Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
The fact she's so surprised pisses me off a little bit. Does she not know she deserves the world? “Yeah, honey. I got you one. I know how much you love to watch Christmas Vacation, so each of our sweaters has a quote from the movie."
She holds it up. “It's perfect. I'll be right back."
A part of me wishes she would change right here, but I remind myself that Brock is right outside and could come in any moment.
When Izzy comes back into the room, she's smiling ear to ear. “Ry, this is perfect. I love it so much."
Before I tell her I love her again, I hold my hand out. “We should probably go. We have a hungry teen that I promised breakfast to."
She laughs, grabs her purse, and then we walk outside together. I help Izzy into her seat and buckle her belt even though she says she can get it herself. When I walk around and get into the driver’s side, Brock is telling his mom that the shirts were my idea.
I look at him in the rearview mirror. “Yeah, but you could have said no to wearing yours.”
He points a thumb at his mom. “Yeah, but did you see how happy she was? I guess I can wear it. I mean, how many people I know are going to be at the Christmas tree farm today?”
I shake my head and put my SUV into gear and hold back my laugh because I know that two weeks before Christmas, the tree farm is going to be packed.
As we drive across town, I turn on the local station that is playing Christmas music. Izzy gets excited, turns it up, and starts to sing along. By the time we’re pulling into the tree lot, Brock and I are smiling ear to ear and singing along too. Yeah, this is definitely something I can get used to.
CHAPTER 12
IZZY
Ryker points at the tree. “Is this the one you want?"
I put my finger to my chin, tilt my head, and look the tree up and down. “Do you think it's too big?"
He comes to stand next to me. “Baby, I think when you first looked at this tree, your whole face lit up. It's perfect."
I nod my head in agreement. “Yep, this is the one. I want it."
I'm about to get my wallet out but Ryker is already handing over his credit card to the man working the tree lot.
“Ryker,” I admonish.
He waves me off. "Today is my treat."
"Mom," Brock says as he walks up to Ryker and me. I'm about to ask him what he thinks about the tree when I notice the teenage girl next to him. “Casey, hey there, how you doing?"
The girl is all smiles. “I'm doing good, Mrs. Curtis." She points at my sweater. "I love your sweaters." She looks up at Brock, and her smile gets even bigger.
Brock points toward the snack bar. “Mom, can I go to the snack bar with Casey? I was going to get us some hot chocolates."
Shocked, it takes me a minute to recover. “Uh, yeah, sure. Let me get some money."
Brock holds his hand up. “I've got money, Mom." He and Casey get a few steps away when he stops and looks at Ryker and me. "You guys want anything?"
I shake my head side to side, and they're off again. Instantly, Ryker holds his arms open. I step into them, and he leans down to envelop me. “You okay, honey?"
I sniff. “Yeah, I mean, I'm fine, but when did he get old enough to date?"
Ryker laughs. “Honey, he's almost sixteen. Do you remember what we were doing around that age?"
I groan. “Ugh, I don't want to think about that. Plus, we were different. We loved each other."
He tenses, and I raise my head from his chest to look at him. “What's wrong?"
He brushes the hair off my face. "So you did love me?"
I put my hands at his waist. “You know I loved you."
He shrugs. “I thought you did, but then you broke up with me."
"There's things you don't know—" I start to tell him, but the man walks up and hands Ryker his credit card. “Want me to load it up for you?"
Ryker, tense now, walks over to the tree and easily picks it up. "I got it. Thank you." He shakes the man's hand and then starts walking to his SUV. He single-handedly loads the tree on top. I stand back and watch him get ratchet straps out of the back and tie down the tree.
As soon as he's done, I walk up to him. "Ryker... We should talk." He searches my face and then nods. "Yeah, we should talk. But today we're going to enjoy. We can talk later."
I grab his hand and am about to ask him to kiss me when Brock walks up, all smiles.