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proud as punch of her new coffeemaker and even Seth had to admit it made a damn fine cup of coffee.
She d even frothed his milk. At first, when she d offered it to him, he d thought frothed milk was
some sort of euphemism. When he realized she was seriously offering him whipped milk in his
coffee, he d graciously accepted, remembering the fancy coffees he d drank as a rookie cop in
Denver.
His parents had kept the conversation flowing all during dinner and it was probably time for him
to take Presley back to her apartment. Seth found her staring out the window of the family room. He
walked up behind her, and was immediately surrounded by her soft, clean scent. He had to fight the
urge to pull her into his arms. He wasn t sure what she wanted from him now. Yesterday had started
so promising, but it had all gone to hell in a hand basket, and it was all his fault. He settled for
placing his hands on her shoulders.
 What are you looking at so intently out there?
She turned slightly so he could see she was smiling.  The snow. I d never seen snow until I
came here.
Sometimes he forgot she had another life away from here. One he wasn t part of and never would
be.  It s just cold and white. Shoveling it is hard on your back and slippery under your feet.
She shook her head.  It s beautiful. I never thought snow could be beautiful, but it is. Look at the
way the full moon reflects off the new snow. It s like something out of a movie or a painting.
Seth looked at the back yard through Presley s eyes. The carpet of white that sparkled under the
moon reminded him of a book he d read as a young boy. He couldn t remember what the title was,
but he did remember one thing. People liked to play in the snow. He hadn t done it in years but he
still remembered how.
 So you ve never built a snowman?
Presley chuckled.  Beach sand makes great castles. I haven t tried to make a person.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door.  We need to address these gaps in your
education and there s no time like the present.
She gasped in surprise as he bundled her up in her heavy coat. He pulled on his own while she
tugged on gloves and wound a scarf around her head and neck. She looked so cute, dressed like a
little girl about to play in the snow. Seth wanted to make up for being a total prick yesterday and
showing her the magic of snow seemed as good a way as any. He yelled into the living room that they
were headed outside for a little while.
The evening was cold but not deathly freezing. He wasn t going to tell Presley the weather she
was experiencing now was only going to get colder. As it was, she kept the space heater turned up
next to her desk each day at the office. He flipped on the outdoor floodlights and led her to the
middle of their large backyard. Gathering a mound of snow together, he started to pack it together to
make a ball.
 Roll this along in the snow and it will grow. He pushed the small snowball toward her.  We
do this three times, each one progressively smaller.
Presley was bent over, pushing the snowball through the snow.  I know what a snowman looks
like, Seth, she huffed. He started on the second snowball, building it up much faster than Presley.
She was scowling with her hands on her hips when he finished the second one before she was done
with the first.
 Shit, how did you do that so fast?
 Years of practice, honey. Let s get this old guy put together.
He helped her finish the last snowball, laughing at how lopsided it was before he smoothed it into
an icy sphere. They stacked the snowballs one on top of the other and stood back to survey their
work. Seth was about to commandeer Presley s scarf when his mother came out with an old
cardboard box he recognized instantly.
 Mom, where did you find that?
His mother laughed, handing him the box.  Mothers always have their secrets and we don t tell.
Enjoy, but don t stay out here too long. The snow is really starting to come down.
His mother turned and hurried back into the house since she was only in her sweater. Seth held up
the box triumphantly.
 Snowman supplies.
Presley peered into the box and smiled.  You have a box of things to dress a snowman? That s
handy.
Seth grabbed up the pieces of  coal to make the eyes and mouth, and handed another handful to
Presley for the buttons.
 We used to make snowmen a lot when we were kids. Then Mom would make us hot chocolate
with marshmallows.
 Sounds like Norman Rockwell would be proud. Presley had finished with the buttons and was
attaching stick arms he and his brothers had whittled years ago.
 I guess I did have a pretty cool childhood. My brothers and I fought all the time and drove our
parents crazy but we re very close. Are you and your sister close?
He almost thought she didn t hear him but she had stopped decorating the snowman and was
standing there with snow falling all around her looking thoughtful. Finally she shook her head.
 No, I wouldn t call us close. I ve always wanted us to be, though. I ve wanted a family like you
have, but it isn t in the cards for me, I guess. When my mom married Nora s dad I was ecstatic. I
thought I would have the family I d always wanted. My stepdad wasn t what you would call a family [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]