Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
“It is. Mitch coming in as a partner is a total game-changer. He has the capital to back the start-up, and he’s so excited for this. When he heard my business plan, and what I envisioned for the store, he was totally onboard. Plus, this gives me a chance to learn from someone who already owns a business—one that’s not ranching. No shade to my father, but this is beyond what I dreamed.”
“I’m so happy and excited for you, Ladd.”
He let out a breath and closed his eyes before opening them to look at me. “This is nearly the most perfect Christmas of my life.”
Laughing, I asked, “Nearly perfect?”
With a wink, he replied, “It’s not over yet.” Taking my hand, he said, “Come on. Let’s finish up the shopping before everything closes.”
After we spent the next hour shopping, we found ourselves in Ladd’s truck, the windows down, and ‘Landslide’ playing through the speakers. My face felt frozen, and Ladd’s nose was as red as Rudolph, but we sang along as loud as we could. When I looked at him, I couldn’t help but laugh. What man would do something so crazy like this? My smile grew as my chest warmed with so much love I could hardly keep it in.
This was turning out to be the best Christmas of my life, and I somehow knew things were going to get better.
Ladd
I paced back and forth in my father’s office while my parents watched me wear out the carpet.
“Why are you so nervous?” Dad asked.
Stopping, I faced them. “What if she says no?”
My father rolled his eyes. “She’s not going to say no, Ladd. Anyone can see how much that young lady loves you. You’ve been dating for what?” He lifted his hands and started to count on his fingers.
“Eight months,” my mother replied.
I couldn’t help but smile. There was a reason my mother handled the books and not my father.
“That’s longer than I knew your mother before I asked her to marry me.”
“I would have married your father the day I met him, truth be told.”
I sat down in the chair across from my mother. “So, you believe in love at first sight then?”
She smiled. “Oh, most certainly. I knew the moment I first laid eyes on your father that he was the one.”
“I felt the same,” my dad added before he walked up and put his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Is that how you felt with Vivianne?” Mom asked.
I nodded. “There was something about her. I felt something deep in my chest the second I spotted her, and I knew…she was the one.”
“Have you talked about what life will look like after you both graduate?”
Screwing up my face, I replied, “Sort of. Not in any kind of serious way. I mean, Viv knows what my plans are, but we haven’t spoken about hers. She’s kind of hinted about wanting to move to River Falls with me.”
My mother reached for my hand. “Then the only way to find out is to ask her, Ladd. Just from watching you two, I can see how much you love each other. I don’t think she would say no.”
“What if she isn’t ready to get married? Maybe she wants to live her life a bit.”
My father shook his head. “Something tells me the poor girl has lived enough life already at her young age.”
“When did you want to do it?” Mom asked.
“I was thinking tonight. After everyone opens their gifts, I wanted to do it with all of you present. I know she doesn’t have her family in her life, and I think it would be special for both of us to have everyone there.”
Mom smiled. “Did you have any plan on how you wanted to ask?”
I exhaled. “Don’t I just drop to one knee and go for it?”
Dad groaned. “Lord, did I hear the boy right?”
Standing, my mother shook her head. “Ladd, that is not the way you’re going to ask the girl to marry you.” She turned to my father. “Let’s brainstorm.”
Now it was my father and mother pacing.
“It’s going to snow tonight,” Dad said. “She seems to really love it when it snows.”
Stopping, Mom pointed. “The back porch!”
“We could put some candles out there to give it a romantic feel.”
“Oh, Gus, I love where your head’s at! I can take some of the poinsettias and place them on the porch. Ooh, we need someone to take pictures. Is the camcorder charged?”
My father gasped. He actually gasped. “Of course it’s charged. I’m not a monster, Nellie. It’s Christmas Eve, for heaven’s sake. I charged it this morning!”
“Who do we trust to record this? I’ll take pictures, but we need it recorded.”
Dad tapped his foot as he thought. I started to say something when they both pointed at each other and spoke at once.