The Broody Brit for Christmas (Holiday Springs #1) - M.J. Fields Page 0,67
ask me anything you want to or tell me anything. I’m an excellent listener.”
“Do you like my dad a lot?”
“What’s not to like? He’s kind, handsome, and funny, and he comes with a super cool and equally as handsome young man.”
“All he’s missing is a dog then, huh?”
I can’t help but laugh.
“You know, you are one hundred percent correct. He’d be one heck of a catch if he had a dog.”
He laughs again, this time less nervous.
I want to keep the conversation flowing. “I have never had my own dog, not even a cat. But I grew up with a dog.”
“Dad says we’re too busy. And Aunt Faith is allergic, so.” He shakes his head, no.
“Understood.”
“So why haven’t you ever had a dog?”
“Nellie got one for her birthday when she was younger. He’s her dog, but when I moved in with them at eleven—”
“My age,” he states with a nod. “Why did you move in with them?”
“I lost both of my parents.”
“Both?” he blurts.
I nod. “When I was your age, they were boating with some friends at night. Another boat was driving and hit them. My parents and my friend’s parents died.”
“My mum ran out of gas, and another car hit her when she stepped out.”
“I’m so sorry.” My heart squeezes for him. I remember that early pain of losing my parents so young.
He shrugs. “I don’t remember it much.”
“I try to focus on the good memories I had with them, which many happen to be at the Sweet Spot. I’m fortunate my aunt, uncle, and Nellie kept it running. I’m lucky I have them.” I think this is the very first time I’d even thought about Holiday Springs that way.
“My aunt is really cool, too.”
“Of course. And she adores you.”
“She is my mom’s sister, but she doesn’t have red hair.”
“Well, it’s beautiful that you have so much love in your life.”
“I really am lucky,” he says thoughtfully as I pull into Fosters’.
I park the Jeep and turn and look at him. “What would you think about maybe getting to know each other better?”
He smiles and nods. “I’d really like that.”
“Good, cause so would I.”
“Dad says you got a new job and are looking for a new place of your own?”
“I am.”
“Did you know we have an apartment right next to us?”
I don’t want to lie, but I don’t want to admit that I’d spent the night there. “Is that so?”
“Yeah.” He unbuckles his seat belt. “I think you’d like it there.” He opens his door and gets out. “I think Dad and I would like it if you were there, too.”
I get out and walk around to Nate, and he asks, “Do you think you’d like it there?”
I wrap my arm over his shoulders. “Yeah, Nate, I’m sure I would.”
“You said I could tell you anything, right?”
“Of course.” We walk toward the rows of metal wagons used to hold apples and pumpkins.
“You can’t tell Dad, and you can’t think I’m weird.”
I nod, holding back the truth because if it’s something Raff needs to know, I’d have to tell him.
“The day I met you—”
“Oh, God, can we forget about that day? It was not my finest hour; in fact, it was probably the one day I regret the most in all my years.”
“It was Mum’s birthday.”
“Shit” slips out of my mouth, and before I have a chance to apologize, he laughs. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that word.”
“I live over a bar,” he grins, “I’ve heard worse.”
“Well, it shouldn’t—”
He waves his hand in front of him. “Bygones.”
“Oh my God, you are the cutest.” I smile because he is, he truly is.
“If you’re going to be around for a long time, you should know that on Mum’s birthday, she used to make wishes and sometimes give gifts to everyone she celebrated it with.”
“That’s beautiful.”
His smile broadens.
“She was always such a kind person.”
He nods. “Well, now we have cake on that day, and I make wishes for the people with us for her. For Dad, we wished for you.”
I’m not sure anything in my life has made me as emotional as his admittance, but the shock of hearing an eleven-year-old say something like that causes me to freeze up.
“You think I’m weird, right?”
I shake my head. “I think you made me believe that everything happens for a reason in a much different way than I’d ever thought about it before.”
He bites his lip. “Is that a good thing?”
“Yeah, Nate, it’s a good thing, and now I’m going to hug you.”