Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 16214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 81(@200wpm)___ 65(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 81(@200wpm)___ 65(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
“No,” I answer simply. “As a matter of fact, is there somewhere I can drop you on our way to my grandfathers?” Is it crazy that a part of me wants him to say yes, but the rest of me wants him with me on this journey, even though I am not willing to share it with him right now?
“Nice try, Peaches. I am going nowhere until we talk. Like really talk.” Dang it. Yay! See what I mean? I can’t decide.
“Well, a girl has to give it a shot, right?” I ask, shrugging my shoulders. I am so smirking on the inside only because I know how much he hates it when I tell him no. Well, get used to it, buddy. God, we can’t get out of this car fast enough.
CHAPTER
EIGHT
JOSHUA
We get to Wyoming and the sprawling ranch is about an hour in. Junie jumps out of the truck as soon as March comes to a complete stop. The front door of the ranch house opens, and an old man steps out onto the porch. Junie is up in his arms so damn fast you’d think she was getting a gold medal.
“Hey, Gramps,” March says, giving him a hug once he lets Junie go. Junie has run into the house and is already on the couch watching the big screen TV.
“Hi, baby. How is the daddy search going?” he asks, and that gives me pause. She doesn’t know who the daddy is? Is that what she’s doing? Going to random men’s houses and asking them if they are the father? “Is this him?” He points at me. What the fucking fuck is going on? My mind can’t deal with the thought of there being so many baby daddy options that she has no idea who it is.
“Gramps, please,” she says, turning red. Is he asking if I’m Junie’s daddy? “Don’t start. Here’s Junie’s bag. I’ll put her booster seat in your truck. I’ll be back in a few weeks.” She sets Junie’s bag down inside the door and kisses his cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you too, girlie. Are you going to introduce me?”
“No,” she says, sullenly. God, why is she so fucking sexy when she pouts? Ah, fuck it, she’s sexy when she breathes.
“I’m Joshua Kingsley, sir.”
“Robert Graham.” We shake hands.
“I should go.”
“Are you sure I can’t tempt you two with some chili? I’ve been making it all day.”
“The three-alarm chili?” March asks, excitedly.
“Hell, yeah. Come on. It’s ready now. Both of you. Shoes off. You know the drill.”
I follow the pair inside and kick my shoes off. The ranch looks exactly like I imagine it to be. It looks like it’s straight out of a magazine. Everything is perfect. Nothing is out of place, but I imagine that five-year-old can do a lot of damage rather quickly.
We sit down at a large dining room table, and a matronly housekeeper named Diane serves us chili, cornbread, and sweet tea.
Two hours later, March is ready to go. “We’ve got to get going,”
“Of course. Be safe out there.”
“We will be,” I assure him, shaking his hand. I have so many questions about why she’s doing this, but whatever her reasons, I can keep her safe in the process.
“Junie, I’m leaving.” March kneels down and opens her arms.
“Bye, Mommy,” she says, running over and hugging her tightly. Junie moves over to me. “Bye, Josh.”
“Bye, Junie. It was nice to meet you.”
“You too.” She’s off playing before the last word is out. I chuckle. “She’s going to be a handful.”
“She’s already a handful,” March says.
She hugs her grandfather again, and we head outside. She moves the booster seat to his truck and then yawns. I can tell she’s exhausted.
“Let me drive, Peaches,” I say, extending my hands for the keys. She thinks about if for a second and then hands over the keys. I open the door for her. “Your chariot awaits, my passenger princess.”
“Don’t go being all charming, Josh. I don’t have time for all that.”
“There’s always time for that, babe.” I shut the door and move to get in. I start the truck and put it in drive. “Now, where are we going?”
“A hotel.”
“I’m gonna need a bit more information than that,” I say chuckling.
“Missoula, Montana,” she says, yawning again.
“You rest now, Peaches. I’ll get you there.”
CHAPTER
NINE
MARCH
God, I am exhausted. I think of pulling when I feel some arms pull me from my sleep. “Come on, Peaches.” All I want to do is snuggle into that voice that is familiar and warm, like home. I feel myself moving, but right now, all I want to do is keep my eyes closed and be…wait a minute.
My eyes pop open, and I take a second to look around before I realize we are in a hotel room; my bags are on the floor, and I am in his arms. I wiggle and try to get him to let me down. “Okay, well, thank you for getting me to my room.” I attempt to move once again, but his grip on me only tightens. “Uh, Josh, can I get down now?” I glance up to look at his eyes and the heat that I remember fondly is there but then blanketed by anger.