5. Josie

5

josie

I t’s been two days since Wyatt told me that he wasn’t sure if we could only be friends during our first task of the competition.

Two full days of me trying not to overthink every single word of that conversation and… failing.

Horribly.

How could I not replay what he said when, for so long, it was all I wanted?

There were nights back then, even though we were young and still naive to the real world around us, that I would’ve done anything to have him back. To change the story that had inevitably been written for us.

But now?

I’m an adult who’s had my heart broken, who’s experienced all the hurt that the world has to offer.

I’m not bitter or angry or resentful toward him. I didn’t lie when I told him that I don’t blame him for leaving to go to California or for ending the relationship. I never once held it against him for making that choice for his future. That would’ve been selfish.

But losing Wyatt was a hurt that I’m not sure I could survive again.

The sound of gravel and snow crunching beneath tires pulls me from my thoughts, and I blow out an exhale as I stride over to the front door just as I hear the low rumble of the engine cutting.

I swing the door open, pasting on a bright smile when I see Lucy, full of energy, bounding toward me. Today, her long curls are woven into french braids, the ends fastened with tiny little Santa hats that jingle every time she steps.

“Good morning!” she says cheerfully, holding up a paper bag of donuts. “Daddy and I got these for you.”

I have a sneaking suspicion that if I opened that bag, there would be chocolate donuts with sprinkles on them.

My gaze lifts to Wyatt, who’s wearing a lazy, knowing grin on his handsome face. He winks at me, lifting his shoulder in a shrug.

God, this man. He knows exactly what he’s doing. Of course he’d pick up my favorite donuts, not even questioning that maybe in the last eight years, I picked a new favorite.

“Thank you,” I say, dragging a look over both of them, “Come in.”

Lucy breezes past me into my cottage, and when Wyatt steps past me, his tall, unyielding body brushing mine, a shiver racks my spine.

I wish that I didn’t have such a visible, visceral reaction to him. But it isn’t up to me.

My body seems to react on its own, traitorous accord.

“Hi, Jos,” he rasps when his heavy boot thuds against the candy cane mat inside my front door.

“Wyatt.”

I shut the door behind us, exhaling a shaky breath before turning toward them.

“Gosh, Miss Josie, you have the best house in the whole world. It’s like the North Pole!” Lucy exclaims as she brushes a finger over one of the shiny nutcrackers on my end tables.

Honestly, that’s the best compliment I could get. I mean, there is a reason why I’m the queen of Christmas in Strawberry Hollow, and it’s not just because of dress-up days and early celebrations in class.

I am a little… extra when it comes to decorating, but I am a very firm believer in doing what makes you happy and whatever brings you joy.

And Christmas brings me immense joy.

So… I go all out and decorate almost every surface of my house.

Wyatt chuckles as he strokes a hand over his jaw, watching his daughter flit all over my living room, trying to take in everything all at once.

“Queen of Christmas, huh?” he finally says, lips curling in a smirk.

I shrug. “There are much worse things to be in this town. Plus, the kids love it.”

He nods, his eyes lingering on mine for a moment too long, making my heart pick up in my chest, and my pulse begins to pound. How does he so effortlessly unnerve me with only a look?

It’s entirely unfair.

I cross my arms over my chest and tear my gaze away, walking over to Lucy. “Do you want to meet someone?”

“Yes!” Her head bobs in an enthusiastic nod as she sets down one of the gingerbread figurines back into the gingerbread village. “But… who?”

“Well, he’s the most important person in my life outside of my parents and brothers. He’s really special.” I lift a brow, biting back a grin when I see a look of something like jealousy spreading over Wyatt’s face.

I leave them both in the living room and walk to my bedroom, retrieving said special guy, with a slight spring in my step that I will not be admitting has anything to do with Wyatt.

“Oh my gosh… He’s so fluffy !” Lucy squeals, immediately reaching for my mischievous, chubby cat. “What’s his name?”

I pass him over into her arms, where he goes willingly, all too eager to have attention from anyone who will give it to him. He purrs, rubbing his fluffy head into the palm of her hand, making her giggle.

“Rudy,” I murmur. “Wanna know why I named him that?”

When she nods, I say, “Because of his nose, right here.” I gently tap my finger along the reddish, brown color. “He’s a bit like Rudolph, don’t ya think? Red nose and all.”

