Forever My Girl (The Beaumont Series)

when we sit down to dinner with his parents in a few hours.
    Climbing the stairs carefully, I push our bedroom door open with my toe. He’s lying on his back, arms spread out. Had I been in bed, he would’ve knocked me in the face. Standing there, I study him, his blonde hair in disarray. The comforter is on the floor at the foot of the bed, a sheet is covering him from the waist down. I watch as his defined chest moves up and down with his breath. I’m just happy he didn’t throw-up in the middle of the night.
    I set the tray down on the nightstand, walk over to the window and open it for some fresh air. I crawl onto the bed next to him and can’t help but reach out and touch him. I run my fingers down his chest, tracing his muscles. He flinches a bit and bats my hand away. I try to stifle a laugh, but I know he can hear me.
    Suddenly, his arm wraps around my waist and pulls me across his chest, his other arm resting on my back. He’s awake. He holds me as I snuggle in closer.
    “How do you feel?”      
    “Like death.” His reply is hoarse. He has to cough a few times to clear out his throat.
    “You had a pretty rough night.”
    He doesn’t say anything. He rolls us over so that we’re face to face. He bunches up the hem of my shirt like he’s going to get lost if he’s not holding onto me. “I drank too much and have a feeling I did something stupid.”
    I nod, not wanting to embarrass him. He’s done enough of that himself. I move his hair away from his face, a face that I fell in love with years ago.
    “I made you some breakfast.”
    “Are you going to tell me what I did?”
    I shrug. “I don’t know it all, just the bit when I got there. I guess you and Liam exchanged some words because he texted me that you were drunk so I came and got you.”
    Nick closes his eyes and buries his head into my chest. He pulls me closer, needing the same reassurance I do that everything will be okay.
    “I’m trying, Josie. I really am. I don’t know what happened last night. I walked into Ralph’s and everyone was going crazy for him and all I could think about it is how I’m losing everything to this guy who doesn’t deserve it. I started drinking and I know I said something to him, but I can’t remember.”
    “I’m not going anywhere, Nick.”
    After breakfast, Nick showered while Noah and I waited for him to come downstairs. I’m certain Liam won’t say anything about their fight, especially in front of Noah, so I told Nick we don’t need to talk about it anymore.
    He’s dressed in dark gray trousers and a white button down, his tie hanging open and loose when he comes down the stairs. I meet him at the bottom step and tie it for him. He pulls me into a deep embrace until Noah starts heckling us.
    “You just wait until you get a girlfriend,” Nick says as he helps me into my coat.
    “No way! Girls have cooties and don’t understand football.” Nick holds his hand up for a high-five that Noah hits dead on. I roll my eyes. My boys are incorrigible.
    Thanksgiving dinner at Nick’s parents’ house is always interesting. My parents join us and it’s a huge feast. Christmas is a much smaller event.  As we all gather around the table, holding hands for prayer, I’m thankful that my family is whole – at least for today.
    After dinner the guys have cleaning duties while the women pour over the Black Friday ads for tomorrow’s shopping excursion. I haven’t a clue as what to get Noah and Nick for Christmas and I’m hoping that I’ll see s omething that will spark my interest.   
    Nick and I are able to dodge marriage talk, even though we’ve talked about setting a date after the holidays. We want to get through Christmas without the pressure of people asking where we're getting married.
    Noah, Nick, and the other men head outside to play some football. The weather's changing and I know it will snow soon. Noah has one more game before his season is done and Liam has promised to be there.
    Liam. I don’t know what to do about him. Sometimes I wish he hadn’t come back or seen Noah that day. I think things would be so much easier, but then Noah wouldn’t know his dad. Then I think that every kid should know both their parents given the chance. Elle and Peyton will barely have any memories of Mason when they’re older. I don’t want that for Noah.
    The guys come back in, rosy-cheeked and dirty. Nick pulls me into a kiss, slipping his freezing hands underneath my sweater. I