The Broody Brit for Christmas (Holiday Springs #1) - M.J. Fields Page 0,63
and we do it singing Christmas carols the entire time, just like your parents do.”
“Sounds like a great plan, but you have a big new fancy job starting soon. So I’ll spend from five in the morning until eight when we open prepping, eight until two working the counter, which is what you’re covering, and then come back from two until close, I’ll be—”
“We hire someone from two until close.”
“Great, I’ll be training someone who won’t want to stick around once the holidays start and—”
“We pay above minimum wage, we treat them like family, Nellie, and we—”
“Again, your enthusiasm is cute and all, but stop with the we, would you?” she huffs.
“This week, we find someone, and I will help train them, so you can—”
She motions toward the file. “We can’t afford it, Nikki.”
“We can, Nellie because I won’t be drawing a paycheck, and I’ll be able to pay whoever works those four hours a day, so you can breathe, and your parents can, too.”
“They would never ask you—”
“I don’t have a choice.”
“You don’t have to do that, Nikki.” The hope in her eyes? It shines.
“We’re doing it. You’re going to continue sacrificing, too, for a while.” I set my cup down. “Not only improve business but make you happier?”
She’s hesitant, and I shake my head. “We’re allowed to dream bigger than this, Nellie.”
“I’m not leaving, regardless. Are you?”
I shrug and shake my head. “I don’t think I am.”
“Well, at least that’s not a yes,” she sighs.
“I promise you. We’ll get this straightened out.”
Rule Number Twenty
Always go after what you want
Raff
Sitting on the couch dog tired, I look at my phone again and check the time.
Nikki only left two hours ago, and I managed to clean the scent of our all-night fuckfest out of the flat and did so with regret. The scent and taste of that woman literally drove me mad all night and well into the morning.
Thankfully, she’s bloody insatiable, and that makes me a lucky man. But I also recognized her moving a bit slower this morning so made sure I took it easier on her before she left. Which is not easy to do when I want to crawl up inside her to figure out—aside from the obvious—what the hell it is about her that makes me lose my mind like never before.
Unfortunately, we didn’t hammer out a date when she’d be right next door, where the wall of the loft butts right up against my bedroom wall. It’s going to take every damn ounce of restraint I have not to smash my way through the wall every fucking night. But we certainly did get through outing ourselves to the town. I knew it would be fine, better than fine. It was damn good. I’m glad she knows it now, too.
I’m not going to lie to myself and pretend I’m not apprehensive about how Nellie will act when Nikki meets up with her. Nellie’s one hundred and eighty-degree turn of her treatment toward Nikki is questionable. However, Nikki pointed out that she’s known her all her life, and that there is actually a sweet side to her.
Fucking Nikki….
She’s not only sexy, but she’s also kind. And she’s not only gorgeous, but she’s bloody brilliant, too. Through internet stalking —yes, it’s come to that—I found out she not only graduated from Cornell, but she did so Magna Cum Laude.
What I didn’t find on the world wide web were photos of Nikki. All her social media pages are private. I can appreciate that, however fucked-up my need to see her ex is. To see how I measure up. And shockingly, even Townes Norming is set to private. The only pictures I see of him are in business attire, and I guess you could say he is handsome enough. Still, he looks like a fucking arrogant stiff.
“Top five.” I shake my head as I look up at the picture above the fireplace of Hope, Nathaniel, and me and laugh. “Hell, we did well at Oxford, but not that damn well.”
Is it odd that I speak to Hope like she’s still here?
“Yes, you jackass,” I answer as I know she would while standing up and tossing the phone on the couch. “You’ll always be part of me, Hope, hell, I’m pretty damn sure you’re the one who put Nikki in our path.”
I shake my head, look away from the portrait and head to the kitchen area to check on the roast I put in the oven after Nikki left.