
Oscar’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. “I can’t wait to show him my new dinosaur book!”
Chloe swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’m sure he’ll love it.” A knock at the door made her heart skip a beat. If it was Paul, he must have parked farther down the street. “That might be him.”
Oscar dashed toward the door, but Chloe placed her hand on his shoulder. “Remember, we open the door together, okay?”
He nodded eagerly. “Okay!”
Chloe’s palms were damp as she grasped the door handle. Opening it, she was met with Paul’s familiar face—a face that brought back a flood of memories, both good and bad.
“Hello, Paul,” she said, her tone polite but guarded.
“Chloe,” he replied, his gaze shifting to Oscar. “Hey there, buddy!”
“Dad!” Oscar exclaimed, throwing his arms around Paul’s waist.
Paul hugged him tightly. “Look at you—getting bigger every day!”
Chloe stepped aside to let them in. “Come in out of the cold.”
They moved into the living room. Paul glanced around, taking in the cozy space filled with Oscar’s drawings and the scent of freshly baked cookies. “Nice place you have here.”
“Thank you,” Chloe replied, sitting down on the couch. She watched as Oscar excitedly pulled out his dinosaur book.
“Dad, look! I got this from the library. Did you know the Stegosaurus had spikes on its tail called thagomizers?”
Paul sat beside him. “Thagomizers, huh? I didn’t know that.”
Chloe watched them talk to each other. In a strange way, it was almost as if the last couple of years hadn’t happened. Seeing Oscar so happy made her worry about what the future held for them.
“Would anyone like some hot chocolate?” she offered, hoping to ease the tension she felt.
“Yes, please!” Oscar chimed.
“That sounds great,” Paul added.
She headed to the kitchen, the familiar routine calming her nerves. Although Laura had told her to meet Paul in a neutral place, she didn’t know how Oscar was going to react to seeing his dad.
Making him feel comfortable and less stressed was the most important thing, so she’d agreed to Paul coming to their cottage. So far, it seemed to be okay, but only time would tell if she’d made the right decision.
Returning with the mugs, she handed them out and sat opposite Paul. “Careful, it’s hot.”
They sipped in silence for a moment before Paul spoke. “So, how have things been?”
“Good,” Chloe replied cautiously. “Oscar loves his school. He’s made a lot of friends.”
