“It does.”
“So you’re basically telling me you don’t know what to buy me.”
“A few hints might be helpful. Do you really think I should buy something for Brenna? I never have before.”
“She’s living in our house. She’s going to be waking up with us on Christmas morning. It’s going to be super awkward if we all have presents and she doesn’t have anything to open.”
He turned left at the sign that said Snow Crystal Resort and Spa. “So maybe she would like to write to Santa, too.”
“He’s going to be a busy guy.” She leaned forward to look at the ski slopes. “The lift is still running. Can I squeeze in one run?”
“You have to do your assignment. What is it?”
“English. We’re studying Romeo and Juliet. Kill me now.”
“If your teachers think you should be studying it, then you should be studying it.” He slowed as he approached a couple pulling two kids on a sledge. “I have no idea what to buy Brenna for Christmas.”
“Do you know she was always given dolls and stuff for Christmas? She hated dolls. We should get her something she’d love. I’ll think of something.” She was out of the car before he could ask any more questions, leaving him to follow.
They walked into the house and were almost flattened by Ash and Luna. “You’d better take these two out for a quick walk.”
“I’m going over to Grandma’s later. They can come. Can I sleep over?”
“Sure.” Tyler saw Brenna’s coat hanging on the hook. “Are you eating with Grandma?”
“Yes, but I’ll grab a snack because I want to get this stupid assignment done before I go.”
He probably should have told her that the assignment wasn’t stupid, but she was already gone, her bag swinging against her hip as she walked into the den, Luna at her heels.
He opened his mouth to remind her that the dogs weren’t supposed to be in the den, and closed it again. With Jess occupied, this would be a good moment to talk to Brenna.
He took the stairs two at a time but heard the sound of the shower running and backed away again.
He was in the kitchen, contemplating the contents of the fridge with something close to gloom when she walked into the room.
Tyler almost swallowed his tongue.
Her dress was black and stretchy. Stretchy enough to sit snug and tight against every curve and dip. It was a dress designed for the woman with the perfect body.
And Brenna had the perfect body.
A body he’d made a point of ignoring until recently.
To make things worse, she’d added black stockings and a pair of shoes with heels that could have doubled as a lethal weapon.
If Jess had walked in dressed like that, he would have grounded her.
He slammed the fridge shut. “You’re planning on going through with it, then?”
“Excuse me?”
“This thing tonight. You’re going through with it.”
“It’s called a date, Tyler. And I’m not only planning on going through with it, I’m planning on enjoying it, too. Is that a problem?”
Yeah, it was a problem. Decking the chief of police was going to come with consequences. “The weather is bad tonight. Not the best night to be on the roads. You should cancel.”
“Because of the weather? Josh grew up here, like you and I. He’s driven in this weather since he got his license. If we stopped for the weather, we’d stop living.”