32. Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Two
Nick
I sit here, staring at my text message to Eliza that’s not sending. I have no idea what she wants to talk about, but there’s a part of me that doesn’t want to know.
I can only imagine her giving me some sort of talk about how great our friendship is—and that she doesn’t want to lose it, but that she’s getting back with Devon.
Dropping my phone beside me, I sit on the back of the tailgate of my truck, trying to process the hurt that’s pummeled me. I’ve experienced some heartbreak in life, but never like this. I shove my hands into the pockets of my hoodie, since I never bothered to stop by the store and get my coat—mom is definitely back there by now…
And I’m not ready to talk to anyone.
I roll a ball with the loose lint in my pocket, fidgeting with it as I take a few deep breaths. Losing Eliza isn’t the end of the world—besides, I never even really had her. I’ll forever be thankful for the moments we shared.
And that kiss.
Flicking the lint ball out into the snow, my eyes follow it, watching it fall until it disappears into the mixture of snow and mud.
The sound of the revving of an engine catches my attention, and I freeze, wondering who in the world has the nerve to drive through the muck to get down here.
I slide off the tailgate and peer around, waiting for whoever it is to appear from the trees. It’s probably my mom—she’s already tried to call me twice. I tried to answer, but again, the service just doesn’t work down here.
Maybe she’s just that worried about me .
However, as the headlights that cut through the setting sun, I realize they aren’t my mother’s. My heart jumps at the sight of Ms. Marilyn’s pickup truck roaring through the opening, and I’m completely shocked to see Eliza pull up just behind my truck.
She climbs out of the driver’s side, her hair windblown and her body wrapped up in a black coat and red scarf. “Why did you ignore my text?” she demands, hurt on her face. “I literally had to try to guess where to find you. ”
“Um, well, I tried to reply, but it wouldn’t send,” I say, hesitant. “It’s not like I was purposefully ignoring you—and besides, you were probably busy with what’s-his-face.”
Her mouth drops open. “Says the man who sent him on a wild goose chase!”
I shrug, guilt washing over me. “I just … I thought I wanted to talk to you before he did, but as it turns out, you’ve already made up your mind.” My voice grows a little sharp at the end, and all of the emotions I’ve been working through internally start to spill over.
“What?”
“You came here to get a fresh start, and I don’t really think it’s some secret that I fell head over heels for you,” I blurt out. “It was so freaking obvious, and then what did you do? You asked me to be your fake boyfriend to impress your parents—or maybe it was to win Devon back,” I continue, letting it all out. “And that hurts. ”
“It was never about Devon,” she clarifies, ignoring the rest. “I don’t want to be with Devon. I’m over him. He was crazy to show up here like he did. I told him it was over. And…” She pauses, letting out a heavy breath, meeting my eyes. “I’m sorry for ever asking you to be my fake boyfriend for the sake of my parents, but…”
“But what?” I urge, suddenly hanging on her every word.
“But I don’t regret it.”
Oh great. Good to know.
“Because if I hadn’t, I might never have realized just how strong my feelings are for you . ”
I freeze, not sure that I heard her right, but then she pulls out a letter—the same one that I started to read in the workshop. “What’s that?” I ask stupidly.
“Something that you should’ve finished reading.” She holds it out, her hands trembling slightly. “I’ll show you the other half of it later.”
I raise my brows but take the letter from her without saying anything.
I unfold it, feeling my heart racing in my chest.
To the man who holds my heart,
I’m sorry for everything that's happened between us. I should’ve never asked you to put on a show for my parents. However, I don’t regret it, because the night we kissed, I finally realized that I felt so much more than friendship for you. I think you felt it, too. But if you didn’t, I don’t care. I just want you to know that I’m sorry for things being complicated and messy…
But I’ve fallen in love with you.
And maybe love is worth a try, after all.
Love,
Eliza
I reread it again, squeezing my eyes shut and wishing that I would’ve finished it the first time.
“Um, so…” Eliza shifts in the snow, the sound of the truck engine idling behind us. “Do you think … Do you think you could forgive me? I never meant to cause all these problems, and I don’t—”
I cut her off, my fingers threading through her blonde hair with ease as I bring her lips to mine. Those same fireworks explode as she lets out a soft moan, filling the cold December air. Her fingernails dig into my hoodie as I hold her soft, plump lips to mine, my tongue invading every inch of her mouth. I held back the night of Thanksgiving, but this time…
This time I want her to know how I feel.
I deepen the kiss, pouring every ounce of emotion that I’ve been holding onto into it. Eliza responds eagerly, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me closer. Our bodies mold together as we continue to get lost in each other .
I lift her up effortlessly, her legs wrapping around my waist as she clings to me. I set her on the back of my tailgate, never breaking the kiss. The cold metal bites through our clothes, but the chill is nothing compared to the heat between us.
The world around us fades away, leaving only the two of us lost in the moment. My heart thunders in my chest, matching the rhythm of hers as our lips move in perfect synchrony. She tastes like vanilla and cinnamon, a subtle mix of sweetness and spice that makes my head spin.
When we finally break apart for air, we’re both breathless and slightly flushed.
“So I take it that you forgive me for the fake relationship then?” she pants, her lips slightly swollen.
I laugh, reaching out and wiping away one of her rogue tears. “Of course I forgive you. But you have to know … it was never fake to me.”
