Chapter 90
Nora laughed as the little girl rushed over and hugged her. “I told you I would be,” she said, ruffling Abby’s hair.
Abby’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Come on, let’s build a snowman!”
Nora smiled. “Alright, let’s do it.”
The two of them quickly set to work, rolling the snow into firm, compact spheres.
Abby’s laughter rang through the chilly air as she shaped the body, while Nora smoothed out the surface.
“Wait, wait! I brought a scarf and carrots!”
Abby announced, hurrying over to her bag and pulling out the items.
With careful hands, she placed the carrot nose and wrapped the scarf around their newly built
snowman.
“Perfect,” Nora declared.
Abby wasn’t done yet. “Now we need a big snowman! Uncle Cole, help us!”
Cole, who had been watching from the sidelines, gave a small sigh of resignation before rolling up his sleeves. “Alright.”
He worked silently, effortlessly packing and stacking the snow.
His movements were steady and practiced, as if he had done this many times before.
Every so often, Nora caught him glancing at her, a small, amused smile on his lips.
When they finally finished, Abby clapped her hands in delight. “We need a picture! Uncle Cole, take one. of me and Auntie!”
Nora hesitated for a second, but Cole had already taken out his phone.
Abby clung to Nora’s arm, grinning widely as Cole captured the moment.
Then, to Nora’s surprise, Cole walked over and stood beside them. “One more,” he said, passing his phone to one of his men.
Chapter 90
The man nodded and snapped the photo.
Nora didn’t think much of it at first, but when she glanced at the screen afterward, she was struck by something unexpected.
The picture felt… warm.
Like a real family.
Cole stood beside her, his expression soft, his posture relaxed.
Abby, still clutching onto Nora’s arm, looked like a child who had found her home.
And Nora, despite herself, looked comfortable.
For a moment, her heart stirred, but she quickly pushed the feeling away.
“This one turned out nice,” Cole murmured, his voice lower than usual.
Nora cleared her throat. “Let’s go warm up by the fire.”
As night fell, the bonfire crackled, casting a warm glow over the snowy ground.
Abby was still buzzing with excitement, her small hands reaching out toward the heat.
Cole handed Nora a plate of roasted meat and vegetables. “Eat,” he said simply.
Nora took it with a small nod. “Thanks.”
There was a sense of quiet between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was easy–natural, even.
Just as she was about to take a bite, Cole’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and exhaled. “Charles.” He stepped away, answering the call.
“Camping?” Charles’s voice came through, laced with disbelief. “You’re actually camping? Since when do you do that?”
Cole looked to the putative direction where Nora and Abby were and gave a small warm smile, “From
now on.”
Charles chuckled. “Man, I can’t picture it. You, out in the cold, cooking meat over a fire. What’s next, singing campfire songs?”
Chapter 90
Cole rolled his eyes. “What do you want, Charles?”
“Well,” Charles drawled, “I was going to invite you out for drinks, but now I’m way more interested in this camping trip. Who are you with?”
Cole didn’t respond immediately.
Charles’s voice turned teasing. “Wait… don’t tell me you’re with a certain someone.”
Still, Cole remained silent.
Charles let out a dramatic gasp. “Oh, I have to see this! I should bring Arnold and Linda over there. Can you imagine their faces?”
Cole scoffed. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Why not? It’d be fun. You, having a cozy little outing in the snow with your-”
Cole took a moment, staring at his phone screen before simply hanging up on Charles.
The man could be annoyingly perceptive, and Cole wasn’t in the mood to entertain his nosy remarks.
By now, the temperature had dropped sharply.
The night air turned crisp, the cold wrapping around them like a silent blanket.
Without a word, Cole grabbed two heavy coats and draped them over Nora and Abby..
Nora arched an eyebrow at him. “I don’t feel the cold,” she said softly, though she didn’t remove the coat.
“Humor me,” Cole replied, his voice even, but there was something in his tone–something almost… protective.
She didn’t argue.
The people around the bonfire were enjoying themselves, chatting and laughing, the glow of the fire flickering against their faces.
Some of them, having observed the trio throughout the evening, chuckled at how naturally they fit together.
“You three look just like a family,” one of the older women teased, nudging her husband. “It’s so sweet, seeing a father, mother, and child spending time like this.”
Another man joined in. “I swear, the way you two take care of her–makes me think of my wife and I when our boy was younger.”
12:16 C
Chapter 90
Nora tensed instantly. “Ah, no, you misunderstand-”
Chapter 91
