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“Youhelped Lottie do this for me?” I ask my less-than-sentimental sports agent.
“The words you’re looking for are ‘you’re welcome’.” Piper grins.
I’ve never been good with words.
They never seem to do me much good, either.
But at this moment, I wish I knew what the right words were and be able to express just what this gift means to me. In the end, all I have is ‘thank you,’ knowing fully well that those two words are just too small a sentiment to really express what I’m feeling.
“Thank you.”
Lottie smiles at me in a way that has my heart doubling in size, and all of it becomes just too much for me to withstand.
“Excuse me,” I say, getting up from my seat before the whole Moore family sees me crying like a fucking lunatic.
I run to the nearest bathroom and lock myself in, splashing cold water in my face.
Fuck, I’m a mess.
She made me a gift, and I completely fell apart.
Goddamn it.
“Nate?” I hear Lottie knocking on the door. “Are you okay?”
Instead of answering her, I swing the door open and rush to pull her inside, locking the bathroom door behind us.
“Nate?” Lottie asks worriedly when I don’t answer her, her fingers running up and down my scruffy cheeks.
“Do you love Cooper?” I ask, unable to keep this burning question that has been tormenting me for months to myself any longer.
Her eyes look deep into mine before she shakes her head.
“Are you sure?” I ask, needing her to say it.
“Yes,” she says without missing a beat.
I breathe easy at her confession, feeling like a weight has been lifted.
“Nate, is it true? Has no one given you a Christmas present?” she asks, her voice low and soft.
I press my temple to hers and just let myself breathe her in.
“Not every family is like yours, Lottie.”
She runs the tip of her fingertips over my face, her penetrating gaze never leaving mine.
“I’m so sorry you had to grow up like that.”
“It is what it is, I guess.”
“It doesn’t have to be,” she says, pulling her forehead off of mine just a little so she can cup my face in her palms while staring lovingly at me. “That’s not how it’sgoingto be.”
I let out a deep exhale, reveling in her words of a future that still feels so damn distant for me.
“Before you came in earlier, Piper threatened me. Telling me that she would use her shovel to bury me in a deep grave if I hurt you.”
“That definitely sounds like Piper.” She smiles sweetly.
