Chapter 2
Snow and Ice
Olivia reminded herself to breathe as she whirled around to confront the voice.
A young boy stood a few yards away, his broad smile fading as he took in her reaction. A few more yards behind him, a man stood watching them both.
An unfamiliar man who didn’t have a single creepy vibe about him. Sexy vibes? Yep, he had plenty of those.
A quick survey of the area showed no one paying them any attention, and a half-built snowman nearby.
She took several calming breaths but didn’t release Ella Mae as she looked back at the boy. “I’m sorry. My mind was elsewhere. What did you say?”
The boy smiled. “I didn’t mean to scare you. My dad and I are building a snowman. It’s my first time playing in snow, and I wondered if your daughter wanted to help us roll the snow for the head.”
Feeling like a complete fool, Olivia smiled. “Ella is new to this much snow, too.”
The boy grinned. “I’m Charlie, and that’s my dad Nash. Some of his friends call him Alice.”
“Alice?”
Charlie shrugged. “They’re kind of silly. Is it okay if I play with Ella?”
Heart pounding, Olivia took another look at the boy’s dad, Nash—a gorgeous man with a steady manner and eyes that smiled at his son. Nothing about him that screamed Alice and she wondered about the name.
Instead of asking, she nodded to the boy and looked down at the toddler squirming in her arms. Time to act normal with these two perfectly normal people. “I think Ella would like that. She’s learning to walk, but she’s not always steady.” Just like Olivia herself, but she didn’t say that out loud.
Olivia set Ella Mae on her feet and held one hand. Charlie moved closer and knelt in the snow. “Hi, Ella. I’m Charlie. Want to take my hand, too?”
Ella squealed and reached out her hand, making Olivia relax. If she was going to find a place for the two of them, she needed to act like a regular person. She couldn’t draw attention to them by panicking.
Nash drew nearer but kept his distance. He’d read her fear and respected her boundaries.
“I’m Nash Cooper. The Alice thing is an old army call sign.”
She nodded as if she knew anything about the army. “You don’t look much like an Alice. Nash suits you better.”
He chuckled, and the sound rumbled deep into Olivia’s skin. Over her years in foster care, she’d become an expert at reading people.
Nash was a good guy and so was his son. They were new to snow, which meant they weren’t from New York or connected with Adam Parsons. She was safe, and she needed to act that way.
Charlie walked slowly with Ella’s hand clutched in his. He chattered away to the little girl,who chatted back in a stream of toddler babble.
Ella had been mostly silent a few months ago. Now she was feeling safer, and her vocalizations were increasing. Olivia knew most toddlers her age were using words. That didn’t matter because Ella had been through more than most little ones. She’d develop at her own speed.
Charlie picked up some snow with his free hand. “Do you want to help us make a head for the snowman, Ella? We’re going to start with a little ball. It’ll grow, just like you.”
Olivia smiled and peeked to see how the boy’s dad reacted to the exchange. Nash’s eyes were soft and proud as he watched. Definitely no creepy vibes.
Ella let go of Olivia’s hand as she reached to grab the snowball Charlie was making. He grinned and handed it to her, putting his mittens around hers to help her pack it.
When she dropped it, he laughed and handed it to her again. And again.
Soon, Ella dropped the balls deliberately and waited for Charlie to hand her a new one. Her smile widened, and when she giggled, Olivia had to blink back tears.
When those giggles turned to full-out bursts of laughter, Olivia joined in. So did Charlie and Nash.
Nash’s chuckle was deep and rumbly. Warm and friendly.
She knew she was overtired and living with fear, but her system wasn’t overreacting. The man was potent.
Eventually, Ella plopped to the ground, tired from her bout of giggles. Charlie entertained her by rolling the snowball around her, making it bigger as he moved.
Trying to chase the ball, Ella rolled and landed with her face in the snow.
The giggles turned to a wail of indignation, and Olivia scooped her up to brush her face clear.
Charlie’s voice was full of concern. “I’m sorry, Ella. I should have been watching you better. I forgot you were so little. Are you okay?”
Olivia angled Ella to face the boy, and her face immediately cleared up. Olivia was apparently raising a flirt. “She’s okay, Charlie. You didn’t do anything wrong. I think all that laughing wore her out.”
