“Thanks for letting me know.”I tapped end on my phone’s screen and opened the door of my truck. A ranger had found another dead mustang. I gripped the phone tighter. Between some psycho hunting down these peaceful creatures for no good reason, and Jensen’s ex showing up out of the blue and putting her through the wringer, I was about to snap.
I took a deep breath, letting the cold air ease my temper. I wasn’t going to let anything ruin this day. I was taking Noah and my girl sledding. But…Jensen wasn’t mine. Not really. I was only stealing her for this brief moment in time. But when Cody had shown up at the Kettle the other day, I’d wanted to claim her as mine. In every way possible.
I shook those thoughts from my head as the front door opened, and Noah shot through it, going as fast as his little snow-suit-covered legs would allow.
“Tuck! I’ve got the two-seater sled. Will you go on it with me?”
I lifted him high in the air as he reached me. “You got it, little man.”
Jensen shut the door, locking it behind her. “We’ll need to take my SUV. Do you want to drive? Or do you want me to?”
I inclined my head towards my vehicle. “We can take my truck.”
Jensen shook her head. “Noah still needs his booster seat—” Her words cut off as she took in the backseat of the cab of my truck. “You got a booster seat?” Was it just the glare of the sun, or were her eyes a little bit misty?
I shrugged. “I’ve been meaning to get one so it’s easier for me and the little man to have our hang sessions.”
“Yes!” Noah cheered, shooting his little fist into the air.
I pulled open the back door, and Noah hopped up.
Jensen crossed to me, getting close but not touching. “Thank you.”
I fisted my hands, wanting so badly to reach out and brush the hair back from her face. “It’s no big thing. I really have been meaning to get one.” Jensen nodded. “So, where’s this infamous sled Noah’s talking about?”
Jensen gestured to her SUV, and I jogged over to grab the inflatable sled. The thing was as tall as I was. Thankfully, I had the cover on my truck, and there was plenty of room in the bed.
As we drove to the hill on the border between my family’s ranch and the Coles’, the same one Jensen, Walker, and I had spent countless winter days on, Noah chattered nonstop. He told me about all the moves he was learning in karate, the practice book of guitar lessons Liam had given him before leaving on tour, hell, the kid even detailed what he’d eaten for breakfast.
I looked over at Jensen, who was trying to stifle a laugh with a cough. I reached over and gave her thigh a squeeze. I wanted so badly to touch more of her.Allof her. There was something about losing myself in Jensen that was unlike anything else I’d ever experienced.
I pulled to a stop at the bottom of the most perfect sledding hill to ever exist. And two seconds after I’d shut off the vehicle, Noah was out of his booster seat and climbing out of the truck.
I turned to Jensen. “Think he’s excited?”
Jensen grinned. “He’s been talking about nothing else for days. He adores you.”
Warmth flooded my chest, followed quickly by a trickle of dread. I didn’t want to lose this, what I had with Jensen and Noah, but this was all so very temporary. What happened when there was another man ready to take my place? My hands fisted as I tried to push the thoughts from my mind. “Can’t leave the little man waiting.” I slid out of the truck and circled around to pull out the sled.
“Hurry up! Let’s go!” Noah tugged on my sleeve.
“You get a head start. I’ll catch up.”
That was all Noah needed to hear. He took off up the hill, going so fast he fell every few steps. Jensen’s laugh sounded beside me. “Do you remember what it felt like for life to be that simple?”
I reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’ve built a wonderful life for him, Wilder. The thing he worries about most right now is how quickly he can get to the top of that hill.”
Jensen stamped her foot down a little harder than necessary in the snow. “I’m glad someone thinks so.”
I grabbed J’s arm to halt her progress. “What do you mean?”
“Ugh, nothing. It’s just freaking Cody.” She threw her arms wide, dislodging my hold. “He had the nerve to show up at my shop yesterday and insinuated that I was a bad mother if I didn’t give him a shot. That Noah deserved to grow up in a home with both his parents. Well, that’s what I had in mind for Noah, too, but Cody wanted no part of that. Now, it’s too late.”
My entire body locked. “Cody showed up at the Kettle yesterday?”
“Yup.” Jensen chuckled. “I thought Arthur was going to smack him with his cane.”
I clenched and flexed my fists. “And why didn’t you call to tell me?”
