Page 107 of In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes

No fucking way was she spending the night alone.

“Come for dinner.”

“It’s a family thing. I don’t want to impose.”

“You’re not.” My tone was firm. “I want you there. You’re coming and I’ll throw you over my shoulder and haul your ass there if I have to. We can watch movies and eat takeout on Boxing Day.”

She laughed and the sound made me smile. “Alright. That sounds great.” She hesitated for a moment. “I painted a portrait of Katherine the other day.”

My brows lifted. “You did?”

“Yep.” She made a happy, humming noise. “I gave it to your mom. It was how I remembered Katherine, smiling and all tanned after working in the garden all day.”

I rubbed my chest, thinking about Sadie sitting at her easel, painting and feeling good about herself.

“It’s easier to paint here.” She let out a light laugh. “I forget my problems in Queen’s Cove.”

My throat knotted and I hoped with my entire fucking being I had something to do with that. That I made her life better, made her problems fade to the background.

I wanted to be that guy for Sadie.

I thought about what my dad said at their anniversary party. He said his marriage and his family were his greatest achievements, and everything came next after us. Nothing mattered but the people he loved, and he was grateful to know all of us.

While he talked, I thought about Sadie. I studied her pretty face, lips turned up while she listened to my dad. Her glance had shot over to mine and when our gazes connected, her smile turned up even more, like looking at me made her happy.

If I ever wanted the things my dad had talked about in his speech, I needed to make a change. Tension wrapped around my chest, suffocating me. The idea of giving up control still made me sick, even if it was for her.

I just didn’t know how.

I sighed, missing her even harder, and dragged my hand back through my hair. “I wish you were here. I wish you came with me.”

She laughed. “You’re just horny.”

“I am. Been fucking my fist all week, thinking about having my head between your legs.”

“Holden,” she chided but I could hear the grin at my dirty words.

“What are you wearing?”

She laughed. “You arenotasking what I’m wearing like you’re on a nineties phone sex commercial. Although, with your voice, you’d be perfect for that job.”

I grinned. “You like my voice.”

“You know I do. And I’m butt naked, wearing the yellow raincoat.”

My chest shook with laughter. “I wish.”

She snorted. “I feel like I haven’t taken it off since you gave it to me. This winter is bumming me out, dude.”

“Still raining there?”

She sighed. “Every single day. All day. Just pouring. The property is like a marsh. The forest walks help, though. I love when the forest gets all foggy and spooky.”

Katherine’s property was a low point in the surrounding area so all the rainwater drained to the yard. In the summer, the grass was lush green and never needed watering unless we were in a serious drought, but in the winter, you couldn’t take a few steps without sinking into the muck.

I heard the sharp intake of Sadie’s breath.

“What?” I asked, frowning.

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