“Oh, Nick. You’re always full of surprises,” she murmurs, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Thank you so much for being patient with me. I was so afraid to open myself up to love again, so afraid to risk getting hurt. But you’re truly the most amazing man I’ve ever known. When I moved to West Falls, I thought I was just running away from my past, but now I realize, I was running towards you. You’re my best friend, my partner-in-crime, and now, hopefully so much more. I’m absolutely in love with you, Nick. I’ve never felt more seen or more safe with someone. Thank you for showing me that not all men are the same. ”
I cup her face in my hands, staring deeply into her eyes. “Eliza, I’ve been in love with you from the moment I laid eyes on you,” I confess, my voice raw with emotion. “I was just afraid to tell you my true feelings because I didn’t want to push you away, or ruin the beautiful friendship we built. But I’m so happy to finally get to tell you that not only are you my best friend, you’re also the missing piece of my heart that I didn’t even know was lost until you showed up in my life. I want to be everything you need and more. I want to be the one who makes you happy every day, who loves you unconditionally, and who stands by your side through everything. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Her cheeks flush all over again and she falls into my arms, letting me hold her there as the sun sets over the frozen creek.
For the first time, everything feels right.
“I still have something to show you,” Eliza murmurs into my chest, her hair tickling my nose. “It’s kind of a big deal, too.”
“Would it have anything to do with all that wood strung out in the workshop at your granny’s?” I ask, chuckling as she pulls back to look up at me.
She narrows her eyes. “Do you already know?”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t, but I would love for you to show me.”
“Good,” she says, then turns back to look at the truck. “Let’s just hope that we can get out of here in one piece because it was a miracle that I even made it in. ”
“Oh boy, this is gonna be fun,” I tease her, pulling her back in for another kiss. It’s not nearly as long as the first, but just as sweet, and I fight the urge not to get lost in her for a while.
“Come on,” Eliza says, her excitement exciting me.
“Okay, okay.” I laugh. “Lead the way.”
With ease that she probably doesn’t even realize, Eliza turns the truck around and bumps down the trail. My heart is soaring as I follow her. I feel dumb for not reading the letter in its entirety, but … the fact it led to this moment between us makes it that much sweeter.
She’s mine.
The thought brings nothing but happiness as I follow her across town, the sky growing dark as we pull into Granny’s house. I park behind her and kill the engine, climbing out. Part of me expects Granny to come out and greet us, but she doesn’t.
“It’s back here,” Eliza waves for me to follow her.
I trot to catch up to her and grab her hand. “Okay.”
She smiles up at me nervously. “Don’t get your hopes up. I tried really hard, but I’ve got nothing on your craftsmanship. It’s totally okay if you just want me to throw it away.”
I shake my head. “Never. I’ll keep it forever.”
Her green eyes soften, stopping me at the door of the workshop. “You mean that?”
My fingertips brush along the softness of her cheek, pushing the blonde hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “Yeah, I mean it. ”
She smiles and turns the knob, tugging me in behind her. “I tried to conceal it if you came in here or something.” I watch as she goes over to the stack of wood and moves it over. I hadn’t noticed the structure behind it, covered with a tarp.
“That’s kind of big, whatever it is.”
“Yeah.” She blushes. “But I just made it according to the plans.”
I nod. “Okay, show me.”
She takes a deep, nervous breath—that makes me smile even harder. “Ta da…” Eliza tugs the tarp off, revealing a workbench. It’s … impressive.
Just like everything she does.
“Well?” she breathes. “What do you think?”
“This is amazing,” I say, stepping around the wood to take a look. “I can’t … I can’t believe how well you did.” I run my hand along the surface, the scent of freshly stained wood filling my nostrils. “Look at these corners,” I point out, noting that she rounded them perfectly.
She bites her lip. “Are they bad?”
“No, they’re … good. Really good.”
“Oh!” Eliza bounces. “So, you’re happy with it?”
“Yeah, of course I am.” I laugh, pulling her into my arms. “I can’t believe you built this for me.”
“It was my way of apologizing … and maybe asking you to be my boyfriend?” She tilts her head back and looks up at me. “I know it’s cheesy…”
“Nah,” I say. “I love it—and that, too.” I point to the engraving on the side.
Made with love by Eliza Kate.
She blushes a deep crimson. “It’s so silly. After I put it on there, I thought that it might be a mistake. Like, what if you didn’t like me, but you wanted to keep the workbench? That would be so awkward.”
I lean over and plant a kiss on the top of her head. “I’m pretty sure I’ve been dreaming of the Eliza Kate Willis being my girlfriend since I pulled her out of the hole in a rotten ramp.”
“Oh my gosh,” she groans, poking my chest. “Can we not tell anyone that’s how we met? That’s so embarrassing.”
“Not for me,” I tease her, shooting her a wink. “But really, I think it’s downright romantic.”
“Prince charming saves the damsel in distress … and then she builds him a workbench,” Eliza adds with laughter.
“Yeah, something like that. It would make for a great story to tell one of these days…” My voice trails off, already dreaming of what the future might look like between us.
“I think I might set rules that it can only be told to those in the family,” Eliza says softly, looking up at me. “Like maybe our kids?”
“Whoa,” I stop her, though my heart is flip-flopping with excitement. “You skipped over all the stuff in the middle. You got to at least give me a month to ask you to marry me.”
She bursts into laughter and I hold her even tighter. I won’t be proposing in a month, but if it were acceptable…
I probably would.