Page 73 of The Friendship Pact

“What do you want to do?” Garrett asked.

“I tried to tell her last night, but she shut me down. We made a friendship pact.”

“A what now?”

“A deal. To stay friends.”

“Well, that was your first mistake.”

Nick leaned back in his chair, fingering the edge of his mug. “I agreed because I didn’t want a relationship and neither did she.”

“But now you do.”

“Now I do.”

Garrett stood and walked to the liquor cabinet, returning with a bottle of whiskey. He poured some into Nick’s coffee and a shot into his own. “Here’s to loving frustrating women. Merry Christmas.”

Nick held his glass up in a mock toast and sipped, enjoying the warmth.

“Instead of trying to talk to her, show her,” Garrett said.

“I tried. Whenever we kiss, we connect, and we want more of each other. Except one of us always pulls back. We’re never on the same page.”

“Kidnap her then. You have handcuffs.”

A smile formed on Nick’s face.

“I’m kidding,” Garrett said. “That’s a felony. You, of all people, should know that.”

“I do. But I have an idea.”

* * *

Kate woke up renewed and refreshed after coming to a decision. She was both nervous and excited to see Nick today and hoped he could forgive her wishy-washy emotions.

“Good morning, Kate. Glad you’re awake. I made scrambled eggs,” her dad said as she approached the coffeemaker.

“Awesome, thanks.” She stole a piece of bacon and popped it into her mouth. She poured herself a cup of the dark roast and inhaled deeply.

Her mom sat at the island. “Good morning, sweetie. How did you sleep?” she asked and kissed Kate’s cheek.

Kate tilted her head, enjoying the maternal love she’d missed. They had talked into the wee hours. She sipped her coffee. The sun wasn’t up yet.

“Great. Slept like a baby,” she said, maybe a bit too cheerfully.

“Here you go. Eat up,” Kordell said, sliding plates in front of Kate and her mom.

“Looks and smells delicious, Dad.”

The conversation at the breakfast table reminded Kate of her childhood. When her dad was home, they’d make big meals and talk about sports and current events. They stayed away from talking about work. Sometimes her mom would slip in gory details of what happened in the ER, which had her setting her fork down until her mom finished.

This morning, they talked for hours, making plans for Jill and Kordell’s next trip to Deer Creek Falls and discussing the renovations, what products Kate needed to order, and her vision of creating healthy choices for her customers. She shared with her parents how she’d cut her budget by postponing the outdoor space to keep the original hardwood floors.

Of course, her parents offered her money. “Don’t hesitate to ask. We have savings,” Kordell said.

She assured them she was fine, but she’d let them know if she ran into another snag. Thankfully, that placated them, because Kate was determined to succeed on her own and wouldn’t ask her parents to bail her out.

After they opened presents, Kordell went outside to shovel and salt the steps. Jill nudged Kate. “So, Katie, does your cheerful mood mean you’ve decided to tell Nick how you really feel and take another chance at love?”