“I seem to recall I’m the one who paid for shipping,” he pointed out, his jaw tightening with frustration. “It’ll get done. Just haven’t had time?—”
“To what? Hang a few ornaments?” Sky’s eyebrows disappeared into her messy bangs. “At the rate you’re going, you’ll be decorating it for Valentine’s Day. Mom, please tell me you’re going to fix this tragedy.”
I looked at the tree again—really looked at it—and something clicked into place. The other cabin had been decorated to perfection. Every surface adorned with garland and twinkling lights, mismatched ornaments that somehow worked together, stockings hung by the fireplace. Teddy had clearly put thought and care into making that space feel like Christmas for the girls.
Making it feel like home.
Yet his own cabin remained stark and empty, like he’d forgotten he was allowed to celebrate too.
Teddy used to drag the tree down from the attic the week before Thanksgiving, insisting it wasn’t fair that the fall decorations got to stay up for months, while his favorite holiday was confined to December. He used to wake up before dawn on Christmas morning, more excited than the kids, pouring pancake batter into cookie-cuttermolds shaped like snowmen and trees while Christmas music played in the background.
Something in me needed to fix that tree.
“I’m sorry your dad didn’t get the tree decorated while he was busy saving me from a blizzard and ensuring I didn’t freeze to death, Skylar Jade,” I said, the defensiveness in my tone surprising everyone, including me.
“He wanted to get it done first thing this morning, but I told him it could wait until after breakfast, so why don’t you both tend to your own cattle?” I placed my hand over his on my thigh, and he tensed but didn’t pull away.
On screen, our daughters’ mouths fell open in synchronized shock.
“Did you just…” Sky started, then stopped, her wide-eyed gaze bouncing between us like she was watching a tennis match.
“Tell us to mind our own damn business in Texan?” Addie finished, though her tone held more amusement than offense. “I believe she did.”
My cheeks burned, but I didn’t take it back. Couldn’t, really, not when I could feel the slight tremor in Teddy’s hand, the way his breathing had changed. Not when I remembered the way he’d risked his life to find me in that storm, how gentle he’d been cleaning my wounds, how he’d held me through the night even after I’d made that mortifying confession about having no one else.
“We’re going to decorate it,” I said, trying to sound casual even though my pulse was hammering in my throat. “Together. After we finish our breakfast.”
“Together,” Sky breathed, her eyes lighting up as though she’d just unwrapped the best Christmas present ever. “You’re sitting together. You’re going to decorate the tree together.”
“No, we’ll decorate it in separate rooms and communicate ornament placement using smoke signals,” Teddy deadpanned.
I bit back a smile. For someone who communicated primarily in grunts and monosyllables, the man could be surprisingly funny when he wanted to be.
“What Sky means,” Addie said, shooting her sister a look, “is that we’re glad you’re getting along. For Christmas. It’s nice to see you twoin the same room without looking like you want to murder each other.”
Murder wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do to their father right now, but I kept that thought to myself.
“Don’t sound so shocked. We’re both adults.” Teddy turned his hand over, lacing our fingers together. His thumb skimmed my knuckles, sending electricity shooting up my arm.
“What are y’all’s plans while you’re snowed in?” Addie asked as she and Sky exchanged a loaded look.
“All alone in a mountain cabin. God, it’s like a movie,” Sky added with a grin I didn’t trust for a second. “Snowed in with My Ex—no, wait—Christmas Cabin Confessions.”
“Ew, that sounds more like a porno,” Addie said, her nose wrinkling in disgust.
“What else are they gonna do in a blizzard?” Sky fired back, waggling her eyebrows at us suggestively.
If it had been anyone else, I would have been scandalized. But this was the girl who spent most of her senior prom texting her sister live updates about a couple hooking up in the back of the locker room.
“You should make popcorn garlands, and mulled wine, and watchElf—oh, and bake Christmas cookies!” Sky declared, clapping her hands together.
Teddy lowered his mouth to my ear. “Good to see they’re being subtle about their little plan.”
The shiver that ran down my spine had nothing to do with the temperature. His breath was warm against my ear, the scrape of his beard against my skin sending a fresh wave of goosebumps across my arms.
“Like a brick through a window,” I murmured, trying to keep my expression neutral for the sake of our daughters, who were watching us like hawks.
“Cue the montage,” Sky continued, practically vibrating. “Building a gingerbread house. Slow dancing in the kitchen to Nat King Cole. Hot chocolate by the fire. Kissing under the mistle—oh wait. Looks like they already covered that one.”
