Winter's Kiss (Howertys #3)

Chapter 18: Garden Conversations

Nick wasn't sure if she was more nervous about his reaction to the revelation that she was an idiot or when she'd kissed him a few days ago. Nervous energy coursed through her, and she fidgeted under his gaze as he regarded her quietly, processing the information. She could almost see the puzzle pieces falling into place in his mind through his green eyes.

"You can't read," he repeated. Then he nodded slightly. "That explains a few things."

She exhaled, relieved that he hadn't immediately ridiculed her failing. It was her deep, dark secret. A stain on her person she couldn't erase. It made her doubt herself and her abilities. Made her feel stupid. Not a feeling she appreciated.

"I've never told anyone. Rain is the only one who knows. I don't know why. The letters make little sense to me and the more I try, the harder it gets. Somehow I kept it from our governesses growing up, but I always felt..." She swallowed, her gaze faltering. "Dumb."

Gabriel reached out and cupped her face, forcing her eyes up to his. There was no judgement. No sign he thought her incompetent. As he smiled softly, she fought back a dangerous prickling behind her eyes. It shouldn't matter so much what he—or anyone—thought of her. But somehow it did. She didn't want him to find her lacking. Not him.

"I've heard of others who have had this problem," he said, his voice gentle. "It doesn't mean you're not bright. I think you've proved beyond a doubt there is nothing wrong with your intelligence." He chuckled, the warm sound soothing her nerves and making her smile.

His gaze dropped to her lips, and he quickly drew his hand back from her cheek. Excitement bubbled through her and she stepped closer, hoping she might steal another kiss. Eyes still on her, Gabriel swallowed before glancing over at her sister and Winterbourne.

"They won't notice," she breathed.

"I'm fairly certain they would notice if we started kissing in their garden." He laughed and shook his head. "What am I to do with you, Nicola Howerty?"

"Kiss me." He had asked.

"You're incorrigible."

"Maybe kissing me will help?"

His burst of laughter following her impish suggestion roused her sister and Winterbourne from whatever discussion they had been having, and they looked over at them with a quizzical expression. Gabriel nodded towards them before sitting down on a bench placed underneath an arched trellis filled with clinging flowers and vines.

"Are you ever serious?" he asked as Nick sat down next to him, but he was still smiling.

"Rarely," she admitted. "But I can be, if needed."

"So... Can you read at all? If you don't mind me asking."

Chewing her lower lip, she watched Rain and Winterbourne as they alternated between exchanging a few words and sipping their cups of tea. "I can recognise the letters on their own... But if you put them together into words." She shrugged. "I can't make heads or tails of them."

"We had a man like that in the army. He said the words or letters jumped around on the page."

"Yes!" She turned to him, excited. "That's exactly it!"

"He also struggled with remembering what people had said, but he had an amazing memory for images."

"I don't have any special memory for images, but I remember what I'm told. It's how Rain helped me with my reading assignments."

"Why am I not surprised?" He chuckled.

"We argued a lot growing up, but since we're so close in age, we were also very loyal." She looked back over at her sister with a frown. "I think that's why it hurts she hasn't told me what happened with Winterbourne."