Read Online It Started With A Christmas Tree - A Lizzie Fuller Christmas Novella by Beth Prentice - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beth Prentice
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spoken to the groundskeeper. I’m not sure why. Partly I hoped
Earl would return and tell me he wasn’t the man in the grave, and partly
because I didn’t feel ready to leave. It was only when the clouds moved and the
sun shone once again that I felt both Earl and Eliza were at peace. Wherever
they were, they could both look down at the beautiful display and smile. I also
made a note to ask Riley to come back with me with a different hook system so
that no one could ever take the glass orb again.
On the drive home, Riley rang to see if I
was okay. I pulled the car to the side of the road and answered the call.
“I wanted to make sure you were alright,”
I heard his deep, sexy voice say through the speaker. “You’ve been gone for
hours.”
“Oh sorry. I won’t be long. I’m nearly
home,” I said, emotion causing my throat to constrict. Earl and Eliza kept
playing in my mind.
“Alright. Well, we need to be at your
mum’s soon but drive carefully.”
“I will. Love you.”
“I love you too.”
Pressing end, I looked at the screen saver
on my phone. It was a photo of Riley I had taken a few months ago. It wasn’t a
spectacular setting. He had just gotten into his truck but the happiness in his
beautiful eyes took my breath away. As I sat on the side of the road staring at
the photo and his beautiful eyes staring back at me, I smiled at his humour and
sensuality mixed together. I felt my heart squeeze. I was only away from him
for a few hours but I missed him. More than I cared to admit, even to myself.
Okay, maybe I should admit a few things to
myself. I knew I loved him, but how much did I love him? The answer to that sat in my throat as I swallowed the emotion
he stirred.
I put my car in gear, indicated and pulled
into traffic, driving as fast as the speed limit allowed to get back to him as
quickly as I could.
Walking into the kitchen, I placed my bag on the chair and kissed Riley
liked I hadn’t seen him for weeks. We were now standing only metres apart and I
was drinking a cup of coffee he’d had waiting for me, as he patiently listened
to me recount my day. I’m not sure if he believed my story of Earl and Eliza or
not, but whatever it was, something stirred emotion in him too.
“I like to think that my Grandpop is
watching over my Gran, waiting for her to finish her journey,” he said quietly.
“I believe that kind of love lasts for eternity, even in death.”
“Yeah. Me too. Even though I never knew
him, I feel like I knew him.”
Riley moved towards me and took the cup out
of my hand. Placing it on the table, he gently pushed my hair away from my face
and looked deep into my soul. “It must be hell for her to be without him,” he
said, referring to his Gran. “I don’t ever want to
experience that.” I could see the vulnerability and sheer nakedness of his
emotions as he pulled me in close.
He loved me, more than anything else in
his world. And if possible, I loved him a whole lot more. There was nothing I
wouldn’t sacrifice for him. And as clichéd as it sounds, I would die for him
because life without him would be unbearable. He made every day worth living,
just to see his smile. I felt his fingers reach out and touch mine. I entwined
mine with his and held on tight, for fear that if I let go, I may never have
this connection again.
No, that’s just stupid. This connection
would be there for eternity. And even though I knew I would be with this man
for eternity even in death, I was damn well going to make the living part as
long as possible. I reached up on my tippy toes and kissed Riley hard on the
mouth. I felt his hand come around the back of my neck and he pulled me against
him, his lips softening into a delicate kiss.
****
Dinner at Mum’s was fun. Everyone
was in a festive mood, all dressed in their very best Christmas outfits. I had
chosen a pair of cheery red shorts and white singlet with Merry Xmas written in
gold, glittery scroll across the chest.
Earl would return and tell me he wasn’t the man in the grave, and partly
because I didn’t feel ready to leave. It was only when the clouds moved and the
sun shone once again that I felt both Earl and Eliza were at peace. Wherever
they were, they could both look down at the beautiful display and smile. I also
made a note to ask Riley to come back with me with a different hook system so
that no one could ever take the glass orb again.
On the drive home, Riley rang to see if I
was okay. I pulled the car to the side of the road and answered the call.
“I wanted to make sure you were alright,”
I heard his deep, sexy voice say through the speaker. “You’ve been gone for
hours.”
“Oh sorry. I won’t be long. I’m nearly
home,” I said, emotion causing my throat to constrict. Earl and Eliza kept
playing in my mind.
“Alright. Well, we need to be at your
mum’s soon but drive carefully.”
“I will. Love you.”
“I love you too.”
Pressing end, I looked at the screen saver
on my phone. It was a photo of Riley I had taken a few months ago. It wasn’t a
spectacular setting. He had just gotten into his truck but the happiness in his
beautiful eyes took my breath away. As I sat on the side of the road staring at
the photo and his beautiful eyes staring back at me, I smiled at his humour and
sensuality mixed together. I felt my heart squeeze. I was only away from him
for a few hours but I missed him. More than I cared to admit, even to myself.
Okay, maybe I should admit a few things to
myself. I knew I loved him, but how much did I love him? The answer to that sat in my throat as I swallowed the emotion
he stirred.
I put my car in gear, indicated and pulled
into traffic, driving as fast as the speed limit allowed to get back to him as
quickly as I could.
Walking into the kitchen, I placed my bag on the chair and kissed Riley
liked I hadn’t seen him for weeks. We were now standing only metres apart and I
was drinking a cup of coffee he’d had waiting for me, as he patiently listened
to me recount my day. I’m not sure if he believed my story of Earl and Eliza or
not, but whatever it was, something stirred emotion in him too.
“I like to think that my Grandpop is
watching over my Gran, waiting for her to finish her journey,” he said quietly.
“I believe that kind of love lasts for eternity, even in death.”
“Yeah. Me too. Even though I never knew
him, I feel like I knew him.”
Riley moved towards me and took the cup out
of my hand. Placing it on the table, he gently pushed my hair away from my face
and looked deep into my soul. “It must be hell for her to be without him,” he
said, referring to his Gran. “I don’t ever want to
experience that.” I could see the vulnerability and sheer nakedness of his
emotions as he pulled me in close.
He loved me, more than anything else in
his world. And if possible, I loved him a whole lot more. There was nothing I
wouldn’t sacrifice for him. And as clichéd as it sounds, I would die for him
because life without him would be unbearable. He made every day worth living,
just to see his smile. I felt his fingers reach out and touch mine. I entwined
mine with his and held on tight, for fear that if I let go, I may never have
this connection again.
No, that’s just stupid. This connection
would be there for eternity. And even though I knew I would be with this man
for eternity even in death, I was damn well going to make the living part as
long as possible. I reached up on my tippy toes and kissed Riley hard on the
mouth. I felt his hand come around the back of my neck and he pulled me against
him, his lips softening into a delicate kiss.
****
Dinner at Mum’s was fun. Everyone
was in a festive mood, all dressed in their very best Christmas outfits. I had
chosen a pair of cheery red shorts and white singlet with Merry Xmas written in
gold, glittery scroll across the chest.
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