Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“I’d like that!”
Rosie didn’t look as enthused as her son did, which made me chuckle.
At the bottom of the hill was a food truck, and the scent of coffee, hot cocoa, and something sweet filled the air.
“That’s where Momma sits while I sled sometimes.” AJ pointed to the picnic tables set up. “She only goes a few times.” He bent his finger for me to come closer. “She gets tired ’cause she is old.”
I bit back my laughter. “I don’t think your momma is old.”
“She says so.”
“Trust me, trudging up the hill, I feel old,” Rosie said, sounding amused.
“Okay, well today, AJ and I will trudge.” I pressed a bill into her hand. “You sit and enjoy the coffee. We’ll have some cocoa when we’ve made a few trips.”
She began to protest, and I leaned down and kissed her. “Please. I want to do this.”
She smiled, and it felt as if the sun came out. “Okay.”
“Let’s go, bud.”
We headed to the hill, and I paused. “Which one?”
He hesitated. “That one.” He pointed to the smaller of the two.
“I don’t mind walking up the bigger one,” I offered. “It’ll be fun.”
He kicked the snow. “The little one is fine.”
I got down on one knee. “What is it, Asher?”
He looked up, hearing his full name. “I went down the big one once, and I fell off the sled. I’m scared to try again.”
I pursed my lips and nodded in understanding. “That would be scary. But this time, I’ll be with you. We can go down together. I won’t let you fall.”
He looked over my shoulder at the higher hill. “You won’t?”
“Nope. I’ll sit behind you and make sure you’re good.” I winked. “If I hold you, I won’t fall either.”
He grinned. “Let’s go!”
We headed up, pulling the wooden sled behind me. I noticed AJ’s envious looks at some of the newer sleds on the hill, but he didn’t say a word.
“You know,” I confided. “I had a sled just like this when I was your age. Best kind around. The wood goes faster and straighter than some of the slippery ones.”
“It’s all right.”
At the top, I put the sled into position and motioned for AJ to get on. He looked nervous, so I sat at the back, patting the space between my legs. “Sit here.”
He did, and I grabbed the rope. “Hold tight to this. We’re gonna go fast.”
“We won’t fall?”
“Nope.”
I pushed off, guiding the sled down the slope. It was fast and fun, the wind in our faces, my arm around AJ, holding him tight. He whooped and laughed, raising one hand in the air as we hit the bottom, gliding to a stop. He jumped up, no longer afraid, his eyes gleaming with happiness.
“Can we go again?”
“Absolutely.”
A few runs later, I joined Rosie on the picnic bench as AJ went to the smaller hill, confident on his own there.
I sat down heavily, accepting the cup of coffee she handed me. I took an appreciative sip.
“He was having such a good time,” she observed.
“We both were. He wants to play with his friends for a bit, which is good.” I leaned back with a grimace. “Apparently, I’m old too. My butt is killing me.”
She laughed. “Nothing like an almost five-year-old to make you feel your age.”
I chuckled.
“You’re so good with him.”
“I like kids.”
“I can see that.”
“Am I allowed to buy him a gift, Rosie?”
She frowned. “Allowed?”
“A Christmas gift. I don’t want to overstep. Nothing extravagant.”
“Like?”
“A new sled.”
She smiled sadly. “The one he has is a used one. I’m sure he’d love a new one.”
“I know the perfect one. It’s not over the top or unsafe.”
“If you want to, then yes.”
“I want to.”
“Okay, then.”
I squeezed her hand. “Thanks.”
“Uh-oh, he’s headed back. Hope your butt is recovered.”
I grinned. “If not, you can kiss it better for me later.”
I left her laughing.
AJ’s laughter rang out loudly as we went to the bigger hill again and again. We had a snowball fight, him and me against his momma. She was far better at it, building up an arsenal and pelting us with them mercilessly. I loved seeing her happy and giggling. Her cheeks were flushed with the cold, her eyes dancing. She was beautiful, and I kissed her after tackling her in the snow. AJ jumped on top of us, and we rolled around, throwing handfuls of snow, chuckling and teasing.
We were all wet and cold when we got back to her little apartment. She made us hot chocolate and threw our wet clothes in the dryer at her neighbor’s.
“She lets me use her machines,” she explained. “She’s away for Christmas right now.”
We spent the rest of the afternoon watching a Christmas movie. Eating popcorn. I insisted on ordering in dinner, and we ate a feast of Chinese food, AJ exclaiming over every new dish he tried. It was simple, fun, and I couldn’t recall ever feeling so content in my life.