Page 36 of Love Me Like You Do

Come on. Somethingiswrong.

“Better to be out six weeks right now than face the kind of setback that comes with a more invasive surgery,” Mark said. “Let’s see what’s going on. Could be nothing. We’ll come up with a game plan after we get a look at it.”

“Do it.” Jaime nudged him. “We can get you into the hospital’s imaging center right now.”

“The sooner we get the results back, the sooner we start treatment.” Then, more gently, Mark said, “And the sooner you get back on the ice. What do you say?”

His coach would be pissed, and his teammates would lose their shit, but he couldn’t deny the worsening pain in his knee. “Yeah, okay. Let me just check with my trainer.”

When Cole got home, he found multiple trucks in the driveway. The team he’d hired had nearly finished the job, and it looked fantastic. They’d positioned Santa and his sleigh on the front slope of the roof right where the girls could see it. Strings of white lights dripped off the eaves like icicles and wound through the surrounding trees, and giant presents with big bows looked like they’d toppled out of the sleigh and landed in the snow.

He couldn’t wait to show the girls what it looked like all lit up at night.

Waving to some of the crew, he let himself in. The scent of pine hit him first, and then the warmth from the fire in the hearth. He couldn’t help smiling when he heard the Christmas carols piped in through the speakers.

Now, this is the magic.

Happy chatter drew his attention to the coffee table where the girls worked on an art project.

The strangest sensation hit. It was almost like déjà vu, though he’d never lived this moment before. But it was everything he’d ever wanted as a boy.

He’d bought this house because it came stocked with every luxury imaginable, perfect for entertaining whatever group of friends he brought with him. In this moment, though, for the first time, it felt like a home. Warmth rushed through him, and his heart swelled painfully.

Until he noticed Hailey glowering at him.

Oh, shit. What’d I do?

Thanks to the MRI, he’d gotten back later than he’d expected, but they still had plenty of time to take the girls to their house. “Hey, guys.”

Two little heads popped up. “Cole.” Excited, Paisley ran over to him. “Look what I made.” She held up a piece of white paper with holes cut out all over it. “It’s a snowflake.” She turned to Hailey. “Can we put them on the tree now? Please? I want to show Cole how it looks.”

Damn, he was glad he’d hired a company to create a holiday wonderland for these girls. He’d ordered a fourteen-foot Douglas Fir, and they’d stuffed it with glittering ornaments and garlands. They’d have to remove some of it to make room for the homemade ones.

“Sure.” Hailey brought a stack of paper cut-outs to the tree and then taught the girls how to hang them by the red ribbons she’d strung through the holes.

Except…they didn’t go to his magnificent tree. “What the hell is that?” They went to an anemic thing with more brown pine needles than green.

“Cole.” Hailey’s admonishment had his jaw snapping shut.

Evvie patted his thigh. “Issa Kwismas twee.”

“If you’re Charlie Brown.” It was the saddest thing he’d ever seen.

“Who’s Charlie Brown?” Paisley asked.

“Come on, girls. Put them on.” Hailey tied ribbons on the drooping branches.

They could only be interested in this sad sack tree because the team he’d hired hadn’t turned on the lights yet. “Hang on.” Crawling underneath, he found a quilted bright red and green skirt.Nice.This was everything he’d ever wanted as a kid. The girls were going to flip out.

After plugging it in, he crawled back out and gestured to the picture-perfect tree with a flourish. “Now, that’s a Christmas tree.”

All three turned as one, the girls’ eyes widening, their jaws dropping. “That’s so pretty,” Paisley said. But then, not a moment later, she grabbed her sister’s hand. “Come on, Evvie. Let’s make some more.” And with that, she skipped back to the table.

That’s it?

What just happened?

“Can I talk to you a sec?” Hailey asked, all clipped and terse.