The Billionaire's Christmas Son - Leslie North Page 0,18

smile. “I am?”

“Yes.” In a hundred different ways. He’d seen it before, but only a glimpse of it, and now regret drilled into him. How had he let her walk away from that hotel room? What an incredible oversight. “The both of you are.”

This swung their attention back to Scott, who slept peacefully on his belly on the sofa, a light blanket curling around his waist. He had one fist tucked up by his face, and his chest rose and fell in a gentle rhythm that calmed Jonas. He’d missed a lot of moments like this with Scott—just watching him be in the world. Two years’ worth.

“He is amazing,” Rachel agreed.

Something shimmered in the air between them. Was it all the lost time, or a glimpse of a potential future? Jonas felt blinded by it, overtaken, and he took a deep breath to clear his mind.

She couldn’t trust him yet. Too much had happened, judging by her comment. If people went from believing in Rachel to putting her down, if everyone in her life had been like her mother, then Jonas would have to work at earning her trust.

“More wine?”

Rachel glanced over to him at the offer, pressing her lips together in a hint of a smile. “I want more wine,” she said, laughing a little. “But I think this little guy needs to go back to my suite and his own bed.”

“I’ll start the car.”

“Wait—” He was up from the sofa, but Rachel frowned at him. “Do you have a car seat?”

“I had someone from the lodge bring one by earlier today.” Why did he feel mildly embarrassed about this? It had all been for Scott. He wasn’t going to take him to his place and stay for hours with no way to leave. “In case of emergencies. It’s already installed.”

Rachel’s lips parted like she was going to say more.

Jonas found himself craving it like he occasionally craved fresh-baked bread. He didn’t always let himself indulge in baking it or even requesting it from the kitchen, but when he did, it was because he had a gnawing pit in his stomach that nothing else could fill. That same pit appeared now, only he wanted her voice. He wanted the conversation that had to happen one day, about what they were going to do, and where and when. If.

“You thought of everything,” she said finally, rising from the sofa. Rachel padded into the kitchen and rinsed out her glass, then bent down to put it in the dishwasher. Easily, like she’d done it a hundred times. He wanted her to watch her do it a hundred times. No—he didn’t want her to have to do the dishes at all. That wasn’t it. He just wanted her to be in the kitchen.

“It’ll be warm in a few minutes,” he answered, his hands aching to touch her. “And then I’ll take you back.”

I’ll take you back, and I’ll keep working, he thought. I’ll earn trust from you. I have to.

8

Rachel looked up as Jonas entered the suite, the afternoon chill still clinging to his jacket as he drew near.

“The print shop is getting tired of me,” he joked, putting the bag down on the couch.

Scott was sleeping in the bedroom, his daily nap a good opportunity for her to work on the scrapbook. “Hopefully, they won’t have to deal with you too many more times. I’m leaving room at the back of the album for the rest of the photos, and we can be smarter about choosing them before they get printed for the next round.”

Jonas had already been by three times this morning for more photos they’d decided to add to the book. The Elk Lodge had a printer, of course, but the photo paper hadn’t been archival quality. Once Rachel had pointed that out, Jonas had volunteered to go into town. He wasn’t going to give his grandmother anything less than the best.

“What do you think?” She held up the spread she’d been working on. It was a good thing Rachel had been into scrapbooking since about high school—it made the layouts easier. The plan was to provide them with a printed book after the holidays—two versions, one handmade and one bound. The shipping times on the coffee table photo books were too long to have it done by New Year’s. Part of her was glad for the chance to have one final interaction with Jonas and his family after all this was done.

But right now, she didn’t want to