Chapter 20
Plans And Schemes
Nash slipped into Olivia’s room after a soft knock on her door. She sat on the bed, the light from her laptop the only brightness in the room.
The glow made her appear like a beacon in the dark. And she was—his beacon.
Nash checked where Ella Mae slept soundly on her back, her stuffed dragon clutched in one arm. Yep, hearts were capable of expanding like Gray’s mother had said.
His had expanded not only for Olivia but also for her daughter. He wanted them to be one family.
Olivia smiled and patted the bed. He moved to sit beside her. After a light kiss, he saw she had up the social media pages, not her manuscript. “Anything new?”
She shook her head. “No. And nothing threatening or nasty. Which isn’t always the case on socials.”
Nash didn’t have social media, but he’d heard far too many horror stories of how people acted behind the anonymity of internet postings. He hoped that because Olivia was an author who wrote books for young adults and kids, that she saw less of that than most.
She shrugged. “I think my publisher has someone who monitors the social channels. They probably eliminate the nasty stuff before I have a chance to see it. Tomorrow, I’ll call them and fill them in.
I’ll get them to take down the photos of you, Charlie, and Ella.
They can also watch for anything that seems to point to Adam. ”
When she shuddered, Nash slid his arm around her and kissed her hair. “I’m sorry this is happening.”
She smiled at him. “I’m not sorry about most of it. I just wish Adam wasn’t such a jerk.”
Nash swallowed the laugh. In deference to Ella, they were keeping their voices soft. He didn’t want to wake her. “I’m happy about most of it, too. So is Charlie.”
She swiveled so she faced him directly. “You talked to him? About us?”
He nodded. “I did. He was all smug and said he knew we liked each other.”
Olivia smiled. “He’s okay with it?”
Nash remembered the absolute joy that had sparkled out of his son. “He’s more than okay with it. He’s thrilled. He loves you and Ella, and wants us to be a family.”
Tears immediately filled Olivia’s eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She rolled her lips together before her smile widened. She threw herself into his arms and squeezed. “I’m so happy.”
Nash squeezed her back. “Me too. He also suggested with all the slyness of a ten-year-old that maybe Ella could sleep in his room, and we could share a room.”
His face heated at the memory. He’d had the sex talk with his son more than once. Kids learned early about sex from TV, movies, and the internet. Charlie had been full of questions, and Nash was proud of how they’d handled everything.
Tonight’s conversation had been the weirdest, with his kid pushing for Olivia and Nash to share a room, to act like a married couple. Hell, he’d even asked when Nash was going to propose.
Which meant Nash was now including his son in the planning of a proposal. Charlie had approved of the rings Nash had bookmarked online. Together, they’d selected the one they thought Olivia would like best. They’d even ordered it.
Olivia smothered her laughter by pressing into him, so the noise didn’t disturb Ella. “That’s so funny. And awkward. I’m going to blush like crazy when I see him in the morning.”
“Me too.” Nash’s response sent Olivia into more giggles.
He captured her joy with his lips.
Their bodies reacted predictably, but Nash kept himself firmly under control.
At least until Olivia whispered in his ear. “Make love to me, Nash.”
He leaned back to look at her. “You’re not too sore?” They’d made love multiple times earlier, and he didn’t want to hurt her.
She shook her head. “But we’ll need to be quiet.”
He knew that people had made love with kids in the room for centuries. Privacy was a modern concept that mostly applied in first-world countries.
And he couldn’t resist the love in her eyes. “I’ll go get a condom.”
Her smile widened. “There are some in the nightstand drawer. They appeared there sometime today.”
Nash grinned. “We have very good friends.” Unless it was his son. No way. No way would Charlie be able to get condoms to put in the drawers. No. It was one of his friends. And he refused to think of other options.
Instead, he focused on the woman smiling at him with the whole future in her eyes. He kissed her, determined to drive her wild even while they tried to be quiet.
In the end, he was glad Ella had slept soundly.
Falling asleep with a soft and sated Olivia in his arms was one of the best feelings of his life.
He would protect her. Protect them all. Nothing else was an option.
Nash woke from the deepest sleep he’d had in a while. The winter sun hadn’t risen yet, but he didn’t want to be found in Olivia’s bed if Charlie knocked. Not that there was anything wrong with it, but there was nothing wrong with discretion either.
Olivia stirred in his arms, and he kissed her. “I’m going to grab a shower. See you soon.”
She mumbled something unintelligible, making him grin. His Olivia hadn’t been trained to wake instantly. Nash slipped on his clothes and headed to his own room, checking the security app for the farm on the way. No alerts. Nothing unusual.
Once he’d dressed for the day, he found Charlie’s door open, and the bed made.
Even knowing the house was secure, he hurried down the stairs to find Charlie at the kitchen table, book in front of him and Oggie at his feet. Amber sat with her own book, Boomer at her side. Gray worked some magic at the stove.
His buddy sent him a smile. “Seemed like a good morning for frittata and biscuits.”
On cue, Nash’s stomach rumbled. “I think any morning is a good one for your cooking.”
Amber and Charlie both laughed, and he moved to the sink to help.
Nash was cleaning dishes as Gray worked his magic when Olivia walked in with Ella snuggled in her arms.
Ella smiled at the group. “Lee. Na. Lee.”
Charlie pointed at the beagle. “Don’t forget Oggie. Good morning, Ella.”
“Lee. Oggie.”
Charlie grinned and helped Olivia settle Ella into her seat. “Can we work on the rink today? I’m hoping Santa brings me some skates, and I want the rink to be ready.”
Nash laughed as his son waggled his eyebrows at him. Even though Ella wasn’t speaking much yet, Charlie wasn’t taking chances on ruining the Christmas magic for her.
