Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77353 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77353 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“Washed your stinky toes and went to sleep?”
“Yeah! But O read me a special story about some crazy girl and a family of bears and then he snuggled me.” My son lets out a sigh worthy of the big screen. “It was the best. The only thing missing was you. I told O we were like the bears—Mama, Papa, and the little baby. Except I’m big!”
I suck in a ragged breath, my heart lodging itself in my throat. “Oh, Mav.” I turn away so he won’t see the tears dotting my lashes.
“You don’t work tonight, right?” he asks, climbing up onto a barstool.
“That’s right. I’m all yours.”
“Can we do Taco Tuesday?”
“It’s Wednesday,” I tell him, placing another cinnamon roll onto the waffle iron.
He gives me a look that says lady, I’m still learning my days of the week. “But we can still do it, right?”
“Of course. Beef or chicken?”
“The brown one with the good sauce.”
I roll my lips inward to keep from laughing. “Beef it is.”
“With the sauce, Mama!”
“Tell me about this magic taco sauce,” Orion says, stepping into the room.
“It’s the grease,” I stage whisper. “He loves it.”
“Do you wanna eat my mom’s taco, O?”
My cheeks burn crimson, while Orion’s lips quirk up into a devious grin. “Only on days that end in Y, bud.”
God, please drop a piano on me and end my suffering.
“Who’s ready for breakfast?” I ask, changing the subject.
“Me!” Maverick and Orion say in perfect harmony.
I make them each a plate, adding some sliced fruit on the side. “There y’all go. I’m gonna get dressed while you two eat.”
“You don’t want any?” Orion asks, glancing between his plate and me.
“I ate before y’all got up.” It’s a lie, but my cheeks are still burning so badly, I think I might spontaneously combust if I have to stand there any longer.
He squints at me as he pops a grape into his mouth. I watch, entranced, as he chews. “We’ll save you some,” he says after he swallows.
It’s all I can do to nod and hightail it out of there without making a fool of myself.
I pull the door closed behind me and fall back against it, my heart beating double-time in my chest.
He’s clearly determined to bring his A-game, but I’ve got a lot more on the line to lose than he does—a fact I’d do well to remember.
For all I know, his infatuation could be about the chase. And then what—what happens when he wins? Will he cast me to the side, leaving me and Maverick both heartbroken?
I don’t know. Unfortunately, there’s no crystal ball I can wave my hand over and see the future. There’s no guarantee we won’t end up hurt.
It’d be one thing to gamble with my own heart, but with Mav’s on the line, I know I need to play it safe.
I need to not only rebuild my deteriorating walls; I need to reinforce them with concrete and rebar. Steel. I need to make them impenetrable and unscalable.
At this rate, I might even need a crocodile-filled moat.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
ORION
“Hey, man, you wanna grab a drink? I’m buying,” Ben says as we walk to our trucks.
Things are better between us, but only because I’m starting to understand his perspective. If our roles were reversed, and Frankie had my ring on her finger and asked for him to move out, I’d have his shit packed and at the curb in the blink of an eye.
“Nah, man, I’m good.”
He casts a questioning look, knowing good and well I’m not usually one to turn down a free beer. “You sure? I’m heading over to Bandits.”
“Wish I could, brother, but I got plans.”
“A hot date?” He cracks up at his own joke.
I grin. “Something like that.”
“You serious?” His laughter cuts off and he pins me with a searching look. “Is it serious?”
I try to play it cool and shrug one shoulder. “Too soon to tell.”
“That’s good, man.” He tips his chin. “I’m happy for you.”
“Don’t break out the champagne just yet. She’s…shy.”
“Don’t give up.” Ben slaps my back as he passes me. “Macy was, too.”
There’s no chance of me giving up. Frankie’s the real deal, and I won’t stop until she’s mine.
But I don’t say any of that; I just lift my hand in some semblance of a wave and climb into my truck, more than ready to get home to my people.
After Frankie and Mav left this morning, I asked Stella to spend the night at Samson’s. She gave me a lot of shit about it, but her car’s nowhere in sight, so I’m counting it as a win.
I’ve only got an hour until Frankie and Mav get home, so I shuck off my dirty work clothes and hop in the shower. We may not be doing anything special, but I’m damn sure going to look—and smell—my best.