Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
I’m checking out from the resort today. Not because I don’t want to see you again, but because I’m sure it will be easier for you not to see me. Please enjoy yourself while you’re here, and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas—and a wonderful life—because no one deserves that more than you. I will always carry you in my heart.
I drop the paper onto my lap and cover my face with my hands. These aren’t tears of sadness or grief or loss. They feel good, actually—like a relief. At least now I know. I don’t have to wonder anymore if she suffered or what ended up happening to her. At least I know she’s doing all right. And that whatever she did was for my sake.
“Will you be okay?” Quinton asks.
I’m smiling as I lower my hands, my head bobbing up and down. “I have everything I need. And I’m just grateful I had parents who cared so much about me.”
“You still do,” he reminds me, drawing me close. “Lucas and Charlotte love you. My mother loves you. My father… I don’t think he would ever admit it out loud, but he loves you, too. We’re your family. You’ll always belong with us.”
Forget shopping at Prada and Cartier. This is the best Christmas present I could ask for.
CHAPTER NINE
Quinton
I couldn’t imagine a more idyllic Christmas Eve scene than the one that greets us when we reach the restaurant. Nestled high in the mountains, it’s surrounded by trees whose white lights dance in the wind. The biggest tree of all sits directly in front of the restaurant, decorated in what have to be thousands of red, green, and gold lights. Snow covers the building’s roof, smoke rises from the chimney, and the scene inside is warm and inviting. In other words, perfection.
“It looks like something you would see on a Christmas card,” Aspen murmurs, beaming as she looks up at the enormous tree. “It’s beautiful. I could stand here and admire it all night.”
“A nice idea, but maybe we should get inside before we freeze to death.” It will look a lot better once we’re inside, where it’s warm. And she’s the one wearing a dress—I can only imagine how cold she must be. We walk inside, and instantly, the warmth from a nearby hearth begins seeping into my bones.
The inside of the restaurant is beautifully decorated and draped in pine boughs that fill the air with a scent that will always bring Christmas to mind. I reserved us a table by the front window, knowing Aspen would want to admire the scenery.
“You thought of everything, didn’t you?” she asks with a soft smile as we take our seats.
“I know you, and I know what makes you happy.”
“You make me happy. Just you. And being here together, the two of us, means everything. I want to make sure you know that. Even though things got kind of emotional there for a little while, I would rather be here with you than anywhere else.”
It’s as close to a miracle as somebody like me will ever experience, looking across the table and seeing all my love reflected back at me. “That’s exactly how I feel.”
“So I guess you don’t want this little gift I got for you.” She pulls a small, wrapped box out of her purse and slides it across the table. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it. I know we said we’d wait until we got back to the lodge, but I wanted to give this to you now.”
“You know you didn’t need to do this.” Honestly, I have everything I could ever want or need.
“Please. Like I’m going to let a holiday pass without buying you something. Go ahead, open it.” She’s practically bouncing up and down in her chair, so it’s not like I could deny her.
I pull out a sleek, elegant watch and smile at her. “I love it.”
“I found it down in the village at one of the shops. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to see it on you.” I indulge her by removing it from the box and placing it on my wrist, where it does provide a nice finishing touch against my suit. “Oh, it looks so nice.”
“It really does, but then you have good taste.”
“Well, I guess I do. I married you, didn’t I?”
I can’t help but grimace. “Have we really been married so long that it’s time to start making corny jokes?”
“There’s never a bad time for corny jokes.”
“It’s funny you should bring up our marriage, though. I’ve had that on my mind lately.”
Her brow furrows. “That’s not a great lead-in.”
“You have nothing to worry about. I would choose you again a hundred times over. No questions asked. But I’m afraid this hasn’t been totally fair to you.” After all, she wasn’t exactly given a choice. It was either marry me for my family’s protection or else. I already loved her and would have asked her to marry me eventually, but that wasn’t the way things panned out.