“I am,” I say half-heartedly.
“You’re looking for threats.”
I don’t argue. I look over at Scout. “Adrian’s still out there. So is Lorcan.”
“I know. But Scout is right here, and I know it’s difficult, but he needs you to be present.”
I go to reply, but Scout suddenly bundles into the backs of my legs, knocking me into Fiona, who quickly loses her balance.
My arm snakes around her waist automatically as I hold her against me.
“Sorry,” I grunt.
She laughs, her hands braced on my chest. “It’s okay.”
We’re so close that it would be too easy to dip my head and press a kiss to her lips. And the way Fiona is staring up at me with hopeful eyes tells me that's exactly what she wants me to do.
“Daddy, come on!” Scout whines. “We should build an igloo!”
I drop my arms from around Fiona and step backwards, clearing my throat, trying not to notice the look of disappointment on her face.
“We could sleep in the igloo,” Scout suggests as I lay down another brick of snow.
Fiona shakes her head. “I think I’m going to stick to sleeping somewhere with heating and running water.”
“I bet Uncle Brennan would sleep in the igloo with me.”
“He would, but that’s because Uncle Brennan is an idiot and would freeze to death,” I mutter, and Fiona chokes on a laugh.
Scott point sat me, “I’m going to tell him you called him an idiot.”
“Go right ahead, bud.”
“Maybe let’s not call anyone an idiot?” Fiona suggests, though I can tell she’s trying her hardest not to laugh.
Scout rolls his eyes and resumes his task of trying to make bricks out of snow.
Fiona kneels beside him, completely unbothered that her jeans are getting soaked, brushing Scout’s hair from his eyes as he works.
I notice then how she looks at him.
It’s the same way I do. Like he’s everything.
It’s a miracle Scout makes it through dinner without falling asleep. His eyelids start to droop halfway through his dessert, so I call it a night and carry him to bed, staying a few minutes to watch him sleep.
When I finally shut the door and head back into the main living area of the suite, I find the balcony doors are wide open, and Fiona is standing, looking out at the dark sky, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.
I want to join her. To hold her against me, wrapped up in my arms, and spend hours looking out at the starry sky and pretending like the rest of the world doesn’t exist.
If she hears my footsteps, she makes no attempt to acknowledge them. So, I stand and watch her for a moment before disappearing into my room and shutting myself away for the night.
Today might have been the closest we’ve gotten to finding a new normal, but I know that happiness like that can never last, and I’ve barely survived losing her once. I’m not sure if I can do it again.
Chapter Seventeen
FIONA
It’s safe to say,if it weren’t for the threats hanging over us, this would have been the time of my life.
