Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
“By the way!” she hollered just as I reached the door. “Don’t forget to tell me how much you paid for the steaks. I’m not letting you get away this time.”
We’d see about that. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you could get your boys something to drink!” Then I stepped outside and aimed for the grill. The fire had settled by now, and this place was gonna smell like steak heaven in a few minutes.
A great country song came on, and I bobbed my head to the beat as I put the steaks on the grill. It was an amazing feeling. Teddy’s giggles added to the good mood while Dylan got into a fight with the retractable awning over the dining area.
“This is why I’ve been looking into getting a motorized one,” I said. “I think it’s about rusted shut.”
“Nah, it’ll get there.” Dylan squinted upward and kept twisting the lever. “I can stop by and have a look next week. Most of the time, they just need to be cleaned off and greased.”
I supposed he would know. He worked at a company that manufactured special features for campers, RVs, and tiny houses.
I threw a glance at Blake, who was getting acquainted with Echo and Mischa by the gate. They must’ve finished the treats Soph brought them.
Christ, he was a hot motherfucker. He had plenty of ink too. It was poking out from the sleeves of his tee and decorated his arms.
“There we go.” Dylan let out a heavy breath, and the awning extended the rest of the way without issue. It would be nice if I didn’t have to replace the whole thing. It was just last summer I’d replaced the old canvas with a new dark blue one.
“Cozy!” Teddy grinned. “Look, Lily.” He held up our little tiger to see for herself.
I chuckled.
Sophia came out with a tray filled with beer, glasses, and lemonade.
“Hey—you sit down,” Dylan told her. “I’ll get the rest.”
Dylan grew on me more every day.
“Don’t be silly. I can carry some freakin’ plates and potato salad,” she answered.
“You can, but you won’t.” He passed her with a kiss to her temple. “Sit. Down.”
“Men!” she huffed. Then she sat down and found the rest of us staring at her, brows cocked. “I realize I have no support here.”
Good.
Dinner was ready not a minute too soon. Soph and Dylan had snatched the chairs so he could help Ms. I-have-to-pee-every-two-minutes. That left the couch to Blake, Teddy, and me. And Lily, who decided to climb on my thighs.
“I picked those for Momma,” Teddy said, pointing at the flowers in the middle of the table.
“Because you’re the sweetest boy in the world.” Soph blew Teddy a kiss that made him beam ear to ear.
I loaded my plate with steak, potato salad, regular salad, and garlic bread to the feeling of my stomach rumbling.
“I guess y’all don’t say grace around here.” Blake removed his hat and ran a hand through his hair.
I bit into a piece of garlic bread and side-eyed him.
“Uh, no. That’s a Mama and Daddy thing,” Sophia laughed softly.
For as rough around the edges as Blake came off, he seemed to have table manners fit for the Queen. Hat off, no elbows on the table, waiting until everyone else had taken food, evidently prepared to say grace… Southern charm was an attractive thing, something I hadn’t really given any thought. But it was hot. He was hot. Those damn eyes. They were lighter than his hair. I knew David shared his traits, unlike Soph, who took after their mother with light brown hair and blue eyes.
Teddy struggled with the ketchup bottle, so I stuck the rest of the piece of garlic bread into my mouth and helped him.
“An official welcome to Washington, then.” Dylan held up his beer. “Good to have you here, Blake.”
“Hear, hear,” I said with my mouth full.
I didn’t have any Southern charm. Or Northern, for that matter.
“It’s good to finally see this place for myself,” Blake replied. “The beach helps.”
“Yeah, remind yourself of the beach when you’re on our couch tonight in a shitty neighborhood,” Soph joked. It fell kinda flat, which was the type of humor that was right up my alley. I couldn’t help but laugh. She grinned wryly. “I can’t freaking wait to move.”
“What, are you saying there’s something wrong with waking up at three in the morning to our neighbors throwing bottles at the wall?” Dylan asked.
Soph groaned.
“There are some nice neighborhoods back home.” Blake threw that out there.
I shook my head and cut into my steak. “You’re not stealing them from me. That’s why I’m here.”
“And I’m not livin’ on the ranch,” Sophia added. “That’s the nice neighborhood you’re talking about.”
Blake didn’t try to deny it.
I’d seen a couple pictures. The Kidds were well-off—the parents, anyway. Giant ranch, big business, from horse breeding to bed-and-breakfast. Several cabins on their land, full-time workers, the whole nine yards. But they held a tight leash on their children. They could live there, work there, want for nothing, but if they wanted to leave, they had to start from the bottom without any savings. Because there was no actual pay. Daddy’s credit card, absolutely. A paycheck, nope.