Charlie took one of the hands Ella Mae was waving at him. “I’m glad you’re okay. Want to watch while Dad and I get the head on the snowman?”
Olivia trailed after the pair, Ella squealing and clapping as the two rolled the ball larger and hoisted it up.
When they put the head on the other two snowballs, Ella clapped, then reached for it. Olivia brought her close enough to touch, and Ella patted the snow like Charlie had taught her.
The boy grinned. “Good job, Ella. He’s a great snowman.”
“He is. For your first time with snow, you did an incredible job.”
Charlie’s eyes lit up. “Do you think we can make more out at the apple farm, Dad? Do you think anyone will mind?”
Nash’s smile had Olivia sighing again. The man was gorgeous. More importantly, a really good dad. She hadn’t met many like him.
Nash nodded. “No one will mind. We’ll make as many as you want.”
Charlie turned back. “Maybe you and Ella can come and check out the farm. We’re moving here, and I don’t know anyone yet, but Dad says everyone on the farm is nice. I’m sure they’d like you to come visit.”
Olivia’s heart warmed even as a small portion of her brain had her worrying that this was some kind of elaborate trap.
But Adam had always been a straightforward brute. She couldn’t imagine him doing this. He had no idea where they were. Until she’d arrived, she hadn’t known herself.
Nash studied her with serious eyes. “You would be more than welcome. My friends inherited an apple farm and are working to bring it back to life.”
Charlie nodded. “I’m going to help my dad make apple cider and vinegar from the apples. We don’t know much about it yet, but we’ll figure it out.”
Nash ruffled his son’s head, making the woolen hat cover his eyes. “We will. How about we treat you and Ella to a hot chocolate at the No Fail Diner? The cousin of a buddy of mine owns it, and l hear they’ve got great cinnamon buns if you’re hungry.”
Charlie laughed. “I’m always hungry. Come on. It’ll be fun.”
Olivia hesitated just enough that Nash’s eyebrows furrowed further. Concern nearly radiated from him. But instead of the No, but thank you she was preparing in her head, she heard herself answer with her heart. “Hot chocolate sounds great.”
Judging by her expression, Nash figured Olivia was just as surprised by her acceptance of his offer as he was.
The woman was wary. Warier than normal. He was sure she’d been through some trauma recently, and she wasn’t convinced it was over.
The most likely answer was that she was on the run from an abusive ex. It made him swallow hard to stop the growl from escaping. Any man who abused a woman needed to be behind bars. And if he turned his abuse on that child, he deserved much worse.
Nash wanted to shield Olivia from whatever chased her and protect them both. Probably his army training in action.
Or that gorgeous face. The smile she aimed at her daughter. Her easy conversation with Charlie.
Hell.
Nash pointed across the square to the No Phail Diner. “Shall we?”
Olivia nodded. “I’m going to stop at my car and take some of the layers off Ella Mae before we head in.”
Did that mean she was going to take off on him? Possible, but he wouldn’t do anything to stop her. If her alarm bells were ringing, she needed to listen to them. He knew he and Charlie were the opposite of a threat, but she had no way of knowing that.
She’d trusted her gut enough to spend time with them making a snowman. This was another public place, but he’d respect her wishes if she ran.
He and Charlie stopped at their car to shed some of their layers, too. He’d have to hang up the soaking mittens and Charlie’s snow pants once they got to the farm.
They waited at their car for Olivia and her daughter. They were traveling in a Focus that was too old to drive safely on the highways. He hoped the engine was in better shape than the body.
He was pleased when Olivia closed the car door with Ella in her arms. She wasn’t bolting.
She aimed a dazzling smile his way, and the little girl clapped her hands when they approached.
Charlie grinned at the two of them. “Are you ready for some hot chocolate, Ella? Or maybe some milk. Is she too young for hot chocolate?”
Olivia smiled. She was always ready to answer questions about her daughter. He’d bet his car that she wouldn’t be nearly as forthcoming with questions about herself or her background.
“I think milk is a good idea, but when my cocoa cools, I’ll let Ella Mae try some.”
Nash held open the door for the group and barely resisted putting his hand on Olivia’s back to usher her into the diner. It wasn’t his right.
