Combine that with the ever-increasing awareness that Christmas was all around him—sights and sounds of couples in love and families excited to be spending the season together, all the things he’d barely noticed before—and he was feeling on edge. He wanted someone special to spend this season with...and every season.

He’d found the one. He just wasn’t sure how it was going to work out. The late-night calls were all they had and eventually they wouldn’t be enough. What did they do then? Did one of them move? Give up everything and relocate?

Would Erika even consider that? Would he?

Maybe he’d hold off on telling his mom anything just yet.

“How are things with you, sweetheart?” she asked just as the waiter set their food in front of them.

“Good.” He folded a piece of bacon and popped it into his mouth. He barely tasted the salty, greasy meat. Food had lost its flavor lately. Nothing was like it was before Erika.

“How are things at the bar?” she asked between bites of her eggs Benedict.

He nodded as he swallowed. “Getting busier.” The night before, they’d been at maximum capacity by ten—much busier than a normal Thursday night. He and Tank had been run off their feet. Thankfully, their seasonal staff was increasing that weekend. “We should put you to work while you’re here,” he said.

“Your sister needs me, even though she’ll never admit it.”

He cleared his throat. “So, how is Cassie?” He’d seen his sister only once since the avalanche rescue, but she’d texted him almost every hour of every day to tell him their mother was making her crazy.

His sister’s texts were making him crazy.

Every time the cell chimed with a new one, he dived for it, hoping it was Erika. Unfortunately, her texts were less frequent. A lot less frequent...

But they still chatted at the end of each day.

Which was why he was exhausted. The late-night calls at the end of her long shifts were killing him, but it was worth it to hear her voice. Despite the stress of her job, she seemed so excited about the clinical trials starting the following week and so far he’d been successful in not asking whether they would prevent her from visiting on Christmas Eve. It was a new relationship and he didn’t want to push her away by being needy or demanding. He wasn’t that guy. He’d liked his independence just fine. The single, bachelor life had suited him great...until Erika.

Now, he was totally feeling capable of becoming a stage-one clinger.

“And she’s grown an additional toe...” his mother was saying.

He blinked. “What?”

Arlene laughed. “Who’s the girl?”

“What girl?”