Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 53238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 266(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 266(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Next to me, Charlotte’s hand slips out of mine as her feet slide out from beneath her and she lands on her butt for at least the tenth time.
“I think I’m done,” she says, looking defeated.
“No, that was on me. I should have been holding your hand tighter.”
She cringes as she gets up, looking adorable in her purple knit beanie and purple vest.
“It’s hot chocolate time,” she says.
“I could go for some hot chocolate.”
Olivia left us as soon as we got onto the ice, heading straight for the friends she’s made with other kids with family on the team.
Charlotte and I are almost to the swinging doors leading off the ice when Carter slides to a quick stop next to us, throwing up ice.
“Show-off,” Charlotte says, rolling her eyes.
He grins and sets Hallie down, then looks at me and says, “Your turn.”
My brows shoot up. “My turn? For what?”
He takes one of my gloved hands. “To skate with me.”
“Yeah, no. I can’t keep up.”
“We’re not in a race. I just want to take my wife for a few turns around the rink.”
I’m his wife. The oval solitaire ring on my finger confirms it. Still, my heart skips every time he calls me that. There’s something about hearing him say it that makes me a little giddy.
“I’ll take Halls to get hot chocolate,” Charlotte says, reaching for her sister’s hand.
“Thanks,” I say.
Carter holds both of my hands, smoothly spinning into a backward skating position once again.
“Having fun?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
“You’ve ice-skated before.”
“Five years of figure skating lessons. I once did a routine to “Last Friday Night” by Katy Perry and won second place.”
“Wow. Why am I just hearing about this accomplishment?”
I shrug. “I didn’t want to intimidate you.”
“We can do a lift if you want.”
I laugh. “I didn’t make it that far.”
He closes some of the space between us, moving our hands out to the side, his expression soft as he says. “Thanks for everything you’re doing to make this Christmas good for the girls.”
“I love doing it.”
“You’ve been their rock. Mine, too.”
I swallow hard, taken aback by the compliment. Carter is usually aloof and sometimes downright gruff. But on those occasions when he says something sweet, he knocks it out of the park every time.
“Well...I’m glad to be.”
I hold back a cringe over my awkwardness. Every time we’re alone, I worry I’ll let slip that I want him. A lot. I’ve stopped trying to make myself not want him because it’s impossible. As long as I don’t act on it, it won’t be a problem.
He releases my hands and comes even closer, putting his hands on my waist as he glances over his shoulder.
“Team photographer is taking pictures of us,” he murmurs.
Of course. Why else would he be looking at me like that? His expression is a mix of tenderness and happiness.
“Watch it, Stanton,” one of his teammates jokes as he skates past us. “I’m trying to smoke some six-year-olds and you’re in my way.”
Carter shakes his head, something over my shoulder catching his eye. He scowls.
“Who’s that boy Olivia’s smiling at?”
I turn to see where he’s looking. “Oh, I bet that’s Jake. She mentioned him.”
“Really.” He says it angrily. “He looks about fifteen, and whose kid is he? I don’t know him.”
“We can ask her later.”
“Or now.”
“Carter...”
“What? If he asks for her number, I’ll board the little fucker.”
I give him a look. “Don’t embarrass her. She’s just trying to fit in with the other kids. Let’s just enjoy Christmas Eve.”
He looks from Olivia to me. “Fine. But we’re talking to her later.”
“Not later tonight, though. Because it’s Christmas. Fucking. Eve.”
“Okay, fine.”
A woman in a Crush hoodie with a camera in hand skates toward us.
“Carter, can you get your whole family onto the ice for a photo?”
“Sure.” He looks at me. “You want to get Charlotte and Hallie?”
I smile. “No, I’ll get Liv. You get Charlotte and Hallie.”
He nods, not looking happy about it.
When the photographer gets us all together and poses us in the middle of the rink for a photo, I get that same feeling I had when the wedding photographer was taking photos. Like looking at this picture will hurt someday.
Only this time, I know it’ll hurt worse. The closer I get to Carter and the girls, the harder it is to know the clock is ticking on our little family.
Only he and I know that our first Christmas together is also our last. Unless I can somehow convince him to keep me on as his nanny after our marriage ends.
I’ve already started thinking about it. It would be awkward at first, but we could make it work. I planned to start over after the year, but leaving the girls would break my heart.
Seeing him with another woman would do the same thing, though. Could I go back to just being his nanny while he dates women like Kaia, maybe even marrying one someday?