Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 92062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“They are all on that side.” She points to the wall and I walk over to the side. I’m starting to pick one when I feel Nate beside me.
“What is taking you so long?” he huffs out and I see his jacket is now zipped.
“I was talking to my mother, and now I am deciding what kind of stand I want.”
“Just take any one,” he urges, picking up the first one that is on his side.
“What about decorations?” I ask him, looking around at all of the trees decorated. “Do you have decorations?”
“I do,” he says softly. “I have the ones from Grandma and Grandpa,” he mentions the grandparents he moved in with after his parents were killed in a car accident when he was sixteen. They were coming home from an evening out when they were hit by a drunk driver. They died on impact and the driver died the day after. His grandfather passed away when he was eighteen and then his grandmother a year later. It’s why he’s so close to my family, they practically took him in when his parents died. He sometimes would be over at our house every single day. It would be a rare day when he wasn’t having dinner with us. I think it was then I fell in love with Nate, but that was before he broke my heart.
“Do you have enough?” My voice gets soft, and he just nods his head.
“I have lots of ones from my childhood.” He looks around. “But if you see something else you want. Just get it.”
“No,” I reply, smiling at him, “I think it’ll be perfect.”
“Did you pay?” he asks me and I shake my head, and he holds out his hand for his wallet.
“What were you doing this whole time while I was putting the tree in the truck?” His voice is tight, and the soft moment is gone. I know I should handle him with a little bit of care since it probably brought up sad memories for him. I can’t even imagine what it must be like.
“You put the tree in the truck already?” I ask him, shocked.
“Yeah,” he huffs out, “you did the easy work.”
“Easy work?” I hiss out. “I will have you know that I about killed myself cutting down the fucking tree.”
He hands the girl his credit card and she smiles at us. “You did that yourself.” He points at me. “You could have let me help, but noooo, she had to do it herself.” He looks around. “You know it’s okay to not be the best at everything.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “I’ll let you know when I find something I’m not the best at.” I grab the stand from the counter. “Thank you and have a blessed day.”
CHAPTER 12
Nate
ROCKING AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE
The minute she folds her arms over her chest, I know she’s pissed. “I’ll let you know when I find something I’m not the best at.” She grabs the stand and turns back to smile at the clerk. “Thank you and have a blessed day,” she says, looking directly in my eyes.
Oh yeah, I try not to laugh at her, she’s past the pissed-off phase. She is in the I’m going to fuck shit up and then maybe I’ll ask all the questions I should have asked before. I know pretty much everything about Elizabeth Morrow, and that’s because I’ve been a part of her family my whole life. More so in my teen years when I felt lost and all I wanted was somewhere I could feel like myself. Somewhere I didn’t have to fake being happy or like I was okay. My grandparents did the best they could, but they were also grieving, and I wanted to put very little stress on them. So, I spent the majority of my teenage years living with her family, so I pretty much know everything that sets her off. The downside to that is, I also know everything that makes her smile. “Thank you,” I tell the girl behind the counter.
“You have your hands full with her.” Her smile goes even bigger.
“Oh no, we aren’t together.” I shake my head, and my mouth also wants to say it’s her choice, but instead I turn and see Elizabeth with Joshua and Jack. The three of them are posing for a picture. Elizabeth is in the middle with the two guys crowded over her as they smile at the camera. I know this picture will make its way on the wall above the mantel in the house by next month.
“Where is Nate?” Zack says, looking around and I hold up my hand. “Get in there.” I stand next to Matthew.
“It’s the kids.” I point to them chuckling.
“You had your clothes in my laundry basket; you are considered one of my kids.” He motions with his head, and I smirk and shake my head. Zack nudges my shoulder. “And you ate more food than my kids.”