“Ohhhh, yes! That’s the perfect name.”

Laughing, I look over at Wyatt, who’s watching the two of us. My stomach flips when the warmth of his gaze settles over me, a flush beginning to move from my cheeks down to the neckline of my sweater. “Rudy is a naughty boy. He likes to get into presents when he’s not supposed to. I have to put fake ones underneath the tree so he doesn’t ruin the real ones.”

“Oh no, Rudy,” she whispers, staring down at him in disappointment. “Naughty boys get coal in their stockings. Grams said so.”

I have to cover my mouth in an attempt not to laugh. It’s as equally cute as it is hilarious, and I hear a low, gruff chuckle vibrating out of Wyatt. Rudy, on the other hand, is characteristically unperturbed by her warning.

“Lu, we’re gonna be late if we don’t get going. We’ve got a snowman to build, remember?”

She nods, giving one more tight hug to Rudy, then bends and sets him on his feet, where he plops down lazily.

Once arriving at Town Square, it’s packed with excited towngoers. Thankfully, the weather couldn’t be any more perfect for today’s task. The snow beneath our boots is thick, soft, and fluffy from last night’s storm.

Winters in Strawberry Hollow aren’t for the faint of heart. We always have heavy snowfall, and there are some days when I can’t even get to school because the roads are so bad, and the plows can’t make it up that high on the mountain until it lets up.

“Alright, ladies, what kind of snowman are we making today?” Wyatt asks, his brow lifted in question.

Lucy and I both look at each other, and her shoulder dips in a shrug.

I honestly haven’t thought about much of anything outside the conversation with Wyatt at his house the other night.

“What about… Dolly Parton?” I throw in. She’s another beloved Christmas queen, so she’s the first name that pops into my head.

Wyatt tosses his head back and laughs. “Seriously, Jos? Are you trying to make a… Snowlene ?”

Even as I’m rolling my eyes and attempting a scowl, I can’t help but laugh. “Okay, I didn’t even think of that, but that actually fits perfectly.”

Lucy offers another shrug. I don’t think she’s as interested as much in the who but more in the actual building part.

“Is this your first snowman?” I ask.

“Yeah.” She bends and scoops up a handful of snow into her gloved palm, then attempts to fashion it into a small ball. “It didn’t ever snow in Sacramento.”

There’s a warm feeling spreading beneath my breastbone, knowing that I’m getting to help Lucy experience some of the best holiday experiences for the first time.

Though it hasn’t been long since I’ve known her, I already care about her immensely, and even more so now that I know she’s Wyatt’s daughter. It seemed like there was this unspoken connection that I couldn’t quite understand when I first met her, but now it makes sense. She’s an extension of someone who I loved with every ounce of my being.

“Well, we’re going to have to make this the best Snowlene to ever exist, then, huh?” I say as I reach for the small tote bag of supplies I packed earlier this morning.

I’m prepared if nothing else, and I can’t show up to a Christmas competition as the queen and not be wholly ready for today’s task…

Lucy’s grin is infectious as she nods. “Yes! We’ll put my daddy to work, Miss Josie, c’mon.”

I laugh, gaze moving to Wyatt, admiring the tilt to his sensual mouth.

God, he looks like a sexy lumberjack mixed with a ranch… hand? Or something.

I honestly don’t even know the right way to describe him. He’s a mixture of conundrums, but it’s ridiculous how incredible he looks wearing nothing but a pair of worn, faded Wranglers, a flannel shirt, and a pair of old work boots.

He’s deliciously rugged and still refined.

My eyes linger on his broad shoulders as he starts working on the base, the thick muscles of his biceps flexing as he packs the snow together.

I’m a little worried about just how turned on I am watching a man make a snowman.

Snowlene , I mean.

“You going to stand there, or are you going to help us, woman?” he teases, shooting me a wink while his brow lifts.

I spring into action, stuttering slightly. “Y-yes. Sorry. Okay, uh, I can work on the… hair?”

Crap. I did not bring… hair for a snowman. Pretty sure even if I did, well, it wouldn’t be nearly enough to make it as high as Dolly’s iconic blonde hair.

Oh! I have ribbon.

When I pull it out of the bag, Wyatt chuckles, shaking his head. “Ah. Good thinking, Jos.”

