Page 56 of Promise Yule Be Mine
"Why? What have I done to deserve punishment by way of frozen balls?"
"I don't know. You breathe?"
He punched me again, only this time I retaliated and we went at each other until Niki begged for mercy.
Milk and Cookie stared at us with indignance before they resumed trotting around like little princesses.
"Did you guys sort out the cake fiasco?"
"Yeah. It's all good," I said, thinking back to yesterday and our meeting with Joel.
I hated it. I hated every moment because all I could think was how great it would be if Nova was the one I was marrying. How great it'd be if we were picking the flavors forourwedding cake.
But it wasn't. And it killed me a little more each day.
"And everything else is okay?" Niki asked.
"Yeah. Yeah. It should be."
"And you haven't changed your mind?"
"Why would I change my mind about marrying Nova?"
"Nova?" Niki raised an eyebrow. "Did something change and nobody informed me?"
And that was when I realized what I'd said.
"I meant Jenna."
"Sure you did," he mocked me.
"Shut up." I shoved him back and took bigger steps as if distance could erase what I'd just said.
"Hey! Don't be so broody. It doesn't suit you."
"I'm not," I grumbled.
"Really? Tell that to your face."
I huffed and Niki put his hands to his hips. "What's going on Kody? Why are you acting weird all of a sudden?"
"I'm not," I insisted.
"So you're trying to tell me that was just a slip-up?"
"Yes."
"And you don't want to marry Nova?"
"No!"
"And you still want to go ahead with Jenna?"
"Yes!" I shouted and even the dogs turned to stare. "Yes, Niki. I still want to go ahead with Jenna. I still want to marry her and have a family with her. I still want to give up on love. I don't want to be with Nova or spend the rest of my life with him, or another second even if it kills me not being with him as much as it kills me beingwithhim and not being able to do anything about it! Happy?"
I was breathless when I finished. Breathless and a little colder than I’d been before.
"Feeling better?" Niki put his hand on my back and rubbed between my shoulder blades.
