Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
“My mother was a nurse, as was her mom. It was something my mother and father both wanted me to do. So, I did it.”
“Did you not want to be a nurse?” I asked as I slid off of Pogo and helped her down once more.
“Yes, I wanted to be a nurse.”
I gave her a look that said I knew she was lying through her teeth.
With a laugh, she looked up at me, her head tilted and an adorable smirk on her face. “Was it that obvious of a lie?”
Motioning for her to head up the small set of steps to the cabin porch, I replied, “Yes. Although it wasn’t how you answered, it was in your eyes.”
“In my eyes?” she asked.
Before I opened the door, we faced each other. Her eyes moved quickly as she studied every inch of my face while I stared at her. One thing was for sure, there were gold specks in those eyes that seemed to light up only when she was happy. I liked that about her. Her eyes told their own story. “Yes, in your eyes. You can read a lot about a person when you learn to read their eyes.”
“Is this something you learned on the rodeo circuit to pick up women?” she asked with laughter in her voice.
“No, my granddaddy used to take us fishing up in the mountains at a lake called Hidden Pines. It’s a magical place, just ask Ty and Kaylee. They exchanged wedding vows up there. Their first exchange of vows, that is.”
Her brows rose in surprise.
“My brothers and I loved the time we got to spend with him. He would always give us some worldly advice, and once he told us you can tell a person’s truths by watching their eyes. When I asked you about nursing, you spoke in a cool, easy tone. Almost like it was rehearsed. But your eyes said something different. They disagreed with you, told a different story.”
Timberlynn gazed up at me with an expression I wasn’t able to read. I wanted desperately to cup her face with my hands and tell her that no matter what she wanted to say or not say, I didn’t care. I simply wanted to be near her, and she could hide whatever she wanted to.
A laugh tumbled out of her lips, and she rolled her eyes. “Okay, never had a guy try to use that approach on me before. Good try, cowboy.” She patted me on the chest, then reached for the door to open it. When she walked past me, I had to fight the urge to grab her and kiss her senseless. I wanted to know every single thing about Timberlynn Holden, but it was clear I would have to work a lot harder for it than I thought.
“Right on time, kids!”
I stopped when I saw my mother standing at the table in the small cabin. I should have known when she said she’d help me with the food that she’d stick her nose in my plan.
“What are you doing here, Mama? I thought Greg or Jimmy was bringing up the food for us.”
“They both needed to run into town to pick up some fencing supplies for your daddy, so I offered to bring it up.”
Timberlynn walked up to the spread of food and moaned. “Oh my gosh, this looks so good! I’m starving!”
My mother stood a little taller and smiled proudly.
So that’s where Blayze gets that from.
“I made my famous chicken salad and put it on homemade rye bread. I noticed neither of you ate breakfast this morning, so I was sure you’d both be hungry and wouldn’t mind an early lunch. I’ve got a fruit salad here with some dip.”
Timberlynn took a strawberry, dunked it into the white creamy dip, and then closed her eyes and let out another moan. “That is so good.”
“It’s our mama’s secret weapon,” I said as I took off my cowboy hat and set it down on the table by the door.
“Cream cheese mixed with marshmallow fluff,” my mother said with a wicked grin.
Timberlynn’s eyes widened in pure delight. “I could eat the whole bowl.”
I laughed. “You wouldn’t be the first.”
With a grin, Mom started to pack up a few things. “About six years ago we were hosting a huge Christmas Eve party for the ranch hands and some friends of ours. I made two batches of that dip. Two very large batches. When it came time to set out the food, it was nowhere to be found. I asked all the boys if they knew what happened to it, and all four of them claimed to have no idea. Two weeks later, I was in the barn when I stumbled upon the two bowls I had used for the dip. Licked completely clean.”
Timberlynn smiled wide and looked at me.