21. Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-One
Eliza
Where is he?
My foot taps against the beige carpet in the living room, as my parents laugh and joke with Granny—which normally, I’d partake in. But right now, all I can think about is Nick, and how in the world we’re going to pull this off.
I mean, can we actually pretend to be together, and it not be awkward?
My eyes meet Granny’s for a split second, and all I see is amusement. I know she doesn’t approve of this scheme, but she told me herself that she can’t wait to witness what a potential catastrophe this might be.
Ugh. Please don’t let it be.
“When’s Nick supposed to be here?” Mom chirps, turning her attention to me. “I’m just so eager to meet this young man.”
I glance down at my unanswered text to him. “I don’t … I don’t know when he’ll be here. I haven’t heard from him. He’s probably busy with his family.”
Or he’s changed his mind.
My stomach knots up at the thought. Surely, if he changed his mind, he would send me a text to let me know, right?
“Well, he doesn’t get to see his sister and her little family all that much, since they live out of town,” Granny adds. “He’s probably just trying to soak in as much family time as he can. I think Martha said they’re leaving town tomorrow.”
And that makes me feel guilty.
The knock on the door interrupts the conversation—and my feelings of shame. I jump to my feet, running over to it.
“She’s so excited to see him,” Mom says in a low, amused voice that she probably thought I couldn’t hear. They’re acting like I’m sixteen again…
But, if I’m honest, I am kind of feeling that way right now.
I swing the door open, surprised at the version of Nick standing in front of me. He’s dressed in a pair of dark jeans, boots, and a cream-colored pullover. He’s clean shaven, and it shows off his defined jawline .
“Hey.” My heart flip-flops. “You look … nice ,” I choke out, just as my eyes land on a big bouquet of fall-colored flowers. “Are those…?”
“For your mom,” he clarifies, giving me a lopsided smile and stepping into the entryway.
Oh.
I nod, and the sound of footsteps coming up from behind tells me that we’re not alone anymore. I turn to see my parents, eagerly standing there. “These are my parents,” I begin, gesturing to my dad, whose dark-rimmed glasses have slipped down his nose, and my mom, who’s dressed in an obnoxious sweater with a turkey on it, complete with googly eyes.
“It’s really nice to meet you.” Nick steps forward, extending the flowers to my mom. “These are for you.”
Mom’s smile gets a little bigger. “Oh, well, thank you. That was so sweet of you.”
“No problem at all.” Nick beams, before reaching out and grabbing my hand. “Your daughter means the world to me.”
The sincerity in his voice is surprising, and I’m in awe as he gives my hand a squeeze. My face flushes with heat, and I do my best to ignore the glassy look in my mom’s eyes.
She is really happy about this.
“Well, I hope you all are hungry,” Granny interrupts the moment, her eyes dropping to our clasped hands. “This is gonna be a good Thanksgiving … dinner. ”
I shoot her a warning glance, and Nick chuckles beside me. I can’t bring myself to look up at him, my face still feeling like it’s a hundred degrees in the house. My heart thunders as we make our way to the dining room, and Nick drops my hand.
A shock of disappointment hits me in the gut.
What’s wrong with me today?
I try to brush it off as Nick pulls my chair out for me. “Thanks,” I mutter, still not mustering up the courage to look at him.
The table is beautifully set with fall-themed centerpieces and a crisp, white tablecloth, and Granny and Mom are setting down dishes of delicious food. I take in the sight of the Thanksgiving feast laid out before us, the rich aroma of turkey and stuffing filling the room, but I can’t shake the nerves.
A nudge under the table catches my attention.
“You okay?” Nick’s voice tickles my earlobe, and I feel sensations of things that are not remotely friendly.
I nod, finally meeting his gaze. “Yeah, just a little nervous.”
The reassuring smile on his face is almost painfully sweet. “It’s all good. I got this. I won’t rat you out.”
I force myself to bob my head in agreement, but honestly, I’m not sure if that is what I’m nervous about. I don’t know why I feel so jittery.
“I was just thinking,” Granny muses as she joins us at the table, “since this is such a special occasion with Nick here, we should go around the table and say what we’re thankful for.” She gives me a knowing look, and my heart is now racing .
“Oh! I’ll start,” Mom gushes. “I’m so thankful for family, love, and good food. And, of course, for this handsome young man joining us today.”
I can’t help but feel guilty for the deception, but I plaster a smile on my face and nod in agreement. Nick squeezes my hand under the table in silent reassurance, and I draw strength from his touch.
