Endless December (Sleepless November Saga Book 2)

by Kelsey Clayton

  Her jaw drops and she looks at Holden and then back to me. “Wait, so he didn’t tell you?”

  “Tell me what?!”

  “That it’s the ten-year anniversary of his parents’ death.”

  As her words register in my brain, the entire world stops moving. My body goes cold and the pain in my chest is excruciating. Visions of Holden’s behavior two weeks ago play through my mind and suddenly, they all make sense.

  “Oh, my god.” I gasp. “Why wouldn’t he tell me that?”

  Jo shakes her head. “I have no idea, but you need to talk to him.”

  “No.” I refuse. “He’s with that girl. I don’t think that’s a good idea. He’s clearly moved on.”

  “Please.” She scoffs. “You and I both know he’s only using her to make you jealous. Go!”

  She pushes me toward him and I find my ex standing alone for the first time all night. I slowly approach him, sticking my thumbs in my pockets and gripping to find some ground beneath my feet. As soon as I get close enough, I look up at him.

  “I was told I’m not allowed to talk to you.” He murmurs, still clearly hurting.

  I completely ignore it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  He half shrugs. “I didn’t know how to cope. I just shut down.”

  “You should have told me. I would have tried to help you.”

  “Trust me.” He sighs. “I know that now.”

  Just as I’m about to apologize and take back everything I said last week, the girl he was with earlier interrupts us and puts her hand on Holden’s arm.

  “Listen babe, I have to get going, but I had a lot of fun today. We should do it again sometime.” She puts both her hands on his face and places a quick kiss to his lips. He stays completely still, not kissing back but looking as if he was caught red handed.

  “Unbelievable.” I mutter, turning around and booking it for the door.

  “Kayleigh, wait!” He shouts and chases after me.

  I don’t obey, choosing to run down the steps and out to the road. Holden follows closely behind me, not letting up, and the rest of the party gathers onto the front porch to watch what’s happening.

  “Please don’t leave! You have to hear me out!” He pleads.

  I stop and turn around angrily. “What, Holden?! What the hell do you want from me?! You want me to be your emotional punching bag? The girl you can push away and pull back when it’s convenient for you? I’m not a god damn boomerang. I’m not always going to come running back when you do something fucked up. If that’s what you want, then go be with one of the mindless freshmen that fall at your feet, because that’s not me.”

  “That’s not at all what I want, and you know it.”

  “No. I don’t know what you want. I don’t know anything when it comes to you anymore. One minute you love me, the next you’re leaving me at a bar in Cabo or telling me to go snort something up my nose. I can’t keep up with the constant back and forth, and I’m not going to pretend I can. So just tell me, what the fuck do you want?”

  “I want you.” He replies, a tear slipping from his cheek.

  I scoff and take a step back. “Yeah, for today.”

  “No, not just for today. Forever.”

  Exhaling tiredly, I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I don’t believe you.” I spin on my heels and start to walk away from him.

  “Kayleigh?!” He shouts in a panic, causing me to stop but I don’t dare to turn around. “Marry me.”

  BOOK THREE OF

  THE SLEEPLESS NOVEMBER SAGA

  AVAILABLE NOW

  GET IT HERE

  Author Note

  Thank you so much for reading Endless December!

  If you’re still enjoying Kayleigh and Holden’s crazy love story, I’d greatly appreciate it if you left a review. It’s so hard to build a reputation as an author and reviews help gain readers.

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  Also, check out my author page.

  When I started writing Sleepless November, I intended on it being a standalone. However, with how invested and in love with the characters I became, I knew I couldn’t part with them just yet. So, I wrote Endless December, and then even went on to write Seamless Forever. This series gave me so many nights of an escape. There were times where my husband asked if I was ever going to take a break. I hope you’re enjoying Kayleigh and Holden as much as I enjoyed writing them. Thank you again for choosing to trust me with your emotions as I take you through this series.

  Want to know what happens next?

  Continue on to read the beginning of Seamless Forever.

  Chapter One

  “Kayleigh, wait!” He shouts and chases after me.

  I don’t obey, choosing to run down the steps and out to the road. Holden follows behind me, not letting up, and the rest of the party gathers onto the front porch to watch what’s happening.

  “Please don’t leave! You have to listen to me!” He pleads.

  I stop and turn around angrily. “What, Holden?! What the hell do you want from me?! You want me to be your emotional punching bag? The girl you can push away and pull back when it’s convenient for you? I’m not a god damn boomerang. I’m not always going to come back when you do something fucked up. If that’s what you want, then go be with one of the mindless freshmen that fall at your feet, because that’s not me.”

  “That’s not at all what I want, and you know it.”

