Total pages in book: 6
Estimated words: 6007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 30(@200wpm)___ 24(@250wpm)___ 20(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 6007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 30(@200wpm)___ 24(@250wpm)___ 20(@300wpm)
I smiled. “Trace, I’m okay with sharing his soul. I’d prefer it that way. It makes him stronger, braver, a better husband and father—sharing his soul doesn’t make me jealous. Sometimes life throws things at us like this, and my story… I think it was supposed to be like this, not because I’m strong, but because the weakest of us need challenges and love. And I loved her too, so in a way, we love him together in different times when he has needed our love the most.”
A tear slid down Trace’s cheek. She quickly brushed it away with her glove. “You’re wrong.”
“What?” I frowned.
Her smile was faint. “You’re so strong, Val. So very strong, even then, even more so now.”
The front door shut. The sound of the guys talking filled the room.
She grinned at me. “I’m going to go find my inner Elsa and build a snowman, and you, you should probably go find your man. I’m sure he’ll want you.”
I shrugged. “Even if he needs to be alone. I’ve got the snow. I’ve got my family. And he’ll come when he’s ready.”
Nixon poked his head into the kitchen and shook off his jacket. “Who’s coming?”
“Santa.” Trace deadpanned. “And put that jacket back on; your daughter just ran out there in a tank top.”
“Son of a bitch!” Nixon roared. “Serena, get back in here!”
I frowned. “She was wearing a sweater?”
“I know.” Trace laughed. “I just feel like it’s extremely healthy to continuously get his blood pumping.”
I pointed at my head. “Smart woman.”
“They don’t call me boss for nothing.” She winked. “OH, I mean him… definitely him.”
I busted out laughing. “Sureeee.”
She winked and shut the door as Nixon made a beeline toward a fully clothed Serena yelling at the top of his lungs to get dressed before she caught a cold or the flu, and then somehow, I heard him add in chickenpox, but I think he was just worried?
I set my mug down, shoved my chair back, and felt him before he even said anything.
A hand lay on my right shoulder, and the other followed on my left. I simply leaned back into his arms. He was so warm, so alive.
My eyes squeezed shut. “How was the tree?”
“Small.” He kissed my neck. “I gave it the scarf.”
A tear ran down my cheek. “Hopefully, the tree stays warm for Christmas and grows really big one day.”
“I have no doubt it will,” he said, slowly turning me in his arms and holding me against him. “I love you.”
I grinned up at him. “I love you too.”
“I really, really, really…” He kissed my nose. “Love you. Adore you. Cherish you. Lust for you. Need you. If you get tired of hearing it, I don’t give a shit because I love you. You anchor me, you make me feel everything all the time, the good, the bad, but mostly, you are so selfless, beautiful.” He tilted my chin toward him with his gloved fingers. “You’re my best friend, Val. I know our story is different, but I truly wouldn’t want anyone else by my side.”
I wanted to say even Andi, but that felt petty and wrong.
He smiled down at me. “She was at my side for a season. You’re at my side for forever. Both had different meanings, different needs, and right now. I need you.”
I squeezed my eyes shut to keep the tears from pouring down my face. I missed her too. Nobody ever really asked me about it, but I know he knew; I just didn’t want to make things weird.
Sometimes I felt her presence like a breath of wind through the trees.
“I need you too.” I licked my lips, then reached up and pressed a kiss to his.
He smiled against my parted mouth and slipped his tongue past my bottom lip, lightly kissing me and then pulling back. “Let’s go upstairs. Nixon and Trace are on babysitting duty along with Tex.”
Of course, Tex chose that moment to walk by us with a shovel and start yelling at the top of his lungs not to disturb the bodies in the backyard.
Kids screamed.
Nixon cursed.
Merry Christmas?
I laughed against Sergio’s chest. “You Abandonatos are out of control.”
Chase sprinted through the kitchen. “Did the duck get loose?”
“What duck?” Sergio asked in a way calmer voice.
Chase’s eyes widened. “The one for Christmas dinner, you idiot!”
“You mean the goose?” I asked.
“Oh shit.” Chase disappeared in a sprint toward Nixon.
“We had a goose?”
Sergio shrugged. “I thought it was a turkey.”
Nixon held out his shovel in the backyard, Chase dogged it.
Phoenix, Dante, and Andrei finally came in, yawning and high fiving.
“What did you guys do?” I asked.
Phoenix grinned. “The goose needed to be set free.”
“It was a turkey.” Dante nodded.
“Technically, we got a goose, a turkey, and a duck and played a prank on both Nixon and Chase to see how long it would take them to fight. Oh shit, they have shovels!” Phoenix ran.