Page 18 of Let it Snow Queen
“I saw that; it looks like a lot of fun. I bet you’re loving it, huh? We made it to Germany last week, and our little guy loves strolling the streets. We found him some tin race cars, and he’s over the moon.”
Ok?So my dad didn’t care that I was snowed in on a mountaintop?
“Dad, I’m glad you guys are good, but . . . I might be snowed in for a while. I could miss Christmas.”
“Ah, don’t worry about it. Take all the time you need. With the weather looking the way it is, we might not make it back to Georgia until Christmas day.”
I felt like I’d been slapped. “Dad, you don’t care if I miss Christmas? You aren’t coming to get me?”
“Why would I be coming to get you, Roo? Are you not having a good time?”
My heart leaped into my throat. He didn’t need to knowhowgood of a time I was having. “Yeah . . . I met these three guys, and they’re nice.” A thought interrupted me. “Who’s going to decorate for Christmas if you guys aren’t home? Declan will come home to no tree, no lights.”
My dad’s voice dropped slightly. “What guys?”
“Dad, for real, Christmas, focus. I don’t have great cell service up here.”
“It’s possible our celebrations will be postponed this year, unfortunately. But we’ll make it right when we’re all together. Now, tell me about these boys.”
I exhaled my disappointment. “I’m the mom now, Dad. I can’t justnotgive Declan a proper Christmas—”
The line went silent. “Dad?” I checked my phone. Zero bars of service. Zero care from my dad.Don’t worry about it, he said. I’m trapped on the side of a mountain, and my dad says,Have fun!I should have asked for my papa or mom. They were probably worried. But then again, my dad didn’t mention them . . . At least Declan was having fun on his first international trip. I missed him. And then I thought about how I might not be able to give him a proper holiday celebration. How could my family not understand why this mattered? I’d already given up the fantasy of having my own little polyamory clan, raising Declan together, and putting up a tree and lights . . . How could they be fine with no Christmas magic?
Gallow and Fox returned, and Fox handed me a crutch. “They had this at the pharmacy. I think itwas madein nineteen-ninety-seven,so be careful.”
A smile cracked my face despite my less-than-encouraging phone call. “So, are your dads ready to kick our asses for invading your space yet? I’m surprised they’re not here with loaded shotguns,” Gallow joked, crossing his thick, flannel-clad arms.
“Yeah . . . seems this storm is interrupting a lot of flights. I might not even . . . I might not . . .” I swallowed down my rising emotion. Fox rubbed my shoulder as Gallow knelt, putting his palms on my knees. “We’ll find a way out of this—”
“There’s not even a tree in our stupid little cabin. I’ve never had an undecorated, unmagical Christmas.” I sounded like a brat. But instead of recoiling, Gallow and Fox knelt by me, listening. I went on, “As a kid, my family and I always went toJohnny’s Christmas Tree Farm and cut our own tree. And my grandma would come over, and we’d make cookies and decorate to Christmas music on the old record player.” Tears flowed down my face, and I just hoped Koji didn’t pop up out of nowhere to see it. “I’m the mom this year. I’m supposed to have this shit together for him, but my family doesn’t get it. I may have their love and support, but I’m still doing this alone, you know? It’s not the same as having a partner. Declan doesn’t have a dad, and now his mom is failing him—” Gallow pulled me in for a big bear hug. I buried my wet face in his broad chest. “I’m crying on you too much,” I said, drying my eyes.
“You’ve been through a lot.” Gallow wiped a tear from my cheek.
“And you're in a new place, snowed in with a bunch of assholes.”Fox smirked that sexy half-smile. I couldn’t help but laugh.
We met Koji,who was silent as we began our trek back to the cabin. Gallow carried me with ease and probably would have the whole way if Fox didn’t insist on having a turn. They were cute, fussing over me. I rode piggyback style on Fox for the second half of the trip. When our cabin was in view, Gallow joked with Koji, “You want a turn carrying our queen?”
My heart warmed. Queen was my name and a title I liked.
To my shock and horror, Koji turned around and tossed his full bag at Gallow. “Hand her over.”
Fox looked over his shoulder at me with ashould I tell him to fuck off?expression.
“He can have a turn,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “You guys are probably tired, and the cabin is just up ahead.”
Fox reluctantly let go of my thighs as Koji carefully took me into his arms. He was strong and solid as I wrapped my armsaround his neck. “This is embarrassing,” I muttered, smelling his woodsy scent.
“Why’d you get sad back at the diner?”
His question caught me off guard. “I told you guys. I was just hungry—”
“Bullshit. Tell me why.”
I let out a long sigh as the other guys walked ahead. We followed their tracks in the snow as the sun lowered beyond the trees, bringing about a milky violet hue. “Being alone up here has just made me feel like a failure. I couldn’t keep my child’s father; I’m failing him at getting the house ready for Christmas. Do you just want to know so you can mock me about it?”
He looked over, his face just inches from mine. “No.”
We walked in silence for a few moments before he said, “My mom was a single mom to my sister and me. She built an empire. I'm a second-generation Japanese American. My grandparents died, so she didn’t have much help. But she made it happen. My mother’s the strongest person I know.” He shrugged. “I don’t care that she fed us fast food most nights. That woman is my hero.” I didn’t know why, but tears pricked my eyes. As we got closer to the cabin, he added, “And the only failure is that son of a bitch that abandoned you and his kid.”