Love Aint Always Pretty

Chapter 60: 60 Sprezzatura

Sprezzatura

- the ability to make one's actions seem effortless or to disguise one's true desire, feeling or meaning

I fixed my earrings while I plaid my skirt as I stand in front of my mirror. It was our family's Christmas Eve dinner and as a family ritual, we always have to look good for dinner. I want to look good cos Nick is joining us tonight. He even helped mom with our foods for tonight and I was also at the kitchen trying to help.

My mom seems to be fond of Nick which was a good thing since my mom is so hard to please while my dad wasn't really talking to Nick that much. Cameron didn't do anything ridiculous at all while Ingrid keeps teasing me about Nick.

My phone vibrates.

I'm outside your room. - Nick

I quickly ran to my door and opened it. Nick stands there before me, wearing a white polo shirt paired with a black skinny jeans and white sneakers. His hair was always perfectly coiffed and I could smell his manly perfume from where I was standing. I fixed his collar as he looks down on my mouth.

I smile. "Looking good."

"You too." He says.

Then we hear someone clearing his throat. I moved my head to my side and found Cameron standing right across us. Nick quickly pulled himself away from me while he glances at Cameron.

"Mind both of your actions, will you? We're in the same house." He says to us.

Cameron walks away and all of a sudden Nick steals a kiss on my cheek. "Your brother is such a pain in the ass."

I smiled.

"Let's go downstairs. It's almost dinner and dad usually puts up fireworks." I say.

Both of us stumbled our way downstairs and headed out to the backyard where everything was set up. The table was there, the foods were prepared well and cooked beautifully on top while the wine stand was ready too. Both of us joined my parents while they were already sitting down on the table. Nick pulled out a chair for me while he sits down right next to where I am.

"You look lovely my dear." Mom compliments me.

"Thanks mom. You too." I say.

"And wow! You look very handsome Nick." Mom complimented him too.

"Thank you Mrs. Canterbury. You as well." Nick smiled.

"Ahh! Let's eat. I'm famished." Dad says.

All of us started eating the foods before us. Mom and dad starts talking about their experiences while I was away and how things were inside the house when I was in WSU. They asked me how college was and how my studies are doing. They even asked Nick about his and I was impressed that he gets high marks too. He says he's aiming for a company next semester to start for his internship. I was hoping my dad could've offered him but he didn't even do or say anything.

"Well how long have you been single, Nick?" Cameron asked him.

I gave him an eye to warn Cameron.

"Eight years." Nick answered.

Mom seemed shock. "If you don't mind, how old are you?"

"I'm already twenty-four, Mrs. Canterbury. I went to college at the age of 20 cos I needed to save up for it." Nick answers so calmly.

My father's eyebrow shoot up while he takes a sip from his champagne.

"And you haven't had a girlfriend for eight years? Why? What happened? It's hard to forget the last one?" Mom asked.

Nick smirked. "Kind of. A little bit."

"Or maybe you're not what you are and you're hiding something." Cameron is starting being an ass.

I looked at him to warn him again but Nick was holding my hand to calm me down.

"What does that mean?" Dad asked.

"Nothing dad." I say right away.

"Oh! I get it. Honey don't ask about it. We understand Nick." Mom speaks.

My brows creasing.

"What are we talking about now?" Dad was still asking.

Shit Cameron. I'm so going to kill you.

"Honey don't be like that. Nick is a... you know what." Mom answers.

Cameron is just smiling on his seat.

"A what?" Dad asked.

Mom cleared her throat. "He's gay honey. Be nice to him."

Nick almost choked on his drink and my eyes grew wide from my eye socket then I bursted into laughter. All of them were looking at me.

"Sorry." I excused myself.

"Are you really gay Nick?" Dad asked.

"No sir. I'm definitely not gay." Nick answered.

Nick? Gay? Dad come on, he fucks so great in bed. Hell, Nick's super amazing in bed. He makes me come so many times in one night. That isn't gay.

After the super delicious dinner, dad started putting up the fireworks with the help of Nick and Cameron while us girls were just standing and watching them. They started lighting up every stick and runs back to us and the fireworks lights up the sky. The colors were filling the dark sky and it was a beauty. Ingrid was awed by it while I stand right next to Nick and he's looking down at me while I look back at him as the fireworks were glimmering on his eyes.

"Merry Christmas Eve." He says.

"Merry Christmas Eve." I say back.

After the fireworks display, we had a few talks for a while with a glass of champagne in our hands. We were having a good time and I'm glad Cameron didn't there a tantrum or anything else other than a while ago. The maids started placing mom and dad's gifts to one chair.

"For my little princess, Ingrid." Mom says with a smile plastered on her face.

Ingrid seemed so happy to be receiving her gift and she was even squealing cos it was a big box. "Thank you!!"

"For my second princess Savannah." She smiles to me.

I stood from my chair and hugged mom then my dad.

"Thanks mom and dad." I say.

"You're welcome baby. And this is to my prince." Mom says to Cameron.

"Thanks mom and dad. I hope it's the car key to that car I've been eyeing. This box is too big for a car key though."

I smirked.

"And this is for you Nick." Dad handed him a box with an envelope on top.

Nick seemed to be surprised as I am really didn't expect they had something for him. "Sir. Thank you for this. Mrs. Canterbury, thank you." He accepts.

I smiled at him. "Open it." I say.

Nick started opening the box first and it was a branded plaid polo that I'm sure it would fit him really good. The color would definitely suit him.

"Wow. Thank you. Thank you very much for this." Nick says so happily.

"There's an envelope." I was so excited for him and I don't know why.

He quickly held it and opened the envelope. My eyes widened when I read it and I quickly moved my head to dad.

"No way dad." I say.

