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

14. Cole

CHAPTER 14

COLE

She looked so vulnerable standing there in a Christmas sweatshirt with frosting smudged all over the front. If it hadn’t been for the slight smile on her pretty red lips, I might have reconsidered showing up to whisk her away for a sleigh ride.

“I’d have a blue Christmas without you. I don’t want to let you go, Winter. What we found together… it’s worth fighting for.” Every cell in my body ached for her, but I needed to know how she felt before I could take the next step. “Neither one of us knew what was going to happen when we ran into each other at the airport, but the way I feel about you… it’s a once in a lifetime kinda feeling, Baby Girl.”

She lowered her head and her dark lashes fanned across her cheeks. “How do you feel about me?”

“Can’t you tell? I’m one-hundred percent head over heels in love with you.” I put a finger under her chin and nudged her head up until she met my gaze. “I love you, Winter. And I’ve got to be honest with you. I’ve had feelings for you long before I saw you at the airport.”

“What about Ryan? I don’t want to come between you. He’s your son, and I don’t think he’s going to be okay with us dating.” Her eyes rounded, full of apprehension.

“Just come with me for a minute, will you? There’s something I want to show you.” At her nod, I took her hand, twining our fingers together and leading her over to the carriage.

“Is this supposed to be Santa’s sleigh?” she asked as she climbed onto the seat.

I joined her and picked up the reins. “I tried looking for reindeer, but they were fresh out at the Calhoun ranch.”

“The Calhoun ranch outside of Broken Bend?” She set her hand on my thigh, making me wish we were headed somewhere private instead of right down the road through the middle of town.

“Cowboy quadruplets. They’re friends with a few of Mama Mae’s younger boys. Do you know them?” A quick zap of jealousy flared in my gut. I was going to have to get used to it if Winter agreed to be my girl. There would always be someone younger and stronger around that could turn her head.

“I know of them. That must mean you went home for Christmas.” A pleased grin spread across her mouth, lighting up her whole face.

“Mama Mae said to thank you for forcing me to come home.” Then, in a softer tone, I told her, “She can’t wait to meet you.”

The horses clopped down the pavement in a slow, easy rhythm. Then we turned onto Winter’s street. I’d been eager to see her reaction to my surprise and the squeal she let out as we came to a stop in front of her house didn’t disappoint.

“What did you do?” She stood and pressed her hands to my shoulders, the cookie she’d forgotten about smearing a thick layer of frosting over the front of my Santa suit.

“You helped me rediscover the spirit of the holidays. I just wanted to repay the favor.” I stood and looked over the scene I’d created with the help of a few of my foster brothers. We’d set up a dozen trees across the yard using different colors of twinkle lights. There was even a light-up Santa up on the rooftop with all eight of his reindeer. Larger than life candy canes lined the drive, and huge glittered jingle bells hung from the ceiling of the porch.

“Cole. I can’t believe you went to all of this trouble.” The cookie in her hands long gone, she grabbed the front of my jacket and rose up to her tiptoes. “You did all of this for me?”

Decorating the yard didn’t even scratch the surface of what I’d be willing to do for her. She didn’t get it yet. I was too old to play games, so I got right to the point.

“I’ve always been a man who’s not afraid to go after what I want. What I want right now is you, Winter.”

“What about Ryan?”

“Ryan’s a grown man. He can respect my choices or choose not to. What he decides to do is up to him, but I have to follow my heart.” I pulled a small box covered in Christmas wrapping paper out of my pocket. “I wanted to give you time and space to grieve, but I couldn’t leave town without asking you one last question.”

Winter looked down, her eyes going wide when she spotted the box in my hand.

“It’s probably too soon and I’ll understand if you can’t give me the answer I want right now, but?—”

“Yes!”

My head snapped up. “What?”

“I don’t know what the question is, but my answer will always be a yes for you.” The smile she gave me made any lingering apprehension fall away. “I love you, too.”

“How do you know I wasn’t going to ask you to clean up after Donner and Blitzen?” I asked, gesturing to the two huge draft horses.

She laughed out loud at that. “Let me open the box, Cole.”

I got down on one knee as she unwrapped her gift. “Winter, will you make this a holly jolly Christmas? Will you marry me?”

Her eyes closed as her head nodded—slightly at first, then more vigorously as I slid the diamond and ruby engagement ring on her finger. “Of course I will.”

“There’s only one more thing I need from you, Baby Girl.” Now that she’d agreed to be mine forever, I planned on spoiling her to the fullest. “You never told me what you wanted for the holidays.” I stared down at her, my heart in my throat. “What is it, Winter? What do you want Santa to bring you this year?”

“You mean what’s on my grown-up Christmas list?” She looked back up at me with so much love in her eyes. “You ought to know by now, Santa baby.”

When I didn’t respond, she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled my head down until our lips were less than an inch apart. My heart felt so full. I’d spent so many years feeling like a grumpy ass grinch. With Winter by my side, I had something to look forward to. Someone to take care of who made me feel like the luckiest man in the world.

“Tell me.”

She whispered into my ear, “All I want for Christmas is you.”