Page 30 of Her Cowboy Christmas
“What else?”
I chew on my bottom lip.“I haven’t talked to my parents or siblings in over a year.”
“Do you miss them?”
“No.I just… I feel kind of bad that I don’t miss them.Not having to talk to them or listen to their judgments has been like a weight lifted off me.I wish they loved and cared for me for who I am, but I know they never will.Not in the way I want them to.”
“Have they reached out?”
“No.”
“Did you ever try to find your parents?”I ask.
“Yeah.They weren’t doing great.”
“Oh.I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.My dad was in jail, and my mom, well, she was drunk both times I went to see her.I figured it was her natural state.”
“I shouldn’t have brought it up,” I apologize.
“It’s okay.Mary and Christopher raised me.They cared and loved me.I was lucky in that way.”
“Yeah,” I agree.
The server arrives, making a big show of opening the wine bottle and pouring some into Cole’s glass.
“She’ll taste it,” Coles says, tipping his head toward me.
I blink and grab the glass, sipping it slowly.“It’s perfect,” I tell the server.
He smiles as he pours us each a glass.
“You must know more about wine than I do,” Cole whispers.
“I doubt it.I rarely drink.”
“Me neither.”
We sit back, sipping our wine as we talk.All my nerves from earlier are long gone.Being with Cole feels so natural and right.
Our food arrives, and we share, laughing and rating which dishes we like best.By the time the bill comes, I’m stuffed and feel all warm and tingly.
“You know, we still need to get decorations,” Cole reminds me as we walk to his truck.
“For the booth?”
“And my place.You said you’d help.”
“Did I?”I ask as he opens my door.
“That’s how I remember it.”
“The stores are probably closing.”
“We have half an hour.”
“All right.Let’s go.”
