My Ex’s Dad is Coming to Town (Bringing Home Trouble)

12. Cole

CHAPTER 12

COLE

She didn’t say much during the rest of the trip, not even when I stopped at a tacky little diner for lunch and tried to make her laugh by putting on a headband that made me look like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. I’d hoped she’d be over Ryan enough to give me a fair shot, but clearly the news of his engagement had broken her.

I’d never been in a situation where I felt so helpless, and my fingers itched to strangle my son’s throat for the pain he’d caused her. Winter deserved to be loved and cherished, not tossed aside. He had no idea what he’d given up and because of him, I’d never have the chance to win her over.

Static broke through the station we’d been listening to, and I searched for a new source of holiday songs. The music filled the silence, but I missed hearing Winter sing along. She just sat curled up against the passenger door, her head tucked down with her chin resting on her chest.

She looked like a wounded little bird whose spirit had been broken. I would have given anything to see her smile again. Then it clicked. The best way to ease her pain would be to put some distance between us. My son was the one who hurt her. Being with me had to be a constant reminder of him. I’d been so stupid to think she was over Ryan. A woman like Winter loved with her whole heart. Once given away, it was impossible to get all the pieces back.

I knew that because I’d fallen for her. Being around her had opened me up to the possibility of finding love… true love… something I’d never experienced before.

We finally pulled into town around dinnertime. Her hometown wasn’t too far from Broken Bend and had the same small-town feel. As much as I wasn’t ready for our time together to end, I wanted her to find the peace she needed to be able to heal her heart.

“I’d offer to stop and treat you to dinner, but I imagine you’re eager to get home.” My fingers gripped the steering wheel a little too tight. Letting her go was going to be the most difficult thing I’d ever done.

She looked over at me. Her eyes had lost their shine. “My mom and dad are waiting for me, but thanks. You’ve already done so much. I’ll never be able to?—”

“It was my pleasure.” I reached over and brushed her hair back. The silky strands glided through my fingers. Damn, I missed her already.

“Turn right just past the light. It’s the fourth house on the left.” Winter shoved her arms into her jacket and pulled it over her shoulders as I followed her directions .

We passed a large lit-up snowman in one yard and an oversized little drummer boy wooden cutout in another.

“Where are all of your decorations?” I pulled into the driveway, expecting her house to be the most festive one on the whole block. A small tree stood in the front window with blinking twinkle lights decorating its branches. There was nothing in the yard and not even a wreath hanging on the front door. With how much Winter loved the holidays, I was surprised her house didn’t look like it was lifted straight from the Griswolds.

“Oh, my parents like to keep things simple. It’s okay, though. At least they’ve got a tree. I didn’t even bother to put one up at my place.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and picked her purse up from the floorboard. “Someday I’ll go all out with the holidays. Until then, I’ll take what I can get.”

Our time together was coming to an abrupt end. There was so much I wanted to say to her, but I wasn’t going to add to her troubles. I left the engine running while I got out and grabbed her bag from the back.

“I can take it from here.” She met me at the back of the SUV and reached for the bag. “It would be pretty awkward to introduce you to my parents and try to explain how we ended up driving from Chicago to Texas together.”

A slight smile turned the corners of her mouth up. I ached to pull her into my arms, hug her against my chest, and tell her how I felt. Instead, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the photo we’d taken at the Cozy Little Christmas Inn. When Winter had excused herself to go to the restroom, I’d gone to the front desk and had it made into an ornament. Hard to believe that had been less than twenty-four hours ago.

“Here, I want you to have this.” I pressed it into her hand. “Maybe it’ll make you laugh every once in a while.”

She turned it over and looked down at the picture of the two of us wearing Santa hats. “I never thought you’d go along with getting your picture taken as Santa.”

“What can I say? You bring out a whole other side of me, Baby Girl.”

Her lower lids brimmed with tears. Fuck. Seeing her like that slayed me. Just when I didn’t think I could take another second and was about to pull her into my arms, she thrust out her hand.

“Thanks for a memorable time.” She bit down on her bottom lip and looked at her outstretched hand.

