A different kind of pang shot through her as someone followed Charlie into the shop, twirling the homespun hat on one finger. She froze in place, mouth hanging slack as she stared at the most gorgeous man she had ever seen in her life. Her eyes travelled up along his body in what felt like a Hollywood slow motion effect. Long legs hugged by tight faded jeans, narrow hips, a midnight blue button-up shirt was tucked in to show off his trim waist. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing corded forearms—she had a thing for forearms—and he’d left the top few buttons of his shirt undone, showing off his collarbones beneath his pale skin. Her breath caught as she reached his face.

  His hair was pitch black and stood up in unruly spikes that made it seem he’d just rolled out of bed. Matching full, raven-black eyebrows arched over piercing eyes the color of a winter sky. His dark, thick lashes made a stunning contrast to their pale blue. He had a sculpted jaw and sharp cheekbones, adding to his stark masculine beauty. His lips were nothing short of lush, pulled in a smirk as he watched her staring at him.

  “Mom! Mom!” Charlie shouted. “I made a new friend in the park.”

  So many alarm bells started going off in her head, she could hardly think. At least it helped douse the lust that was coursing through her. Her emotional shields snapped into place, and those shields absolutely encompassed her son. Who the hell was this guy?

  “This is Jack,” Charlie went on. “He needs our help.”

  “So, you say.” His eyes softened around the edges as he smiled at Charlie, thawing her a bit.

  “Look how he’s dressed, Mom.” Charlie gestured toward the man.

  She had already examined him thoroughly. Now that she thought about it, though, his clothes were really high quality. They fit his gorgeous body perfectly, as if they’d been tailormade for him. His shirt looked as though it was silk. Expensive, but completely inappropriate for the weather. Apparently, Charlie agreed.

  Where was this guy’s coat, and why wasn’t he shivering? She glanced at the plate glass windows that made up the front of her shop, taking in the condensation and bits of frost at the very edges. It must be freezing outside.

  “I couldn’t just leave him out there,” Charlie said.

  “You certainly have raised a civic-minded little man.” Jack smirked at her son.

  Before Ava could respond to that, Charlie jumped back in. “It’s so cold.”

  Jack shrugged a shoulder and rolled his eyes, his smirk deepening as he glanced at her. “I don’t mind the cold.”

  “Well, the cold minds you,” Charlie countered.

  Jack scowled, but there was a playful edge to it. “That doesn’t even make any sense.”

  “Sure it does.” Charlie could be stubborn, and she saw it building in him. She had to admit, she liked that he wasn’t backing down. “It means that you need to respect the weather and respect nature, because it does what it wants and we need to adapt to it.”

  “That’s…” Jack pursed his lips. “That’s actually pretty cool.”

  Charlie smiled at the praise, and Ava’s heart gave a little tug. It immediately started to pound after, dread and worry crowding out all other emotions. Was this guy preying on Charlie’s need for a father-figure? Ava tried so hard to fill that spot for him, to be everything for him. Her stomach soured as she wondered for the millionth time if she wasn’t enough. If this guy was trying to take advantage of her son, she would take the one arrangement she had finished and shove it down his throat.

  Except, what would he even be looking for? She had sunk everything they had into their flower shop. If she could fill this order, if she could handle this enormous party, they might finally have something extra to put aside. Moving to Crystal Hollow from the big city had been a risk, but she refused to raise Charlie in that hectic environment. He needed—they needed—a community. And that meant putting a little trust in others.

  “Your mom teach you that?” Jack asked, turning those devastating ice-blue eyes to her. He had deep dimples when he smirked.

  “Get your things.” Ava kept Jack pinned with her glare while she spoke to Charlie. “It’s time for school.”

  “But you’ll help him. Right, Mom?” Charlie lifted his bag and slung it over his shoulders. He picked up his lunch and held it up. “We can give him some of my lunch. I can share.”

