Holt reaches across the girls to put his hand on my arm, connecting all four of us. His gaze meets mine over their heads. The moon reflecting off the snow through the windows gives me enough light to see the love in his eyes.
And for the very first time, I don’t have the urge to run from it.
CHAPTER 28
Gia
Aknock on the door pulls me out of my hyperfocus. I grin down at my iPad. I’ve been drawing a cartoon version of Lauren and Leah from when we went sledding a couple of weeks ago. It’s turning out way cuter than I expected, and I can’t wait to show them.
Answering the door, my smile grows wider. “What are you guys doing here?”
Leah pushes her stocking cap up her forehead. “We comed to inbite you to Sunday dinner.” Lauren nods her head next to Leah while Holt stands behind them with a grin.
“You did? Well, I’d love to come to dinner. Why don’t you come inside while I get changed?”
“Actually, what you’re wearing is perfect.”
I glance down at my jeans and hoodie. They’re both worn-in and comfortable, neither of which feels appropriate for dinner with Holt’s family. I’ve attended a few of their dinners over the month and a half I’ve been living in Pine Creek Falls, and I still get nervous going out there. I have no idea why. His family is incredible. They’re always so welcoming to me and have made me feel like I’m a part of the family.
“Maybe grab a coat, some gloves, and a hat, and you’ll be good,” Holt adds.
“If you say so.” I turn to the hook on the wall and grab my puffy black coat. My gloves and earmuffs are kept in the pockets so I never forget them.
The girls start giggling suspiciously as we walk out to Holt’s truck.
I narrow my eyes at them. “What’s going on?”
Leah slaps her hands over her mouth to keep her thoughts from spewing out, and Lauren starts to say something, but Holt interrupts her. “Nothing is going on. We just wanted you to join us for dinner.”
“Yeah, Pop Pop is making a ham,” Lauren says.
We get into the truck, and the girls start debating about what sides go best with ham—mashed potatoes, according to Lauren, and rolls, according to Leah. I know I won’t get anything out of them now that they’re talking about food. It’s the only thing I’ve ever seen them argue about.
Holt reaches across the seat and grabs my thigh. His fingers are spread out just far enough to tease. It’s plain mean, and I make sure my expression tells him so. Instead of moving his hand, he just smirks.
I spend the drive out to the farm thinking about ways to get back at him for stoking the flames in my body without following through. There are usually opportunities to sneak some moves in when his family is distracted. We’ve only been caught once, and Muriel just winked at us.
I was mortified. Holt thought it was hilarious.
We pull into his parents’ long driveway, but instead of parking at the house, Holt drives up to the barn. He gets out of the truck, and the rest of us follow suit. The girls race inside the massive structure. Holt takes my hand and follows behind them through the open sliding door.
“Uncle Cam! We’re going riding today!” Leah’s excitedvoice comes from the other end of the barn. Stalls line both sides of the building with a wide alley separating them. Horse noses poke out from their windows at the commotion.
Camden is pulling things out of a storage room with a wide grin on his face. “I heard. Who are you taking out today?”
“I wanna ride Minnie. I asked Uncle Reese already.”
“Can I ride Mouse?” Lauren asks him. “Gia is going to ride Huck, and Daddy is prolly gonna ride Tiny.”
I raise an eyebrow at Holt, missing Camden’s response. “I don’t know how to ride a horse.”
Holt wraps his arm around my shoulders. “We thought you might want to learn today. There’s a prize at the end if you do it.”
“One with or without the girls?”
He smirks. “Both. But the second one will have to wait until bedtime.”
I breathe out a laugh. “Yeah, okay. Let’s give this a whirl.” What I don’t say is that I’m freaking the fuck out on the inside, especially when Holt leads a horse out of the stall and I realize just how massive these creatures really are. Huck stands incredibly still while Holt walks me through every piece of equipment. I pet the horse’s neck, taking the time to settle my nerves.
