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Maya studied her food. She didn’t feel the need to keep her options open; she only wanted to continue teaching her kids how to ski. Glancing up, she took in the earnest expression on her father’s face. But it would be a compromise, and perhaps meeting him halfway would be a step in the right direction. “I’ll accept the interview, then we’ll see.”

A smile spread across Omar’s face. Maya couldn’t help the good feeling it gave her to finally cause that expression to display on his features.

Pressing the bell, she listened to it sounding within. The door opened to reveal the sight of Sam’s handsome face, which infused her with comfort.

Stepping inside and closing the door, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his neck and inhaling his scent. Memories of that afternoon flooded her mind, from when they’d stripped each other naked and had mind-blowing sex on his desk. The lock he’d installed on his door when he’d gotten that office had been an excellent investment.

Maya tipped her face to kiss him, appreciating the now-familiar graze of his beard. “I needed to see you.”

Frowning, he rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “Things just blew up at home so I needed some sanctity.”

Sam put his arm around her shoulders to lead her into the living room. “Liv’s here too. She popped in on her evening walk.”

Maya smiled. “Two twins for the price of one. Excellent.”

Sam kissed the top of her head as they entered the room, and Liv stood to greet her.

Settling onto the sofa next to Sam, Maya snuggled into his side to address Liv, who was in the armchair across from them. “In a nutshell”—she mimed the outline of a nutshell around her body— “Hana is pregnant and she had a crisis about what it meant for her career. Dad thought I was the one who was preggers and was a dick to Sam about it . . .” Sam squeezed her hand and Liv raised her eyebrows. “Then Dad had a go at me about working at the ski center and sacrificing being an accountant due to my condition.” She caught Sam wincing at that point and opted not to add that Omar had commented on Sam leading her astray. “Hana stopped the argument by telling them she was the one up the duff and not me, then I made it all awkward again by telling Dad that it was his fault that Hana had been upset in the first place.” Taking a breath, she smiled. “And they all lived happily ever after.”

Liv laughed, shaking her head. “Wow. Fun times in the Bashir household.”

“Yep,” said Maya, resting her head back onto Sam’s shoulder.

He lifted his arm around her.

“Oh wait, I forgot to add that I got an interview with Perry and Pearson, and had to make a compromise with Dad that I’d do the interview, and see what happens after that.”

Sam seemed to stiffen next to her, but when she glanced up at him, he gave her a smile.

“Which ones are Perry and Pearson again?” Liv asked.

Sam cleared his throat. “The Edinburgh firm.”

“What’ll you do if you get the job?” Liv asked.

Sam shifted in his seat.

“I don’t want it,” Maya said, settling back against Sam. “But I feel like I can’t turn the interview down when Dad contacted them personally.” She fiddled with her charm bracelet. “Perhaps I won’t need to worry about the next part, if they decide they don’t like the cut of my jib.”

Sam kissed her forehead. “I doubt that.”

“Might be a way of letting your dad down gently,” Liv said, smiling. “One step at a time, eh?” She put her hands on the arms of her chair. “Right. I’m off to wrap Christmas pressies. I’ll leave you two lovey-dovey lovebirds to it.”

She stood, and Maya and Sam each gave her a hug before seeing her off at the front door.

Closing the door, Sam took hold of her, kissing her in a lingering manner that made it seem as if he hadn’t seen her in days. When he broke off, he rested his forehead against hers.

Maya kissed the tip of his nose. “What is it?”

He smiled, but his eyes didn’t light up as they usually did. “Nothing.” He ran his hand down her arm to touch her charm bracelet. “What do you want for Christmas?”

Maya kissed him. “You.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’ve already got one of those.”

She shrugged. “Then I’ve got everything I need.”