  Jack had turned his attention back to Charlie, though she was still watching this stranger, trying to assess him for signs that he was a threat. Jack’s smirk faltered at Charlie’s words, the lines around his eyes softening and his lips parting slightly as a kind of wonder seeped into his expression. The wary feeling she had toward him flickered a little. Whoever this man was, he didn’t seem accustomed to receiving kindness.

  “And he can stay in the office where it’s warm,” Charlie went on. “There’s that cot and some blankets. Please Mom, he has nowhere else to go.”

  Jack’s smirk returned, but the softness remained around his eyes as he glanced at her. “I never said that.”

  “If you had a place to go, why were you sitting alone in the park with no coat and just that silly, shiny shirt on?” Charlie demanded.

  “That’s some good alliteration,” Jack said. “They teach you that at school?”

  “As a matter of fact, they did.” Ava pulled her coat on over her worn flannel shirt. “Which is where I need to get him.”

  Charlie started to open the door, but Jack called out to him. “Hey, kid.”

  “It’s Charlie, remember?” Charlie said. “Knowing each other’s names makes us not strangers.”

  Jack’s features softened, that insufferably sexy smirk of his becoming almost a smile. He tossed the homespun stocking cap he was holding to Charlie. It looked like Charlie was going to miss catching it, but at the last minute, a chilly breeze swept through the store, catching the hat and dropping it in Charlie’s waiting hand.

  “Oh cool.” Charlie stared at the hat with wide eyes filled with wonder. “Did you see that, Mom?”

  “Yeah, I did,” she said.

  “Put it on before you go outside.” Jack’s features were back to being schooled indifference, except his words and the way he kept glancing at Charlie told her he was feeling something very different. “It’s chilly out there.”

  Other than Hayden and Emma, no one had ever told Charlie to bundle up before, nor to go to bed or to eat his veggies. Ava had been alone in rearing him, even when she and Jim, Charlie’s father, had been together. Jim had always been too preoccupied with his job to pay much attention to them. He’d told her it was her job to look after their son when Ava tried to reach out for help. Merely bringing home a paycheck wasn’t being a father. Especially not the kind that she wanted for her son. Charlie deserved better.

  Here was this stranger—okay, apparently not a stranger, according to Charlie, since they knew each other’s names—who had known Charlie for less than half an hour, and already cared enough to remind him to take care of himself. Warmth blossomed in her chest as she glimpsed what her life could be like if she had a true partner. Someone who cared for Charlie in the same way that she did, who wanted the same things for him she did.

  She stared at Jack for a few moments, then sighed and shook her head. Nodding toward the open door to her office, she said, “Go on and get warmed up.”

  “Yes!” Charlie made a little victory gesture, pulling his elbows tight to his sides with his hands in fists. Ava couldn’t keep herself from smiling at him. Her expression became more stern as she looked back at Jack.

  “There’s a mini-fridge in there as well,” she said. “I’ll be back in twenty minutes. We can figure things out then.” She glanced over the flowers and ribbons everywhere and muttered, “While I figure out this order.” As she walked past him, she paused and added, “I’m trusting you with my shop. Don’t let me down.”

  He narrowed his eyes and angled his head to the side as if he was sizing her up. Whatever this guy had going on, she seriously doubted homelessness was his true problem. Maybe some kind of mental health crisis? But he didn’t seem agitated or depressed. She would get back as quickly as she could to work on unraveling this mystery—and text Hayden and Emma to let them know what was happening just in case she was making a huge mistake.

  Chapter Three

  This woman was an utter fool. How could she leave Jack alone in her shop when they had only just met? He covered his thoughts with a broad grin and waved as she and Charlie headed out the door. The boy waved back and cast a much more sincere smile at Jack that somehow had his own feeling more real. Ava even threw a guarded smile Jack’s way before disappearing into the chill morning.

  Jack rubbed at his chest. That odd warmth had returned, spreading through his abdomen. What was it about this family?

  He turned back toward the shop, assessing his new temporary ‘home.’ A chuckle slipped out at the thought. They had invited him to stay under their roof. He didn’t think there were still humans around who did that sort of thing for others. The warmth in his torso spread out along his limbs. He lifted one hand, wiggling his fingers.

