Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“If it makes you feel better to believe that, then okay.” He keeps me tucked close as he carries me down the hall.
“You gave us your bed,” I say, and he shrugs. Fraser might not think it’s a big deal, but I do. I’m not used to someone worrying about my needs over their own. “We can switch over to the guest room tomorrow. I don’t—”
“No.” He cuts me off with that gruff tone again. Only this time it makes me smile.
CHAPTER 6
FRASER
I managed to sleep for a few hours, but just before sunrise, I got up and headed out to where Nyah’s car was stuck. When I got to the section of road where her car was supposed to be, I got out and walked around before calling the sheriff.
“Hey Fraser, what can I do for you?” Angela says when she answers.
“That vehicle I texted you about, you didn’t happen to have it towed, did you?” I look up and down the blank expanse of snow and once again see nothing.
“No, do you need me to? When you texted you said you’d take care of it, so I left it alone. The storm’s been pretty bad up until yesterday, and I wasn’t making any extra trips if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I hear you.” Something prickles on the back of my neck, and I have a feeling in my gut that this isn’t good. “Tow truck must have gotten it.”
“Hmm.” She sounds like she’s thinking it over. “Roy sometimes hauls them down to his shop in bad weather to make some quick cash. Yeah, I’d give him a call if you can’t find it.”
“I’ll do that. Thanks for your help.”
“Oh, before I forget, tell your mama I can swing by and get those wooden reindeer for the town square later today. I’m headed up the mountain this morning, and you know reception is shit.” Angela calls out to someone else that must be helping with holiday decorations before she comes back. “Sorry, I’ve got a list a mile long and not enough time to get it done.”
“Why don’t I drop them off for you. I’ll go by and get them on the way out to Roy’s.”
“You’re a lifesaver.” She gets quiet for a second and then her voice lowers. “You know she’d love it if you came to the candle lighting ceremony.”
“I’ll make sure to take them up there before lunch,” I tell her before I climb into my truck.
“Appreciate it, Fraser. Talk to you soon.”
I hang up without saying anything else because what else is there to say? Everyone in this town knows how I feel about Christmas, and Angela and my mom are good friends. Of course, she wants me to go to the candle lighting ceremony. It’s something the town does every Christmas Eve, but I don’t want any part of it. In my mind, it’s best to forget this holiday exists, but then I think about Nyah and Mina.
The two of them are spending Christmas away from home and all alone. Whatever they left was bad enough to make Nyah run out in the middle of the night without much of anything to their name. They ended up with the worst person to make this a magical time of year because I don’t even know where I’d begin.
With a tree, a voice in the back of my mind interjects, and then I picture one in my living room. Okay, so maybe a tree wouldn’t be the worst thing because Mina loves the lights on her sweater. It could keep her distracted from the lights on her shirt so that when the batteries die it’s not the end of the world.
So really getting a tree would save me from having to buy batteries. Simple enough, just a tree and some lights. I can do that, and maybe by the time Christmas rolls around, Nyah and Mina will have a place to go.
Or not.
The voice is a little more demanding this time, but I choose to ignore it. Sure, Nyah’s sweet as can be, and when she smiles, my chest does something funny, but that doesn’t mean anything. All I’m doing is keeping her safe until she can find her next step. That’s all.
Turning towards my parents’ house, I decide to pick up the reindeer then head over to the shop. One quick chat with Roy, and I should be able to get this straightened out. Then I can drop off the reindeer downtown and visit the tree farm next to it. Might as well get it done today so they can enjoy it before they have to leave.
The lies I tell myself seem to be the easiest to believe.
When I get to my parents', my dad gives me a funny look when I ask for the reindeer, but I explain it’s a favor for the sheriff. After I give my mom a kiss on the cheek, I go with my dad to the garage and load them up in my truck.