LITMIR.BIZ

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am I.”

      Silence stretched between them as they both processed what’d been said, and just as John was thinking he’d said too much and perhaps should’ve kept his opinion to himself, they arrived at the small hill John had had in mind.

      “Are you sure it’s safe?” Renee asked, peering anxiously down the gentle slope as John put Chloe on her feet near her sisters. “I mean, it looks a little steep for the girls.”

      John chuckled. “Chloe could go down this hill by herself. I’ll set up the track and then we’ll take turns taking the girls down. Okay? It’s completely safe. I promise.” And then he gave her a wide—almost daring—grin. Why? He hadn’t a clue but her reaction was worth the confusion.

      RENEE FELT A SUBTLE JUMP in her heartrate at the smile playing on John’s lips and her imagination kicked into overdrive at the worst moment. Pulling her gaze away with obvious effort, she glanced back down the hill and then at her girls. “All right…I guess that’d be okay. How are you going to make the track?”

      “That’s part of the fun. I’ll pave the way so that when we go down with the girls, we have something to stick to. Sort of like a road.”

      She didn’t have a clue as to what he was talking about but she was willing to watch and see. “Be my guest, road master. Carry on. We’ll sit back and watch as you crack your head open.”

      John’s bark of laughter surprised her and she smiled in spite of herself. “Watch and learn, city girl,” he said.

      Were they—good Lord—almost flirting with each other?

      Maybe a tad, a small voice answered, encouraging her to continue playing, which she obliged with little resistance.

      “You say that like it’s a bad thing,” she retorted, her smile growing, then gestured. “We’re waiting…”

      “Right. Step aside, females. Watch the Toboggan King work his magic.”

      Renee laughed, enjoying seeing this different side of the man she swore she’d never like, and picked up Chloe. “I hope my cell phone works out here,” she said to her youngest daughter in a conspiratorial tone. “Because I sure as hell can’t carry him if he goes and breaks himself.”

      John looked back at her. “Ye of little faith…”

      Chloe giggled and pointed as John positioned himself on the sled at the top of the hill and shoved off. Renee gasped as he skimmed the snow and left behind a sleek trail that looked smooth as ice before slowing to a stop at the bottom, safe and sound and grinning from ear to ear.

      Oh, he shouldn’t do that. Who knew there was a Colgate smile—blindingly white—hidden behind that stern scowl? It was as if she were seeing him for the first time and that was patently ridiculous but, hey, it was the truth and she was never much of a liar, anyway. Million watt. Straight, white teeth. What a killer smile. A lady killer, that is. She drew a shaky breath, fitted a tremulous smile to her own lips and tried to let the moment of insanity fade without drawing too much attention to the odd flutter and quiver she was feeling on the inside.

      As he trudged back up the hill, he said, “I can’t believe I’d forgotten how much fun that is. Evan and I used to spend whole days crafting these amazing trails for the sled, going so far as to make jumps, too. Okay, who’s next? Alexis? How about you and me? We’ll show these kids how it’s done.”

      Alexis, interest piqued in spite of her earlier bad attitude, agreed readily and climbed in front of John as he wrapped his arms around her to tuck his feet. “Hold on, this train is moving fast,” he called out as the toboggan started the slow descent and quickly picked up speed.

      Renee laughed at the delighted shriek Alexis let out and John’s accompanying deep-throated laughter. A warmth that had nothing to do with her wool coat filled her and Renee, for a second, lost herself in the idyllic scene before her. She wondered why John never married and had a family of his own. He seemed to be a natural with kids, though at first glance she’d never have guessed by his surly attitude. John was an enigma that Renee had to admit she was fairly curious in figuring out.

      Alexis and John made their way back up the hill, cheeks a ruddy pink from the cold, and for the first time since she’d seen her daughter again, she wore a smile instead of a frown. It lit up her features from within and her daughter’s natural beauty transformed her young face to one that would surely break hearts someday. Renee could only hope that her daughter wouldn’t make the same mistakes as she’d made, falling in love with the wrong man, giving up her hopes and dreams, and lastly, giving up on herself. Shaking off the sad thoughts, she focused on the joy of the moment and soon her spirits lifted as she watched Taylor hopping up and down. “My turn! My turn!”

      “I’ll go down with you,” Renee volunteered, even though she was a little leery of the whole idea of flying down the hill with nothing more than her feet for brakes.

      Renee settled into the back and John placed Taylor in front. With a gentle push, they started the descent, which at first was pretty sedate but then it was like being on a Disneyland thrill ride without the benefit of being strapped in. Taylor squealed in delight and within seconds Renee was doing the same.

      Who knew hurtling headlong down a monster hill could be so thrilling?

      “Let’s go again!” Taylor exclaimed, pulling impatiently on Renee’s hand as she dragged the toboggan back up the hill.

      “You bet!”

      And so they spent the better half of the day slipping and sliding, laughing and giggling until they were winded and exhausted and barely able to drag their bodies back to the house for some much needed hot apple cider and hot chocolate.

      And Renee couldn’t remember when she’d had so much fun with such an unlikely partner. She slanted a short look at John as he walked beside her, pulling the toboggan with Chloe riding on his shoulders. Maybe there was more to John Murphy than immediately met the eye.

      Just maybe, she might be in a mind to find out.

      Chapter Nine

      WHILE JOHN WORKED ON the hot cider and chocolate, Renee helped the girls out of their wet and snow-caked clothing and into soft pajamas and slippers.

      “These look warm,” Renee observed casually of the girls’ pajamas. “Did you pick these out?”

      “Yep. On the ’net,” Taylor said, wiggling with delight into her horse-patterned top. “Mr. John said there’s no mall anywhere near here and he hates to deal with the people so Mr. John had Grammy buy our stuff on his computer.”

      “That was nice of him to buy you girls some pj’s.”

      Alexis nodded but it was obvious she wasn’t going to elaborate for Renee’s benefit. Thankfully, Taylor wasn’t exactly a locked box when it came to safeguarding information.

      “We didn’t have any clothes ’cept for the ones that we was wearing the night we came and Mr. John said they weren’t fit to line a dog’s bed. My jeans had holes in them,” Taylor said. “But now, I got lots of jeans with no holes and I love my new shoes.”

      Renee made a mental note to talk to John about the purchases made thus far. It wasn’t right for him to foot the bill. She’d have to find out how much he’d spent so she could make arrangements to pay him back.

      But for the time being, the girls were running from the room toward the kitchen, squealing and laughing as they called out for their warm drinks.

      Renee hung back a moment as she gazed about the room that her girls had taken over. It was much like the rest of the house, masculine in its decor, but somehow her girls had put their stamp on things with small accents. A Little Mermaid lamp here, a pink throw blanket tossed casually on the bed over there, and lots of clothes strewn about that were certainly the sign of little girl territory. It was the nicest place they’d ever lived and it hurt that Renee hadn’t been the one to provide it for them.

      Smoothing

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