Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
That was why he needed to cater for Ava. Because it could be good for both of them.
* * *
Though it hurt Ava that he’d never shared the details of what had happened in his family, what he told her now helped her understand him better. She’d always viewed his attitude as meaning that success was more important than family—more important than her. But knowing it was his mother who had cut him off gave her a different perspective. He hadn’t been trying to leave his family behind. He’d just wanted to pursue his own path.
She understood more about why success was so important to him. He wanted to change things, but his parents hadn’t let him. He wanted to expand, and his parents had held him back. He had dreams, but they hadn’t supported him—not out of malice, but out of a fear of change. How many times over the millennia had children wanted to blaze their own trail while parents wanted them to follow the path they’d chosen for them? It was a story as old as time.
A story different from hers, but maybe the emotions were the same. Always needing to be the best.
She was glad to know Ransom hadn’t caused the rift, that he’d reconciled with his mother before it was too late, and that he was part of his brother’s family. Because she valued family. Though he might still be following in his father’s footsteps, overworking the way his father had. But then, she understood hard work.
Ransom licked French fry salt off his fingers. “This place is actually pretty damn good. I need to tell Adam about it.” His eyes twinkled. “He might get some good ideas.”
With a bite of burger, she felt secret sauce dripping down her fingers and grabbed a napkin to clean it off. “What do you think is in the secret sauce? Since you’re the chef and you know all your flavors.”
He lifted a bit of bun. “It’s definitely got relish and mayo in it. And maybe some gochujang sauce. Or sriracha. It’s sweet but spicy.”
She furrowed her brow. “Does that stuff go together?”
He looked at her, aghast. “Of course it does. Nothing conflicts in my recipes.” Then he pointed. “You missed a little bit of sauce right there.”
She touched the side of her mouth. “Here?”
He shook his head. “No. Over there.” He wiggled his finger, but she still couldn’t tell exactly where he pointed.
She tried the other side of her mouth. “Here?”
He just laughed. “You’re miles off.” Then he leaned over the table to swipe away the sauce with a fingertip.
Ava gasped at the electricity suddenly pumping through her body. The first touch in fifteen years. They hadn’t even shaken hands. And now her entire body sizzled. She tried shoveling a few more fries in her mouth just to bring down her temperature. But the way he watched her eat only heated her even more. She couldn’t talk straight. She certainly couldn’t think straight. She downed half a glass of water, trying to quench the fire inside her.
She was not supposed to feel this way about Ransom Yates. Not now. Not ever again.
And yet, that fire burning inside her just wouldn’t be quenched.
She needed to get out of here. “How’s the traffic doing?”
Ransom looked at the map on his phone. “It’s still showing four hours to go on all the alternate routes.”
“But it was four hours an hour ago.”
He simply shrugged.
Outside, the traffic continued its excruciating car-length movements. They wouldn’t even make it back onto the freeway. She looked at him. Though still handsome as ever, his gaze was a little bleary. After working all night on her plans, he was running on one hour of sofa sleep.
Obviously thinking the same thing, he asked, “Should we find a hotel?” His eyes crinkled with a smile. “Separate rooms, of course.”
“I’m certainly not looking forward to pumping the clutch for another four hours.” Then she added quickly, before she could think better of it, “Let’s do it.”
But a night with Ransom? Even if they were in separate rooms?
Her blood heated once more in her veins. It would be way too easy to knock on his door.
“Even if there’s a Ritz-Carlton nearby,” Ransom said, crumpling his napkin, “we’d never make it there on these roads.” He looked pointedly at the Motel Y next door, with a pass-through from the burger joint so they wouldn’t have to get on the road to pull into its parking lot.
Back straight, Ava said indignantly, “I don’t need a Ritz. I’m perfectly fine with Motel Y.” But she couldn’t help adding, “As long as it’s clean.”
She wasn’t a snob. At least, she didn’t think so. If it was clean, she’d be fine.
As long as she didn’t rush down the hall to Ransom’s room.
Chapter Nine
“I’m down with clean,” Ransom said.