Page 27 of The Snuggle is Real
“I heard it came as a bit of a surprise.”
“You listening to the town gossip again?” I smiled tightly, wondering what else he might have heard. Did he know that Mason was helping me because I couldn’t help myself?
“Well, it comes with the territory as a matchmaker. I do a better job if I know who’s on the market.” He grinned. “What about you, Ford? You ready to find true love?”
I scoffed. “Because it worked out so well for the both of us?”
A flicker of pain crossed Nick’s expression.
“I could never regret the love I had with your sister.”
My chest grew tight. “I know.”
“She was the love of my life. I only want others to find the same happiness we did. Yes, I lost her way too early, but?—”
“Stop, Nick,” I ground out.
He sighed. It wasn’t the first time we’d had this conversation in the years since Nicole died.
Nick had gotten the fairytale with my sister, even if it didn’t last. But me? I was just a miserable bastard who got dumped.
“I should go make sure Charlie’s okay.”
Nick put a hand on my arm. “How about you? Are you okay with all this?”
“What, with Charlie?”
He nodded, warm brown eyes searching my face. Looking deeper than I wanted. “It’s a lot to take on this time of year. I know the roofing business gets slow.”
“I’m good.” Thank fuck Mason convinced me to accept his help. Now, I didn’t have to lie to save face. “I’m going to give Charlie the Christmas she deserves.”
“I’m sure you are,” Nick said. “You adore that little girl. I’ve always known that. But if you need anything…”
I tugged my arm from his grasp. “Seriously, Nick. Focus your energy on your love matches. Charlie and I are just fine.”
He let me go when I turned away, heart heavy and sinking.
Running into Nick around town wouldn’t be so bad, but seeing the empty space at his side, the space my sister used to occupy? It only reminded me that she was gone forever.
One minute, Nicole was my best friend, popping by to have lunch, shopping with LuAnne, taking Charlie for play dates so we could have alone time.
And the next, a surprise heart defect had killed her, and LuAnne and I couldn’t figure out how to talk without screaming. Nick and I were hollowed out, barely able to look at each other without the grief becoming so overwhelming we couldn’t function.
When LuAnne left, it was easier to lick my wounds in private. Nick and I didn’t know how to be around each other anyway. Not without Nicole to be our glue.
I crossed the bookstore, edging toward a corner where some of the parents congregated while the kids listened to the story.
“Stink. Stank. STUNK!” Eddie was yelling from the book pages while the kids gasped and giggled at his screwed-up face.
Their laughter loosened my chest and I took my first easy breath since seeing my former brother-in-law.
Eddie waggled a stuffed dog with overly large antlers affixed to its head.
“I hope they’re not selling those damn dogs,” Tony Menendez said, sidling up to me. “My whole brood will want them for Christmas.”
“Tell me about it,” I said with a chuckle. “How do you manage with three of them?”
“They keep me on my toes,” he said. “I honestly wouldn’t make it without their mom. She makes these amazing wreaths she sells over at the crafts fair.”