  “No. I don’t know what you want. I don’t know anything when it comes to you anymore. One minute you love me, the next you’re leaving me at a bar in Cabo or telling me to go snort something up my nose. I can’t keep up with the constant back and forth, and I’m not going to pretend I can. So just tell me, what the fuck do you want?”

  “I want you.” He replies, a tear slipping from his cheek.

  I scoff and take a step back. “Yeah, for today.”

  “No, not just for today. Forever.”

  Exhaling tiredly, I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I don’t believe you.” I spin on my heels and start to walk away from him.

  “Kayleigh?!” He shouts in a panic. It causes me to stop but I don’t dare to turn around as his next words leave his lips. “Marry me.”

  I stay motionless, wondering if I even heard him correctly. Did he really just ask me that? If the circumstances were different, and we weren’t standing in the middle of the road, and he wasn’t drunk, and we weren’t currently broken up – I may have considered it. But they’re not, and we are. The frantic tone of his voice is enough to tell me that he probably didn’t mean it anyway.

  Dropping my head, I walk away, not allowing myself to glance back at the boy who can play my heartstrings like a violin.

  AFTER TOSSING AND TURNING for what feels like forever, I finally manage to fall asleep just before my phone wakes me again. As Dawson’s name appears, I notice it’s two in the morning. Groaning, I answer it and put it to my ear.

  “Daws, I love you and I know it was crazy, but it’s 2 AM. I promise I’ll fill you in, but can we please just talk about it tomorrow?

  “No. Kayleigh, listen.” He interjects. “Holden’s in an ambulance on his way to the hospital.”

  I sit up abruptly, feeling like my heart is shattering inside of my chest. “Come get me, now.”

  He gets to my dorm within minutes. I jump into the car and cannot stop fidgeting in the passenger seat. He doesn’t have any answers to my questions, other than telling me Josephine screamed for Jason to call 911. As soon as we get to the hospital, I stumble out of the car and rush inside.

  Immediately in the waiting room, I can see Jo, Jason, and Caleb, all waiting. Jo spots me and runs into my arms, tears streaming down her face. I hold her tightly, rubbing her back for comfort.

  “Thank God you’re here.” She sobs into my shoulder.

  When she finally pulls away
, I ask the million-dollar question. “What the hell happened?!”

  Jo goes back to sitting on Jason’s lap, clearly wrecked with emotion. I choose the seat across from them and Dawson joins me.

  “Well, after you left, Holden didn’t want to be around anyone. When we all went back inside, he grabbed a couple bottles of liquor and went up to his bedroom. I figured he would take a few shots and go to sleep.” Josephine explains. “But when I went to check on him before I went to bed, I found him unconscious and covered in vomit on the floor.” She pauses, trying to hold in her emotions. “Kayleigh, he was barely breathing.”

  The description of it alone makes it feel like my world is crashing down around me. “Is he okay? Please tell me he’s okay.”

  Caleb shrugs while Jason comforts Jo. “We’re still waiting for the doctor.”

  I run my fingers through my hair frustratedly, trying to come to grips with all of this. “I just don’t understand. Why would me walking away from a fake proposal cause him to drink himself into oblivion?”

  They all look at me as if I’m the dumbest person in the room. Jo opens and closes her mouth, trying to figure out what to say. “F-fake proposal?”

  “Yeah…” I reply. “I mean he was panicking. It was just an attempt to keep me. It’s not like he actually wants to get married.”

  Caleb barks out a laugh, Jason looks amused, Josephine face-palms, and Dawson just pats my head like I’m a child. All their reactions cause everything in my mind to come to a screeching halt.

  “Wait, he actually wants to get married?!”

  “Yes, baby.” Jo confirms. “He’s even talked to my mom about it, more than once.”

  “He’s mentioned it to us, too.” Caleb mentions, Jason nodding along with him.

  I throw my head back and groan loudly. Now it all makes sense. Yes, he was freaking out and wanted to keep me, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t meant it every time he’s promised me forever. You’ve got to be kidding me. This stupid asshole proposed to me while drunk and in the middle of an argument. Jesus Christ, he’s lucky I love him.

  I don’t even have a minute to think it over, before the doctor comes out and walks toward us. Jo and I freeze and we all stare at him, trying to prepare ourselves for what may come out of his mouth.

  “I need a family member of Holden Rivers.” He says, looking at all of us.

  Josephine stands from Jason’s lap. “I’m his sister.” She murmurs, following him over to the counter. However, just before she gets there, she turns and reaches for me. I go over to her, grabbing her hand and squeezing tightly.

  “Are you his sister as well?” The doctor questions.

  Jo shakes her head before I can answer. “She’s his fiancé.”