  “Now, that’s interesting…”

  A story popped into his head, one that he thought mortals had created to comfort themselves to cope with powerful Fae entities meddling in their lives. In it, a group of elves helped a shoemaker with his work, making him much more successful and improving the quality of life for the man and his family. Eventually, he made shoes for the elves, who happily moved on at that point.

  Jack had always considered it a stupid story. Why would elves help anyone else, especially mortals? Fairies were self-absorbed. They only did what they wanted, what entertained them. He was the same.

  Keep telling yourself that.

  His jaw tightened as he thought of the Court of the Yuletide Fae and how they had created something of a family. They cared for each other, looked out for one another. Jack could easily become one of them. The Winter Queen would accept his fealty if he dared to swear it. Except that meant being her subject…

  The Yuletide kingdom was beautiful, the winters long and cold. He was certain that would amplify his powers. Would that also increase the chill that seeped through him when his frost built up within his chest? He shuddered at the thought. He might be Jack Frost, but he desperately longed for warmth, a warmth that he felt while standing in the middle of Ava’s flower shop.

  He stepped deeper into the workspace, taking in the pale blue walls and the checkered sage-green and white tile floor. A riot of colorful ribbons, bows, and other decorative odds-and-ends covered most of the horizontal surfaces, jumbled amidst the spring flowers for the arrangements she was working on. Verdant leaves and stems were strewn everywhere from her previous projects, along with dirt and grit that must have accumulated over several days at least.

  The place was a mess. Did this human not know how to take care of herself?

  Jack threw his arm in a wide arc, calling on his power to show him more of what life was like in the shop. A fine mist of frost blew out from him, hovering in the air for a few moments before coalescing into a transparent shape. Ava was bent over her work, putting together the single arrangement that now sat completed on the table. The bright yellow and white flowers in the present stood out vibrantly while the colorless recreation of the past from Jack’s magic played out around them.

  He approached Ava’s form, trying to make out more details—the shape of her large eyes, her strong cheekbones and full lips. She focused intently on what she was doing, brow furrowed as she stared at her phone, then back to the ribbon she was weaving into some kind of knot. She let out a sigh and shook her head, pulling her lower lip between her teeth and leaning closer to her work. Suddenly, she looked to the side, a huge smile transforming her features.

  Jack’s breath caught at the sight. Even in the ghostlike image, captured in a fine sheen of frost, her joy was clear enough to spur an answering tug in his chest. He followed her gaze to see a little transparent Charlie run up to her. She gathered him up in a bear hug, kissing his cheek as the pair laughed. She stood, bringing him with her and casting one last glance at her work before heading out of the room.

  Jack trailed behind them as they made their way through the office and to a closed door. The frost forms passed through the wood, leaving a gleaming outline of their shapes for a moment. The tug in his chest pulled tighter, almost painful. He tried the doorknob, but it was locked. Pushing some of his magic into the metal was a bit tricky. He managed to get the tumblers to click into place and yanked the door open, hurrying up a steep set of stairs that led to an apartment above the shop.

  He found the frost forms in a small, well-kept kitchen. Charlie worked at his mother’s side as they prepared his lunch. Jack leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the pair work. Their laughter made no sound in his spell, but he could almost hear it. More warmth spread through him as the scene unfolded.

  Ava didn’t seem rushed, though from the look of things downstairs, she had plenty to keep her busy. She still gave Charlie loads of attention, ruffling his hair and tickling him at one point. The entire time, she wore that incredible smile, its radiance making the frost of Jack’s spell sparkle.

  He wished he could see this play out in real time. He wanted to watch the light dance on her warm amber skin, to hear her teasing voice as she and Charlie went about their morning. The boy ran from the room as another frost form coalesced. It was a man walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. She glanced up at him and smiled, leaning back against his chest.

  Charlie had said his dad was out of the picture. Who was this guy?

