“Aunt Erica,” Anna whispered into her ear and flashed a quick smile as she headed toward the stairs and the sanctuary of her room. Erica looked at the slump of her shoulders and saw Anna check her phone quickly and then put it away again.
“Anna, wait—” Erica wanted to talk to her, but Anna didn’t pause.
“See you for drinks.” And then she disappeared around the curve of the stairs and Erica couldn’t follow because Delphi was tugging at her hand.
“Do you like hot chocolate?”
Erica tore her gaze away from Anna. It was no use pretending she wasn’t worried. Anna was the steady one, the one who soothed them when they were in a crisis. Even with her friends, she sometimes played the role of mother. If there was a problem, she talked about it. She was straightforward and easy to read. Which added to Erica’s anxiety, because right now she couldn’t read her.
“Aunt Erica?” There was another tug on her hand and Hattie crouched down in front of her daughter.
“Aunt Erica is here on vacation with her friends, so we have to let her have some time on her own.”
“I’m her friend, too, and I like playing with her.”
Erica felt pressure in her chest. “Hot chocolate sounds good.” Anna had made it clear that she wasn’t ready to talk about whatever was bothering her, so she might as well enjoy a little more time with Delphi. “Let’s do that. Then I’ll go and take a hot bath and get ready for dinner.”
For the first time in her life she was starting to understand the pleasure Anna derived from simple interaction with young children. To be with Delphi was to witness unfettered happiness in the moment. Whether it was careering down a slope on her sled, coloring a picture or making hot chocolate, she managed to turn each activity into a moment of joy.
Adults, Erica thought, could learn a great deal from children.
Hattie rose to her feet. “You drink hot chocolate?”
She hadn’t had hot chocolate since she was a child, but what harm could it do? She was freezing, so at least it would warm her up. “On snow days, I most definitely do.”
By the time she made it back to her room it was dark outside and the snow was falling again. Erica stripped off her outer layers and hung them to dry and then went to run a hot bath. As steam gathered she sat on the edge and added bubbles.
She’d always lived an independent, single life. When Anna had talked about wanting a family, Erica had simply wanted to be able to focus on her career. She’d never been able to imagine deriving the same satisfaction from a family that she did from her job. But now she was wondering.
Aunt Erica.
Hearing those words should have unsettled her, but oddly enough they hadn’t.
Reflecting on that, she stripped off the rest of her clothes and slid into the bath. The heat warmed her frozen limbs. If playing in the snow was going to be a more frequent occurrence, then she needed to rethink her wardrobe. So far, she hadn’t given any thought to what happened beyond the end of this week.
It seemed strange to think that only a few days before she’d been planning to leave without ever even introducing herself to Hattie. She’d been longing to get back to her uncomplicated life in Manhattan, but she no longer felt that way, although she still had to figure out what should happen next.
Aunt Erica.
She grinned and added more hot water to the tub. She had no idea how to be an aunt. So far, she’d followed all Delphi’s leads, but she should probably try to do better. There had to be books on the subject, surely? Was an aunt supposed to be fun and do all the things a mother would frown at, or was she supposed to be firm and a disciplinarian?
She stepped out of the bath, wrapped herself in a large towel and stared at her phone.
The urge to call Jack was almost overwhelming. Should she invent a function she wanted him to attend with her? Think of a different excuse?
No. This was ridiculous. She was forty. Too old to play games. Jack was a straight talker and so was she. If she wanted to call him, she should simply call him.
And say what? That she was regretting not letting him stay that last time they’d been together?
Impatient with herself, she walked back into the bedroom and dressed for dinner.
She took time over her hair and makeup and then took a deep breath and picked up the phone.
He answered almost immediately. “Erica?”
Hearing his voice made her stomach flutter and sent a slow warmth through her veins.
“Hi.”
“How’s your week with your friends? Are you painting each other’s toenails and having midnight feasts?”
The image made her smile. “Is that what you imagine we’re doing?”
“I have no idea what you’re doing, but I’m having fun picturing you lounging around in your underwear, so don’t ruin my day by telling me you’re wearing a ski jacket zipped to the neck.”
She’d forgotten how much she enjoyed talking to him. There were few people she felt so comfortable with.
“I’m sorry to break it to you, but a few hours ago I was wearing a ski jacket zipped to the neck. Also, I went on a sled. And no, I’m not joking.”
There was a pause. “Why would I think you were joking?”
“Because we both know I’m not a sled type of person. I doubt I would have agreed to it if the person I was with hadn’t been so persuasive, but they were, so I did. And I had fun.” She walked across the room and chose a pair of boots for the evening. “Are you surprised?”
“That you’re capable of letting go and enjoying the moment? Not at all. I’ve always known you have hidden layers.” He paused. “Tell me more about the person who persuaded you to get in touch with your inner child—is he a six-foot-four ski bum with overdeveloped shoulders and bulging arms? I want a description of my rival. Would I win in a fight?”
Her skin tingled. The word rival suggested that she and Jack enjoyed an intimate relationship. She was surprised how much she liked the sound of that.
“That depends.” She pulled on her boots. “What’s your weapon?”
“A laptop and a fountain pen. I slay with both. Also a photographic memory and words. I win with words.”
She imagined him in his office, seated behind a large desk with acres of glass behind him and the whole city spread beneath. His shirt would be crisply ironed, and his jacket would fit his shoulders perfectly. Jack was always immaculate. When he walked into a room people noticed, although he had a gift for putting them at ease. He was always calm and in control. She couldn’t imagine him being wiped out on a sled or threatened by a rival.
“My companion is five years old. Unless you happen to know a lot about sharks or dinosaurs, you won’t win in the conversation stakes.”
“I happen to have an encyclopedic knowledge of dinosaurs, and I am confident I would be able to hold my own in an interrogation on the Jurassic era. So, Ms. Chapman, what’s your favorite dinosaur?”
“Excuse me?”
“Your favorite dinosaur. Everyone has one.”
She walked to the window, smiling. “They do? In that case, tell me yours.”
“Velociraptor.” He didn’t hesitate. “They’re smart, quick on their feet and not afraid to kill.”