Page 63

I lay there, listening to his heartbeat, completely and totally content.

This was a guy I was willing to bet on.

1

LAUREN

“I’M GETTING MARRIED.”

I could feel my best friend Noel beaming on the other end of the line.

“Hilarious,” I mumbled, counting down the cash in the register drawer. “Did they fix your car? We leave for Florida in two days. You need to pack.”

It was December 21st. I’d been in the thick of the holiday madness at the boutique I ran and was very much looking forward to the cruise we’d booked.

“I’m serious,” she said. “His name is Nicholas.”

I snorted. “Okay. But for real, when are you coming home? And why did it take so long to get that car part? You’ve been there like three days.”

I closed the register and made my way to the office with the deposit. “Ugh, I’m so glad I hired someone else so I can actually go somewhere for Christmas this year,” I said, dropping the money in the safe and flicking off the light. “Thank God for Laci.”

“Lauren. I am not coming home.”

I paused in the middle of grabbing my purse. “What do you mean? How long are you going to be there?”

“Forever?”

I drew my brows down. “I thought they were fixing the engine by this morning.”

“I know this is a lot to process,” she said. “And I know we had the cruise. I’m sorry and I promise to make it up to you.”

“Wait. What are you talking about?”

“I’m getting married, Lauren. I’m moving here.”

I blinked into the back room. “Noel, you’re scaring me a little bit. Are you okay?”

“What do you mean? I’m fine—”

“If you need help, press a button.”

She made a sound that was the audible version of an eye roll. “Stop. I’m okay. I can’t wait for you to meet him,” she said. “I told him all about you.”

“Told him all about… what???”

“Hold on.”

The phone rang through with a video call.

I answered it, and Noel and some bearded lumberjack man in a red flannel popped up on my screen.

Noel grinned. “Lauren, this is Nicholas. Nicholas, this is my best friend since eighth grade, Lauren.”

“Hi!” He waved. “I’ve heard so much about you. I can’t wait to meet you in person.”

I was speechless. Literally speechless.

“What is this?” I breathed.