  Jack stepped closer, scrutinizing the man’s features to see if he recognized him from town. He blinked a few times when he realized the form was his own. His thoughts must be influencing the spell.

  “Where the hell did that come from?”

  Jack waved his arm through the air sharply, disintegrating the newcomer. Ava’s form rippled, but then resumed the playback of the morning’s actual events. Charlie ran back into the room, talking animatedly as he held up a piece of paper. Ava leaned against the counter for a moment, her head angled as she assessed whatever request her son was making.

  She finally nodded and Charlie leapt into the air, a huge smile on his face. He turned to run toward the stairs. Jack reached out to grab him and keep him safe on the steep staircase. His arms wrapped around the cold form as it ran straight through him. Jack closed his eyes and shook his head.

  “Well, that could have been embarrassing.”

  He stepped aside as Ava followed Charlie, smiling. She glanced at her watch and her smile faltered. By the time she reached the stairs, her features were set in the steely expression she had used with him. Jack accompanied her down to the office, locking the door behind them with the mechanism this time. She paused for a moment, staring at the enormous stacks of papers that almost concealed the desk before continuing on.

  They entered the shop just as Charlie bolted out the front door, the paper held between his teeth while he pulled his coat on. Ava called something out to him, then shook her head. She looked around the shop and her shoulders crumpled. She covered her face with her hands for a few moments, then ran them through her hair.

  Jack’s chest tightened. She had taken as much time as Charlie needed to help him get ready and go off on his own adventure. No wonder she didn’t bother keeping up with cleaning her workspace. The mountain of paperwork in her office plus the piles and piles of materials for whatever she was working on would be enough to fill every second of any mortal’s day—and night. Raising a kid on top of that…

  He stepped closer to Ava’s form, willing the spell to pause. Reaching out, he gently brushed his fingertips over her cheek, the frost swirling as he disturbed it.

  How did she keep up with all this? He looked back at the shop, a strange desire to help rising within him. Lucky for him, there was a finished arrangement to study. The knot she had made was an intricate Celtic design he hadn’t seen in centuries. His brow furrowed as he inspected it more closely. Something about it was unsettling. He didn’t have time to figure that out now. There was work to do.

  Jack lifted his arms as would a conductor leading a symphony. Pushing out his magic, he flooded the space with power. At his command, frost crept along the walls and shelves, capturing the dust and swirling it away in a chilly mist. The flowers rose into the air, caught in gentle whirlwinds. He swayed back and forth, gathering materials, trimming them into the needed shapes, then settling them into the waiting vases lined up neatly on one of the tables.

  Lines of gold ribbons snaked around the arrangements, weaving themselves together into the requisite Celtic knots. As he completed the first one, a sharp burst of energy zinged through him. He barely paused his work. Ava could be back at any moment. He would definitely look into the design and where it had come from as soon as he had a chance.

  When he’d finished the arrangements, he spun his fingers in circles while walking through the shop. Little cyclones of frost swirled out from him, gathering up the discarded stems and leaves as well as the remnants of string and ribbon. He went over every table and the entire floor, watching as the whirlwinds winked out, one by one, carrying the gathered debris with them. Hands on his hips, he surveyed his work, an odd feeling of satisfaction bringing a smile to his face.

  Maybe that story about the shoemakers wasn’t such a stretch after all.

  Chapter Four

  Twenty minutes later on the dot, Ava stood in front of her shop again. Hayden was busy helping Emma with a catering order that was no doubt even worse than the floral arrangements, but had assured Ava that Crystal Hollow was a safe place filled with safe people. Emma agreed, and reminded Ava that she was adjusting to living in a small town. They were still ready to swoop in with the police if Ava needed rescuing.

  This was exactly what she had longed for when she brought Charlie here. After only a few months, Ava had two friends who were closer to her than anyone she’d ever known. She knew they had her back as much as she had theirs and they could all count on each other. It was a small community, but it was a start. And if she wanted to grow her circle, she needed to take a leap of faith and trust more people—starting with this one.

 

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