This was it. I slid my palm against hers, so sorry I wouldn’t have another opportunity to touch her.

“Take care of yourself, Cole.” Her hand dropped to her side, and she shifted her purse strap higher up on her shoulder.

“You, too.” I stood there while she made her way up the sidewalk and disappeared through the front doorway. Then I got the hell out of there as soon as I could. I hadn’t given any thought to where I’d go after I dropped Winter off, but the answer was obvious. Mama Mae’s place was less than an hour’s drive away. I didn’t have a good reason to not go back to Broken Bend. I shot off a quick text to Mama Mae telling her I’ll be home for Christmas. Then I got on the county road that would take me there.

She met me on the front porch of the old farmhouse where I grew up. Her hair was a little whiter, and she didn’t stand quite as tall as I remembered, but she still smelled like homemade bread and baby powder.

“What a pleasant surprise.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me inside. “If you’d told me earlier you were coming, I would have called a few of the boys to stop over tonight and welcome you home.”

“I didn’t know I was coming until about an hour ago.” Stepping into the front living room was like taking a trip back in time. Not much had changed since I’d left for good over twenty years ago.

“Have you eaten yet? I’ve got some beef stew leftover from dinner. I’m surprised my boys didn’t finish it all. I can fix you a bowl real quick.” She led the way into the kitchen. It had always been the heart of her home.

“I’d never turn down a bowl of your stew,” I said. “Especially if it comes with homemade cornbread.”

“Oh, honey. What kind of mother would I be if I tried to serve a meal without fresh baked bread? Come on, sit a spell and tell me what brought you all the way home.” She patted the table and waited for me to sit down before she started bustling around the kitchen.

I wasn’t sure what made me open up to her. Maybe it was being back in the house where I grew up. Maybe it was Mama Mae’s not-so-gentle prodding, but for some reason, I told her about running into Winter, and how I’d driven her all the way home from Chicago.

“You care about this woman,” Mama Mae commented as she set a steaming bowl of stew in front of me.

I shook my head. “It’s not that easy.”

“It always seems that way, sugar.” She pulled out a chair across from me and sat down. “Though when you think about it, there really isn’t anything as easy as love.”

Love. There it was again, that fucking four letter word that kept popping up.

“You’re oversimplifying things, Mama Mae.” She had a way of doing that, of distilling something that seemed so huge and insurmountable into something even a toddler could understand.

She reached across the table and set her hand on my arm. “Do you have any idea what I’d give for one more day with my love? When your heart finds its other half, all you need to do is open yourself up to the goodness that’s waiting for you. It really is that easy, Cole.”

Mama Mae meant well, but she didn’t fully understand the stakes. “She’s two decades younger than me. My son’s ex-girlfriend.”

“Did I ever tell you that when I met my husband, he was dating one of my best friends?” She tilted her head and waited for me to respond.

I gave in. “What happened?”

“He broke up with her the night we met. I didn’t want to give him my number. What kind of woman steals a boyfriend away from her bestie?” She squeezed my hand, then pulled back to pick up her mug. “But that man was persistent. When I finally agreed to go out with him and stopped trying to resist what I felt in my heart, it was magic.”

Mama Mae rarely talked about her husband. She’d lost him at such a young age, though she’d always said she didn’t regret their short time together. “What happened to your friend?”

“Oh, she came around. It took a little while, but even she could see that the two of us were made for each other. She ended up being the maid of honor at our wedding and married one of the groomsmen.” She let out a chuckle and gave me a sympathetic smile. “So you see… when true love is involved, it really is that easy.”

Nothing about my feelings for Winter seemed easy at all, but I appreciated the pep talk. “Do you mind if I crash on the couch tonight? I might stick around for a day or two and think about what you said.”

“You can stay as long as you want. No matter how long you’re away, you’re always welcome. After all, this is your home.” She got up and pushed her chair back under the table. “I’ll go grab you a blanket and some pillows. I’m so glad you’re here, Cole.”

I stood to give her a hug. I’d been away too long. “Thanks, Mama Mae. It’s good to be home.”