She began wiping down the counter. “What would I be mad about?”

I rolled my eyes. “Last night.”

“Last night didn’t happen, remember?”

I stared at her back for a moment, then stormed out the back door, slamming it behind me. Hard.

Her car started fine, so after I’d taken a quick shower and gotten dressed, we all piled into it for the drive to Cloverleigh. I was behind the wheel, Frannie was in the passenger seat, and the girls were squeezed in the back. The tension in the front seat was icy and thick.

“Daddy, what are we going to do at Cloverleigh?” Felicity asked. “Can we see the animals?”

“I don’t know,” I said tersely.

“Can we take a sleigh ride?” Winnie asked.

“I don’t think so.”

“But Frannie said we could.”

“We can’t take up all Frannie’s time.”

“It’s fine,” Frannie said stiffly.

“Will we have lunch there?” Millie wondered. “I’m kind of hungry.”

“I don’t know,” I snapped. “Stop with all the questions already.”

“Jeez, why are you in such a bad mood?” Millie asked.

“I’m not in a bad mood!” I roared. From my right I could feel Frannie’s eyes on me. I clenched my jaw and gripped the wheel tighter.

When we arrived at Cloverleigh, Daphne Sawyer came rushing out from behind the desk. “There you are! I was so worried about you all on these roads. Was the driving awful?”

“It wasn’t too bad,” I said. But I couldn’t seem to unclench my jaw.

She hugged Frannie. “I’m so glad to see you. And you, too, girls,” she added, smiling at my daughters. “Mr. Sawyer said you can take the sleigh out this afternoon.”

“And how about lunch up in my apartment?” asked Frannie.

The girls jumped up and down with excitement at both ideas. After thanking Daphne and Frannie, and warning the kids to behave, I went back to my office and tried to get things done, but it was tough going.

My dark mood refused to lift. I barked at DeSantis when he checked with me about his new bottling line. I skipped lunch to punish myself and my stomach growled hungrily all afternoon. I swore at the guy from the towing company when he told me they were backed up because of the snow and he wasn’t sure when they’d be able to get to my car. And all day long I kept glancing out the window, wondering if the kids were out in the sleigh with Frannie and whether she hated my guts for last night. Sure seemed like it this morning.

But I knew I hadn’t forced her to do anything she didn’t want to do. Had she faked her orgasms? Maybe I wasn’t the stud I thought I was.

The thought did not sit well with me.

Or had I hurt her feelings somehow? Slighted her in some way? Had I said something insensitive without realizing it?

Goddamn, I was fucking clueless about women.

Around four-thirty, my ex called. Of course.

I winced when I saw her name on my phone and gave the screen the finger, but I took the call. “Hello?”

“It’s me,” she said.

“I know.” I pinched the bridge of my nose with two fingers. “What do you want?”

“I’m fine, thanks. How are you?” Her voice oozed sarcasm.

“Fine.”

A heavy sigh. “I’m coming up this weekend.”

“Have you told the kids?”

“No. I want to surprise them.”

“Do you have a ticket already?”

“Not yet.”

“Do me a favor, and don’t say anything to the kids until you’re sure you’re coming,” I said. “Last month, you didn’t make it and they were devastated.”

“I won’t,” she snapped. “That’s how a surprise works, Mack. You don’t say anything beforehand. And it’s not my fault that I couldn’t come last time. I was sick.”

“Whatever. I just don’t want them disappointed again.”

“They won’t be,” she snapped. “I’ll be there Friday.”

“Fine.” I ended the call and tossed my phone onto my desk. I felt like throwing it out the window. Why the hell did she bother coming at all? She didn’t really care about them. And she’d probably spend the entire weekend badmouthing me.

Suddenly my office door swung open, and the girls came running in. They were red-cheeked and runny-nosed from the cold, and their hair was matted from their hats.

“Daddy!” Winnie said excitedly. “I got to drive the sleigh!”

“Me too,” said Felicity, taking off her glasses to wipe the fog off them. “The horses’ names were Scout and Cinnamon!”

“Frannie says we can make real hot chocolate in her apartment if it’s okay with you,” Millie bubbled. “So can we?”

I checked my watch. It was going on five and getting close to dinner time, but I still had some things to finish up. “That’s fine. But come back down when you’re done. We need to get going soon, although I have no idea how we’re going to get home.”

“Do you need a ride?” Frannie asked from the doorway. She’d changed clothes, and her long hair was in two gold-streaked braids over her shoulders. They made her look even younger than she was, and my heart sank even lower. She had no idea what she did to me.

“I might,” I admitted. “I called the towing company, but they haven’t gotten back to me yet. But I hate to put you out again.”

“It’s no big deal,” she said, but there was still none of the warmth in her face that had been there yesterday. “I can take you. Come on, girls.” She gathered them up and steered them into the hallway. “Let’s go make our chocolate.”

“Frannie, wait.”

She looked back at me, her expression blank. “Yes?”

But what could I say with the kids right there within earshot?

I’m sorry, I mouthed.

She shrugged. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I don’t mean about the ride home.”

“I know what you mean.” Then she disappeared, pulling the door shut behind her.

Cursing, I flopped back into my chair.

Two knocks on my door, and then it opened.

For a second, I thought maybe it would be Frannie, but it was DeSantis.

“Oh. Hey,” I said despondently.

He laughed. “Not the warmest welcome I’ve ever received.”

I sighed and rubbed my face with my hands. “Sorry. I’m having a shit day. What can I do for you?”

“I was going to ask if this was an okay time to talk about H.R. needs for spring, but it can wait.”

“No, it’s fine. Sit down.”

DeSantis shook his head. “Let’s talk tomorrow. Why don’t you take off for today?”

“I can’t even do that.” Suddenly I looked up at him. “Hey, can I ask you for a favor?”

“Sure. What’s up?”

“Could you drive me and the kids home? Whenever you’re ready to go is fine.”

He nodded. “Ready whenever you are.”

“And if it’s not too much trouble, could we try giving my car a jump? It’s in my garage, so we’d have to get it out.”