Total pages in book: 224
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
I turn and walk into the bedroom and sit on the bed. Reid joins me, showing silent support as he settles on one knee in front of me, his presence my pillar as I prod my father. “Thank you for reading it. What did you think of it?”
“You really love him that much?”
“Yes," I say, and this time my voice cracks. "I really do.”
“I hate his father.”
“I know, but it’s too much hate for too long. Let it go.”
Reid’s hands settle on my legs and one of mine goes to his. Silence fills the line, long seconds passing, eternal seconds before my father says, “I love you,” he says. “I really do love you, Carrie. Let me talk to Reid. Put him on speaker.”
“Okay.” I cover the speaker and whisper, “He wants to talk to you.”
“Put him on,” Reid says with no hesitation.
I hit the button. “You’re on speaker, dad.”
“Reid?” he growls.
“Yes, Mr. West?”
“Do not hurt my daughter or I will hurt you.”
Reid's eyes meet mine. “I will protect her with my life.” He speaks those words with deep, guttural emotion.
“You damn sure better, and that means protecting her from everyone and everything, including from your father.”
“I will. Always. I love her as completely as any man can love a woman.”
He lifts my hand and kisses it and my heart squeezes with the love in his eyes to match his words.
“I’ll test you on that,” my father promises.
“As long as you don’t hurt Carrie in the process the way you have recently, then I can live with that."
"Pick up, Carrie," my father orders.
I hit the speaker button. “I'm here," I say.
"Congratulations," he replies. "Be happy. Come to Montana and bring that asshole with you. For the wedding, my wedding. And maybe you can invite me to yours.”
My eyes prickle. “Yes, I’d like that.”
“Good. Call me soon.” He hangs up and I throw my arms around Reid. He stands up and takes me with him, lifting me off the ground to hold me before he sets me down.
“How did that happen?” he asks.
“I wrote him a long email while drinking that coffee you had sent up. Really long. I was riding the caffeine and time change.”
“It must have been one hell of an email.”
“What about your father, though?”
“Half of our problems just went away. Let’s celebrate that right now.” He cups my face. “Let’s plan our wedding.”
“Yes,” I say, smiling. “Let’s plan our wedding.” And for now, we don’t think about his father, the one who might have killed someone. The one who might kill again.
Chapter seventy-eight
Carrie
I’m feeling pretty darn good about everything when Reid and I leave for our meetings. I’m in my lucky pink suit. Reid is looking like pure hot man in a gray suit with a navy pinstripe. The drama with my father is done, I believe that, and so does Reid. We’ve just climbed into our hired car when my phone rings.
I fish it from my purse, to glance at the number. “My brother,” I tell Reid and then answer, “Anthony.”
“You’re really marrying him, are you?”
“That’s not a real question, right?”
“Fuck,” he grumbles. “Well, he’s rich. At least you got that right. Good luck and all that. I’ll get over hating him and congratulate you when I can be genuine.”
“Well,” I say. “At least, I appreciate the fact that we’re skipping the fake stuff.”
“I love you even if you don’t think I do. Call me if you need me.”
“Will you answer?”
“Yes, sis. I’ll answer. Let’s get together before you leave.”
“No,” I say. “I don’t want to force you to fake anything. Let’s just agree to meet up next time.”
He’s silent two beats. “Okay. Later, sis.” He disconnects.
Reid arches a brow as I stuff my phone back into my purse. “Well?”
“He said at least you’re rich. I got that right.”
Reid laughs. “That is true, baby.” He pulls me close and presses his cheek to mine, his lips by my ear as he whispers, “But you’re marrying me for my tongue, right?”
I gasp as if I’m not used to this man and his naughty talk and he laughs again. God, I love his laugh. I love him. I love his tongue. Today is a good day and this is a good life. That’s how I’m feeling when we walk into day one of our meetings.
Hour upon hour that follow, Reid and I slay everything we touch and prove that we’re a great team. We end the day the way it started, in bed with Reid curled around me. I lay there with only the tiniest hint of worry. “Did you tell your father that my father has thrown us his support?” I murmur.
“It’s better if my father thinks this wedding is torture for your father, at least for now.” Because his father enjoys my father’s pain. It’s not a good thought.