Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
“Yes? Why do you look so freaked-out by this?” she’d demanded. “Is it because I wouldn’t take your advice about putting a legal agreement in place? I told you I was asking an old friend to donate, and we don’t need—”
“You didn’t tell me which old friend,” I’d groaned. Finally, I’d confessed, “I… I slept with him. With Dev. The night of your party. We hooked up.”
Her eyes had gone wide as she’d leaned across the table. “Oh, my god! Really? That’s excellent! But… wait, I thought he wasn’t supposed to, you know, engage in those kind of activities right before the donation—”
“He didn’t,” I’d blurted. “He didn’t.”
She’d lifted a perfectly shaped eyebrow at me before laughing out loud. “Did you?”
When I’d answered with a comically manic nodding of the head, she’d laughed even harder and asked me to spill the details. I hadn’t been able to stop myself from gushing about how we’d started talking out back on her patio, how we’d spent hours teasing and flirting, and how I’d begged him to sneak back to my place.
When she’d looked a little concerned by my enthusiasm, I’d forced myself to backpedal and play it off as nothing more than a hookup… and I’d been glad I had when she’d explained Dev wasn’t interested in commitment. It was probably better she didn’t know I’d also begged him to let me see him again, to give me his contact information, to at least admit that a connection like ours didn’t come around often.
It was definitely better that she hadn’t known how many nights I’d spent wondering why he’d been so reluctant and simply mumbled that he had to go.
Now, I was beginning to connect his reluctance to claim Lellie—or any child of his—with the reason he’d been so quick to bolt and never return.
I just didn’t understand why.
I knew plenty of men who never wanted to become parents. Hell, I knew plenty of women who felt that way, too. But if your own child was placed into your arms and was as lovable as Lellie was… wouldn’t that change things?
As I watched the two of them sleep, I realized he’d done me a favor by walking away after that night.
Because I wasn’t so sure I wanted to have a relationship with someone who could reject Lellie.
In fact, watching her sweet face relaxed in sleep with a chubby fist wrapped around her little stuffed horse’s mane made me start to wonder.
If Dev didn’t want this precious girl… maybe I did.
And maybe I’d decide to fight him for her.
TWELVE
DEV
The next few days passed in a blur.
Ever since the night Foster had come over, Tully had been acting strangely. At first, I’d wondered if maybe Tully had developed an interest in the sheriff, but then we’d gone to the cafe for lunch, and Tully had completely brushed off Foster’s friendly greeting.
I’d tried to talk to Tully about it, but he’d brushed me off, too. In fact, he’d treated me like a necessary article of clothing or piece of furniture, seeming entirely neutral about my presence. There’d only been a few times when I’d thought maybe I was wrong—that maybe he was affected by me, but he was just damned good at hiding it—but I hadn’t been sure.
We’d been civil with one another for the most part—discussing his job and my horse breeding program, sharing stories about Katie, even chatting about the weather. But the only times he’d really seemed like himself were when he was with Lellie and when he was on his laptop, catching up on work.
I’d wondered if he was itching to get back to the office, but when I asked him about that, he’d assured me his job was to stay right here in Majestic to assist in Lellie’s transition, but I hadn’t felt assured.
His strange behavior was like a burr under my skin, making me feel on edge and stressed.
But that was far from the only thing stressing me out. I also couldn’t find good parents for Lellie.
I’d gotten up the courage to approach Silas about it, and he’d very quickly disabused me of the notion that he and Way had been considering it.
“No offense, Dev, but we have our hands full as it is with the ranch, Way’s job in town, and my consulting work. It’s not that we don’t want kids, exactly… I’m just not sure we’re ready for them anytime soon.”
He’d eyed me with that intense stare before adding, “Besides, I’m pretty sure you already know who the best parent is for her. You’re just too damned stubborn to see it.”
I’d walked away. Silas was wrong. While I was definitely falling head over heels in love with Lellie—who wouldn’t?—I also knew I wasn’t the best parent for her.
Meanwhile, Silas wasn’t the only one giving me hell about it. Jo Blake had heard all about the situation from Foster and had decided to donate her own two cents to the cause.