Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 30544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 153(@200wpm)___ 122(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 153(@200wpm)___ 122(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
“You okay? After what we did?” I cup his cheek, brush my fingers against his skin.
“I am…perfect.”
The tightness in my chest loosens. “Good. Listen, I wanted to tell you something.” I hadn’t decided I needed to say it until this moment, but the situation between us is already strange enough, and I want to go into this relationship with everything out in the open.
He tenses against me. “What is it?”
Shit. I should have led into that better. “Nothing is wrong. I’m good…happy. I just think you should know that I’ve liked you for a really long time, Briar. Your visits have been the highlight of my day since before you started dating Nathan. In fact, the day you came in with him for the first time, I had been planning to ask you on a date. I probably should have told you that before I agreed to go away with you…and before we did what we did last night. I don’t want you to think I came here expecting something like this to happen. I didn’t. I just came to help you out, and then—”
“Shhh.” His finger presses against my lips. “You are the sweetest man I’ve ever known. You don’t have to explain yourself. I trust you, and I’m honored you’ve liked me this long. I don’t know how I got so lucky. I wish I’d seen it earlier…that I hadn’t rushed into things with Nathan, because going into the Sip and Savor and chatting with you was the highlight of my days too.”
I can’t stop the smile taking over my face. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“I think we’re going to rock this boyfriends thing.”
“Is that what we are? Boyfriends?” Briar asks.
“It’s what I’d like to be if you would.”
He rolls on top of me, and I move with him, relaxing onto my back, arms around him. “I’d like.” Briar leans down and kisses me. “Speaking of boyfriends, I talked to my parents about you. I told them I’d been dating Nathan, that you came along instead, and that over the past week, we’ve realized we’re good together…that I should have been with you all along.”
Guilt makes my stomach turn uncomfortably. “Were they upset?” The last thing I want is to have hurt them. I wish we hadn’t done what we did, but if we hadn’t, would we be where we are right now?
“No. They’re okay. A little confused but supportive. They like you…a lot.” He presses his lips to mine again.
“I like them a lot too…and you…I like you a ton.”
Briar chuckles before offering another kiss. “I like you a ton as well.”
We make out for a while. Now that I can kiss him, I want to do it all the time. We don’t stay in bed long, though, being lured into the kitchen by the scent of coffee and frying bacon.
“Good morning, sweetheart.” Donna hugs Briar, then me, and not gonna lie, I sink into it, thankful she’s not upset.
“Morning, boys. We thought we’d have breakfast together before you have to get on the road again,” Jeffrey says.
“That sounds like the perfect morning to me,” Briar replies.
“Same.”
We visit while the food cooks, then eat together with laughs and constant conversation.
Briar and I head to the room afterward to shower, dress, and pack.
Jeffrey and Donna put on their jackets and boots to go out with us. Once our bags are in the trunk, Donna comes over to me first, Jeffrey and Briar saying goodbye.
“Thank you so much for letting me stay here. I really enjoyed it. Your town is magical. Your family too.”
Donna takes my hand. “You’re pretty magical yourself, Dawson. We’re glad to have you and”—she lowers her voice—“thank you for being so good to my boy, for appreciating who he is. I don’t think enough people do that.”
“I’ll always be good to him and appreciate him. I’m lucky to have him, and I promise you, even though things didn’t start out the way they should have, I’m serious about Briar. I’m excited to see what the future holds for us.”
“I’m excited to see what the future holds for you both as well.” She wraps me in a hug. “I hope the two of you will come back soon. You’re always welcome here.”
“We will, and thank you.”
Briar and I swap parents, him and his mom saying goodbye as I do the same with his dad. He doesn’t go into as much detail as Donna, but he lets me know he’s not upset over the little holiday exchange Briar and I put into action, and that he hopes I’ll come back soon.
Before I know it, we’re in the car, Briar driving us down Main Street. I look at the shops, the Christmas tree, the people walking through town with steaming cups of coffee, hot chocolate, and probably cider.
“We should make this a tradition,” I say, putting into the universe that Briar and I will still be together next Christmas. I hope we are. I believe we will be.