Total pages in book: 11
Estimated words: 10631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 53(@200wpm)___ 43(@250wpm)___ 35(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 10631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 53(@200wpm)___ 43(@250wpm)___ 35(@300wpm)
“I’m not upset, but I wouldn’t be if she were either.” I shrug. Elena is it for me, and having a family with her is something I can’t wait to do. So no, I wouldn’t be upset. I'd be over the fucking moon excited.
“Not upset about what?” Bee asks.
I groan. “Nothing.”
Beatrice, also known as Bee, who owns this fine establishment, turns her attention toward Tiffany. She doesn’t even have to ask. She just raises her brow, and Tiffany spills the tea.
“He said Elena’s been tired, and I asked if she was pregnant, but he said no, but he was all grumpy about it, so I asked him if he was upset that she wasn’t, and he said no, but that he also wouldn’t be mad if she were.”
Bee smiles. She parts her lips to reply, but Roni walks up, holding a vase of flowers. “What do you think?” she asks me. “Lilies are her favorite.”
“They’re perfect.”
Roni places the vase on the counter as I reach for my wallet. “Hi, Tiff.” She waves.
“Hey, Momma Roni, what’s shaking?”
“Just helping Callum spoil my baby girl.” She grins at me, and I toss a wink her way.
“Speaking of babies—” Tiffany smirks.
“What?” Roni asks, confused.
“Oh, nothing.” Tiffany laughs. “I was just messing around.”
“How much do I owe you?” I ask, hoping to change the subject.
“On the house,” Bee speaks up. “You take care of our girl.”
“My girl,” I correct with a wink and a smile. “And I insist on paying.”
“Not this time.” Bee grins, crossing her arms over her chest as if she’s beating me at her own game.
Instead of arguing, I pull a couple of twenties from my wallet and shove them into the tip jar, pick up my vase of flowers, and call out my goodbye on my way out of the door. The drive to All Smiles Dental Services, where Elena works, is a short one. It’s only two blocks away. Parking my truck, I grab the flowers I’ve been holding onto with one hand while I drive and head inside.
“Callum,” Mary Jones greets me. “Look at you. Are you asking for permission or forgiveness?” she inquires.
I laugh. “Neither. Just wanted to make her smile.”
“It worked.”
I turn my head and see Elena standing just inside the doorway to the reception office, a smile pulling at her lips as she leans against the door frame observing me.
I watch her as she slowly steps away from the door and farther into the reception area. She stops at the desk and grins at me through the opening of the window. “They’re beautiful, Cal. Thank you.”
“Do you have a minute?” I ask her.
“Sure, I’m anticipating my next patient. She called and said she was running a few minutes late.”
Mary hits the button on the door and buzzes me back. Elena is waiting for me. She smiles at the flowers in my hand and motions for me to follow her. We move back to the break room, which is thankfully empty. I place her flowers on the table and pull her into my arms. I hug her tightly, relishing the feeling of her in my arms.
“This is exactly what I needed.” Her arms wrap around my waist. “The flowers are beautiful. Thank you.”
“You can thank your mom. She put it together for me.”
“The best shop in town,” she says, leaning back and smiling up at me.
“My last appointment of the day was canceled, and I knew you had a couple more hours to go, so I wanted to see you.”
“You’re too good to me.” She rises on her toes and presses her lips to mine.
“Always,” I say breathily against her lips. She pulls away, and I grunt in protest, making her laugh. “I ran into Tiffany. She’s having another field party tomorrow night.”
“Dex is going to be livid.”
“That’s what I said. She didn’t seem too concerned.”
“Did you tell her we’d go?”
“No. I told her you wanted to relax, and she said I was hogging you.”
“I do miss her.”
“Then we’ll go.”
“I know, but we planned to just lounge all weekend.”
“We won’t stay long. We’ll go, you hang out with your bestie, and then we head back to my place and chill the rest of the weekend.”
“Deal.” She kisses me again just as the light on the wall alerts her that her next patient is ready.
“Duty calls,” she says, kissing me one more time.
“I’ll see you at home.”
“I’ll see you at your place,” Elena counters.
I grin and shake my head. I casually mentioned her moving in last weekend, and she didn’t tell me no, but she didn’t say yes, either. In her defense, she was in my arms and half asleep after I’d spent most of the night ravishing her. I make a mental note to bring it up again this weekend when she’s fully coherent.
“As I said, I’ll see you at home.” I wink, and she laughs.