Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 52100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
“I’m gonna pass.”
“Dad doesn’t want a prince. He wants a princess,” Spencer said.
“Maybe it’s a girl frog,” Marley suggested.
I pretended to consider it. “Are you thinking like a quick peck or a long kiss with tongue?”
Marley giggled. “Tongue. Do it, Daddy.”
“That’s gross, Dad,” Spencer said. “You should kiss Shea instead.”
I looked at him, my lips parted with surprise. Had he overheard something he shouldn’t have?
“Why would you say that?” I asked.
He gave me an annoyed look. “It’s so obvious you like her. Just kiss her.”
My dad laughed, his eyes still locked onto his crossword puzzle. I looked at my mom, who was clearly amused, a smile playing on her lips.
“Maybe she wants to kiss you, too,” Marley said.
Damn, I hoped so. I’d been so preoccupied with worry that she’d accept the job with Keller and leave town with him before I saw her again.
“But...how would you guys feel about me kissing her?” I asked.
Spencer shrugged. “Fine. She’s really nice.”
“Can I hold Franco?” Marley asked her brother.
“No, you’ll squish him.”
“I will not! Let me hold him.”
“Marley, how would you feel about me dating someone?” I asked, surprised by Spencer’s nonchalant reaction.
“I want Shea to come over and play with me and she can kiss you sometimes. Like when we take a break.”
I looked at my mom, who shrugged and smiled encouragingly. “You won’t find any finer people than the Gradys. I vote for you to kiss her.”
“Grandpa, what about you?” Spencer asked.
“Scan!” he said, filling the letter in on his crossword before looking up at us. “I think life’s much better when you have a beautiful woman to kiss. I know mine has been.”
My mom walked over to him and kissed him. I hated to think about my parents doing anything more than kissing but judging by the look on my mom’s face, Dad was definitely getting more than that tonight.
I needed to get to The Sleepy Moose as soon as possible. Hopefully my parents could stay and hang with the kids.
“Hey, can”
“Of course,” my mom said. “Take all the time you need.”
The kids were already gone, returning the frog to wherever they’d found it. I did a quick pit sniff, then ran to the bathroom to put on deodorant and brush my teeth.
I was full of nervous energy as I pulled out of my driveway. This was crazy, but it also wasn’t.
What I felt for Shea was steady and certain. She could excite me or calm me, depending on the situation. I loved that she was a natural caregiver, and I wanted to show her that she deserved to be cared for, too.
She wanted us to stay friends and see how things were in a few months, but I couldn’t do that. I needed to tell her how I felt now. Hopefully I wasn’t too late. She’d said she wasn’t accepting Keller’s offer immediately, but with his deep pockets, he could have convinced her otherwise.
I parked at The Sleepy Moose, jogging through the front entrance, when someone called my name.
“Holt Sellers?”
I stopped to find a middle-aged man in a Minnesota Mammoths T-shirt staring at me with his mouth wide open.
“Oh my God, it is! It’s you!” He put a hand on the shoulder of the little boy standing next to him. “Keaton, this is Holt Sellers, one of the greatest Mammoths ever to play the game.”
I shook his hand, not letting on what a hurry I was in.
“It’s great to meet you,” I said.
“Kerry, I’m Kerry Sanders. I can’t believe this! I was at the game when you broke the record for goals scored by a Mammoth at home.”
What a night that had been. My teammates had poured so much champagne on my head that the janitorial staff had to bring in wet/dry vacuums to clean it up.
“That’s awesome, man. I appreciate you.”
“Hey, do you have a second for a picture with me and my son?”
“Of course.”
We posed for several pictures and I signed an autograph on the only paper he could find, which was a gas station receipt.
“How long are you here for?” I asked.
“Four nights. My wife’s cousin is getting married here this weekend.”
“I have to run right now, but leave your number at the front desk for me and we can get together for a drink.”
“Holy shit! Okay!” He pumped my hand again. “Thanks!”
“Great to meet you guys,” I said with a wave. “Bye, Keaton.”
I resumed my jog to the front desk, where the clerk, Addison, greeted me with a smile.
“Mr. Sellers, welcome back. What can I do for you?”
“I need to see Shea Grady. Can I go back to the kitchen?”
Addison lowered her brows. “Shea quit. Do you want me to see if I can find a number for her?”
I exhaled heavily, defeat crushing me. It was the realization of my worst fear—Keller had sweet-talked her into working for him. This was all my fault. If I hadn’t been so hesitant, Shea wouldn’t have felt like she needed to step back, and Keller wouldn’t have had the chance to steal her away.