Kapitel 66: “You’re my man.”
Nate pulls his shiny black Mercedes SUV into the parking lot of his father's gym and throws it in park.
"What are we doing here?" I ask.
"I have to run in for a second to talk to my dad. Wait here?"
"Okay."
He leans over and swiftly kisses me, then hops out of the car, leaving the engine running. I watch his fine form stride through the front door of the building and sit back to wait.
Where is he taking me?
Clearly we're not going far because we're driving and we both have to work Monday morning. Maybe he's taking me to Portland for the weekend? That's only a three hour drive. Or maybe up to the little resort town of Leavenworth? Or the San Juan Islands?
There's so much to do here, it could be anywhere.
I check my phone and send Natalie a text, letting her know we're going somewhere out of town in case she tries to reach me and I don't have cell service.
Just as I finish with the text, Nate climbs back in the car.
"Okay, ready?"
"Sure. Everything okay?" I ask.
"Yep, just needed to check in with Dad for a minute." He smiles over at me as he pulls out of the lot and toward the freeway.
"Okay, so are you going to tell me where we're going?" I pull his hand into my lap and lace our fingers.
"The beach."
"Really?" I feel the face-splitting grin on my face. "I love the beach!"
"Good." He kisses my hand and lays them both in my lap again. "I have a beach house in a newer little town called Seabrook. It's about a half hour north of Ocean Shores."
"You own the house?" I ask.
"Yeah, my dad and I do. He uses it too."
"I like your dad." I really do. Rich has been nothing but sweet to me since the first time Nate took me to their gym.
"He likes you too."
"Can I ask you a question?" I bite my lower lip, nervous to ask, and he glances over at me, then back at the freeway. Traffic is pretty light this morning on Interstate 5 South.
"Of course, anything."
"Where is your mom?"
Nate signals and changes lanes. "She died when I was seven."
"I'm sorry," I murmur.
"Don't be." He squeezes my hand and smiles reassuringly. "It was a long time ago. She had breast cancer. It's been just dad and me ever since."
"He never remarried?"
"No," he shakes his head and frowns. "I know there have been women, but he never paraded them around me. I thought he might remarry after I was grown and gone, but he seems content with the gym and dating here and there."
"What was her name?" I ask quietly.
"Julie," Nate responds softly and I gasp. "My dad called her Jules." He looks over at me, his eyes bright.
"Is that why you don't call me Jules?" I ask.
"Partly," he shrugs and changes lanes again. "I don't have a weird fixation on your name or anything, baby. I've slipped up and called you Jules a few times."
"I know, it makes me smile, but I like that you call me Julianne."
"You do? I thought you hated it."
"I hate it when other people call me that, but it's different with you."
"Honestly, honey, I just think your name is beautiful, and it suits you." He kisses my knuckles again and I melt.
Damn, he says the sweetest things sometimes.
"Are you getting all mushy on me, ace?" I ask, trying to lighten the mood.
"Never. I'm a man."
I laugh and squeeze his hand. "You're my man."
"And only yours, baby."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein