AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ethan reset the line and placed the rod in the holder. “Yeah, yeah, old man. One day I’ll beat you.”
Drew reached into the cooler and grabbed a bottle of water for George, a beer for Ethan, and one for himself, before popping it open.
“Nothing like thinking you have something great only to lose it.” Ethan took a swig of his beer.
George chuckled. “You know what they say—there are more fish in the sea. Right, Drew?”
Drew looked at his two friends, dumbfounded. Yes, he knew they were talking about fish… literally. But Lacey lurked behind George’s words. The thought of her getting away just like Ethan’s catch of the day didn’t bode well for him.
“I love her.” Drew said out loud; his friends looked taken aback. “And she just left.”
Ethan cleared his throat. “Isn’t it soon to be talking about love?”
“No, it isn’t.” Drew rubbed the back of his neck, gathering beads of sweat on his palm. “It’s weird, but I know she’s the one for me. I knew it from the moment she kissed me on the beach. At first I thought maybe it was the excitement or adrenaline. Standing on the beach, holding her hand, watching her stand up to her ex, made me so proud—and I didn’t even know her. I’m telling you, there’s something about her… something that makes me feel whole.” Drew realized how crazy he sounded, but he didn’t care. It was just the truth.
George smiled. “Son, I could have told you that days ago. You looked at her the way I used to look at my wife, Alaina. God rest her soul. The first time I spotted her in a restaurant I knew she was put on this earth just for me.”
Ethan took another swig of his beer. “Does she know?”
A smile spread across Drew’s face. “She does.”
“And… ?” Ethan prodded.
Drew stood and leaned against the side of the boat. “And… I don’t know.”
Chapter 17
Lacey sat in her living room, scrolling through pictures on her phone. Her four-foot artificial Christmas tree sitting in the corner looked as lonely as she felt. She watched the lights flicker from red to green as if they moved in slow motion.
Memories of the holidays she spent as a child brought happiness followed by innate pain. Ever since her parents passed away, Christmas was more difficult than joyful.
For years, Lacey didn’t put up a tree or put much effort into the holiday. If it weren’t for her friends, she most likely wouldn’t celebrate at all. And now that miles separated her and Drew, there was a fresh level of sadness layered over the rest.
It had been two days since she’d returned, and although she had spoken to Drew, it wasn’t the same. At night she’d lie in bed, wondering what he was doing. And the dreary New York mornings didn’t do much to lighten her mood. But today she was going to fight the crowds and go shopping with her friends.
Her phone chirped with a message from Janine; they were in front of her building, waiting in an Uber. After her flight, she had canceled their girls’ night and had yet to see Grace and Janine since returning to New York. She knew they’d have an onslaught of questions for her. Lacey grabbed her purse, buttoned her coat, tightened the scarf around her neck, and headed outside.
A blast of arctic air hit her like a slap to the face. Spotting the car bearing her friends, Lacey hurried into the back seat and slammed the door shut behind her. “It’s freezing!”
Grace waved her hand back and forth. “You’re just spoiled, Miss Beach Babe.” Janine laughed and Lacey scowled. “What?” Grace added. “It’s no colder now than when you left.”
The driver came to a halt at a café only a few blocks away from Lacey’s apartment. Confused, Lacey asked, “I thought we were shopping today?”
They all piled out of the car. Janine threw her arm around Lacey as they stepped into the cozy café. “We are… but first we want to hear about your man.”
That warmed her up. Just thinking about Drew raised Lacey’s body temperature. The women grabbed a table in the corner and ordered hot chocolate with extra marshmallows.
Grace prodded her, “Okay, spill it. You’ve been home for over forty-eight hours, and we need details.”
“He’s wonderful,” Lacey said dreamily. “I know you’ll both love him. Aside from his stunning good looks, he’s kind, generous, and understanding. The complete opposite of Kevin.” The waitress dropped off their drinks, but before taking a sip, she confessed, “I think I’m falling in love with him.”
Both her friends froze, their mugs in midair. “Love? You’re inlovewith him?” It was clear Janine couldn’t believe that Lacey had fallen so fast for a man. Truth be told, neither could Lacey.
“I said, ‘falling’ and…” She blew on the cocoa-infused marshmallows before tentatively taking a sip. “He told me he’s in love with me…” Even that sounded foreign, but it was the truth. “I know what you’re both thinking, but you don’t understand. The days I spent with him, and even the nights, were the best I’ve ever had. Even though what we had started as a fake relationship, he made me believe in love again and… in myself.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere.” Grace shimmied her butt in the chair. “Nights… I want to hear about the nights. Then you can thank us for packing sexy lingerie.”
“Despite what you might think, for most of the nights we just talked and slept. But one night we didn’t, and, no, your lingerie didn’t come into play.” Grace shot her a mock pout. “He’s so different from any man I’ve known.” Lacey plucked her phone from her purse and showed them a selfie they’d taken on their last night together.