Just as Mayor Davis announces the five-minute warning, we’re putting the finishing touches on our Snowlene, and I have to admit that she’s pretty incredible for something we threw together in just under an hour with not a ton of options.

Even Lucy, who I’m pretty sure has absolutely no idea who Dolly Parton even is, is impressed.

She blinks up at the snowman, her toothless grin spread wide. Wyatt squats down beside her and loops his arm over her small shoulder. “Now, that’s a snowwoman, bug.”

“Daddy! It’s Snowlene!” She giggles.

“Oh yes, sorry, sorry.”

I laugh before pulling my lip between my teeth. Wyatt rises to his feet and directs his attention to picking up the leftover supplies, and I drop my gaze to my feet when it lands on the tight globes of his butt in those stupid Wranglers.

Instead, I watch Lucy as she makes little snowballs and places them all around Snowlene, and that’s when I decide that I’m going to make a snowball of my own.

One that I’m aiming straight for Wyatt’s stupid Wrangler butt.

I bend, scooping up a big handful of snow and quietly packing it into a tight ball. “Hey, Wyatt?”

He turns, his gold-flecked eyes widening when they drop to the snowball in my hand and then back to the shit-eating grin on my face.

“Josie Pearce, you know better than to start a war you have no intention of finishing.” My brow arches, and he shakes his head, holding up his hands as if I’m a feral animal that he’s attempting to corral into a cage. Mmmm. This is going to be satisfying, I have no doubt. “Don’t you throw that at me, Josie.”

Oh, I’m throwing it.

He’s the one that should know better.

I raise my hand, biting back my smirk as he winces. “Josie.” His tone is full of warning. When that doesn’t work, he says, “Now, hon?—”

Smack.

The snowball hits him directly in the center of his forehead, coating almost his entire face, pieces clinging to his beard and dusting along the front of his flannel. His mouth hangs open as if he can’t actually believe I threw it at him.

“Daddy, Miss Josie got you in the face !” Lucy cackles, nearly collapsing to the ground from how hard she’s laughing. “Do it again!”

Wyatt wants to laugh. I know he does.

His hands are on his hips, and he’s staring at me intently.

“ Whoops . Sorry, my hand slipped. I’m clum?—”

He barrels toward me, cutting me off as he bends at the waist and hoists me over his broad shoulders.

I squeak in surprise, which is barely heard over the sound of Lucy’s delighted laughter. “Wyatt, oh my God, put me down! You big… brute!”

He starts jogging around the field as if I weigh absolutely nothing. My fingers twist into the flannel material at his back, desperately trying to ignore the feel of his hard muscles and heated skin.

God, the man has always run hot.

“What are you doing?”

I try to lift my head to look around, but my hair is falling around my face, and I’m freaking upside down. All I can see is Lucy trailing behind us, laughing hysterically, her cheeks rosy and pink from the cold.

Wyatt’s palm is dangerously close to my butt, trailing high on the back of my thigh as he holds me in place steadily.

“I swear to God, Wy—” The words die on my tongue as the world spins, and I land flat on my ass in the soft, fluffy snow in front of him, his large body caging me in while he hovers over me.

This ass just … tossed me into the snow!

A murderous look passes over my face, and that only seems to make him grin harder. “Whoops, sorry, honey, I slipped . You know… clumsy and all that.” He tosses me a cocky wink.

I grip a handful of fluffy snow in my palm and bring it to his face, rubbing it over every inch that I can get to before he laughs low and deep, the sound causing heat to pool in my belly. His fingers circle my wrist, pulling my hand away as he stares down at me, eyes burning into me.

I missed this. I missed him . Not just in a romantic way, but just… being around him.

We’ve always had the best times together, and even after all of the time that’s passed, it seems like we could pick up right where we left off.

“Josie…” he starts, then trails off, gaze dropping to my lips and lingering there as I lick them, my breath forming a heated puff between us from the chilled air. The air around us thickens as time seems to slow.

He doesn’t get to finish whatever he’s going to say because Lucy drops down beside us, her bright green eyes dancing, “Daddy… Miss Josie… We won! Snowlene won !”

I might be hopeless at resisting the man who’s always had my heart, but at least I can build a dang good snowwoman.