Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“You allowed yourself to be manipulated by her.”
Zane nods. “I thought she was the key to keeping the internship.”
“Is she the key to keeping your job?”
He nods. “I’m in a contract though, so Bamford will give me a severance package, and I have until the end of the month to clean my things out of the apartment and pick up my belongings at the firm.”
“What about your clients?”
“They’ll stay with the firm. I don’t have the means to work their cases. Besides, corporate law isn’t what I really want to do anymore.”
“What is?”
Zane sighs again. “Well, I was hoping the local town attorney would hire me. I know she has an empty office space and according to her, she’s really busy.”
I roll my eyes, and then roll them again.
“Is that why you bought me lunch?”
“No,” he says as he dips another fry. “I bought you lunch because you need to eat.” He sticks the fry in his mouth, chews, and swallows. And then he leans closer. “I asked you to dinner because ever since I saw you at the farm at the beginning of the month, I realized something.”
“That the beginning of the month was two weeks ago?”
Zane laughs. “Always with the comebacks.”
I shrug. “What can I say? I’m a laugh a minute.”
“Do you want to know what I realized?”
Shaking my head isn’t going to matter in this situation. He’s going to tell me anywhere. “Sure, Zane. What did you realize?”
He leans closer. “As soon as I stepped onto the farm it felt like I could breathe again and see clearly. It was like the past five years had been a dream. And then you appeared, and I felt like I was home.”
This time I don’t want to roll my eyes. As corny as it sounds, the moment I saw him, everything shifted. It was like the life I had once imagined could happen now.
But then, she came into view.
“A week ago, you were engaged, Zane. You need time to process everything.” I throw my napkin on the pile and start cleaning up.
Zane reaches for my hand, halting me. He links his fingers with mine. “The night I showed up at your place was the first time in my life when I thought about being unfaithful. Seeing you again made me realize I wanted to be with you, to make love to you, to show you how incredibly sorry I am for what I’d done to us. To you. I’m not in the shadow of some rebound romance. When she told me it was over, I said okay and hung up. That’s not what people do when they’re in love. They fight for what they want. Who they want to be with.”
He stands and angles my body to his. “I’m going to fight for us. We deserve a second chance at making this right.” His fingers trail along my cheek and under my jaw until he reaches my chin, then he lightly pulls my head upward, giving me no choice but to look into his eyes. Zane moves slowly, giving me time to step away, but I don’t.
The gasp I let out when his lips touch mine is almost embarrassing. But I go with it because being kissed by Zane should be on the national registry of things you should do in your lifetime. I hope, moving forward—if I move forward—I’m the only one on the list to try.
SIXTEEN
ZANE
The magic of Christmas comes alive when Santa arrives at the annual children’s party. I remember when I was little, and my parents would bring me. All my classmates would come, dressed in their Sunday best. We’d sit at circular tables, each with a holiday centerpiece, and munch on everything from cheese and crackers to cookies and cakes. Everyone donates something to the buffet. The real fun was waiting for Santa to arrive with his big red bag, full of toys we hadn’t asked him for, yet he always knew what we wanted.
Back then, this party was the highlight of my year. Until I turned twelve and I was no longer allowed to get a present from Santa. Talk about heartbreak. Honestly, that year was the worst. I couldn’t trick or treat, either. Deemed too old by some imaginary rule which no one knew where it originated from, yet it was still enforced by parents.
The next year, I discovered girls. More importantly, Evangeline.
It’s hard to think back to how I felt ten-plus years ago but chasing her around the lake that year made up for the fact I couldn’t do all the fun stuff I used to.
She was worth growing up for.
She’s worth it more now even though she’s taking full advantage of my feelings for her by making me wrap presents. Being an attorney, I’m used to making last-minute adjustments, but this is ridiculous.