Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53349 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53349 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Finally, Tamara stepped back and said, “I guess we both better get to work.”
“Yeah.” Nate laughed halfheartedly. “The big wedding this Friday is not going to plan itself. I’ve got a ton of work to do, and there’s something going on every day.”
“I understand, Nate. As much as it would be great to keep the weekend going, I’m going to have to get back to reality. Let’s keep in touch, and maybe we can get together—even for a coffee.”
Tamara unlocked her car, and as he lifted her bag into the trunk, she said, “I’ll put the flowers in the coffee shop as a wonderful reminder of the weekend.”
He turned to Tamara and kissed her, his hands reaching for her shoulders, pulling her close. When his lips met hers, there was something sharp and breathless about the kiss that followed. They kissed each other as if they were the only two people in the world. Even after hours of driving, she tasted fresh and bright, reminding Nate of the ocean beside them. They finally broke away and looked at each other.
Just then, one of the teens poked her head out the back door of the coffee shop—she apologized first, but said she had an urgent problem.
Tamara looked at Nate and smiled. “Guess that’s my cue to go.”
“I guess so.”
He moved to take Tamara’s hand, wanting to make a plan for later in the day. He was just about to kiss her again when, to his surprise, Tamara pulled her hand back and stepped away.
“What’s wrong?” Nate asked. “Is it the fact that we’re outside your shop? What is it?”
Tamara shook her head. “There’s nothing wrong,” she assured him.
He frowned. It didn’t feel that way to Nate.
Tamara said, “It was the perfect weekend. I had a great time, and I loved meeting your family. I just think that we shouldn’t rush into anything…”
“I love you,” Nate said quickly. He’d wanted to make the words sound perfect, but now they just burst out, and not in the way he’d planned.
“I love you, Tamara,” Nate repeated, looking deep into her eyes to try to see what she was thinking, hoping beyond hope that she might say those three little words back.
But she stood there silently, as if not knowing what to say. Or maybe she didn’t want to let him down by speaking what was really on her mind.
“I thought you felt the same way,” Nate said, confused but trying not to show it. It had just seemed so obvious that Tamara felt the same way he did. How had they ended up in bed together if she didn’t? Their chemistry was electric. Their deep connection undeniable. Why had things felt so natural between them over the weekend? Now there was an awkwardness between them that he couldn’t explain.
“I don’t know what I feel anymore,” Tamara said, frustrated. She shook her head. “And it’s not about you. I promise. I know what I feel when it comes to you.”
“Then what?” Nate asked, wanting desperately to understand.
She looked at him, despairing. “I don’t know what I feel about love.”
“They’re the same thing,” Nate tried. At least, they were in his case. He certainly wouldn’t be able to think about love without thinking about Tamara. “You can’t separate the two like that. It won’t work. Either you love me, and you’re willing to trust in that love, or you don’t. It should be easy.”
Tamara didn’t seem convinced. “‘Easy’ is the last thing it is. You know how things have been for me. I told you about my past.”
Nate did know all about it. He’d thought this weekend had been a sign that Tamara was prepared to trust him enough to move past all that. But now it seemed as though things were getting complicated all over again.
“You know about my past too,” Nate said. “You’ve met my family. You’ve seen why I was suspicious of commitment. I figured that if actually meeting them didn’t drive you away, then one hurdle had been jumped.” He paused, trying to find the right words, the perfect words, to put Tamara’s unease to rest. “What you and I have is different, Tamara. It’s better than anything—better than what most of my family have had. It’s better than what you and your ex had. You haven’t missed out on finding your one true love. I’m standing here, right in front of you.”
Tamara was still shaking her head. “You don’t understand. If you think all that, then you don’t really understand who I am. You can’t see what’s going on.”
“I can tell you who you are,” Nate said, undeterred. “You’re an amazing, strong, successful woman. You’re someone who connects with people brilliantly. You’re someone who’s built her own life. Who’s rebuilt her life to be rich and fulfilling in all the right ways.”