Total pages in book: 14
Estimated words: 12805 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 64(@200wpm)___ 51(@250wpm)___ 43(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 12805 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 64(@200wpm)___ 51(@250wpm)___ 43(@300wpm)
"That's not what she thinks," Quinn says. "And why is that?"
"Because my mother is meddling in my life. Why do you think I left for Christmas? Because I was refusing to play their game anymore. I knew if I didn't cut ties, I was going to be trapped in a world that I don't want to live in. I don't want to stay there anymore because it means foregoing my own choices for a life that they're going to choose for me."
"You want this instead? You've never even been into the town of Linesworth. You've never even been to my granddad’s marketplace. You've known me less than 24 hours and you're making promises that you have no idea if you can keep."
"I'm a man of my word. I told you I had a big package and I did, didn't I?"
I shake my head. "Stop it, Nicholas."
“Stop what?" he says.
"Stop being everything that I want."
"Why?" he asks. He presses his hands to both my cheeks. He wipes away my tears with his perfect thumbs. "Why?" he says again. "Why would you want me to stop being what you need? Because, Quinn, you're everything I want. Let me be what you need. Let me be yours this Christmas. We're snowed in together. Won't you please be my Christmas miracle?"
"You mean that? You really don't love her?"
"Not even close," he says. He pulls out his phone. "Look, listen," he says. He calls Veronica and puts her on speakerphone. "Hey," he says. “It’s Nick.”
"Hey, Nicky," she says. "So did you get my text?" she cackles. "I thought it was kind of funny, right? Okay. So are you coming home or what? Because the party is tomorrow, and like everybody is coming and it's going to be like, super awkward if you don't even show up for our own engagement party, which is already going to be awkward enough considering, you know, we're not together, but like, for all intents and purposes, we have to make this happen."
"No," he says. "We don't. We're not together, Veronica. We never have been and I'm not marrying you."
"Nicky, that's so stupid. Like, there's a thousand reasons this makes sense."
"No," he tells her, "there's a thousand reasons it doesn't. Whatever plan you and my mom have, it's twisted and it's wrong and I'm not going along with it."
"For tax reasons alone it makes sense," she moans.
"I'm not marrying anyone for tax purposes. Besides, I'm already engaged."
"What?" she says. "That is not possible, considering there is no ring on my finger."
"Well, that would make sense because I'm not marrying you. I'm marrying Quinn."
My eyes go wide as I listen to the words coming out of Nicholas's mouth. He hasn't officially proposed, but, I mean, I guess he basically has, and I guess I basically have said yes.
I shake my head, trying not to squeal.
"Are you serious? Your mom is going to literally lose it. You understand that, right?"
"I don't care what my mom does. I'm going to let her know shortly that I am not working for her or the family business anymore. I have other work that I need to tend to. Goodbye. And Veronica?"
"What?" she shrieks. "What?"
"Merry Christmas," he says.
Then he ends the call and he draws me to him. "Quinn," he says, "one more thing."
"And what is that?" I ask. "You know, besides the official proposal that hasn't exactly happened."
He laughs. "Well, I can't actually officially propose until I talk to your grandfather."
"Fair enough," I say, laughing as he scoops me up into his arms and carries me into the living room where breakfast and coffee are waiting for us in front of the fire.
Bodies entwined, we watch the snow fall. I kiss him.
Again and again and again. I kiss him all day long, knowing in my heart that I am ready to start a life with this man who swept me off my feet when we got snowed inn for Christmas.