Chapter Fifteen
Jamie
Jamie woke up wrapped in Daddy Spencer’s arms, the soft rhythm of his breathing brushing against the back of his neck. The silence in the cabin waited in place as if the world had paused just for them. Daddy Spencer’s arm lay across Jamie’s waist in the best way. Protective. Anchoring.
Jamie didn’t move. He didn’t want to. He just lay there, soaking in the warmth and the quiet, letting it remind him of everything that had happened the night before. He didn’t know exactly what this was yet, but it felt good. It felt real. Like something he hadn’t dared to hope for.
It hadn’t just been sex. It had been slow, tender, and full of things Jamie hadn’t known he was allowed to feel.
Daddy Spencer had touched him like he mattered.
Like he was wanted, not just in the moment, but in the serene following.
Every kiss, every whispered word had said, you belong here, louder than anything Jamie had ever heard.
And Jamie had let himself believe it. Just for a little while.
Now, in the soft light of morning, he felt the ache of it. Not regret—never that. But fear. A tinge of worry that this might be temporary. Daddy Spencer would go back to Montana, back to his ranch and his lonely life, and Jamie would be left behind with nothing but memories and a stuffed puppy.
He turned his head slightly, just enough to see Daddy Spencer’s face—peaceful, relaxed, like he hadn’t slept that well in years. Jamie’s heart squeezed. What if I’m just a moment to him? What if I’m not enough to stay?
But then he remembered the way Daddy Spencer had looked at him last night when Jamie had to call him Daddy Spencer. The way he’d held Jamie afterward, like he was something precious. Jamie was precious in Daddy Spencer’s world, and he never wanted that to change.
Jamie reached down and gently laced his fingers with Daddy Spencer’s, breathing in the scent of flannel and pine and something that felt like home.
He didn’t know what would happen when the snow melted and the party ended, and Daddy Spencer packed his bags. But right now, in this tranquil cabin, wrapped in Daddy Spencer’s arms, Jamie was wanted.
And that was something. That was everything.
After a lazy shower filled with warm water and a sleepy smile, Jamie padded barefoot across the cabin floor, wrapped in one of Daddy Spencer’s oversized flannel shirts.
The scent of cedar lingered in the air, and the snow outside dusted the windows like powdered sugar.
Daddy Spencer sat on the edge of the couch, towel still around his waist, guitar resting comfortably in his lap like it belonged there.
He strummed a few chords, humming something soft and familiar—an old tune Jamie couldn’t quite place. Then, without warning, Daddy Spencer sang.
It wasn’t loud or showy. Just his voice, low and steady, wrapping around the lyrics like a blanket.
A love ballad. The kind that talked about finding someone when you weren’t looking, about quiet mornings and holding hands in the dark.
Jamie sat down slowly, heart thudding, watching Daddy Spencer’s fingers move across the strings like he’d done it a thousand times.
Jamie didn’t breathe for a moment. He just listened.
The words hit him harder than he expected. Not because they were perfect, but because they felt real. Honest. Like Daddy Spencer wasn’t just singing a song—he was singing to him. And that scared Jamie a little. He didn’t know what this was yet. He didn’t know whether he could hope.
But he did. God, he did.
Jamie’s chest ached in that sweet, aching way that only happened when something beautiful brushed up against something broken.
He thought about Tom—how he’d never sung to him, never looked at him like Daddy Spencer did.
And for a second, Jamie felt angry. Angry that he’d wasted so much time on someone who couldn’t see him.
Angry, he’d let himself believe he didn’t deserve more.
When Daddy Spencer finished the song, he looked up with a shy smile. “Used to play that one in the band,” he said. “Back when I had longer hair and worse taste in shirts.”
Jamie laughed, wiping at his eyes before he could see the tears. “I can see why you were the lead singer. You’re spectacular.”
“Guitar and vocals,” Daddy Spencer said, setting the guitar aside. “We had fun back in the day.”
Jamie hesitated, then asked, “Would you teach me how to play the guitar?”
Daddy Spencer’s smile widened. “Do you really want to learn?”
Jamie nodded. “I think I’d like that.”
Daddy Spencer reached out and squeezed his hand. “Then it’s a deal.”
Jamie looked down at their fingers, intertwined as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And for the first time in a long time, he felt like maybe he wasn’t just healing—maybe he was beginning something new. Something that sounded a lot like love.
Jamie left for the bedroom, pulled on jeans and a sweater, and then made breakfast. Nothing fancy, just scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon. Spencer wandered into the kitchen and kissed Jamie’s cheek like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Do you want to go sleigh riding today?” Daddy Spencer asked, sipping his coffee.
Jamie lit up. “Seriously? Yes. That sounds amazing.”
He grinned at Jamie’s enthusiasm. “We’ll rent the sled there.”
“Can you ask Nathan and Alfie? I feel bad about yesterday.”
“I’ll call Nathan, see if they want to join.”
Jamie nodded, heart fluttering. He liked Nathan and Alfie. They were easy to be around, and seeing Daddy Spencer with his friends made Jamie feel like he was being folded into something real.
A couple of hours later, they were bundled up and standing at the top of a snowy hill, two sleds ready to go. Daddy Spencer and Jamie on one, Nathan and Alfie on the other. The sky was a soft gray, snowflakes drifting down like confetti, and the air smelled like pine and frost.
Jamie climbed onto the sled in front of Daddy Spencer, who wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close. “Ready?”
“Let’s go,” Jamie said, laughing as they pushed off.
The sled flew down the hill, wind whipping past their faces with Daddy Spencer’s laughter and sweet kisses in his ear. Jamie couldn’t stop smiling. For a few seconds, everything felt perfect. No past, no pain. Just snow and speed and Daddy Spencer’s arms around him.
The sleigh glided over the snow as if it was skimming across a cloud, only this cloud bit back with cold air that nipped Jamie’s cheeks and turned his breath to mist. The runners hissed and whispered beneath them, cutting clean lines through drifts that sparkled under the clouds like spilled diamonds.
Every dip and rise in the trail made the sleigh sway just enough to press Jamie closer to Daddy Spencer, their shoulders bumping, laughter slipping out uncontained.
The air up here had a sharp, untouched quality—so crisp it almost stung.
But then, in the quiet moments between runs, Jamie’s thoughts drifted.
He remembered Tom—thought back to the bitter experience of being forgotten.
No jacket. No call. No apology. Just deafening silence.
And it made his chest ache. Made him feel an all-consuming, righteous anger.
How could someone who claimed to care about him dump him in that way?
Daddy Spencer seemed to notice the abrupt shift. He didn’t say anything, just squeezed Jamie’s hand and kept him close. Jamie was grateful for the way he didn’t force him to talk, just made space for him to feel.
After a few more runs, Nathan clapped his gloved hands together. “Hey, do you want to go bowling with Alfie so Spencer and I can finish up for the mixer?”
Jamie nodded. “Yeah, that sounds fun.”
Daddy Spencer smiled. “We’ll swing by the store since Nathan and I need to grab a few things for the mixer.”
Jamie’s stomach fluttered again. The mixer.
The party. The whole reason Daddy Spencer came to Big Bear.
He tried not to think about it too hard.
Tried not to wonder if another little would try to take him away.
Then what if Tom showed up? What would he say to him?
Would Tom flaunt his new little in front of him? Would he care if Tom had someone else?
Daddy Spencer was still holding his hand as he walked him to the front of the bowling alley. And for now, that was enough.