Page 51 of Holiday Unscripted
“You can sit in the front,” I tell Gavin. “It has more leg room.”
“That’s very generous of you,” he replies to me, his brown eyes now a chestnut color.
“No, it’s not,” Nate grumbles, unlocking the door and I almost burst out laughing.
He turns to laugh at Nate, thinking he’s joking, before he turns and opens the back door of the truck to me. “After you, my kind lady,” he says and I smile at him.
“Well, look at that,” I say to him and then look over to a scowling Nate, “chivalry isn’t dead after all.” I shrug one shoulder. “Welcome home, Gavin, and thank you for your service.”
CHAPTER 20
Nate
SNOWMAN
I watch Gavin openly flirt with Elizabeth, and if I didn’t love Joshua and the Morrow family as much as I do, I think I would throat punch him. “After you, my kind lady,” he says to her, and she smiles back at him. The pit of my stomach tightens when she does it.
“Well, look at that,” she replies to him and then turns to me as I glare at her, “chivalry isn’t dead after all.” She shrugs one shoulder at him. “Welcome home, Gavin, and thank you for your service.”
“That’s a bit of a stretch,” I state, getting into the truck, “we don’t even know what he does in the military.”
“I would tell you,” Gavin says, getting in and tucking his backpack by his feet before reaching for his seat belt, “but it’s classified.”
“Oh,” Elizabeth says from behind me, and I look over my shoulder as I start the truck, “that sounds important.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s the common answer for anyone who is in the military and has clearance.” I pull out of the parking spot.
“That’s not necessarily true,” Elizabeth says, “if he was on tour, he would be able to talk about it.”
“She’s beautiful and smart,” he tosses over his shoulder, and I think he even winks at her. “That, my friend, is a lethal combination.”
“I’m not your friend,” I remark, looking out the window as I merge into the lane onto the highway.
The phone rings as soon as I pull into the driveway and turn off the truck. “Hello.” I put the phone to my ear.
“Hey,” Joshua says, his voice in a whisper, “did you get the package?”
“If you are asking if I picked up your brother-in-law,” I start, looking over at Gavin, who gets out of the truck and holds the back door open for Elizabeth as they exchange a couple words; words that make her laugh out loud and pretend she’s bashful, “that would be yes.”
“Oh good. I have my father bringing over clothes for him to wear tonight.”
“Great,” I say, slamming the door and trying to ignore the sound of the two of them talking. “How about he goes home with your father also?”
Joshua laughs at me. “What? Why?”
“No reason,” I say as he holds out his hand for Elizabeth.
“Wouldn’t want you to fall and injure yourself.”
“We wouldn’t want that now,” Elizabeth replies, staring up at him, “would we?”
“We most certain would not.” He tucks her hand around his bicep, walking up the stairs.
“They’re not slippery,” I tell them, “nor are they wet.” I look around. “So the chances she’s going to fall are slim to none.”
“We can never be too safe.” Gavin grins at her.
“Yeah, how long do you want me to keep him here?” I punch in the code for the door and then open in.
