Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Until he had to take me home.
Not this last week. He’d insisted I leave clothes at his apartment so I could sleep over.
Waking up in his arms, safe and content, was the best feeling in the world. And while it had been amusing for Reid to drop me off a block from the department store so it didn’t look like we’d arrived together, I was looking forward to the day we could walk through it hand in hand.
There would be gossip.
But I didn’t care what people thought.
Correction: I only cared what our families thought.
Reid held my gaze for a second or two, hiding nothing of his feelings for me. Then Dad embraced him, breaking the moment.
I felt a little discombobulated as we got the Christmas greetings over and Annie laid the Christmas gifts she’d brought under the tree. Patrick and Reid were the last to embrace.
“Happy Christmas, mate.” Pat clapped Reid on the back.
“Happy Christmas. You doing alright?”
“Well you’d know if you ever picked up the bloody phone,” Pat teased, but there was an edge to his voice as he sat down on the sofa. His posture was relaxed, but his questioning gaze never left Reid.
Reid swallowed. Since the man was excellent at hiding his feelings, including nervousness, I felt more than a surge of discomfort for him. I wanted to cuddle into him. Instead, I could only sit down on the edge of the sofa and stare.
“Been busy,” Reid eventually said. “No excuse, though, sorry.”
In truth, he’d been avoiding my brother because he hated lying to him.
Studying Patrick’s face, I knew he knew Reid was lying or being evasive at least. His eyes narrowed.
“Well.” Mum clapped her hands together. “Why don’t we open presents first before we have breakfast?”
My stomach lurched again as Reid and I looked at each other.
It was time.
“Actually.” Reid stepped toward me and I drew slowly up from the sofa to meet him. He slid his arm around my waist and cuddled me into his side. I could hear his heart thudding fast and loud at my ear. It was just as fast and loud as my own. “Evan and I have something to tell you. I hope it’s good news.” Despite the dramatic gasp my mum emitted, our eyes were on Patrick. Reid repeated, “I really hope so, Pat.”
Patrick was expressionless.
“You’re together?” Dad asked, pushing up out of his armchair.
“Yes, sir,” Reid replied. “I love your daughter very much.”
I would never grow bored hearing that.
“Oh my God,” Mum cried out, hurrying over to hug us. “This is wonderful news!”
I laughed at her exuberance, relieved as Dad drew Reid into another hug, this one including a hard, clap on the back and the murmured words, “You take care of her, or else.”
“I promise,” Reid replied solemnly.
“Come here,” Annie said as Mum stepped aside. She was sniffling now, like we’d just announced we were having a baby or something. I stepped into Annie’s welcoming hug and she whispered in my ear, “I’m so happy it’s you.”
“I love him,” I promised her, tears thick in my throat.
“I’ve known that a while, sweetheart.” She cupped my face again and beamed. “I was just waiting for my son to notice. Thankfully, he’s a smart one.”
I laughed at that as Reid overheard, huffing good-naturedly before hugging his mum.
All of that was lovely.
More than lovely.
It was a better reaction than either of us could have hoped for.
Yet there was an ominous silence from Patrick’s spot on the sofa.
Reid took my hand in his, squeezing it tight. “Well, Pat?”
My big brother leaned his elbows on his knees and stared up at us. “She’s my wee sister.”
I blanched.
Uh oh.
“I know,” Reid replied. “But I can’t help how I feel about her.”
His gaze came to me now. “He’s thirteen years older than you.”
“That means nothing to me. It’s just a number.”
“He’s your boss.”
“We’ll make it work.”
“People will talk.”
“We don’t care.”
Patrick looked at Reid. “You never stick a relationship out.”
Reid’s hand tensed in mine. “Evan is different.”
Patrick stood up. He was shorter than Reid by two inches, but somehow he seemed bigger than all of us in that moment. “If you hurt her, I will kill you.”
It wasn’t an empty threat.
“Patrick,” Mum admonished. “You’re ruining a happy moment.”
“No, it’s fine,” Reid assured. He released me to walk over to his best friend. He held out his hand to Patrick. “This is my promise to take care of her. You’ve trusted me in the past. Trust me now.”
Patrick eyed the offering. Then returned his gaze to Reid’s. “I’ve never had to trust you with anything as valuable as Evan before.”
Okay, so my heart melted at that.
Tears pricked my eyes as I felt Mum squeeze my shoulder. Flicking a look at Dad, I saw nothing but pride for Patrick on his face.
“I know,” Reid’s voice was hoarse. “I’ll earn that trust, Pat. I promise you.”