Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“I don’t mind giving my boy credit when he’s right.” I shrugged when he gave me a slightly skeptical expression. “It just means I’ve done a good job being his mate and Daddy.”
Shaking his head, he gave an overly dramatic sigh. “I should’ve expected that answer.”
“Yes.” I wasn’t hard to predict. “I don’t mind being the better mate, though. You’ll catch up eventually.”
He managed to keep a bored expression but his laughter was barely under control. “It’s a hard job, but someone has to be the best.”
“See? I knew you were smart.” I couldn’t resist teasing him, though. “Fate gave me the best mate because I’m amazing.”
His face said he thought that was ridiculous and hilarious, but the only way not to show it was to hold his breath. Just when I was at the point of deciding if I was going to poke him or not, he let the air in his lungs out slowly and nodded. “Yes. Your amazingness definitely came into play when fate found me for you.”
“It’s hard to be this incredible, but I’ve accepted my role in life.” Ha. He lost control, giggles pouring out. “Realizing how wonderful your mate is just makes you overjoyed with happiness? I can understand that.”
Giving my giggly boy one last kiss on the cheek, I started the car as he worked on catching his breath and he finally got control as we drove out of town. “Fate did give me a wonderful mate, so that means we’ll figure out the next steps.”
Reaching over to rest my hand on his thigh, I nodded. “It feels like a daunting task because there are so many options but we can figure it out. We’ll know what’s right when we see it.”
Relaxing again, Merritt rested his hand on mine and laced our fingers together. “I was kind of assuming we had to go back to Texas because that’s where your family is and your job. I can’t remember if you said you belonged to a larger company or if you had your own firm, but that’s a big consideration.”
In most cases it would be.
Chapter 16
Merritt
“Okay, start again.” Leaning back in the booth, I focused on Pierce and ignored the old world charm the restaurant had tried to surround us with. “This is better, though. Being able to see you face-to-face without the distractions, I mean.”
Some things just needed facial expressions and no traffic to really be able to discuss.
“I work for the government.” He kept the start simple, which I appreciated, but we both knew that wasn’t going to cut it for the full explanation. “Over the past year, I knew I had to wrap things up in Texas. I think it was like what you were feeling. I knew there was something else I needed to be doing.”
Relating to that feeling completely, I nodded and tried to be patient.
“I’ve always been focused on finding my mate. Even though it wasn’t common in a lot of areas, in my family we’ve always waited for our mates.” Pierce sounded so confident he’d find me it made me smile. “Getting ready for my mate meant, first of all, making sure I had my finances and career sorted out. So while I kept my eyes out for you, I worked a lot and built up a good name in a large local firm.”
Thinking about that for a second, I jumped back in. “Why? You seem like the type to have your own firm.”
I couldn’t be wrong about that and his frustrated look as his lips pinched together said I was right. “I am. Very much so. Plans dictated otherwise, though.”
My planner.
“I wanted the flexibility to move quicker than having my own firm would allow.” He looked more confident in that decision as he continued to explain. “I was concerned about having my own company and then being stuck for months wrapping things up if you needed me elsewhere.”
Because he would be needed elsewhere.
At the portal.
“So you took a job you didn’t really want to have that flexibility?” His shrug made me want to smile. “You’re such a cute planner.”
Rolling his eyes, he let out a huff. “I’m not cute.”
I was going to beg to differ but it wasn’t the time.
“Agree to disagree.” He was definitely cute. “When did that shift from working there to the government?”
I was pretty sure he was only telling me because we were mates, so I mentally shifted the information into work mode, where nearly everything had to stay private.
“About a year ago. Right around the time I was shifting to closing my life there up, I started working part time for them.” Pierce shrugged like changing his life around was the most reasonable thing in the world. “The government is well aware of our existence in a hands-off kind of way. The first meeting went poorly from what I understand.”