Nash ruffled his hair. “Only a couple of days before you’ll find out. Sure, we can work on the rink.”
Amber smiled. “Gray and I found a little sleigh with runners when we explored the attic with Ella. We brought it down and cleaned it up. She might like being pulled around outside.”
Olivia’s face lit up. “That would be amazing. She loves being in the snow but gets frustrated that she can’t keep up with us. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. It should be fun. We’ll help, too.”
Gray nodded as he pulled the frittata and biscuits from the oven. “Winter is the slow season on the farm. We’ll have the Inn up and running next winter, but it’s nice to have some slower seasons to enjoy the place and the people.”
Nash’s heart warmed and he could tell by Olivia’s smile that hers did the same. They were building a fabulous place for themselves here.
Olivia tucked Ella Mae’s scarf into the little girl’s jacket. She didn’t want it to snag on anything and hurt Ella. Or slow down her fun. She loved the snow and toddling after Charlie, trying to do everything he did. “Want to play in the snow, Ella? Amber and Gray have a surprise for you.”
“No.”
Olivia’s eyebrows shot up. “No?”
Ella laughed and clapped her mittens together. “No.”
Charlie laughed from where he was zipping up his jacket. “Is she saying No or Snow?”
“No.”
Olivia laughed. “I think you’ve got it, Charlie. Snow. You want to play in the snow, Ella Mae.”
A high-pitched squeal of joy had them all laughing. “Snow it is.”
Outside, the clouds hung heavily in the air, predicting more snow. For the moment, it was clear, and there wasn’t much wind to make things uncomfortable.
Olivia had already called the sports store where Adam worked. The helpful person on the phone had told her Adam was scheduled for the afternoon shift every day that week, so they could relax and play.
Gray jogged up to the Inn to grab the sled while the rest headed to the rink, with Ella in Nash’s arms. She patted his cheeks with her mittens. “No. Na. No.”
He grinned. “I like the snow, too, Ella. Those S sounds are tough. You’re doing great.”
“No.”
Charlie ran ahead, Oggie at his side, ears flopping as he romped through the snow.
A perfect winter day. Playing in the snow for now. Baking cookies with her family later. She couldn’t wait to see how much fun Ella would have decorating them. It was going to be a messy disaster.
She couldn’t wait.
They’d created a path through the snow by moving back and forth to the rink area. Charlie and Oggie returned. “Can I try pulling the wagon? The snow’s flat here.”
Olivia put Ella Mae in the wagon. The girl clapped her hands. “Lee. No. Lee.”
Charlie grabbed the handle. “Don’t worry, Ella. We’ll go slow.” He walked backwards, tugging the wagon with him.
Gray grinned. “We didn’t have any ski wax, but we used candle wax on the runners. Should help a little bit, but it’s going to be tough going on the bumps.”
Charlie got the wagon moving, and both he and Ella laughed. As did Olivia. When Nash’s arm came around her shoulder, she leaned into him. “This is perfect.”
His eyes darkened. “It is. A perfect family activity for us.”
Her heart warmed again. Nash not only loved her but was also picturing them as a family—just as she was.
When they arrived at the large area in front of the barn that was going to support the rink, it was easier to pull the sled. During the cold nights, they’d used the hose to spread water over the snow, creating a base layer of ice.
The sled moved well on the thin ice, and Ella squealed as Charlie tugged her more quickly. Oggie flopped his ears as he jogged alongside, barking his joy.
“Boomer, easy guard.” Amber’s voice released the dog. Olivia knew the dog was highly trained. This command allowed him to play but told him that he still needed to pay attention to his surroundings.
The thought of what Amber had been through sent a shiver down Olivia’s spine. Thankfully, she was okay and now had Boomer and Gray.
Everyone took turns pulling Ella, and she also had fun clambering in and out of the wagon. When Charlie put Oggie into the wagon and tugged him into a ride, Ella’s laughter had everyone joining in.
It was a perfect day, and Olivia hoped Ella Mae would remember the fun for a long time. She doubted it would stick forever because she was so young, but she hoped the warmth and joy would fill her. Mary Mae and Liam would love seeing their girl so full of joy.
Nash and Gray had found what they called a lawn roller.
The huge cylinder was heavy enough to help flatten the snow.
The rink was about fifteen yards along each edge, but they had plans to make it bigger for actual skating.
She’d never been on skates, but she’d order some one day. It would be fun to try.
Being a good role model for Ella Mae meant not avoiding things she’d never tried before. Even if she wasn’t very good, she’d try.
Having a romantic skate with Nash under the stars was all the incentive she needed.
She couldn’t wait for Christmas morning. She hoped everyone would enjoy the snowshoes she’d bought. They didn’t require as much skill as skating, but should be just as much fun.
With an entire orchard to investigate, she figured it would be amazing. She hadn’t expected to explore the entire farm until the snow melted, but this way, they could check most of it out.
Charlie pulled Ella toward the far edge of the rink where Olivia stood. She laughed as her girl held out her arms as if she was on the bow of the Titanic.
Oggie stopped, sat on his butt, and howled. The poor dog’s legs weren’t nearly as long as the boy’s. Keeping up was a lot of work.
Charlie stopped. “You want to ride with Ella, Oggie?”
The dog continued to howl, and a shiver went down Olivia’s spine. She’d never heard Oggie howl like this.
The others were at the far end of the rink, closer to the barn, working on expanding the rink. Olivia turned to face the trees in front of her.
And saw him.
A man dressed all in black with a balaclava over his face squatted by the nearest tree. It had to be Adam.
Olivia yelled. “Charlie! Take Ella and go. Go. Now. Run.”
The man stood from the trees and aimed a gun in their direction. Olivia moved so she stood between Adam and the kids.
He pointed the gun at her chest. “Mary Mae. Finally. You’re mine.”