right now. That was Buddy on the phone.”
She opened one eye and swallowed. Did he just say—
She sat in the bed so fast she nearly took his head off. “But he’s not supposed to be here until this afternoon. I haven’t baked anything yet.”
“Apparently, it’s noon. You should take a shower.” Joe stood and walked into the bathroom, turning on the shower they’d explored sometime last night.
“What? I don’t have time if he’s already here.” She stood, suddenly feeling strange about her nakedness.
Joe wrapped his arms around her, covering her body with his own. “ Schatje , I don’t mind. But we both smell like sex. That’s not really how I want your dad to find out about us. If you even want him to find out about us.”
She looked up at him, her stomach clenching as a wave of nausea struck. “I don’t know.”
“That’s okay. We’ll tell him when you come back.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. “Thank you.”
“You shower first. I’ll take my turn while you are getting dressed. We want him surprised, not mortified.”
“Right.” She nodded and looked up at him, wishing they’d had more time.
“Saskia, he’s going to love your Christmas surprise, speculaas poppen or not.”
His phone rang before she could tell him it wasn’t the surprise that had her so anxious. Using the same shower where he’d made love to her so thoroughly just hours before didn’t help matters either. She had this monumental decision to make and she wasn’t ready. Leaving now would be like ripping her soul open, but staying would be turning her back on everything she’d spent years building.
Turning her face into the warm spray of water, she let the tears flow, just for a moment. Just to release enough so she could put on a happy face and make the Christmas memory with her father she’d been craving since she left Anguilla the first time.
Leaving her father then had felt like the end of the world. And so did this.
“Ready? He’s inside.” Joe helped Saskia down from the truck and guided her to the porch of the shop. Dutch’s voice rang out as he told an animated story about his latest adventure. “Don’t be nervous, it’s just your dad.”
She nodded and he walked ahead of her through the open door. “Dutch, my man, welcome home.” He greeted the older man with a back-slapping hug, held on a beat longer than usual. Though Dutch didn’t know it, their relationship was forever changed.
“Boy, you should have been there. This octopus was—”
Joe clapped him on the shoulder and winked at Buddy and Ronald. “In a minute, Dutch. Something came for you while you were gone.”
“It can wait. This octopus—”
“She’s been waiting for you.”
Saskia stepped through the door, her deep red hair caught up in a braid over one shoulder. The warm pink of her silk camisole brought out the beauty of her freckled skin. “Merry Christmas, Daddy.”
Dutch turned and stared through her for a moment, as if he worried he’d seen a mirage. Then he pulled in a breath and raced towards her. “ Mijn kindje. ”
He lifted Sass in his beefy arms and spun her around as she laughed. He spoke in Dutch, she answered in English, and they both wiped tears from their eyes.
Joe walked out the back, leaving them to have their moment. Saskia had come to reconnect with her father, not with him. He respected them both too much to interfere. They’d both tell him to stay, and he would, and none of it would keep her from heading back to Florida in two days.
Chapter Fifteen
Saskia linked her arm into her father’s as the crowd of children counted down. She chanted the numbers as loudly as she had when she’d been holding the hands of her schoolmates. The lights switched on, illuminating the buildings and trees in the Christmas village. The children sang out and danced, knowing that Christmas Eve was their last chance to enjoy the display until next year.
“It’s so much more elaborate now.” She leaned
She opened one eye and swallowed. Did he just say—
She sat in the bed so fast she nearly took his head off. “But he’s not supposed to be here until this afternoon. I haven’t baked anything yet.”
“Apparently, it’s noon. You should take a shower.” Joe stood and walked into the bathroom, turning on the shower they’d explored sometime last night.
“What? I don’t have time if he’s already here.” She stood, suddenly feeling strange about her nakedness.
Joe wrapped his arms around her, covering her body with his own. “ Schatje , I don’t mind. But we both smell like sex. That’s not really how I want your dad to find out about us. If you even want him to find out about us.”
She looked up at him, her stomach clenching as a wave of nausea struck. “I don’t know.”
“That’s okay. We’ll tell him when you come back.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. “Thank you.”
“You shower first. I’ll take my turn while you are getting dressed. We want him surprised, not mortified.”
“Right.” She nodded and looked up at him, wishing they’d had more time.
“Saskia, he’s going to love your Christmas surprise, speculaas poppen or not.”
His phone rang before she could tell him it wasn’t the surprise that had her so anxious. Using the same shower where he’d made love to her so thoroughly just hours before didn’t help matters either. She had this monumental decision to make and she wasn’t ready. Leaving now would be like ripping her soul open, but staying would be turning her back on everything she’d spent years building.
Turning her face into the warm spray of water, she let the tears flow, just for a moment. Just to release enough so she could put on a happy face and make the Christmas memory with her father she’d been craving since she left Anguilla the first time.
Leaving her father then had felt like the end of the world. And so did this.
“Ready? He’s inside.” Joe helped Saskia down from the truck and guided her to the porch of the shop. Dutch’s voice rang out as he told an animated story about his latest adventure. “Don’t be nervous, it’s just your dad.”
She nodded and he walked ahead of her through the open door. “Dutch, my man, welcome home.” He greeted the older man with a back-slapping hug, held on a beat longer than usual. Though Dutch didn’t know it, their relationship was forever changed.
“Boy, you should have been there. This octopus was—”
Joe clapped him on the shoulder and winked at Buddy and Ronald. “In a minute, Dutch. Something came for you while you were gone.”
“It can wait. This octopus—”
“She’s been waiting for you.”
Saskia stepped through the door, her deep red hair caught up in a braid over one shoulder. The warm pink of her silk camisole brought out the beauty of her freckled skin. “Merry Christmas, Daddy.”
Dutch turned and stared through her for a moment, as if he worried he’d seen a mirage. Then he pulled in a breath and raced towards her. “ Mijn kindje. ”
He lifted Sass in his beefy arms and spun her around as she laughed. He spoke in Dutch, she answered in English, and they both wiped tears from their eyes.
Joe walked out the back, leaving them to have their moment. Saskia had come to reconnect with her father, not with him. He respected them both too much to interfere. They’d both tell him to stay, and he would, and none of it would keep her from heading back to Florida in two days.
Chapter Fifteen
Saskia linked her arm into her father’s as the crowd of children counted down. She chanted the numbers as loudly as she had when she’d been holding the hands of her schoolmates. The lights switched on, illuminating the buildings and trees in the Christmas village. The children sang out and danced, knowing that Christmas Eve was their last chance to enjoy the display until next year.
“It’s so much more elaborate now.” She leaned
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