Forever This Time by Maggie McGinnis Page A

who’d hug her.
    Check that.
    She’d have given anything for a mother who’d hug her while sober, not just when she needed a pair of shoulders to sling her arm over so she could find her way to bed without falling down the stairs. Again.
    Turning toward Elf Central, Josie took a deep breath, glancing up at the window where she knew Ethan was probably sitting right now. Even though she’d known the arrangements before she got here, seeing Ethan sitting in that chair across from Dad’s—hearing him say I’m the CFO now —had spun her for a serious loop.
    So Dad might be the CEO of Snowflake Village, but since he’d always preferred playing Santa to crunching numbers, Josie would be willing to bet Ethan made more decisions about the park’s operations than Dad did these days. And that meant he’d certainly be threatened by anyone else stepping into his office, even if it was temporary.
    And especially if it was her.
    She’d taken the long way around this morning, but still the drive from her parents’ house to the park had lasted only twelve minutes. Hardly enough time to come up with a strategy for surviving the day.
    What she did know was this: she needed to tread lightly here. Snowflake Village was his territory now, not hers, and as strange as the whole situation was, she needed to respect that. Last night he’d sat there with eyes gone icy, telling her he didn’t need her help, and she couldn’t imagine he’d thawed any overnight.
    No, he didn’t want her here any more than she wanted to be here, but as her parents’ employee, his hands were tied.
    She cringed. If this wasn’t a lesson in how not to break up, nothing was. Who’d have thought ten years later they’d have to sit face-to-face in an office and work together?
    Not her, that’s who.
    The only thing she could do was put on her ultra-cooperative face and wait for whatever tasks he doled out.
    Empty the trash bins? Sure, Ethan.
    Pour Slush-Bombs until my fingers ache? You bet .
    Muck out reindeer stalls? Absolutely. No problem.
    She took a deep breath. She could do this. It was only for the weekend. Dad was bound to be on the mend by tomorrow, and she could be on her way back to Boston. Everyone would be happier that way.
    Especially Ethan.
    She started walking up the pathway to Elf Central. Whatever he had in store for her, she’d nod and smile and do her time.
    It would be fine.
    *   *   *
    â€œYou want me to do what ?” Two minutes later, she found out exactly what he had in store for her. Holding up the hanger Ethan had pointed her toward, Josie felt her mouth gape open.
    â€œYou heard me.” Ethan’s voice was bland and humorless, and he hadn’t even looked up from his computer for more than a quick glance when she’d walked in.
    â€œSanta.”
    â€œYou said you wanted to help, and Diana said to put you to work. This is work.”
    Josie tried not to stare at the muscled arms leaning on the desk, or at the pecs straining his polo shirt. Dammit, why did he still have to look so … good?
    Even while resentment and irritation practically vibrated from his body, she hated the unrelenting desire she had to run her hands over his chest, to see if her head still rested in the same spot when they hugged … to see if his hand came up to cradle it there like it always had.
    She shook her head, holding the costume up in front of her. “It’s huge.”
    â€œRoll up the cuffs.”
    â€œIt’s, like, ninety degrees out there. Is it air-conditioned?” Josie weighed the distinct advantage of disappearing into a costume and away from Ethan against the very real possibility of heat stroke.
    Ethan pointed to the window thermometer, again without looking up from his computer. “Only eighty-three.”
    â€œIf I die of heat stroke in front of Rudolph’s Ridiculous Reindeer Ride, you’re