Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
“I like it.” My boy answered with pride. There was a lot of playful banter between the kids as I drove. I could see in the rearview that Lynette had stuck her head out the window to enjoy the fresh Wyoming mountain air and sunshine.
She had a whimsical smile on her face and something in my chest went wonky. What the fuck Hawke?
“How’s Sheila dad?” I saw her pull her head back in at his question and wondered at the look on her face. Her eyes cut to me but flitted away just as quickly and the bone in my jeans got harder. “The same, you know her. Nothing much changes with her.”
“Who’s Sheila?” Was that a hint of jealousy in her voice? My gut tightened and I felt just a little sick. You ought to be ashamed of yourself Hawke…lusting after your son’s girlfriend. Besides, it was just wishful thinking. Why would a young beautiful girl like her care if I had a woman or not?
“The housekeeper slash dictator. I told you about her.” Garrett leaned over the seat to look back at her. “Oh, I thought she was your girlfriend that you never talk about.” I looked at him out the side of my eye and saw the flush appear on his cheek.
“Nah, that’s Mellie. And what do you mean I never talk about her? I’m sure I told you guys about her before.” I almost ran off the road. What?
“Well are we going to meet her Garrett? Lynn is right, you’ve been very secretive about her until now.” That was Jason I think.
I’d like to hear the answer to that one myself. This was the first I’d heard of it. The only Mellie I knew was the sixteen-year old daughter of the rancher closest to us.
I’ll have to have a talk with my boy if this was the girl he was referring to. I know they’re both young but sixteen is still considered too young in this state isn’t it? Even as I thought of that my treacherous heart was happy to learn that the delectable Lynette wasn’t his.
3
Hawke
Sheila was waiting for us on the front porch when we got back. She waddled her way down the front steps and over to the truck to get her boy.
“Garrett, look at you boy, you’ve grown like a wild weed.” She almost picked him up off the floor until he turned the tables and picked her up, swinging her around.
“Now why can’t I ever get a greeting like that outta you huh?” I grinned at the two of them as I went around the back of the truck to start offloading the luggage. All the while I was aware of Lynette; like a beacon, in the middle of the desert.
“Oh hush you.” Sheila swatted at me once Garrett put her down and my hands were too full to retaliate. “You young’uns come on in here I’ve got lunch ready. I know how darn awful that airline food can be.”
She stopped long enough to peer at the girls. “You two not on one of them fandangle diets are you?” She sniffed and that nose of hers went up in the air.
There was no point in telling her about being incorrigible; she wouldn’t pay me any mind anyway. And the kids didn’t seem to be offended by her waspish tongue. I guess Garrett had given them all fair warning.
“No ma’am.” Melissa did seem a bit taken aback if not downright scared. Lynette on the other hand was smiling from ear to ear.
“Oh I like you.” She proclaimed to Sheila who eyed her like she was trying to see into the girl’s head. “Humph, we’ll see how long that lasts. You belong to my boy?” That’s our Sheila, straight to the point and nosy as hell with it.
“Which one?” Did she just look at me when she said that? Sheila’s cackling laugh saved me from having to dwell on it for too long, but what the hell did she mean by that? Had she seen me checking her out at the airport? Or maybe she hadn’t missed all those times I’d had my eyes on her in my rearview.
I hope not. Shit, now I feel like I’m back in middle school. “Let’s take care of the luggage boys while Sheila runs herd on the ladies.”
After taking the right bags to the assigned rooms we headed back downstairs to the kitchen where the three females were in the middle of some conversation or the other.
Typical of most females, they acted as if they’d known each other forever instead of just a few minutes. “So Ms. Lynette, you say you’re studying accounts management. We could do with some of that around here. Hawke here’s as ornery as a stinging wasp when it comes time to do the books. You’ve never heard so much whining and carrying on from a grown man in your life.”