AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He waggled his brows. “You wanted to end up in the bedroom, remember?”
I shook my head. “Of course. But I thought maybe it was more than that.”
He grinned. “You’ll just have to be patient.”
I wanted to tell him I hated surprises, but I was enjoying this. The anticipation for what was to come was exciting. When was the last time I’d looked forward to something? There were the possibilities for my business, but this was different. Harrison was giving me something I never thought I’d have: love and a family.
It wasn’t mine, but one we’d created together. Was I crazy to think that this was real and not part of an elaborate scheme to prove to everyone how stable he was and that he deserved shared custody?
I pushed down my insecurities and doubts. I was determined to move past the scars of my father. I was a new Everly, one who believed in miracles and loved without reservations.
It might have been reckless and stupid, but I wanted to change. I didn’t want to be stuck, always expecting the worst, like my mom was.
When the last bite of cheesecake disappeared, Harrison stood, offering me his hand. “Will you dance with me?”
“Of course,” I said, placing my hand in his.
We stood in the space between the island and the table, his arms around the small of my back as we swayed to a classic holiday song about love and family. Against my temple, his lips moved. “Don’t go anywhere. I want you here with me.”
“I wasn’t—”
“You were, but it’s okay. I’ll keep bringing you back.”
If he meant I was loved and cared for in his arms, I wouldn’t protest. I loved it too much. I relaxed the longer we danced, and I moved easily with his lead.
One song bled into another until he finally pulled back. “I have another surprise for you.”
My heart picked up the pace. “Oh yeah?”
Harrison smiled, looking so much younger. “Come on.”
He led me down the hall to the closed office door.
“Are you going to show me your new desk?”
He smiled but ran his free hand through his hair like he was nervous. “Something like that.”
Before I could ask anything else, he turned the knob and pushed the door wide open. It took me a second to register that everything was different. The bare walls with framed pictures of him and Wren were now wall-to-wall shelves.
I stepped in, my mouth dropping open as I tried to process it. There was a sliding ladder attached to the back shelf.
I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. “What is this?”
“It’s your library, complete with your ladder on wheels.”
“But why? How?”
“Ethan helped me. We made you a desk too.”
“Where did your things go? This is your office.” Then I noticed the new desk was like the drafting one I’d shown him.
“Not anymore. It’s yours. I wanted you to have a beautiful space for your business.”
I chewed my lip, overwhelmed by the amazing gesture. This wasn’t a man who was doing something to prove something to anyone but me. “But this is your house. Your space. I don’t want to take over.”
“You’re not. You’re the perfect addition, and so is this.”
“Where will you go?”