He nearly ran right into her when she and Charlie both stopped short.
A quick look around proved there was no danger, and then his attention snagged on the decor.
Blue and green Scottish plaid covered the booths and the stools.
A huge crest covered the far wall in the same colors and the word Phail was written in fancy script on the lower banner. Very Scottish.
But Mexican scents filled the diner, making his stomach rumble. “Smells like more than cinnamon buns are in order.”
Charlie grinned. “Good because I want to taste whatever smells so good.”
A woman behind the counter laughed. “Welcome to Phail and the No Fail Diner. Our cook, Manuel, makes everything taste delicious. Have a seat wherever you’d like.”
Olivia walked to the side wall and chose a seat where she could see the front window. A random choice? Or was she keeping an eye out for who might be out there while keeping herself relatively hidden?
He slid in the opposite side beside his son. If there was danger, he wanted to be in a position to protect them all.
The woman approached with a coffee pot and cups in hand. “I’m Ginny. Would you like coffee? We also have a variety of tea that you can see on the board.”
Before the adults could answer, Charlie piped up. “Do you have hot chocolate?”
“Only the best in Vermont.”
“That’s what we’ll have. We were building a snowman in the park. Except Ella probably needs juice or milk instead.”
The woman’s eyes twinkled with amusement at Charlie’s excited words. She peeked out the window and nodded. “That’s a mighty fine snowman. You earned yourself a hot chocolate. What kind of juice does your sister like?”
The words sent a jolt of desire through Nash’s system. Not sexual desire, although he suspected he’d always feel that around Olivia. This was a desire for family. A bigger family than he had with Charlie.
For the first time in a decade, he wanted more. His visceral reaction to Ginny’s words had been That’s what I want.
Holy hell. Charlotte had been gone for almost eleven years, and not once in that time had he felt this fierce desire for more.
With an effort, he shoved the emotions to the side. This wasn’t the time or place to deal with the guilt or the yearning rolling through him. Later. Much later.
Oblivious to his reaction, Charlie laughed. “Ella’s not my sister. We just met when we were all playing in the snow. It’s my first time making a snowman.”
Ginny grinned. “Then you have superior snow skills.” She turned to Olivia and asked what kind of drink the toddler would like.
Nash was glad that Charlie had dealt with the moment so well.
And that he was showing so much of his normal self.
Maribel’s departure had changed him. The two of them video chatted frequently, but the time zone differences between the States and Spain didn’t always make it easy to connect.
And video chatting wasn’t the same as having your best buddy with you at school.
Ginny returned with three hot chocolates and a sippy cup of milk. “Anything to eat with that?”
Charlie turned to his dad and pointed at the board. “They’ve got a taco sampler platter. Could we try that? Do you like tacos, Olivia?”
Olivia smiled. “That sounds great, but maybe something easier for Ella. Would you have any apple sauce?”
Ginny grinned. “We do. We have friends with an apple farm down the road, and we’re hoping to stock their locally made apple sauce by spring, but for now we have other sauce.”
“Apple farm?” Charlie’s voice rose about an octave. “Do you think that’s our apple farm, Dad?”
Nash ruffled his hair. “It could be.”
Ginny smiled. “Then you must be Nash and Charlie. I heard you were arriving soon.”
Charlie’s eyes widened. “You know about us?”
Ginny laughed. “A little bit. It’s a small town and we all know each other well, even those of you who live on the outskirts. We’ve got each other’s backs here in Phail. You’re going to love it.”
Charlie’s excitement had him chattering throughout the meal. Through Ginny, they found out more about the town, the people, and their destination.
Ginny smiled at Olivia. “It’s too bad the No Phailed Apples Inn at the farm isn’t open yet. It should be ready in a few months. But if you want to stay in town for a bit, we have a terrific B&B a few streets over.”
Olivia nodded but didn’t respond right away. He found himself hoping she thought it was as good an idea as he did.
He wanted to know more about Olivia and the danger she worried about. Hell, he just wanted to know more. Maybe even explore the attraction he felt.
A zing of guilt shot through him. He’d loved Charlotte with every cell of his being. He missed her so damn much.
He had no business being attracted to this woman with shadows in her eyes.
That didn’t make the attraction any less real.