Dad's smiling at me and so does mom.

"Is this real?" Nick asked while he pulled his up to them.

I'm so happy for Nick.

"Yes. After this semester or when you're ready you can have your internship at my company anytime." Dad says.

I have a soft squeal. I see Nick's face lit up with happiness and I'm so happy that my dad is helping him.

"Thank you Mr. & Mrs. Canterbury. Thank you so much for this. This is really a great opportunity for me. Thank you. Thank you." Nick repeats.

"He can't be in the company!" Cameron spits out.

I quickly moved my head to him. "Ron. Don't start with it." I spit.

"No Savannah! I'm only concerned about the company. He can't be in the company. He can't have his internship in the company dad! He just can't! We can't accept him!" Cameron throws a fit.

"Cameron I think you're just overreacting my dear." Mom says.

"No mom! We can't have an ex-convict in our company! What will the other people say?! We can't have a guy who killed someone in the past!"

"Cameron stop it!!" I yelled as I pulled myself up from my chair.

I looked back at Nick and he's just bending his head down. His fists are closing. He's mad. Oh god Nick is mad. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

"You're a murderer?"

"Dad please." I say.

"Honey, is he... Really?" Mom trails.

"Yes he is! He is a fucking killer! Now you offered him an internship?! Dad come on!" Cameron points finger at Nick.

Dad pulls himself up from his chair and looks at Nick while he shakes his head then looks at me.

"I'm very disappointed at you Savannah. I can't believe you've been hanging out with a guy like... him." Dad says.

"Dad!" I called out as he leaves the table.

"Dad! Come on! Hear him out for a second!" I called out again.

I moved my head to mom. "Mom. Nick was just blamed for it. It was all a misunderstanding. Mom you need to trust me. He's innocent."

Mom pulls herself up from the table too and reaches her hand out to Ingrid. "I think we have to call this a night. Let's go Ingrid." Mom is disappointed at him too.

I watch them as they leave the table. I quickly moved my head to Cameron.

"Way to go to ruin the night Cameron! Way to go to fuck things up." I spit.

"I ruined the night? Savannah you were the one who ruined this night when you invited this dirtbag in the house!"

"Shut up Cameron! Nick didn't do anything to you! He didn't even hurt you or even called you names! All I asked from you was to be nice!"

"What do you want me to do? Sit here and let an ex prisoner get into our prestigious company? It will ruin our reputation. It will put dirt in our name. Someday you will thank me for this."

I laughed humorlessly. "I hate you Cameron. I really hate you."

Cameron shakes his head while he starts leaving the table too. I hear him instructing the maids to clean up the mess on the table and they did what they were told. Nick stands from his seat and looks at me. "I'm so sorry Nick. I'm--"

All of a sudden he hugs me. "I ruined this night. Im sorry. I shouldn't have been here now you're fighting with your parents and your brother. I'm sorry."

I pulled myself away from him. "Nick. Don't say that. I should be the one ashamed cos my family judged you."

"No Savannah. I'm okay. I'm used to it. You did enough a while ago and thank you." He kissed my forehead.

He grabs my hand and laced his fingers in between mine. "Let me walk you up to your room."

••••

I tried my best to sleep after what happened a while ago during dinner but I just couldn't forget about it. I saw how Nick was pained and I feel so bad for what Cameron did to him. I'm so mad at Cameron that

he ruined the night. It was already perfect until his arrogant side shows up all of a sudden. I pulled myself up from my bed and saw a shadow under my door who was passing by my door. I know it's Nick so I quickly fixed myself then headed out of the house.

I headed to the kitchen and saw Nick standing by the counter, like he expected me to come down. He smiled.

"Hey." I say as I walk to him.

"Why are you still up?" His brows are now furrowing.

"Why are you still up?" I asked.

He shakes his head. "Couldn't sleep."

"Same here."

He exhales. "I was thinking maybe I should leave tomorrow. If I stay here longer, I couldn't handle it seeing you and your family fight cos of me."

"Nick don't go. Everything's gonna be okay tomorrow." I begged.

"I have to. I'm sorry. It was lovely meeting your family Savannah. I really had a great time."

"Then I'll go with you tomorrow."

He shakes his head. "No. You stay here. I'll see you after Christmas break."

I sigh.

He holds my chin and pulled it up so I could face him. "Don't worry. It's just gonna be quick then we'll see each other again." He says.

Nick leans forward to me me and started kissing my lips. We kissed a little bit longer cos I know everyone was already asleep. I pulled my arms up while I wrapped it around his neck. I tugged his hair while he kisses me even deeper.

"Now I see you're not really gay."

We stopped kissing and we turned around in synch. My eyes dilated. "Dad."

He looks over at me then at Nick. Crap, he had to see that kiss.

"Nick, I have been thinking about it and based from what I saw just right now, I know it's for the best." Dad says out.

My heart is thumping fast and I don't know why.

"I want you to stop seeing my daughter Savannah." Dad blurted.

"What?! Dad no! You can't do that. Oh come on dad!" I say to him.

"I can! You're my daughter and I can't let you hang out with a murderer. This guy had a criminal record and it's not a small crime he committed. He killed someone Savannah. For god's sake we didn't raise you to fall in love with an ex-convict!"

"I can't believe you." I spit.

"Stay away from my daughter." Dad talks to Nick.

"I can't do that sir. I'm sorry." Nick says.

He moved his head to me as I look back into his contrasting and sexy blue eyes. My heart is pounding and I don't know what he's trying to say right now. I'm really scared of what he's going to tell my dad. I

don't want him to tell my dad about what we really have cos I can't explain what kind of relationship we have.

"I love her." Nick added.

I gasped as my eyes widened.

__________

SFTC:

They Just Don't Know You - Little Mix