Page 75 of Knotty, Nice, & Holiday Lights
And I don’t miss how Roman stares at her longingly but looks away when she catches him. And Christian is equally smitten, though he seems to be keeping his distance from Roman.
Bec, though, appears completely indifferent and unbothered.
This is going to get interesting.
Chapter Fifty-One
Izzy and Christian were right. That dress really was atrocious.
By the time we’re all seated at the table again for dessert, everyone is feeling about as loose as they were at last night’s party, courtesy of Izzy’s deliciously addictive eggnog mudslides, and also the leftover beer Vaughn had brought last night.
I don’t know if I’ve felt this happy in years. Maybe even longer than my parents have been gone.
That thought makes me feel immediate, brief guilt, but it subsides into peace.
It’s such a strange sensation, finally moving forward with my life. I’ve wanted this for a long time, the ability to leave my pain behind me and look to a bright future. I don’t think I ever really believed it would happen, though.
Asher helped me more than people who’d known me almost my whole life. But if I really examine the situation, I can’t help but think that I may have locked everyone else out before.
My pack brother never gave up on me.
Then Izzy came around, with her sweet scent and kind heart, and I knew that things were going to get so much better.
Add Matthew with his unwavering support, how he pushes me to fight for what I want.
Our pack is a perfect dynamic.
“Careful,” Izzy whispers from beside me, “smoke is going to start pouring out of your ears.”
I laugh, head shaking, thinking of how I say that to Asher a lot. “I was thinking about the past. Well, I guess also the present and the future.”
She grins at me. “That’s a lot of thinking over pie.”
I hum and look down at my slice of apple pie, perfectly latticed, if I do say so myself. “It’s pretty tasty.”
“Best damned pie I ever had.” Izzy kisses my shoulder, and that flush of warmth spreads through my body.
“So, Will,” George says from across the table. “Are you running this place all alone?”
I feel Izzy stiffen beside me, but the question doesn’t make me feel the same sadness it did not long ago. I grab her hand under the table and squeeze it as I answer. “Yes, sir. My parents died in an accident a couple of years back. This place was their dream.”
George looks a little ashen. “I’m so sorry, son.”
“They were good people, great parents. I know they wanted the best for me and instilled in me the importance of following my dreams. Which is why, now that our pack is complete, I’m going to do just that.” I look at Asher, Matthew, and then Izzy, smiling at each of them. “Our plans for the future are bright, and they’ve led me to decide it’s time to sell The Cozy Crescent and make our dreams come true. Together.”
Everyone else around us looks surprised, except for Bec, who smiles warmly at me while lifting her glass.
“I’ll be right back,” Izzy says as she tosses a towel on the counter. “I think my mom’s gone photo-crazed.”
I laugh as she rushes out of the kitchen, leaving me to fill the dishwasher with the first load of dirty dishes while the coffee maker brews the good stuff. I filled the kettle on the counter with water for Asher and anyone else who might want some tea instead.
When high heels click on the tile behind me, I know it can only be Bec, and I turn to her with a smile. “Hey. Can I get you anything?”
She shakes her head and leans her hip on the counter beside me, crossing her arms and tilting her head. “Tell me about this place,” she says. “The B&B. Was it very difficult to run by yourself?”
I cast her a brief, questioning look before answering. “If I’d been advertising like I should have, it would’ve been better to have help, honestly. But it’s doable alone, even if you book up. You have to cook and clean, it’s a lot of early mornings and sometimes late nights.”
“You could have hired cleaners,” she says.
