Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
I stopped and looked at her. “Soooo…what?”
“Breakfast! You and Bishop—how did that happen?”
“Oh, right. Um, I went in, and he showed up. He sat down and ordered breakfast and…yeah…” My voice trailed off.
Her eyes narrowed as she tilted her head and repeated my words. “Yeah? Yeah, what, Abby? Did you guys talk?”
“Not really. I mean, we talked about talking, and I told him I would meet him Thursday.” I wasn’t about to tell her that I’d chased after him when he left and had made an absolute fool of myself.
Greer scrunched up her nose. “Thanksgiving? Like, when we’re all cutting down trees? Doesn’t he want it to be a bit more private?”
I looked down and forced a smile before I spoke. “Not then. I don’t think I’m invited to that. He was talking about that afternoon, after I eat with my folks.”
“Not invited? Did that jackass say that? If he said you’re not invited, I’m going to kick his ass and take down some of his precious trees in the process!”
A male throat cleared, and we both turned to see whom I was guessing was Hudson, standing in the open doorframe.
“Crap, we’ll talk about that jackass Bishop later. I want to introduce you to Hudson, and it’s freezing out here.”
We stepped into the large foyer, where I took off my jacket and hung it up on one of the coat hooks on the wall.
Greer turned and beamed as she said, “Abby, I’d like you to meet Hudson Higgins.”
I reached for his outstretched hand. Hudson was a very handsome man. He had short brown hair and eyes so dark, they almost looked black. He wasn’t as tall as Bishop, but he wasn’t that much shorter. He had a similar build, and I could tell he was a fitness buff simply from the outline of his muscles. It was hard not to gawk at the man. He and Greer made an adorable couple.
“Hudson, this is one of my dearest friends, Abby Harris— Er…Boyer. Abby Boyer.”
Hudson squeezed my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Abby. Greer has told me a lot about you.”
Smiling, I replied, “It’s a pleasure meeting you, Hudson. Any man who makes this girl glow like that is a friend of mine.”
With a grin, he glanced at Greer, and a heaviness built in my chest and limbs. What I wouldn’t give to have Bishop look at me with such love.
“Abby? Are you okay?” Greer asked.
I worked to swallow away the soreness in my throat and lungs as I forced a smile. “Of course. I’m fine.”
She gave me a look that said she didn’t believe a single word that came out of my mouth, but she let it go.
Greer walked through a set of open French doors that led into a long hallway. Through the doors, to my immediate left, was a large library. I gasped when I saw it. “Greer! Oh. My. Goodness. This library!”
A big, goofy smile appeared on her face. “Isn’t it amazing? Come look.”
We walked into the huge space, and all I saw were bookcases from floor to ceiling on every wall, including flanking all the windows.
“I’m speechless.”
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? We just finished it a few days ago. It was the first project Hudson and I started when we moved in. This whole area used to be the family room. We didn’t need one this big, so we converted it into the library, and that side is also Hudson’s office. He loves having his desk by the fireplace.”
On the library side, there was a settee in the middle of the space with an antique coffee table in front of it. Two large chairs sat across from the settee. The window at the front of the house had a built-in seat. I could already see Greer bundled up there reading a book as the snow fell outside.
Over on the opposite side of the room was the fireplace. A large wooden desk filled the space, along with another chair and another window with a matching seat.
We walked farther into the house, and I was stunned by the amount of beautiful woodwork, as well as the wood floors that I could tell were original.
“My goodness. Look at all the stained glass in this house! I don’t remember that.”
Greer smiled. “I know. It’s always been here, though—it’s original to the house. There’s really more room than we both know what to do with. Three floors, eight bedrooms, three full baths, three quarter baths and three half baths.”
“Better to have more room than not enough,” I said as Hudson walked up to us.
“I’d better get going,” Hudson said. “Aiden is having poker night at his house.” He picked up a bag and slung it over his shoulder. “I just got off the phone with Bishop. I’m staying at his house tonight, so I can pick his brain about Christmas trees.”