Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“What about your arm?”
“It’s fine. Go on now. Don’t come out till I come for you. Got it?” I nod and do as I’m told.
Mina is somehow still fast asleep, but she had a big day. I sit on the edge of the bed with her as my mind swirls around what comes next. The rush of adrenaline starts to fade, and my body goes heavy on me.
“Nyah.” My eyes fly open, and I see Fraser’s mom standing next to the bed. “Why don’t you go to the dining room, honey. I’ll keep an eye on Mina.”
“Is Fraser okay?”
“He’s just fine.” She gives me a reassuring smile.
I hurry out to find a few police officers standing around. There’s also someone taking pictures while another is at the back door inspecting the lock. Cole isn’t anywhere to be seen.
“Come here,” Fraser says and pushes back from the table.
He motions for me to come to him, and I do without hesitation. There's a bandage on his arm, but he still manages to pull me into his lap. A woman in a sheriff’s uniform sits across from him and smiles at us.
“This is Sheriff Angela. She’s got to ask you a few questions.”
“Okay,” I agree.
“Just a couple of things for my notes. We have most of what we need from the call that dispatch recorded. Fraser filled in the rest of the information for us.”
I nod, wanting to get this done and then answer all of her questions. It only takes a few minutes, and in the end, I find out Cole is dead. He was alive when the ambulance arrived, but they pronounced him dead on arrival. I search my heart to find any kind of emotion, but all I can feel is overwhelming relief.
“That should do it for now.” Angela puts her pen in the pocket on her shirt as she stands. “We’ll meet back up after Christmas. This is a clear case of self-defense.”
Fraser puts me on my feet to see everyone out of the house. As soon as law enforcement is gone, I let out a deep breath.
“He’s dead?” My eyes fill with tears, and Fraser nods.
“I wish I could tell you I’m sorry, but I’m not.” He cups my cheek, wiping away one of my tears.
“Sorry?” I laugh. “Thank you, Fraser.” I lift up on my tiptoes and smile at him. “We’re free.”
“No you’re not.” He wraps his arm around me, lifting me so that I can wrap my legs around his waist. “You’ll never be free of me.”
I kiss him, knowing fate, and maybe a bit of magic, brought us the perfect Christmas.
EPILOGUE
FRASER
Ten years later…
“Ralph, the batteries died again,” Mina says as she walks into the kitchen, and I smile to myself.
It’s a lot like our first Christmas together, but we’re in a new house this time. After everything happened, we didn’t stay in that house much longer. Not only because of what went on but because Nyah actually was pregnant, and we needed more rooms. Since then, we’ve had three boys, one right after the other, and they’ve kept all of us on our toes.
“You know part of me wants you to be an independent woman who doesn’t need a man to do anything for her,” I tell her as I unhook the battery pack from her sweatshirt. “But when I really think about it, I hope you never stop asking me.”
“How could I?” She pokes me in the arm as I swap out the batteries on her Christmas sweater for new ones. “This is kind of a dad thing so, duh. You have to do it.”
Hearing her call me Dad never gets old. Nyah and I were warned that the teenage years would be rough, but so far, Mina might be the exception. Sure, she has her moments when she and Nyah disagree, but it’s never for long. The two of them have grown so close over the years, and I’m just glad that I get to be a part of it.
“There you go. Should be good for another twenty-four hours,” I say as I close the battery pack.
“Perfect. Aspen is coming to get me, and we’re going to the town square to watch the tree lighting. Do you want me to take the boys or are you and Mom bringing them?”
“Is it just the two of you?” I ask, my brows pulling together. AJ just started driving last year, but the snow is coming down tonight. I’m also remembering what Nyah said a few nights ago about catching the two of them alone in the movie room. Now I’m starting to wonder if I’ve missed something.
“No, Grandma and Grandpa are driving.” Mina gives me an exaggerated eye roll, but I see her grin. “I told them I didn’t want to be late. They only have so many of the toffee cookies I like.”