Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 20861 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20861 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
No success had ever felt enough. There was always this hunger to be the best, and in the past, he used to rationalize this as a selfless desire to make his company grow for the benefit of his employees.
But he realized now that was all a lie. It was not altruism but his ego that was his driving force. His personal recognition and not other people's welfare that he cared most about.
And while Rule could not say in all honesty that he was a completely changed man—-
He also knew he was no longer the same.
Not because of his own efforts or the people around him.
He was different because of God.
And that was why...
Riley took one look at his face and burst into laughter as soon as the service was over, and people began filing out of the church. "Oh, Dad."
"What?" He wanted to play it cool, but the stiffness of his tone proved otherwise.
"Are you seriously jealous of our own pastor?"
"Of course not." This was true at least. "Jealousy implies I'm entertaining questions about Vixen's feelings, which I don't."
Riley crossed her arms over her chest. "Then if you're not feeling jealous..."
Rule's broad shoulders moved in a shrug.
"Nuh-uh..." His daughter shook her head as she studied him. "There has to be more."
It was actually the opposite, Rule couldn't help thinking. When it came to Pastor Ryder, there was less—-
His daughter suddenly let out a gasp. "I get it now!"
Rule noticed Vixen walking their way at that moment.
"You don't feel jealous, but inse—-"
Vixen reached them just as Rule covered his daughter's mouth, and Vixen looked at him, startled. "Is everything okay?"
"Just normal father-and-daughter bonding." It was the best he could come up with that didn't require him to lie...or embarrass himself.
Rule lifted his hand off Riley's mouth, and his daughter gave Vixen an angelic smile. "It's true, Vix. And I'm not exaggerating at all when I tell you that we would never have bonded this way if not for you."
Riley's words had Vixen blinking in bewilderment, and Rule swiftly inserted himself between the two women.
A change of subject was definitely called for, and since today was the first time Vixen hadn't sat with them during service...
"I missed you."
Vixen's cheeks turned rosy while Riley started gagging.
"I missed you, too, Vix," his daughter declared, "but the way Dad says it is just gross."
"It's not gross at all," Vixen protested. "And for the record, I missed you guys, too."
"But don't take our words the wrong way, love." As one of the recipients of this year's community leadership awards, the council leaders had requested Vixen and the others to sit in front for the ceremony.
"Riley and I are extremely proud of what you've managed to achieve through your book club."
"It's all Him," Vixen said cheerfully. "Everything the book club is now, it's all Him. Isn't God amazing?"
Rule took her hand in his just as Vixen took Riley's hand in hers, and the three of them went completely still when they realized what had just happened.
A moment later, all three of them were smiling.
God was amazing, indeed.
Outside the church, Riley asked Vixen for a quick tour of the local cemetery at the back, and Rule felt as if someone had stepped over his grave at the words.
"Juno tells me it's where pirates used to hide their treasure?" he heard his daughter ask excitedly.
"Well, that depends on how you define 'treasure'."
Rule's unease grew as Vixen and Riley ended up walking ahead of him in their excitement. He had never been the type to be easily spooked, and even if he were, Lavender Cove's cemetery looked more like a somber slice of paradise with overgrown masses of wildflowers encircling most of the graves and tranquil blue waters serving as a backdrop.
"This was during the Great Depression," Rule heard Vixen share, "and smugglers had this ingenious idea of turning the cemetery into their warehouse. But instead of burying bodies, they were burying their contraband."
Riley's gaze lit up with interest. "Evidence hidden in plain sight!"
"Clever, right? But wait, there's more..."
Vixen's imitation of a salesman making his pitch had Rule smiling despite himself.
"See this one?"
Riley bent down to take a closer look at the marble headstone. "It doesn't say when this person was born."
"Because this isn't really any person's grave. Rather, the month and year you see..."
"—-is its production date," Riley exclaimed.
Vixen grinned. "Exactly."
They moved to the next marker, this one in plain old stone, and a badger intricately etched above the name of the "deceased".
Riley frowned. "I don't get it. Is that some kind of symbol?"
"I think it means this batch comes from Wisconsin," Rule guessed, "since the badger is their state animal."
"Correct!" The way Vixen looked so delighted at his answer Rule could feel color staining his cheeks.
"Gross, Vixen. You're looking at Dad like he's just solved world hunger."
"I'm just being appreciative," Vixen protested. "State animals aren't excatly common knowledge."