long before that dog won’t fit in a twin, even by himself.”
Hope stepped into Donovan’s line of sight. “It’d be cheaper to get a dog bed.”
“Mom, if he wants to buy me a bigger bed, you should let him.”
Donovan smiled. “I’ll let you two work it out.” He wished they’d invite him in for cocoa. If only they were still living at the lodge, he wouldn’t have been excluded. But as it was, this was their space and he was intruding. “Well, good night.”
He made his way back to the lodge alone. The house was empty and made him feel empty, too. As he turned out the lights downstairs, he couldn’t help but relive the kiss at the Hungry Bear. She kissed me back. I didn’t imagine it. When he’d come back to Alaska, he never dreamed he would find Hope, let alone kiss her. Or that kissing her that way would feel so right that he’d want it to go on forever. But it couldn’t. His Sweet Home expiration date was approaching. Approaching too fast. He’d be taking advantage of Hope if he kissed her again. He couldn’t hurt her more than he already had. He was leaving after the Christmas Festival. But he was already feeling homesick for Sweet Home, missing Hope and Ella, even though he hadn’t left yet.
He woke earlier than usual and sat sipping his coffee as he tried to concentrate on drawing up a to-do list for the lodge workers today. He didn’t get far before Hope came into the kitchen.
“Morning,” he said. “Coffee’s ready.” He went back to his list, not knowing how he was supposed to act around her today. He couldn’t let himself fall for Hope all over again. But right now, his whole body wanted to give her a kiss that would last them the whole day. “Where’s Ella?”
“Sleeping in. She and Lacy were texting late last night. I finally got tired of telling her to get off her phone and went to sleep myself.”
“If you two were back here in the lodge, you both could have your own space,” he argued logically.
“My dad always said that love grows better in small houses.”
“The offer is always on the table,” he said.
But she gave him a look and he knew exactly what it meant: There’s no such thing as always, Donovan Stone. You’re selling this place, so stop offering anything! Yes, it was one hell of a look.
Chastened, he went back to his list.
Thirty minutes later, Ella rolled into the kitchen, looking tired but not unhappy about the day ahead.
“Do you know where we’re going to look for a tree?” she asked.
He nodded. “Where my grandfather—your great-grandfather—always took me and Uncle Beau. Do you know the rules for cutting down trees in a national forest?”
“It depends on the forest,” Hope piped up.
“True. But in a nutshell, we can’t use a chain saw. We have to use hand tools and only cut down one of the skinnier, less healthy trees, leaving the best trees for the forest. Also, we can’t down a tree within two hundred feet of the road or a body of water.”
“Have you been Googling the rules?” Ella asked, laughing.
“Maybe.” Donovan killed the apps on his phone. “Can you be ready in thirty minutes? I want to get an early start. Short days and all,” he said.
“Spoken like a true Alaskan,” Hope observed.
“Old habits die hard.” He turned to Ella. “What about Lacy? Can she be ready to go soon?”
“Lace isn’t going with us. She texted this morning to say she might be getting sick. I’m pretty sure she’s just allergic to the cold.”
Donovan looked at Hope and Ella, feeling a surge of happy anticipation. Their first outing together, as a family.
Chapter 19
WITH HOPE AND Ella with him in the cab of Mr. Brewster’s truck, Donovan pulled onto the snow-covered road to access his grandfather’s secret tree-hunting spot. He’d been worried there for a few minutes that he wouldn’t be able to find it because the terrain had changed so much. He glanced down at Hope’s ankle and decided they wouldn’t be able to trek far once he parked. “Hold on, ladies. We’re going off road.” He made a sharp right from gravel road onto uneven ground.
Ella squealed delightedly as they bounced their way across the field toward a stand of smaller trees.
“Does this bring back good memories?” he hollered to Hope.
“Yeah, I guess. But I must’ve enjoyed whiplash then.” But she was smiling and it pleased him so.
“We’re