“That was sexy,” Reed said a second later, sounding sleepy, but perfectly at peace.

She turned onto her side, clenching her thighs together as her body continued to tingle. “That was a first,” she said, letting her eyes drift closed, a new exhaustion taking over.

“Not as perfect as the real thing, but until I can have you in my arms again, I can live with phone calls like these.”

She could imagine the satisfied smile on his face. And for now, when all they had was each other’s voice on the other end of the line, that’s what she’d cling to...for as long as it lasted.

Chapter Twenty-Two

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

THE WEEK FLEW BY. Marcus’s evaluation to become a full member had gone well. He’d been voted in by a unanimous decision, and Reed was relieved to have another permanent crew member to help at the station throughout the holidays. The Hug-A-Tree school programs were done for the year, but between one short rescue call, a search for a lost Labrador retriever and several ski patrol assists, it was Friday before Reed could see his mom.

Now, sitting across from her at Mountain Slope Café, he sipped his coffee, listening to her daily recap of life in Willow Lake. He hadn’t lived in his small former hometown in a long time, but it sounded like not much had changed.

His mother’s schedule was the same as always, though she had started a new Zumba class at the community hall on Thursdays. She’d been forced to change hairdressers because April, her longtime stylist, had moved to California. “The blond is too blond, isn’t it?” she asked, removing her hat to reveal the ash-blond, shoulder-length bob.

It looked the same as always to him. “Maybe a little too blond,” he said.

She swiped at him, put the hat back on and launched into the current drama between her neighbors. They were fighting over an old tree that sat on both their properties. They both wanted to decorate it for Christmas but couldn’t come to an agreement on colored versus white lights.

Man, if only I had their problems.

Unlike Cass, he didn’t mind his mom’s nonstop chatter. She was entertaining and well, all he had to do was nod and smile.

Today, though, he fought the urge to tell her about Erika. It was really the only thing he wanted to talk about—when he did get a word in—but he wasn’t sure what to say. Technically they’d been dating two weeks. He’d never told his mother about girls he’d dated before, but this was different. He was in love with Erika...though the lack of contact in the last few days was making him anxious.