Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87181 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87181 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Oh, my goodness. Cassie was pregnant.
She was really pregnant.
Like, that baby was almost done cooking in her oven, pregnant.
I felt faint as I looked her way.
A few seconds later, Daniel rounded the corner. “Hey, babe, I can’t find the oatmeal and…” Daniel looked up to see what Cassie was staring at. When he found me, his eyes widened, and he took a step backward. “Holly.”
Daisy placed a hand on my shoulder. She moved in close with her cigarette scent drenched in her clothing and said, “Oh, sweetie, this must take you back to last Christmas Eve, huh? I bet this is traumatic to your system, huh?”
I stared at Daisy as if she were insane before I did the only thing I could think of: I ran back to my car with the butter in my hand.
I couldn’t believe what I’d just experienced in that grocery store.
Daniel, Cassie, and stolen butter.
KAI
“Do you need a hand with that piece of wood?” MJ asked me as he carried a stack of cut-up pieces on his upper shoulder. “It looks like it’s been taking you a while to get through that one.”
My hatred for that guy grew by the second. I slammed the axe through the wood piece, slicing it in half. “I think I got it from here.”
MJ smirked. “Good for you, Kai. Way to not give up.”
I would've cussed him out in a heartbeat if Holly’s father wasn’t a few feet away from me.
MJ and Alec carried some of the wood to the back of the Jackson’s house to take inside. We’d been chopping up wood for a good while. I was freezing my balls off in that shed, but I wasn’t going to complain. Phil did bring us hot apple cider with splashes of Fireball in it, so that helped a good amount.
“He’s quite the character, isn’t he?” Phil asked me.
“I’m sorry?”
“MJ. He’s a unique fellow.”
“That’s one way of putting it,” I muttered as I split another piece of wood.
Phil brought me a new log to slice up and set it on top of the tree stump I’d been slicing all the pieces against. “What do you think of him?”
I arched an eyebrow. “What do I think of MJ?”
“Yeah. I’d love to know your thoughts.”
I shook my head slightly. “If I’m honest, sir, I pride myself in not being a liar. So, if I told you about my thoughts on that guy, you might not like it.”
Phil smiled and patted me on the back. He walked over to his stump and picked up his axe. “I think he’s a prick.”
His words shocked me. “Wait, what?”
“I can’t stand his arrogant ass. He’s so cocky and rude. You can’t convince me he didn’t try to knock you out at that game, either.”
I put the axe down and turned to Phil, stunned. “You hate him, too?”
“With a passion. And is it just me, or is he always eyeing my daughter?”
“Trust me, Phil…” I chuckled. “It’s not just you. Holly and MJ actually dated for a short period. They didn’t know that he was Alec’s MJ until after they arrived here.”
“And my son knows this?”
“Yeah. We told him.”
Phil frowned. “Alec hasn’t always had the easiest time getting into relationships. He’s the smartest person I know, but I do see that he struggles in that arena. He’s sensitive in that way. But he deserves better than that jerk.”
“I agree with you one hundred percent.”
Phil tilted his head as he studied me. “You’re different, though. I like you. You seem straightforward.”
“It’s the only way I know how to be, sir.”
“Yeah. I like people like that. Holly deserves a good guy after her last one. Even if this thing between you and Holly began as an arrangement, it’s clear that true feelings have begun to develop for the both of you.”
I parted my mouth, yet again stunned.
Did he know that it was a fake relationship?
Phil laughed. “I’m quiet, Kai. Not dumb. But one thing I do know is that you care about my daughter.”
“I do. I care about her so much.”
“I know. Even without you telling me, I see it. You can’t fake that. So, I’m going to ask you one very important thing. All right?”
“Anything, sir.”
“Take care of her heart. It’s still a bit bruised after last year.”
“She told me her ex left her last holiday season. That had to be hard for her.”
“Did she tell you how he left her?” Phil asked.
“On their wedding day.”
“Yes. Did she tell you who he left with?”
I raised an eyebrow. “No.”
Phil sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He began to tell me everything about what went down last year on Christmas Eve. About the wedding, Daniel, and Holly’s best friend, Cassie.
As I listened to the story, my heart shattered into a million pieces for Holly. I now understood why she didn’t want to return to town without a partner. She was terrified of facing all the townspeople after such a tragic situation. So much of her actions were finally making sense to me.