Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 94630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Unc walked over to the coffeepot and poured himself a cup. He looked at Walsh over the rim, sipping and taking his time responding.
“She’s a grown woman, Walsh, and Cam’s a grown man.”
“This is not okay.” Walsh turned turbulent eyes on Cam. “How could you do this? To Jo?”
Cam was just about to speak, not knowing what would come out of his mouth, when Jo turned on Walsh with hands on her hips.
Oh, hell. Here we go.
“How dare he?” Jo popped the words across the kitchen at Walsh like a rubber band. “How dare you come in here high and mighty and inserting yourself into a situation you know nothing about?”
“Oh, I don’t know?” Walsh folded his arms over his chest. “I think I do. I’ve seen this before more than once. It won’t end well, cuz. You know that.”
“What I know is that this is none of your damn business.” Jo narrowed her eyes at Walsh, gesturing toward Unc casually leaning against the counter and sipping his coffee. “If my own father is fine with my relationship—”
“Relationship?” Walsh cut his eyes between Cam and Jo before landing on Cam like a stack of bricks. “How long has this been going on? What the hell, Cam? This is Jo we’re talking about.”
Cam stood, ignoring Walsh’s eye roll and heavy sigh at the sight of him in only boxers.
“It’s not what you think.” Cam scratched at the back of his neck. Searching for words to reassure Walsh about something he barely trusted himself.
Jo turned her head, eyes welling with hurt. Her bravado cracked and her bottom lip trembled. Shit. Did she think he was going to deny her? He reached for her hand, pulling her against him and dropping a kiss on her hair, still damp from their shower.
“What I mean is that you probably think I’m going to just”—Cam glanced at Unc, uncomfortable with what he needed to say in front of Jo’s father but determined to put it all out there—“just hit it and quit it.”
“You must admit there’s a bit of a precedent.” Walsh relaxed his mouth, shaking his head and allowing his disappointment to press past the anger. “We’ve always protected her, both of us. I thought she was off-limits.”
“I’m standing right here.” Jo sliced her hand through the tension-thickened air. “I’m not a child, Walsh.”
“I know that, Jo. Of course I know that.” Walsh toggled a glance between Jo’s and Cam’s obviously less-than-dressed figures. “I only want what’s best for you.”
“Spare me your misplaced paternalism, cuz.” Jo rolled her eyes and cocked one hip even farther out. “You have no say in my love life. You’ve always thought you could dictate to me, but you can’t.”
“I’m not trying to,” Walsh said. “I just think…I’m concerned about your happiness.”
“And his happiness?” Jo waved between the two men. “Were you concerned about that?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Walsh, we’re all ecstatic for you and for Kerris and for the girls, but your happiness came at a price. And in many ways, Cam paid a lot of it.”
Walsh met Cam’s eyes, and all the awkward guilt and hurt they’d spent the last year and a half chipping away at rose between them.
“And yet, he was at your house at Christmas. Trying,” Jo continued. “You call him and ask him to check on his ex-wife, pregnant with your twins, and he’s there. He had to watch Kerris in labor with your girls. Do you think that made him think about the baby girl he lost? Maybe just a little bit?”
Walsh’s eyes, resting on Cam, clouded with all the things they’d put behind them.
“Man, I didn’t even think about—”
“My point is, he deserves to be happy, too. And I know you find it hard to believe, but I make him happy.”
“Of course. I don’t find that hard to believe. I—”
“And he makes me happy.” Jo firmed her mouth and pointed a finger in Walsh’s direction. “You will not ruin this for me with your irrational overprotectiveness. I’ve put up with your cock-blocking half my life.”
Was anyone else uncomfortable with Jo’s father hearing this? Maybe that was just Cam…
“If you think I’m going to tolerate—”
“Jo.” Cam kept his voice quiet and even, despite the battle royal of emotions warring inside. “Stop.”
Mouth still open, the next set-down stymied on her tongue, she turned to him.
“Don’t let him ruin us.” She said it so softly he wasn’t sure anyone else heard it, but tears stood in her eyes.
This was difficult for him, yes. Facing Walsh’s displeasure and her father catching them grinding on each other in the kitchen—it was uncomfortable, all of it, but she was worth it. She needed to know that.
“Hey, why don’t you go get dressed? I don’t want you to miss your pampering today. Mani-pedi,” he leaned down to whisper, letting her feel his lips curve against her ear. “The lady garden.”