Page 53 of Christmas Bubble

I bite my laugh. “So, are you going to help me?”

They both nod, and before I know it, I’m being pulled by each hand over to the space between the two cabins.

“Are you going to teach the other elves how to make a snowman?” Gigi asks.

“Absolutely.” I may as well go with it. Who knows, I may have actually been an elf in my previous life, but I just don’t remember. It would explain a lot about my current earthly presence.

“We have to start by making a snowball,” Megan says.

We pack some snow together and shape it until we have a small ball.

“Now what?” I ask.

“Now we roll it around until more snow sticks to our ball and makes it bigger,” George adds.

I’m surprised by how easy it is and how quickly we end up with a considerable-sized snowball. The kids pick the spot where they want the snowman to be and we leave the snowball there to start a new one.

The second and third balls are smaller, which is a good thing because I never considered they’d be so freakin heavy. I don’t want the kids to get hurt, so I try my best to stack each of the balls on top of each other without their help.

“They’re not perfect,” Megan says, pouting.

I scratch my head over my hat. “You’re right. It needs to be rounder. Do you think it helps if we add chunks of snow and then smooth it out?” I mean, it works with buttercream, so why not with snow?

“Uh-huh,” they both say.

While the kids are distracted by smoothing out the snowman, I look in Riley’s direction. He seems to be lost in conversation with Harrison. I don’t know anything about the big guy, but considering his size, maybe he used to be a football player.

My stomach sinks a little at the thought of Riley finding more to talk about with a stranger than he could with me. I mean, what do I even know about football?

I know how to perform during a game, but it never interested me enough to figure out the football rules. At least not beyond hooking up with some of the many players in the closet.

But that’s all in the past. I have no inclination to hook up with anyone.

Not true, Bubble.

I sigh. I’m totally inclined to hook up with Coach—Riley. My Riley.

He’s not yours, Bubble.

I want to smack the voice in my head in the face. Riley is mine for now. At least until we go home after Christmas. And if that’s all he can give me, then that’s…sad, but I’ll live.

Riley looks my way, and I wave. His smile is warm, and the way he looks at me is different now. Maybe it’s too early to understand him, but I know something’s changed.

We didn’t wake up together in bed for nothing, right?

I look at the white sky that promises more snow and smile. My grandma is up there somewhere. She’ll guide me in the right direction. I know it.

“Okay, my little helpers, are you ready to beautify our snowman?”

“Yes!”

I show the kids my box of delightful snowman clothing and decorations. They squee over all the options, taking everything out while they decide what goes best.

“Is Santa your boyfriend?” Megan asks.

“Who?”

She points to Riley on the porch with her dad, drinking cocoa.