Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100202 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100202 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“Thank you!” Sutton grabbed the folder and hugged me extra tight, knocking me back into the couch. Then she ran upstairs, no doubt needing to secure her paperwork.
“She’s tenacious,” I muttered, hoping I hadn’t just made the biggest mistake of my life.
“She’s you,” Weston said.
I turned my head and kissed him, my hand cupping the back of his neck.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and I jumped back, but it was too late. Sutton had already flown around the banister, headed in our direction like a missile.
“Sutton,” I said softly. Oh God, she was going to freak out. She was going to—
“I forgot to say thank you to you!” she said to Weston, lunging at him in a hug.
He caught her easily and squeezed right back. No double pat on the back. No awkwardness. My heart melted.
“You can go back to kissing my mom now,” she said, pushing up and whirling away, back toward the steps.
“Sutton!” My mouth dropped.
“I live here too! You guys are so obvious.” She raced back up the stairs.
Weston and I stared at each other in shock for a few seconds. Then he smiled, and mine followed. “Obvious? Really?”
“I do really like to look at you,” he noted.
Sutton shrieked, the sound filling the house.
“What’s wrong?” I fumbled but found my feet.
Weston beat me up the steps and down the hallway to Sutton’s room. I ducked under his shoulder and saw Sutton staring at Wilbur’s cage.
Wilbur’s empty cage.
“Oh, fuck,” Weston muttered.
“Language!” I whispered.
“There’s a guinea pig missing somewhere in this house and you’re—” He paused, then lunged for the end of Sutton’s bed.
Wilbur squealed and disappeared.
I snorted a laugh as Weston crawled halfway under the bed.
Wilbur raced out from the other side, and I was the one lunging this time, falling to my knees. My fingers touched rough fur, but he was gone again.
Weston and I locked eyes under the bed. “I’m so sorry,” I said.
“At least it’s never boring around here,” he answered with a grin.
“He’s down the hall!” Sutton shouted, already moving.
Twenty minutes later, we had him trapped under a laundry basket in the living room, and my sides hurt from laughing so much.
“I declare victory,” Weston announced as the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it,” I said, rising to my feet. “Sutton, you’d better put him back in his cage and lock it.” I gave her a stern look, but it was hard keeping a straight face.
“Got it!” She snagged the laundry basket from Weston.
I opened the door and my stomach hit the floor. I’d never worked directly with him, but eleven years at Madigan meant I knew exactly who I was looking at. This was going to go so bad so quickly.
“Weston,” I whispered over my shoulder.
The man on front steps ran his hand over his salt-and-pepper hair and shifted his weight nervously.
Weston appeared at my back, his entire body rigid against mine as he looked over my shoulder.
“When Reed told me you were back, I had to see for myself,” Weston’s dad said, apprehension etched in every line of his face. “You’ve always been a man of your word, Weston, and when you swore you’d never speak to me again that night, I never imagined I’d have this chance—”
Weston slammed the door in his face.
16
Weston
* * *
My phone rang, buzzing in the cupholder of my truck.
I took one look and hit the decline button.
Callie glanced my way but didn’t say a word as we drove down the mountain toward the resort. She hadn’t said a word about it since I’d shut the door on my father four weeks ago.
I fucking loved that about her.
Watch that word.
“I keep waiting for you to suggest I take the call,” I said quietly, well aware that Sutton was in the back. Kids didn’t need to know that parents had the potential to suck…not that I was Sutton’s parent.
Callie startled, her head whipping toward mine. “I’m the last person who would ever suggest that.”
I reached across the console and laced my fingers with hers, holding her hand all the way to Sutton’s school. Too bad I wouldn’t have Callie with me this morning. I was getting a little too used to spending my work time with her too.
Which reminded me.
“Did you think about that internship contest?” I asked. “The photo one?”
Her eyes flew to mine as we moved forward in the drop-off line.
“No pressure if you don’t feel like you’re ready. I just remembered that the deadline is tomorrow.” I squeezed her fingers in what I hoped was reassurance. “No big deal, really. I just didn’t want you to miss the opportunity if you wanted it this year.”
“The application form for photo release is on the fridge,” Sutton said from the back seat. “You should do it, Mom! You’ve always wanted to work for World Geographic.”
“I’ll…um… I’ll think about it tonight, okay?” Her smile was flustered.