Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
The guys crash in through the door, rambunctious and loud enough to wake the dead three counties over. All three are soaking wet. Their hearty laughter is contagious, though, as Lark shuffles them toward the stairs and sends them up to get dressed. “I feel like we’re about to get in trouble for waking the parents.”
Marina says, “One more thing. When he asks you to marry him, I hope you say yes. You’re the perfect addition to our family.”
The spatula falls from my hand as my heart kicks into high gear. “Oh my God, do you know something?”
Horror creases her expression. “No. No. No. I don’t know anything. I just know how much he loves you.”
“Oh,” I reply with relief. “Okay.” I catch my breath. “That caught me off guard.”
Marina is laughing, but she comes to hug me. “Sorry. It was just me being selfish. I adore you.”
Tuesday asks, “What about you joining the Formula 1 team? Any interest, Marina?”
“I don’t think they could handle me.” She’s still laughing when Noah crosses through the living room.
Pulling out a barstool, he asks, “What can I help with?”
Loch isn’t far behind. When Tuesday sees him, she asks, “Did you know that Alison eloped three months ago?”
“Who’s Alison?” I ask.
The room goes quiet, and all eyes are on me and Noah, but he’s suddenly very interested in the veining of the marble countertop. Ah . . . An ex? A hookup? A friends-with-benefits type of relationship?
I don’t care. I’m not threatened. This man would lasso the moon if he knew it would make me happy, so I have no intention of making this a thing between us.
Tuesday replies, “My best friend. She’s been living in paradise and, I guess, has been a newlywed this whole time.”
Why create upset when there doesn’t need to be any?
I stack the finished pancakes on a platter and work on the next batch. As soon as they’re cooking, I go to my man, rub his shoulders, and then kiss his back. Spinning around on the stool, he takes hold of my hips. “Do you want to talk about it?”
While the others busy themselves with things to do in the kitchen, I focus on him. “Four or five months ago, maybe. Now, I have no interest.”
He smiles before tucking hair behind my ear. “We’ve both come a long way, babe.”
“We sure have, and I couldn’t be happier.” Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kiss him. No surprise, it quickly turns heated. The spatula is pulled from my hand, and Loch mans the stove by tossing burnt pancakes into the sink.
I say, “Sorry.” But it’s hard to be sorry when kissing him is so much better than cooking.
Noah stands and tosses me over his shoulder under a fit of laughter he’s elicited from me. “I’m not.” He waves. “Good night!”
Giggling, I slap his ass. “I was hungry.”
“I am, too, sweetheart. Starving. That’s why we’re heading to the bedroom.”
Ohhh! My appetite grows. I’m now famished and not for pancakes.
He joked that he wanted seven figures and a stake in the team prior to starting, but Harbor didn’t blink an eye. I don’t even know how to process that information.
I just know he’s been working for months now, building the marketing team, making connections with sponsors, and putting together the blitz material for the reveal of the team drivers and the first car off production for next season.
After consulting for a few months on corporate accounting, I took a chance and applied to the team under a pseudonym. I made it through three rounds of interviews before I ended up on a zoom with Noah. I recognized the pride in his eyes as he discussed that I’d been winning HR over, and he was looking forward to meeting me. They like my ambition and enthusiasm.
As for him, he took it seriously and interviewed. I was upfront that I have a family I have every intention of expanding and am currently only looking at the part-time position they have listed. I sealed the deal that day. I now work twenty hours a week, currently out of Manhattan. But based on the email I just received, that could soon change. I jump up from the dining chair. “We got it.”
“We got what?” He glances up from his laptop but looks back to finish typing.
“The property in Beacon. Oh my God, Noah. We got it.”
That grabs his attention. His eyes widen in surprise when he asks, “We got it? We got it!” He launches from his chair and kisses me. I’m lifted, and we’re turning as our lips stay connected. The spinning slows, and he carefully sets me down again. The reality of what this means for our family sinks in by the change in his expression and the ease I see in his body. “We’re going to build our dream home.”