Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
It’s embarrassing, but I let it roll off my back because things could be going so much worse than they are.
When the delicious meal is over, my mom tries to pay, but she is absolutely no match for Frank, who nabs the bill and politely but firmly refuses to surrender it. He pays, and we all go outside into the sweltering heat.
“We’ll see you at work, Ember,” Griffin says. “Enjoy your family.”
“I will,” I say. “Thanks for coming.” I hope they know I mean it.
The men smile, wave, and head for their vehicle. Mom, my sisters and I pile into Mom’s rental car.
Mom starts the engine, and we wait for the AC to kick in, bringing its welcome blast of cool air. “Your coworkers are very nice,” she says as she pulls out onto the road. “Why haven’t you ever mentioned them?”
Danger! Nosy mom alert! “There were always other things to talk about,” I say in my best nothing-to-see-here voice.
“Hmm.”
I’m sitting in the front passenger seat, so Hazel and Coral are behind me. It’s just as well I can’t see Hazel’s face right now, and she can’t elbow me in the ribs.
We go back to the motel room Mom’s rented. I can’t invite my family back to my apartment, because my mom would have the same reaction as the men would to seeing the neighborhood it’s in. I told her Abby has family visiting, so there’s no room. It’s actually her boyfriend, who’s trying to start things up again, but close enough.
We watch movies on the tv, and later we order pizza. And the whole time, I’m thinking about the men. How well everything went today, how easy it was.
Could this really work?
But even if it did, how could I ever explain it to my mother?
EMBER
As I approach the men’s front door, it opens, and Frank is standing there. “Come on in,” he says, standing aside.
It’s three days after my graduation. My family has gone back home. Mom asked more questions about the men, but seemed to accept my answers. She also asked if I was seeing anyone, and I told her that I’d been focused on finishing my final semester.
True, so far as it goes. But I’m tired of evasiveness.
Still, when the men asked me to come over for dinner, I couldn’t say no. I need to at least hear them out. Not sure exactly what I’m going to find, I step across the threshold.
The lights are dim. Most of the illumination is coming from the candles on the dining room table, which has also been dressed up with a tablecloth and fancy glassware. A bottle of what looks like champagne sits in an ice bucket.
Griffin’s waiting by the table. He pulls out my chair for me before he and Frank take their seats. A few moments later, Zeb serves the first course.
It’s a feast; he’s prepared a lot of my favorites. A crisp green salad, creamy roast carrot soup, steak, scallops, his special mashed potatoes, asparagus, and turtle pie for dessert. It’s presented like a taster menu, so we can have a little of everything without getting too full.
The men keep the conversation light during dinner, talking shop and asking me what I’ve been doing with my free time since I graduated. I don’t tell them that I’ve spent a huge chunk of it thinking about them and our situationship. Instead, I talk about my family, and the expansion plan.
Zeb, who’s just served me a slice of turtle pie, says, “Yeah, Kai and Gage mentioned that.”
I frown at him. “When was that?”
It’s Frank who answers. “They asked us to come by the shop the other day.”
“Oh.” I need to ask why, but I'm afraid to know the answer. “Is … is everything okay?”
“We weren’t sure until we got there,” Griffin answers. “Turned out, they were pretty sure something was up with you and the three of us, and they wanted answers.”
It’s a good thing I’m sitting down. I can feel all the blood rushing from my face, and then I’m dizzy.
Griffin pulls my chair out, turns it sideways, and gently pushes my head down between my knees. “Deep breaths, Emmy.”
I try to obey, and then Frank is there, kneeling at my feet, folding my hands in his. “It’s okay, baby. Everything’s all right. Griffin shouldn’t have scared you like that.”
My head is still down, but I can so easily envision the look he’s sending Griffin’s way right now. I’m also distracted by Frank calling me baby. It feels nice. Really nice.
“Sorry,” Griffin says when I sit back up. “I thought I could get to the next part before you freaked out.”
“My freakout skills are highly advanced,” I tell him.
He gives me a grin, not his wicked one, but a warm smile.
“What did they say?” I look back and forth between him and Frank, and then Zeb pulls his chair around so they’re all right next to me.