Page 5 of A Gift of Time
Chapter Two
Pulling into the driveway, I turned off the ignition and sat in the car for a few moments.
The Christmas tree was lit-up and showed through the living room window, but the lights on the house had been turned off already. I knew he’d be waiting by the tree, probably sitting on the couch and cursing my name.
Here goes nothing.
After grabbing the box, I walked up to the house, dreading the moment I opened the door.
I was always disappointing Caden and couldn’t seem to ever do anything right. That night was just the cherry on top of theworst fiancé in the worldsundae.
Entering the house, I heard soft music playing from the living room, so I walked that way.
Caden was sitting on the couch just as I’d suspected, holding a glass of wine and listening to an instrumental version ofThe First Noel. His blond hair swept a little into his face, and his profile was sad as he stared at the glass in his hand.
With his blond hair, swimmer’s body, and sky-blue eyes, he was gorgeous. Even though he had softness to his features, he also had a sharp jaw line and high cheekbones.
As I stared at him, I remembered the moment when I’d first met him.
Caden had his own designing company and was hired by my boss to decorate the office. He’d been hanging curtains in the lobby when I’d walked by and saw him. I’d never seen any man more beautiful than him—the way his pants had hugged his perfect ass and the way his shirt clung to the subtle muscle in his back.
He’d stepped wrong on the small ladder and had been teetering on the edge, about to fall, when I’d run up and steadied him.
“I got you,”I’d said as I held his waist.
I hadn’t known at the time that my words had held a double meaning. I’d grabbed onto him that day and hadn’t let go since.
We were so far from that day, though. We’d grown apart in the four years we’d been together.
“Hi,” I said from the entryway, causing him to jump a little and snap his head toward me. “Sorry, I’m late.”
“Only by, like, four hours,” he said in a harsh tone. “No big deal.”
“Can we not do this?” I asked, walking farther into the room and tossing my coat on the back of the loveseat, along with the gift. “I’ve had a long day.”
“Really?” He raised his brows. “And I haven’t? I decorated a client’s home all morning and into the afternoon, came home and made us dinner, and then decorated some more for our evening. And for what? To wind up eating by myself, all the while staring at your empty seat and wishing you were here with me.” His blue eyes burned into mine. “You knew we had plans.”
The more he bitched, the more my temper rose.
“Well, excuse me if I’m trying to make us more money. Didn’t know that was a damn crime, Caden. I wasn’t about to tell my boss ‘no’just so I could come home and do the same, tired routine we do every fucking year.”
His face fell, as did his gaze. He stared at his glass of wine. “I didn’t know you hated it so much, Jack.”
“I don’t hate it,” I admitted, sitting on the couch beside him. “But there are more important things.”
“More important?” The anger flashed back in his eyes. “Wow. It’s great to know I’m second best to your job.”
“Don’t do this,” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I’m too tired.”
“Then, go to bed,” he snapped as he sat his glass on the side table and stood up.
“Whatever. But first. Here,” I said, grabbing the box from the loveseat and handing it to him. “It’s one part of your tradition I can do. Merry Christmas.”
Caden stared at it for a second, as if deciding if he wanted to accept it. His face was a whirlwind of emotion, and I wasn’t sure what he’d do. Finally, he gently took it from my hands.
He untied the ribbon around the box before popping open the lid. After ruffling around in the red and green paper inside, he gasped as his gaze landed on the clock. He pulled it out and studied it in both hands.
“Jack. This is… wow.”