Dad goes next, expressing gratitude for health and happiness, and then it’s Granny’s turn. She winks at me before speaking, “I’m thankful for surprises, both big and small, that keep life interesting.” Her eyes twinkle with mischief as she looks directly at me, causing a flush of embarrassment to creep up my neck.
I quickly avert my gaze, hoping no one notices my discomfort. Nick squeezes my hand again, his silent support grounding me.
And now it’s my turn to share.
I take a deep breath. “I’m thankful for family,” I begin, trying to keep my voice steady. “For the love and support they’ve always shown me, even when things get tough. And for having friends who always have my back, no matter what.”
As I finish speaking, I steal a quick glance at Nick, who’s watching me with a soft expression in his eyes.
Finally, it’s his turn. Nick clears his throat and straightens up in his chair.
And I hold my breath.
“I’m thankful for the chance to meet amazing people who touch my life in ways I never imagined,” he starts, his gaze flickering briefly to me before returning to the group. “For unexpected opportunities that lead us down paths we never thought we’d take, but end up being exactly where we’re meant to be.”
I feel a rush of emotions swirling inside me as Nick’s words sink in. Mom gives a contented sigh, clearly touched by his sentiment. Even Dad, who’s been quietly observing, nods in approval.
Granny lets out a satisfied chuckle, breaking the moment. “Well said, young man. Now, let’s dig into this delicious meal before it gets cold!”
We start passing the food around, loading up our plates with all the delicious Thanksgiving staples.
“So … Nick,” my dad begins, pushing his glasses up on his face. “You own the hardware store?”
“Yeah, well…” He pauses. “Kind of. Mom still owns the majority of it.”
Dad passes him the plate of rolls. “Well, I remember when your father took it over years back. You’re the spitting image of him.”
He must’ve been hot.
Wait … what?
I shake my head at myself. I’m really losing it.
“My dad took it over when he was quite a bit older than I am. Grandpa held onto it as long as he could,” Nick talks nonchalantly—like he’s not a bucket of nerves. He’s a pro at acting like this is totally … real.
“I sure am sorry for your loss. Your dad was a great man.” Dad’s voice drops low as his expression falls. “We were close for a long time. I just regret losing touch for so many years.”
“He talked about you,” Nick says, forking some turkey onto his plate. “He said you guys used to play football together.”
I sit silently as they continue to talk. It’s more than Dad ever talked to Devon—they just didn’t have anything in common, really.
“Tell me, how did the two of you meet?” my mom asks, leaning in with curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
I swallow my turkey before answering. “I—uh … fell through Granny’s ramp the first day I arrived trying to carry my luggage inside—”
“And I called the fire department,” Granny interjects, throwing Nick a playful grin. “That’s when this fine gentleman showed up and rescued her.”
“You’re a fireman too?!” My mom practically squeals with delight.
Nick chuckles, his cheeks flushing slightly. “Well, I work as a volunteer firefighter in my spare time. It’s a way to give back to the community.”
“Well thanks for rescuing my daughter.” Dad grins. “She can be a bit clumsy sometimes.”
Nick smiles, his eyes meeting mine with a hint of amusement. “It was quite the dramatic entrance, I must say. But I knew from that moment that she was someone special.” He reaches over and tenderly strokes my hair, sending a shiver down my spine. I feel a rush of warmth at his touch, my heart skipping a beat.
Granny elbows me. “So, Eliza, how long have you and Nick been official, again? ”
Everyone stops eating to look at me, Nick included.
“Um…” My mind is blank. Nick and I didn’t discuss anything about our relationship history or what we’d tell people.
Bad move.
“Well, it all started with the Pumpkin Festival,” Nick jumps in, wrapping his arm around the back of my chair with ease. “I took her there initially as friends, but things just … felt right when we danced.”
My eyes flicker to him as my mom lets out an, “Aw…”
There’s something so genuine about his words.
“It was cute seeing them dance.” Granny beams in agreement. “I just knew that they’d make a cute couple.”
“I tell you,” Mom adds, “those pictures y’all took were just so adorable.”
“Thanks.” Nick breathes out a sigh, before twirling a strand of my hair with his finger. “I agree, they were really great photos. Eliza’s so talented at what she does. I’m proud of her for building her business so fast.”
“Thank you,” I say softly, touched. “That means a lot.”
He smiles at me. “Good, because I mean it.”
My eyes widen slightly, but I don’t show it, turning back to my plate. The conversation flows flawlessly, and I can’t help but sit in awe of Nick. He handles every question and comment with a grace that I’ve never seen before, and he actually makes my parents laugh.
He’s … perfect.