Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 103159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
My mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out. All I could do was shake my head.
“From what Peter told us, Kimber was pissed—really pissed—after watching our date. She came up with a plan to be seen on the cameras at the house, just assuming you’d find out. It was a gamble. She had no idea if you knew I wasn’t at the house, but she did know that if Travis saw the footage, he’d manipulate it to create some drama for the show. As it turns out, you showed up when she was leaving. Peter was parked down from the cabin, waiting for her. He said when Kimber got to his truck, she was laughing, said her plan worked out better than she’d even hoped.”
“She…she actually set all of that up?”
Hunter leaned forward, a pleading look on his face. “Yes, and my father fired Peter right there on the spot. Kipton, I would never…”
His voice trailed off, and he closed his eyes for a moment before piercing me with his gaze. “I would never in my life do anything to hurt you, Kipton. When I told you that day in the cabin that I loved you, I meant it. I don’t care if someone says you can’t fall in love that quick. I call bullshit. I loved you from the first moment you put your hand in mine, when you came to the house and met my family. And I kept falling in love with you, every time you smiled at me. Then I fell in love forever when you gave me the most precious gift…you.
“I swore that day that I would do anything to keep you. I’m sorry I didn’t come after you right away. I wouldn’t take Jack’s calls, so for the first few days, I actually thought I must have scared you away with the depths of my feelings. Especially after that movie date.”
The battle to hold my tears back was lost, and they began streaming down my face.
“I didn’t know what to do to convince you,” Hunter said, as he quickly wiped his own tears away. “But I do know that I cannot live in a world where you’re not mine. Where I don’t get to see you first thing in the morning, and last thing at night. You’re the very reason my heart beats, Kipton.”
A sob escaped as I jumped up. Hunter did the same right before I rushed over and threw myself into his arms.
“You’re my everything,” he whispered. We both started to cry as he wrapped his arms around me tighter. “I love you so much, Kipton. I’ll never stop loving you.”
I buried my face in his neck and whispered, “I love you too.”
“What was that?” he asked on a half sob, half laugh.
Drawing back just enough to look at him, I said, “I love you too. And I’m so sorry I ran and didn’t wait to talk to you. I feel so foolish now.”
Hunter pressed his mouth to mine. Giving me a kiss that said none of it mattered. That the only thing that mattered was he and I, back in each other’s arms.
Aspen cleared her throat. “Should I, um, tell your friend you don’t need a ride to the airport after all?”
Hunter broke the kiss and laughed, looking past me. When I turned around, I saw Aspen and my parents standing there. My mother was wiping tears from her eyes…while Dad gave Hunter a single nod, communicating something silently that I didn’t understand.
“Actually, my father let me use his plane,” Hunter said, looking at me, “and I was hoping to invite you all to Hamilton to spend New Year’s Eve with us.”
Aspen’s eyes went wide. “Color me yes! I still have my suitcase from the Italy trip packed, so I’m ready to go!”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Mom, Dad?”
“We packed when Lincoln called us last night and told us everything.”
My mouth dropped open. “You knew and you didn’t say anything?”
Dad shrugged. “It wasn’t our place.”
Facing Hunter again, I kissed him quickly before saying, “Give me thirty minutes!”
Hunter sat down next to me on the sofa and handed me a cup of hot chocolate. I snuggled against him and let my gaze sweep over the plethora of people in his parents’ house.
“I hate that I missed the real Christmas, but this do-over is crazy! I can’t imagine what it was like with all these people opening presents.”
When my parents and I got to the ranch, Lincoln declared we were doing another Christmas since I hadn’t been there to celebrate the first one. No one had touched the presents I’d bought for the Shaw family or those for my parents and me.
He chuckled, and I loved how it vibrated through my body. “You should have seen it when we were little. It was a nuthouse. Or that’s what Grams called it.”