Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 31077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
He finishes my thought perfectly. “Everything finally clicked. All the things you went through. They were making you into the man you needed to be for her.”
I nod, not surprised he understands. I’ve spent decades questioning why. Why were my brothers and I born to abusive parents? Why did we have to go into the foster system? Why did we have to hurt so much?
“I’m going to marry her.”
Walt picks up his knife and cuts into his steak. “You’re not here for a blessing. This is a warning. You’re taking her.”
I don’t deny it. I respect Walt too much to lie to him.
He chuckles. “She won’t fall easy.”
I know that too. She wants to fall but something is holding her back. I saw it tonight on the porch. Demons from her past haunt my girl. Well, she no longer battles them alone. Now she has a warrior beside her who will fight with her and for her.
He stops cutting his food and sets down his silverware. “I have terms.”
He has no say over what happens to Lizzy. She’s a grown woman, not property we can bargain over. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’d be smart to have Walt as my ally while I win over Lizzy’s heart. “Let me hear them.”
“I want to give her away. You kids want to elope, fine. I won’t stand in the way if she calls and wants to marry you right now. But I never got to give away my daughter. I’m not missing the chance to walk my granddaughter down the aisle.” He pauses there, his throat working.
His daughter was a drug addict who ran away from home. Despite years spent searching, he couldn’t find her. Around five years ago, I convinced him to submit his DNA to one of those websites that helps families reconnect. We both agreed that it was probably a long shot. Then one day, Lizzy was reaching out to her grandfather. Funny how helping Walt led me to find my soulmate.
His request is easy to grant. I don’t care when or where I marry Lizzy. As long as I get to slide a ring on her finger, I’ll be a happy man. “Done.”
Walt composes himself and continues, “And she works at the bookstore. As long as she wants. She gets to do whatever she wants.”
I couldn’t imagine pulling her away from the bookstore. I know from her social media that books are her passion. Just like they are for me. “I don’t want to clip her wings. Just want to watch her soar.”
He nods. “Final condition. A four-kid minimum on the great grands. I want plenty of them to spoil.”
I can’t keep the smirk from my face. I already look forward to seeing my girl’s soft belly round and knowing it’s because she’s carrying my kid. “I’m way ahead of you on that.”
Before he can answer, his phone rings. He picks it up with a frown. He flashes it at me, so I can see that Lizzy is calling. The fear is evident in his tone. “Yeah, oh, Sadie? Is my girl OK?”
I can’t imagine the pain Walt has lived through. He spent so long searching only to discover years after the fact that his daughter eventually overdosed.
“She’s tipsy? No, you did the right thing calling. I’ll be there to pick her up as soon as I can.”
As he’s ending the call, I push to my feet. “She’s yours, but she’s mine too. I look after what’s mine.”
Lizzy
“Noah Maple is the prettiest cowboy I’ve ever seen,” I tell Sadie while we’re in the kitchen of her donut shop. It’s the coziest in here, and I feel safe with her.
“Aww, darling, that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Noah says from his place in the kitchen doorway.
I gasp. Now, he knows. He knows he’s the prettiest, and I’m a little bit smitten because he’s nice and smells good too. “Oops, I think I just spilled the beans.”
Sadie nods, looking sympathetic. “I think so too.”
“Is she ready?” Noah looks at Sadie.
“I’ll walk you two out,” she says when I try to hop off the counter and it goes all tilty on me again.
“You have dreadful floors,” I tell her as she clutches one of my arms.
“They’ll be magically fixed by tomorrow morning,” she promises as I lean on her. She helps with the tilting.
Noah holds open the bakery door then opens the passenger door of his truck. “In you go, sweetheart.”
“I’m not getting in your truck!” I protest.
His full lips twitch like he thinks this is the perfect time to smile. It is not. It is the perfect time to be serious. “Your grandfather is worried about you.”
I look to Sadie and explain what this is. “I know how babies are made. It can happen in there!”