Wild Christmas (Wild Heart Mountain: Wild Rider’s MC #17)

4. Freya

4

FREYA

“ I t’s fine,” I tell Aunty Maxine a few days later. “The girls are great. Dora doesn’t stop talking and Maisie is so sweet. She just wants to give me hugs all the time.”

I turn the heater up in my car while I give my aunt a rundown on my first few days on the job, talking about the girls and not mentioning their hot grumpy dad.

“We’re decorating tomorrow. I’ve just been to the shops to get everything.”

“He’s letting you decorate? I heard Nate was a Christmas Grinch.” She sounds skeptical, and I’m immediately defensive of Nate although I’m not sure why.

“He’s not that bad. A little strict, but he probably has his reasons.”

“Hmm,” she mutters, not convinced. “You can come back anytime, you know, if it gets too intense. It’s not right that you’re stuck up in that room all on your own like a prisoner. ”

I’m regretting telling my aunt about the arrangements and spending every night alone in my room.

“It’s fine, really. I’m getting a lot of reading done.”

Which is an understatement. I’ve read almost every book that was left on the shelf, and today when I was in Hope I joined the local library and checked a stack of books out. I’ve never had so much time to myself.

In France the family didn’t include me every night, but they didn’t not include me every night either. I watched movies with the family, helped cook meals, and played backgammon with Martine, the mom. And I had evenings off where I met up with other au pairs and went to the English cinema and sat in cafes drinking strong French coffee and eating way too many pastries.

It was fun, but there was always something going on. It was always busy. I craved the nights when I stayed in, reading the books I found in the English bookshop.

Not everyone would understand this, but I like the solitude. I like evenings tucked up and reading quietly. At least for a few nights I do. By now, it’s getting a little lonely.

I wonder what Nate does in the evenings. I don’t even need to hang out with him. Just to be in the same room as him would be nice, me reading my book and him doing whatever it is he does.

I stifle a sigh so as not to worry Aunt Maxine.

“Have you heard from your mom?” she asks.

I think of the patchy video call we finally had yesterday, because she couldn’t connect on Thanksgiving when I was with Aunt Maxine. There were blue skies and flax sun umbrellas behind her, and she kept cutting out because internet is patchy on the small remote island in the Pacific where she’s staying.

“She’s fine. Drinking cocktails in the sun and waiting for Dad to arrive.”

Dad’s off for three weeks’ vacation, and they decided to spend a hot Christmas together in the Pacific rather than a cold one in the mountains. The island is close to where Dad is based, and with their 25 th wedding anniversary this year, they wanted to do something special.

I was invited of course, but pristine beaches and endless sun have lost their allure after two years in the south of France with a family with their own private yacht.

And they’d never say it, but it’s their special anniversary, and I’m sure they want to spend it just the two of them. My parents get precious little time together since Dad was deployed to the Pacific.

“Are you sure you want to work over Christmas?” Aunt Maxine asks me for the hundredth time. “There’s always room for you at Karl’s.”

My aunt is spending Christmas with my cousin and his family. I know I’d be welcome, but this job is so short and he’s paying me triple to work over the holiday, so I don’t mind staying. Besides, I spent Thanksgiving with Aunt Maxine and her other son came up for a few days, so I’ve had some good family time.

“I don’t mind working, really. I’m needed here, and it’s triple pay. It’s too good to turn down. ”

I end the call to my aunt and turn the engine off. I step out of the car, and the cold hits me. It’s the last day of November, and the air temperature has dropped especially this high in the mountains. Everyone’s predicting snow before Christmas.

I breathe in deeply, loving the feeling of cool air in my lungs.

This is why I came back. Because sun and sand suit some people but give me winter in the mountains any day and I’m happy.

I’m more comfortable in snuggly layers before a roaring fire than in a swimsuit at the beach. The French family couldn’t understand it. They thought I was mad to want to come back here. But I guess I’m a mountain girl at heart.

I grab the shopping bags out of the back and head into the house. Tomorrow is December first, which means it’s the day we’re decorating for Christmas.

It’s also a Sunday, so both the girls will be around to help. I just wonder if their grumpy dad will join us.

The girls are watching a Christmas movie when I come in. It’s the first time I’ve seen the big TV on. I dump the bags in the living room and then wonder if that will be a problem with Mr. Clean.

“Where’s your dad?” I ask the girls, and Dora mumbles something and points down the hallway to the side that leads to the laundry and garage.

I head in that direction and find him in the garage, his motorbike propped up on its side with parts strewn on the floor and a tool case open next to him. Nate sits on the garage floor watching something on his phone. He’s laughing as he watches and I lean on the door, not wanting to interrupt.

He’s handsome when he smiles. The lines of his face disappear, and the dimples creep into his cheeks. He looks younger, carefree. This must be what Nate looked like before he had two little girls to raise on his own.

