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That was his cross to bear Not his mom’s But apparently she didn’t see it that way Just as she didn’t see hirown man In her eyes, he was still a child That wasn’t her fault either It was the de She’d been through sowith her yet

Nor hi at his mom’s side was no other than the pretty cherry-red–capped skier from the resort Bailey Hud stepped into the roo lip gloss and s For a quick beat, he stared at her, so relieved he couldn’t get a word out She looked good today Happy Even playful--although that never boded well for him "Mom," he murmured affectionately, and bent to kiss her cheek

"Hey, baby," shehis cheek "Did you do your ho that, he turned to Bailey and lifted a brow

To her credit, she ain," she said with an easy sht

"We met on the mountain earlier," Hud said

"He rescuedinto Hud’s "Fixed my ski"

"Well that makes this even better," Carrie said "She’s an artist I hired her to paint a mural For you, Hud"

Because he hadn’t taken his eyes off the woman in the chair, he watched her blink in surprise and hera gaze between Hud and his ave a s her sentence But you’re not a little boy…

Nope "Moone over this," he said quietly"You can’t just hire people over the Internet, okay? They et ripped off"

"Bailey’s not going to ripincredibly rude Sit down You’re growing like a weed You’re so tall you’re giving hed "I don’t knohich of you is more stubborn, you or Jacob"

Hud knew It was Jacob By far

"Well if you’re not going to sit, at least stop looking like you’re out for blood," his ht her out I hired her"

"And noe un-hire her," he said He looked at Bailey "How much?"

She narrowed her eyes at hi out her pretty ears "I wouldn’t take your money"

"I’ve seen her work on the Internet, Hud," his mom said "She’s decorated nurseries for babies She did this hed in wonder "Well, uarded, easy Contagious And then there was her gaze, deep enough for a le heartbeat, he felt the sae to pull her in and stare into those eyes They had soht An inexplicable che out her ears this ti between theht now" Then he again turned to Bailey "A word?"

"Sure" She got up and, at his gesture, went ahead of hiear, minus the red helmet and the sunshine-yellow ski jacket Without the bulky parka, she was a tiny thing Bailey was petite and, as he’d suspected, a little fragile looking Her patterned ski pants were cargo-style with a lot of clear pockets that she’d filled A packet of tissues A baggie of nuts A lip bal at the stuff and absolutely not at her sweet little ass when she turned to face hihed low in his throat but it was at himself "You can see why this can’t happen"

"That’s more than a word," she said