“Well, most people call him Cali,” Sky answered, oblivious to the dangerous edge in her father’s voice.
“What? You know him?” Addie asked, suddenly looking nervous.
“Know him?” Teddy laughed, but it was apparent he wasn’t particularly amused. “Kid owns half the resort. Also happens to be a member of my chapter.”
Sky cackled. “Oh my God, you’ve been treating him like some burnout, and he’s actually?—”
“In the club,” Addie finished, the color draining from her face. “He conveniently failed to mention that.”
Teddy shrugged. “Probably didn’t want to scare you off. He also runs the kids’ programs on weekends and volunteers for ski patrol. But yeah, he’s got money. Smart as hell, too. Engineering degree from Colorado School of Mines. Good guy, but he’s a little too old for you.”
I knew that tight smile all too well, and Cali—good guy or not—was in danger.
“He’s like, what, mid-thirties?” Sky guessed. “Addie’s twenty-five. It’s not that big of a gap.”
“Not dating him, not interested in dating him, so his age is irrelevant,” Addie bit out, shooting her sister a look that could have curdled milk. “Can we please talk about literally anything else?”
Sky bobbed her head in agreement. “Yes. As much as I love watching Addie short-circuit, I need to know—” She pointed between Teddy and me. “Was that some weird, post-divorce booty call, slash, situationship?—”
“For the love of God, don’t say booty call or situationship when talking about our parents ever again, please,” Addie pleaded softly, pressing her fingers to her eyelids beneath her glasses.
“I second that. Let’s make a pact to never speak of what you saw,” I suggested firmly. “Ever.”
“So sorry to have offended everyone’s virgin ears,” Sky replied, looking anything but apologetic. “As I was saying, when we walked in on?—”
“Skylar Jade,” Teddy warned, raising his hand as if he were about to swat her, which would have been a more effective threat had he not been laughing as he said it.
“—the thing I’ve already forgotten,” she finished smoothly, shielding herself behind Addie. “What even happened? I sure don’t remember. Must’ve blocked it out. Anywho, are y’all back together or should we steal the keys to the Bronco and give you a little more time to think it over?”
Teddy and I exchanged a glance before he snaked an arm aroundmy waist and pulled me snug against his side, briefly scrambling my brain again. Especially when I remembered where that hand had been less than an hour before.
Focus, Kelsey.
“Are we back together?” I repeated the question, pressing my tongue against the inside of my cheek when Teddy’s fingers squeezed my hip in warning.
When I remained silent, he exhaled the long, drawn-out sigh of a man who just remembered how bratty his Ol’ Lady could get. “Baby, you really gonna make me say it again?”
“Absolutely I am.” I patted his chest with a solemn nod, enjoying the way his jaw ticked with barely restrained exasperation, knowing I’d pay for it later. “For the girls.”
“Asked your mama to move in with me this morning,” he said, his voice carrying the gruff edge that still did things to my insides even after thirty-plus years.
“And I said yes,” I confirmed, arching up onto my toes to kiss his jaw. “We’re getting back together.”
The words felt surreal even as they left my mouth. Two weeks ago, I’d been standing in my empty Texas kitchen, stirring my coffee and wondering if the hollow existence I’d carved out was all I had left to look forward to.
Sky lurched forward with an ear-piercing shriek, wrapping her arms around both of us in a tackle-hug that nearly sent all three of us toppling over. “This is the best Christmas present ever!”
Addie was only marginally more composed, her eyes suspiciously bright as she joined the group hug. “I knew it would work,” she said, her voice muffled against my shoulder.
“And we didn’t even have to pretend to be each other and swap places?—”
“Because we’re not twins, Skylar.”
“Y’all are so grounded for this,” I informed them, but I was smiling, unable to help myself. “Like, forever.”
“Nuh-uh,” Sky replied cheerfully. “It’s Christmas Eve. Nobody gets grounded on Christmas Eve. Besides, we were just responsible for getting you in the same room. It’s not like we created back-to-backblizzards. That was just a lucky coincidence… or, I guess, unlucky, since you crashed the rental.”
The light from the tree suddenly caught one of the ornaments just right, making it glint. My throat tightened when I saw it was one of Levi’s snow globes. “Or maybe you two had a little help,” I said, not bothering to hide the emotion in my voice. “Your brother always wanted to be a meteorologist.”
