Nathan had been having a rough few days. Christmas was always hard because he was reminded of the way things were before he wrecked his family. Amber never once got to experience what a Grant family Christmas was like and that was entirely his fault.
The Carlins were great—they really were—but it wasn't the same. He was barely able to keep up a holly jolly mood so his sister wouldn't have her holiday ruined.
Then he had to go and get hurt. As if that wasn't bad enough, Sierra had to be overly concerned about it. He only told her the bare bones of what happened to get her off his back. He figured she wouldn't be able to nag him as much knowing the reason why he did what he did.
It certainly got her to back off but it also finally brought the memories he had been pushing back for so long to the surface. Nothing could stop him from wallowing in them now.
