Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
“Where are the kids?”
“With their other grandparents for the day,” he answers.
Nodding, I follow my father and brother out to the garage. Once he closes the door, he doesn’t hesitate with his questions. “So have you asked her yet?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“What the fuck are you waiting for, boy?”
“She’s been really pissed at me and doesn’t trust me.”
“So you think stalling to ask her to be your wife helps?”
“What do you mean? I’m trying to show her that I love her and that I’m sorry for taking so long to start our relationship.”
“Dad’s right. You’ve been carrying that small ring around since you first bought it, and then you upgraded to the massive one. I say give her both of them.”
“I’m saving the first one for Christmas morning.” I want to show her that my love has been around forever. “But I want to ask her soon.”
“The sooner the better because you’ve spent a long time loving her from a distance.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“I’ve got a new snowblower. Come check it out,” my dad says, grinning from ear to ear.
When I come back in the house an hour later the women are hugging while laughing and crying. The kitchen looks messy, but it smells incredible.
“Everything okay in here?” I ask, scanning the disarray. There’s flour all over the counter, dishes and bowls in the sink, near the stove, stacked all on top of each other.
“Yes, yes,” Beth chokes out, wiping her eyes while giggling.
“Sorry, son. I was just telling her some funny stories about you and Grant as boys.”
“Oh no, don’t listen to her. They’re all lies.”
“Please. I grew up here all my life, Mr. North, as you remember,” she teases me. I’m saved some humiliation when the oven beeps. “Yay, our first batch of cupcakes are done,” Beth squeals.
My mother takes out a dozen cupcakes and I’m floored at how good they came out. I love my mother, but she has never been able to bake a single thing in her life. Nothing ever came out good and often terrible.
I tip my head and sniff the air with a smile on my face. “Wow, it smells delicious.”
My mother’s eyes brightened and she clapped her hands together. She grabs Bethany by the shoulders and gives her a good squeeze and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. Bethany walked me through the entire process and it’s been a dream to work with her.”
“I’ve learned so much from Holiday and these are just one of my favorites.”
“Well, well, well. It smells so good in here,” my dad says, stepping into the house now. He’s about to snatch one of the cupcakes, but my mother taps his hand with a cake spatula.
“Hey, don’t you touch them. They aren’t done yet.” I look at my parents and see my future with Bethany. My hand’s going to be stinging a lot when she bakes for the kids and me.
We don’t stay much longer because we have a lot to do, but we promise to come and visit soon. Grant and his family will be back to join my parents for dinner tonight.
I have plans with my beauty and my family knows that Bethany and I need this for ourselves for now, so we say our goodbyes and drive away to walk around town.
Chapter Seven
Bethany
It’s already Sunday afternoon when I finally bring up something that’s bothering me. “Colter, I know I said I wanted to go back to New York, but…”
Colter comes out of the shower after our latest round in bed with a towel around his waist and he has another running through his hair. “But what, baby?”
My eyes are glued to the sexy muscles covered in a light sheen of water and a smattering of hair on his chest and near his happy trail. Damn, my mouth waters, drool almost falls from my mouth.
“Hello, Earth to Beth.” He waves his hand. “There you are. What is it?”
“Well, I’m supposed to be helping Holiday for the Christmas rush next week,” I confess, biting down on the corner of my bottom lip.
“Shit, you’re right. Well, your finals are coming this week, right?”
“Yes. I have two more classes this week on Monday and Tuesday and then I’m done.”
“Okay. So we go tonight and then when they’re over, we’ll pack some things and come back. You can work every day at Holiday’s until the Christmas season is over. We’ll stay at your apartment for Christmas.”
“But you’ll have to commute to work every day.” That’s an hour-long drive to and from each way.
“Only for a week. Our offices are closed after the twenty-second.”
“Thank you,” I squealed, jumping in his arms and with his quick reflexes, he caught me. Surprisingly, his towel doesn’t fall down.
“Anything for you. I told you that and I meant it. I’m truly sorry that I ever made you feel any other way. If I could have shared my feelings with you before I would have told you over and over that I loved you.”