“Such a good Papa Bear.” I shook my head in disbelief. “First you’re giving him swimming lessons, and now you’re cranking the heat for him.”
“Well, my girl is crazy about her little Meatball, so I’m just trying to keep him alive.” He flashed me that toothy grin that I loved so much. “Did you work late?”
“I actually went to happy hour with the girls.”
“Atta girl. Getting yourself out there. Did you have fun?”
“I did.” I sighed. “I had a lot of fun. But I miss you.”
“I miss you too, baby. But remember, this will just be a blink in time in the grand scheme of our life. You are where you need to be right now, and so am I. We’ve got this. And I get to see you in a few weeks for Christmas.” He leaned back in the driver’s seat, his gaze so tender it made my chest ache.
What did I do to deserve this man?
“I can’t wait.” I stood up and walked to the bathroom, where I turned on the water in the bathtub. “Okay, you drive home and I’ll hop in the tub. Call me in an hour so we can talk until I fall asleep.”
“I’m going to drive fast so I can FaceTime you while you’re still in the tub.”
I chuckled and ended the call.
I closed my eyes after I’d slipped into the hot water, grateful that this long day had come to an end.
I laughed when the phone rang a few minutes later and Cutler’s name lit up my screen.
He was definitely a man of his word, and I couldn’t answer the phone fast enough.
thirty-five
. . .
Cutler
“I’m just sohappy that we got to spend Christmas Eve with you both,” my mother said as we all sat around the big farmhouse table at my parents’ house. All my uncles and aunts and cousins who lived here in Magnolia Falls had just left after we’d had dinner together, like we did every year.
My mom lived for Christmas, so every square inch of our home was decorated in garlands and lights and holiday décor, and it smelled of fresh pine. She put up six Christmas trees every year, and there was even one in my childhood bedroom, which Gracie was thrilled about because that’s where we were staying.
“It was so good to see everyone,” I said. “And you know anytime you make unicorn Krispies, I’m going to come running.”
“I remember being obsessed with these when I was younger.” Gracie tore off another piece of my mother’s famous Rice Krispie Treats covered in rainbow sprinkles and popped it in her mouth.
I was so fucking in love with this woman, and I’d missed her like crazy, so I was savoring every second we had together this week.
The distance was challenging but manageable. Now that we’d made the decision to be together, we talked a couple of times aday and planned when we’d get to see each other next. And it was working well for now.
But I was already taking action in case she decided she wanted to stay in New York. I’d started studying for the Home Improvement Contractor License for New York City, but I hadn’t told Gracie yet. I’d have to do a few things if I wanted to move my company across the country, which would take time.
So I’d get the ball rolling and be ready if the time came for me to do it.
“I can still picture you as a little girl, with those big brown eyes, asking me how I’d caught a unicorn to get all the sprinkles.” Mom chuckled.
“I remember that.” Gracie shook her head with a huge smile on her face. “I used to love when we’d come to Magnolia Falls. We’d go to Demi’s coffee shop for the best pumpkin lattes, and then my dad dragged me to Romeo’s gym a few times to try to teach me how to box.”
“I still love going to Uncle Ro’s gym,” I said. “Man, it’s just always good to be home.”
“It is. And tomorrow we’re heading to Blue Sky Bay when you two leave for Cottonwood Cove,” Pops said. “I guess we’ve got a lot of homes now. And it sounds like we might have to start coming out to New York too, if you two end up there.”
“I love big cities,” my mom said. “I mean, I don’t know if I’d want to live there, but I love visiting.” She was still scrolling on her iPad, looking at Gracie’s recent designs. “Are you loving it there?”
“I’m happy that I did it. It’s still an adjustment, and personally I like small-town living a lot. But it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity right now, so I’m where I’m supposed to be, I guess,” Gracie said, and our gazes met.
