She was too young to notice or care that this room was half the size of the one she’d had in Toronto.
“I didn’t realize you had such a flair for interior design,” Rowan teased.
“I have layers,” Jordy informed him loftily.
They continued with the tour, which mostly consisted of the guest bathroom and kitchen. The basement was finished with a family room perfect for movie nights, but that could wait for another time. Kaira and Rowan had to be tired from their long day; their body clocks were set three hours ahead now.
“And this is your—um.” Jordy took a deep breath through his nose. “I mean, the guest room.”
Not that his slip mattered, when he opened the door. The room’s furnishings might appear generic and neutral, but he’d chosen accent colors Rowan favored—a lovely plum for the throw pillows and a pale sage for the armchair next to the window. There was a low bookshelf beside it with a lamp on top, a cozy little reading nook.
And a replica of the throw blanket Jordy had purchased at the New York Public Library, artfully draped across the arm of said chair, because Vancouver might be warmer than Toronto, but Jordy doubted Rowan’s circulation would improve.
For a long, painful second Rowan said nothing.
Jordy opened his mouth. “If you don’t like it—”
Rowan made a noise in the back of his throat and put a hand on Jordy’s arm. “No, it’s—it’s perfect. Thank you. You didn’t have to… I’m only here for a few days.”
In person, maybe. But Jordy didn’t think he’d get Rowan out of his heart anytime soon.
“It’s the least I could do.” He cleared his throat and finished wheeling Rowan’s suitcase into the room, then turned around to usher everyone back toward the communal living spaces. It was easier to keep his hands off Rowan when Kaira was so convenient and his arms had been bereft of his daughter for so long. He scooped her into a fireman’s carry—God, she’d gotten so much taller in just a few weeks—and carried her back toward the living room, speaking over her giggles. “So, I was thinkingmaybeFrostyand hot chocolate?” He set Kaira down less than gently on the couch, knowing she’d get a kick out of being thrown around like a sack of potatoes. “And then bathtime and bed for the weary travelers.”
Rowan and Kaira both made it to the end of the special and through their bedtime routines, but barely. Kaira was practically sleepwalking by the time Jordy led her to bed and tucked her in. When he returned to the living room, looking forward to some alone time with Rowan, he found him nodding into his chest.
Chuckling, Jordy shook him awake. “Sorry, Rowan, but I figured leaving you here was the worst of all options. Do you want to push through and stay awake? Or go to bed at… eight.”
Rowan groaned. “Bed. Someone woke me up at six.”
Jordy smiled. “You’ve had a long day. Come on, off to bed, sweetheart.” He nearly bit his tongue off when the term slipped out, but Rowan didn’t react to it, just grumbled as he tried to heave himself off the couch.
Now Jordy couldn’t hide his grin. He offered his hand and hauled Rowan to his feet, then made sure that Rowan safely stumbled to the guest room, wished him good night, and left him to his own devices.
ROWAN EXPECTEDto wake up early. Instead, by the time he rolled out of bed in search of caffeine and sustenance, he found everyone else already awake… and discussing a surprise announcement for the day’s plan.
“The Orcas are hosting a family skate today.”
“Skate?” Kaira gasped, forgetting about her breakfast.
“Yup. Skate.” Jordy booped her nose.
“But Daddy, I didn’t bring my skates.”
Rowan strongly suspected last year’s skates wouldn’t fit her anymore, so it didn’t surprise him when Jordy said, “I got you new ones, peanut.”
“Oh. Are they pink? Did you buy skates for Rowan too? He didn’t bring any either.”
“I’m sure we can find Rowan skates if he needs some.” Jordy looked up and met Rowan’s eyes over the breakfast table, as though trying to apologize if this came across as an implicit promise.
“Yay!”
Meanwhile, Rowan was still several exchanges behind, his heart thudding as though it could salvage the situation if it could just distribute the caffeine more efficiently. “Family skate?”
Jordy broke their gaze. “It’s a family-friendly holiday party. Anyone who skates has fun on the ice. There’s tons of food and usually some off-ice activities. It’s fun.”
Family. Family. Family.But not Rowan’s family. Not for much longer, at least. “Oh.”
Jordy went on with a casual air that felt forced, “Anyway, Kaira and I will be going today, and I was hoping we could talk you in to coming too. There’s no pressure to skate, and you can say no, but you totally deserve to have some fun and eat free food on the Orcas’ dime.”