He notices me at the door and glances up. His smile widens when he sees me, and my stomach flutters at the way he lights up.

“This guy’s hilarious.”

I walk over, taking it as an invitation to join him. I crouch next to Nate and look at the phone he’s holding. He scrolls back a bit and plays the video again.

A man holds a part to a Harley, the same model as what Nate has. As he talks about the importance of not getting too much grease on the part, a toddler appears in the background. The kid waves to the camera, then pulls a funny face. The man has no idea the kid is there and keeps talking while the kid continues to smile and wave at the camera.

Soon the kid is joined by what I assume is his younger sister. She crawls into the garage behind the man and stares at the camera with a baffled expression on her face. Finally the guy realizes there’s a show going on behind him and turns to his kids. They laugh and scamper away while their dad tries to catch them.

It’s funny, and I laugh alongside Nate while the man in the video calmly gets back to his instructional video .

“I like this guy, Josh.” Nate pauses the video. “His kids are always getting in the way. It’s funny. It’s real.”

He shows me another snippet of a video where the boy keeps running through the video pushing a firetruck while Josh does his best to keep going. Nate’s doubled up laughing, and I guess it’s relatable from one dad to another.

Nate sets his phone down so it’s leaning against the toolbox and picks up the part that looks similar to what Josh, the guy in the video, was holding.

He frowns at the part and inserts it under the engine of his bike. “I think that’s where it goes.”

“Don’t you have a bike shop at your motorcycle club headquarters?”

“Yup.” Nate twists the part, frowns some more, and pulls it out and looks at it. “Give me any laptop, computer, or electronic and I’ll fix that for you. But don’t ask me to do DIY, and don’t ask me to fix your car.”

“Why don’t you take it to the shop?”

He wipes his hands on a greasy rag. “I can’t admit to the guys I can’t fix my own bike. If it needs serious repairs, I’ll take it in. But a tune up I should be able to do myself.”

Sounds like man logic to me, but I don’t say anything.

“Besides, I’ve got Josh.” He indicates his phone. “Aside from being entertaining, he’s incredibly informative. I’ve learned everything I need to know about bike mechanics from this guy.”

He gets up off the floor, and I stand up too. Our arms brush as we stand up together, and a bolt of heat shoots through me. I gasp and grip my arm, wondering if he felt it too. But when I glance up at him his expression is neutral, and when he speaks, he’s lost the friendliness from a few moments ago. “Did you want to see me about something?”

I crash back down to earth. It’s a reminder that we definitely aren’t friends. He’s my employer, and sharing a laugh over a YouTube video isn’t going to change that.

“I picked up some supplies for decorating tomorrow.” He look confused. “You know, for Christmas.”

He frowns. “Is it the first of December tomorrow?”

I hope he’s not going to change this mind; the girls will be gutted if he does. “We’re making streamers, and there is definitely no glitter or cotton wool.” I rattle on before he can stop me. “Do you want to join us for the decorating?”

He runs the rag over a grease spot on his hand, frowning at it when it doesn’t rub off.

“No. I said I’d stop by the club tomorrow and check the servers. They need an update, and Sunday is a good time to do it.”

“Okay.” I try not to let the disappointment show in my voice.

“I’m just going to leave the supplies in the lounge for the night, if that’s okay?”

“Sure.” A ghost of a smile plays across his lips. “I like things clean, but I’m not a tyrant, Freya.”

The way he says my names makes a shiver dance down my spine. His fingers brush my shoulder, and my breathing quickens .

“You’ve got a hair…”

I glance up, and Nate’s staring at me intensely. His gaze darts to my lips, and I know without a doubt he wants to kiss me.

“Can we watch it again?” Dora comes bounding into the garage followed by her little sister. I turn toward the door as Nate turns away.

“You can watch one more movie, but not that same one. Pick something different.”

“Will you watch too, Daddy?” she asks mournfully. “Please…”

Nate glances at his bike still in pieces and sighs. “Yes, I’ll watch. Just give me ten minutes.” The girls squeal in delight and Maisie barrels into him, hugging his knees. He laughs, and once again I’m taken aback by the change in him when his girls are around.

Dora tugs on my arms. “Can you watch too, Freya?”

“Please…” begs Maisie, extracting herself from her dad and turning her wide brown eyes on me.

I glance at Nate but he’s gone back to the bike, putting the pieces back together. My heart thunders in my chest. If the girls hadn’t interrupted, I’m sure we would have kissed. But Nate’s crouching on the floor, frowning at his bike as if nothing happened.

He’s not looking at me, not giving any indication if I’m welcome to join them or if I should retreat to my room.

I turn back to the girls and their smiling hopeful faces. I don’t want to say no.

“Sure.” I match Dora’s enthusiasm. “You got popcorn?”