  It’s not true, but I don’t have the heart to correct her right now. Besides, my concern is Holden.

  The doctor nods and turns his attention back to the chart and Josephine. “You saved your brother’s life, bringing him here.” He says, and both of us sob in relief. He’s okay. “He has a BAC of over .350, which is dangerously high. If he had continued drinking, he could have died. His body was reaching comatose levels, which is why he wasn’t breathing well when he arrived.” With every word out of the doctor’s mouth, my nausea intensifies. “We pumped his stomach, and we’re giving him fluids through an IV. I’d like to keep him for observation and so that we can run tests on his liver when the intoxication wears off – make sure he didn’t do any lasting damage.”

  The two of us nod, understanding everything he’s explaining. Jo asks the question on both of our minds. “When can we see him?”

  He smiles. “You can see him now, but only family and one at a time, since it’s after visiting hours.” He turns his attention to me. “I’ll make a note in his chart that since you’re his fiancé, you’re allowed in as well.”

  I thank him quietly, appreciative of Jo’s lie. Turning towards her, I tell her to go first. I can only imagine the stress and fear she felt finding him the way she did. She needs this more than I do right now. She smiles gratefully and follows the doctor through the double doors.

  Allowing myself to take a breath, I go back over to the guys and repeat everything the doctor just said. They’re instantly relieved he’s alright.

  “Can you do me a favor when you guys get home?” I ask Caleb and Jason. They nod and look at me expectantly. “Go through his room. Remove any and all bottles of liquor. Check the closet, too. I know he had some in there a couple weeks ago.”

  The two of them agree, before Caleb leans forward and stares at me, smirking. “So, if you had known it was a real proposal, would you still have walked away?”

  I roll my eyes, chuckling softly. “In the words of Holden – mind your business, Sutter.”

  JOSEPHINE COMES BACK OUT into the waiting room, wiping the tears away from her face, but smiling. Jason gets up and embraces her before she turns to me.

  “He’s asking for you.” She murmurs. “Just, keep in mind he’s still really drunk.”

  “Mad drunk, or clingy drunk?”

  “A mix between loopy drunk and clingy drunk.”

  I sigh happily, just glad he’s not angry. Jo, Jason, and Caleb say goodbye to Dawson and I, heading home to get some rest. Dawson tells me he’s going to wait to drive me home while I go see Holden. I thank him and quickly head through the double doors and down the hallway.

  “Excuse me, I’m looking for Holden Rivers.” I ask the nurse. “His sister said he’s in room 11.”

  She points down the hall and directs me where to go. I follow her instructions until I’m standing outside his door. I take a deep breath to compose myself, and then grab the handle and step inside.

  As soon as I see him, I need to keep myself from crumbling to the floor. Between the hospital gown, the paleness of his skin, and the tubes in his nose for more oxygen – he looks terrible. I don’t even realize I’m crying until Holden looks at me and frowns.

  “Come here.” He slurs, reaching for me with grabby hands. When I get over to him, he squeezes my hand and flops his head to the side. “I’m okie dokie.”

  “But you almost weren’t.” I tell him, not masking the sadness from my voice. “You can’t do shit like that. You can’t. Not to your family, and not to me.”

  He looks as if he’s struggling to stay awake, but he’s doing his best to talk to me. “I sowwy.”

  “Please don’t let it happen again. I can’t handle it.” I sigh, knowing everything I say right now won’t be remembered tomorrow. He’s far too drunk. Anything I want to tell him will have to wait.

  Standing up, I walk back over to the door when a low whine leaves his mouth. “Don’t leave.” He pleads.

  I give him a small smile and shake my head. “I’m not. I’ll be right back.”

  When I get back out to the waiting room, I find Dawson playing on his phone. Once he sees me, he clicks it off and stands up.

  “That was fast.” He acknowledges. “Ready to go?”

  “No, you go ahead. I think I’m going to stay here tonight.”

  He grins broadly, and I can see that he was hoping that would be my answer. He gives me a hug and wishes me luck, telling me to call him if I need anything. I thank him and watch him leave before turning around and going back in with Holden.

  I get back into the room to find he’s sound asleep. Quietly, I turn off the light and pull a chair up next to his bed. Giving myself a moment to look at him, it’s amazing to me how beautiful he still manages to look, even only being illuminated by the lights of the monitors. I lean forward and lightly kiss his forehead before sitting in the chair. Laying my arms and head on his bed – I let the sound of his breathing lull me to sleep.

  Continue reading Seamless Forever now.

  Sleepless November

  Endless December

  Seamless Forever

  Awakened in September

  Coming Soon - Returning to Rockport

  Clayton, Endless December (Sleepless November Saga Book 2)