Chapter 10
TEN
Cole
It takes me a long time to calm down after what that asshole said to my girl. I didn’t catch his name, which is probably a good thing, or I’d be looking him up right now, planning a way to hunt him down and beat the shit out of him for the things he said to Blair.
I know he must have gone to school with her, and my heart breaks for Blair.
She must have heard that bullshit from her bullies on a daily basis.
I don’t know how she did it. I would have snapped after a day, but she survived.
She got through it and came out on the other side as a brilliant, loyal, kind, and beautiful woman.
I look over at Blair as we break down the booth. Her boss, Roger, and his wife are there, helping us load the tables and games into his truck.
“We can leave the igloo at the bank. I’ll come back later for that,” Roger says.
I nod as I tie down the arbor and tables in the back of his truck. “Do you need help unloading all this?”
“No, the kids will help us tomorrow. You two head home. Thanks for all of your hard work, Blair.”
Blair forces a smile. “Of course. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas!”
With that, they climb into the truck and drive off.
I grab the igloo and move it behind the bank, where it will be out of the wind and snow.
“Ready to go home?” I ask Blair.
She nods wordlessly. She’s been so quiet since her run-in with that clown earlier. I know Larsen tried to talk to her, to pull her out of her funk, but it didn’t seem to help.
I help her into my truck and hurry to climb into the driver’s seat. I blast the heat, aiming the vents toward Blair so she can warm up first.
“Hey,” I say as she stares out the windshield. “Forget what that guy said. He’s a dumb prick. He doesn’t know you. He never knew you.”
She nods slightly, but I can tell she doesn’t believe me.
“Blair, I mean it. He’s wrong. You’re amazing. So smart, so accomplished. You’re perfect.”
“No, I’m not,” she snaps. “I’m not perfect!”
“Blair—”
“I don’t know why you think I’m so perfect. My life is boring. My family doesn’t care about me! I have one friend! I can barely read, and no one wants me, and—”
“I do!” I interrupt her. “I want you. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.
You can’t see yourself clearly because you have all those assholes’ voices in your head.
But if you could see yourself the way I see you, the way that your boss, Larsen, and other people in town see you, you’d realize how great you are. ”
Blair takes a few deep breaths, scanning my face, looking for any sign of deceit.
“I mean it. You’re letting what a bunch of dumb kids said years ago dictate how you see yourself. You’re letting people who never took the time to get to know you have way too much control over your life.”
“My parents.”
“Are idiots. I’m sorry, but they are. And if I ever have the displeasure of meeting anyone in your family, I’ll tell them that.”
Blair starts to cry.
I don’t hesitate to reach for her, dragging her into my lap. “It’s okay, Princess. I’ve got you.”
She cries harder, and I rub my hands up and down her back, trying to soothe her.
“It’s okay. I get it. I had Mary and Christopher and the ranch, but before that, I was so angry. My parents didn’t want me. They gave me away. I barely had friends. People looked at me like I was an outsider or like I was trouble.”
She sniffles, and I hold her tighter.
“Then I grew up. I realized I had people who cared about me: Mary and Christopher, and the other boys at the ranch. I left Montana and that town. I started over with the military and found a new family and friends. I made a home here in Wolf Valley. With you.”
I kiss the top of her head. “You can do the same. You are doing the same. You have a new life here. You have people who love you here.”
She looks up at me, and I can’t hold the words in any longer.
“I love you, Blair. I have for months.”
“No,” she gasps, shaking her head.
I sigh. “I do. How could I not?”
“I’m broken,” she chokes out.
I shake my head. “No.”
“You could do better,” she insists.
“No,” I say simply. “There’s no one better than you. No one else I want. Never has been. Never will be.”
“Cole,” she cries.
I kiss her forehead. “You can deny it all you want, but it’s true. You’re it for me, Blair. I love you.”
She takes a shaky breath and licks her lips as she looks up at me, all teary-eyed. “I love you too,” she whispers.
I swear my heart grows three sizes in my chest. “Say it again,” I order her.
She takes a deep breath. “I love you too, Cole,” she says, louder this time.
“Thank fuck,” I groan.
I lean down, pressing our foreheads together, and she calms at the contact.
“I’ll do whatever you need me to do, but I think you should talk to someone,” I tell her.
“I know. It’s time for me to do something about these scars,” she admits.
“I’ll help you. I’ll do whatever you need. I’ll remind you how awesome you are every day,” I promise her.
She smiles. “I know you will.”
Blair leans closer, pressing her lips against mine, and I kiss her back. She tastes like hot chocolate and candy canes, and my tongue tangles with hers as the kiss deepens.
When we pull apart, we’re both breathing hard, and Blair cuddles into my chest.
“Merry Christmas,” I whisper when I see that it’s after midnight.
“Merry Christmas, Cole.”
“How should we celebrate?”
She giggles. “I’ve got a few ideas.”
“My place?”
She nods. “Your place.”
Blair crawls into the passenger seat, and I groan as I stare at her ass. She wiggles it at me teasingly before she drops into the seat.
It starts to snow as I shift into drive and point the truck toward home. Blair threads her fingers through mine, and everything settles inside me. She grounds me and excites me all at once. She’s my home, and I know I’m hers, too.
As we turn into my driveway, I imagine us spending every Christmas together from now on. I grin at the fantasy, determined to make it a reality as I shut off the truck and turn to my girl.
“Ready?” she asks.
“For everything,” I say as I climb out of the car, take her hand, and lead her inside.