Page 25 of Holiday Unscripted
“Are we talking in code?” I ask him, taking another sip of my coffee. “Because I don’t understand a thing you are saying.”
“Really?” His eyebrows go up. “You have no idea?” The back of my neck starts to tingle. “None?”
“I have no idea.” I stand up and head toward the kitchen. “Do you want to say, add anything?”
“Nope.” He shakes his head, turning and walking to the stove and I just watch him. “I also have no eggs.” He holds up the white container. “So how about we get dressed and I’ll take you out for breakfast?”
“Are you going to fill me in on what I need to know?” I ask him and he’s about to say something when the phone rings again, this time I see it’s my mother.
“That would be for you,” he says, pushing his phone my way. “I’m going to get changed.”
I grab the phone and put it on speakerphone. “Super Sex Hotline, how may we assist you on the road to the best orgasms?”
My mother gasps at the same time Nate does, which makes me burst out laughing. “You are incredible,” she hisses.
“I know.” I smile as I walk past him with his phone in my hand. “I’ve been told. Many times.” I look back at him and my eyebrows go up. “How can I help you this wonderful morning, Mom?”
“I just got off the phone with your brother,” she answers, “and he says you’re being unreasonable.”
It’s my turn to gasp. “Mom, he’s becoming groomzilla,” I say in my defense, “and he said I was bigger since he saw me last.”
“He did not.” Nate takes his side.
“No one is asking for you to intrude in my private conversation, Nate,” I hiss at him before turning my attention back at my mother. “He said I needed extra time with the seamstress, what do you think that means?”
“I’m sure you misunderstood.”
“Wow.” I stomp up the steps. “I think I know what I heard.”
“I’m coming to get you,” she states. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“No,” I sing out, “Nate was going to take me for breakfast.”
“I’ll take you for breakfast. Nate, you can come with us.”
“No worries, Denise. I have a bunch of things to do for the wedding anyway.”
“Liar,” I mouth to him, and he smirks. “Bye, Mom.” I hang up the phone. “I hope you’re happy.”
“Why is this my fault?” He walks up the steps and stands in front of me. He holds out his hand and I hand him his phone. “It’s your fault because you made me answer the phone.”
“She knows where I live,” he points out to me, “so she would have just shown up here.”
“You are just full of excuses,” I tell him. “Figures,” I snip and walk to the bathroom.
“What the fuck does that mean?” he snaps at me.
I shrug my shoulders. “It means exactly what I said it means,” I throw back in his face. “Now, as much as I would love to stand here and discuss whatever the fuck we are talking about, I have to get changed.” I turn and head to the bathroom, shutting the door behind me and locking it. “He’s not worth it,” I mumble before I start the shower. “Just forget it. The time to talk about this was the day after, not now, after seven freaking years.”
CHAPTER 10
Nate
MISTLETOE
A Christmas carol is playing softly on the radio as I turn onto the gravel road that leads to the parking lot. Christmas trees line the wooden fence all the way to the open parking lot. Looking at the clock on the dashboard, I see I’m about one minute early and I was expecting there to be more people here already.
Turning into the first open parking spot, I put the truck in park before turning it off. My hand goes to the handle as I open the door and step out. The cold air hits right away; it’s always cooler when we go north of the city. The sun shining in the sky is very much misleading as I grab my hunter-green jacket from the passenger seat, shrugging it on over my beige knitted sweater. I lean over to grab my beanie, putting it on the top of my head. Tucking my gloves in the pockets of my jacket, I snatch up my phone and tuck it in my back pocket of my jeans.
