Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
We both got our pizza and began eating when Nate’s phone buzzed on the table. He picked it up. “It’s Doug, Solo’s dad. Excuse me.”
I watched as he answered the call and walked outside. One glance around the restaurant showed no one was paying us any attention. My own phone buzzed, and when I looked at it, I saw it was Rosie.
Rosie: Did Nate show up at your place last night?
Me: Yes, he did. That was a dirty trick to play on him!
I could see the three dots appear and had to press my lips together tightly to keep from laughing.
Rosie: That’s it? Girl…I don’t think so. What happened? Did you let him in? Did you talk?
Resisting the urge to giggle, I quickly checked to see if Nate was coming back before replying.
Me: We talked, among other things.
Rosie replied instantly.
Rosie: SHUT UP! Call me.
Me: I can’t right now. I’m at lunch with Nate, and he excused himself for a call.
Rosie: He’s with you?
Me: He’s been with me since last night. He joined me on a walk this morning. We’re at lunch now.
Rosie: I can’t even right now. My mind is all over the place. Are you…dating?
Chewing on my lip, I wasn’t sure how to answer that. We had slept together. Twice. He had spent the morning, and now afternoon, with me, but did that mean something more to him?
Me: Got to go. Talk soon.
I knew Rosie would be upset I had ignored her question, but it was one I wasn’t sure how to answer.
Rosie: That is not cool. Not cool at all. I’ll be waiting for your call.
“Sorry about that,” Nate said, causing me to jump and quickly turn my phone over and set it on the table. “That was Solo’s dad, Doug, calling me back. He’d like to meet with you today if that’s possible.”
“Today?”
He nodded and picked up his pizza. “Maybe drive by the site so he can look at it.”
“Yes, yes, that’s perfect. Can we swing by my apartment and pick up the plans for the dog park?”
“That’s a great idea. That way he has a visual of how your current design is so he can quote it apples to apples with the other quote.”
Nate took a bite of his pizza and smiled at me. Did he have any idea how much this meant to me? I wasn’t sure if things would work out with Doug, but it was nice to know I had other options. I’d also have to talk to Sophia about it and see if she could meet us.
“I sent a text to Sophia as well to let her know,” Nate stated as if reading my mind. “I figured you would want her there as well.”
I let out a soft laugh. “I was just thinking I needed to let her know. Thank you for that.”
“How’s the pizza?” he asked, wiping his mouth and reaching for his Coke.
Glancing down at the barely eaten slice of pizza on my plate, I picked it up. “It’s delicious, as always. This is my favorite place to get pizza in Hamilton.”
“It is mine too. What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Do you and your mom do anything?”
“Nothing big. It’s usually just me and my mom. Um, this year, she’ll just come over to my apartment, and I’ll make a little Cornish hen or something. She got a promotion at work, so that is good. The extra money is helping her a lot. My father left her with all the bills, and she has slowly been paying off the debt. Plus, the divorce lawyer she hired and had to pay for.”
“So, she did divorce him?”
I nodded.
Nate cleared his throat. “Haven, did you ever tell your mother what your father had been doing to you?”
I chewed on my lower lip and looked around.
“We don’t have to talk about it here, or at all.”
“It’s okay. I did tell her. She needed to know the truth. She was sick, literally sick to her stomach and blamed herself of course. I told her about the day you showed up and stopped him from…”
I let my voice trail off.
Nate reached for my hand. “Have you spoken to anyone? A therapist?”
Smiling softly, I replied, “Yes. I have and it’s helped me so much.”
He closed his eyes and let out a breath. “I wanted to kill him, Haven. And I am so sorry you ever thought I pushed you away because of that. I need you to know that, sweetheart.”
“Oh, Nate, I do know that…now. And thank you for never telling anyone.”
His eyes went wide. “I would never betray your trust like that, Haven. Never.”
I let go of his hand and picked up my pizza. “What about you? What’s the plan for Turkey Day?”
“Since my grandfather passed away a few months ago, we try to do everything at my Grams’s. Thanksgiving will be there this year with the entire Shaw gang plus the Littlewoods.”