Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Who’s that there in the Vols shirt?” her dad asks, and I look from the TV to her. I make an uh-oh face, but she doesn’t seem worried at all. “Is that Troy? I thought he was a Virginia fan.”
“He wouldn’t even wear a shirt for you?”
She gives me a pointed look and doesn’t answer me. “No, Dad. It’s not Troy.” Her eyes cut to mine again as a slow smirk comes over her face. “Wanna meet my boyfriend?”
Warm spreads across my chest as she holds out her hand to me, and of course, I go to her. I might be a fool, but I hope that isn’t the case. Before I can reach her, though, her dad says, “I thought I did. Goofy ginger dude who doesn’t know good college football?” I snort at that as I take her hand, and her dad says, “That’s not the goofy dude.”
She threads her fingers through mine. “Nope. This is D’Artagnan Miklas.”
I look at the screen and see a huge, burly guy with a long beard and a UT cap on his head. He looks me over, and I say, “Nice to meet you, sir. My friends call me Dart.”
All of a sudden, a woman is in his lap. “Damn, darling! You got my balls!”
“Mom!” Tennessee cries, but her mom steadies the phone, and the little smirk that Tennessee gives me is on her face. “What are you doing?”
Her mom is trying to hold in her laughter. “So, um, this all changed very quickly. You’ve been there not even a week, Tennessee Lynn.”
I chuckle as Tennessee turns bright red. “Yes, ma’am. And wasn’t it you who told me to talk to him?”
Her dad’s brows come together as I say, “Thank you for that. It obviously worked out for us.”
“Obviously.”
Then her dad lets out a loud whoop, “Hold up! Is this him?” he draws out, and more color fills Tennessee’s face. “The guy,” he says, making the word longer than it is, “from Nashville?”
“Momma, you told him!”
Her mom makes a face. “Yes, but only because Daddy has been bitching that Troy is trash. And I knew he’d be gone the moment you saw Dart.”
“Wait, what did she tell him?” I ask, and Tennessee raises her brows at me.
“About how you two met,” her dad sings. “I should kick your ass.”
I press my lips together. “For buying her tequila shots at ten a.m.?”
Tennessee sputters with laughter, as does her mom. “Among other things,” he says, giving us a look that tells me he knows we spent the night together.
“Wow. This is embarrassing,” I mutter, looking away, and Tennessee just gawks at her mom. I clear my throat. “So, in my defense, it’s all her fault. And then she ghosted me.”
She smacks me, and I laugh along with her parents. I catch her hands, laughing as I bring her in, wrapping them around her back as I walk her out of view. “Thanks,” she says through gritted teeth.
I grin down at her, kissing her nose. “Am I lying?”
“Yes. You came on to me.”
I laugh at that. “Who was in whose bed?”
“D’Artagnan,” she warns, and I can’t help but kiss her nose once more.
“You’re super-hot when you’re having a fit,” I tease in my best country drawl.
She isn’t impressed. “I’mma beat you seven ways to Sunday!” she warns, and I laugh as she drags me back into the view of the camera.
“Tennessee Lynn, I haven’t seen you smile like that in years,” her mom says, and I cuddle my girl into my chest as that fills me with pride.
’Cause I know I make her happy.
“Neither have I,” her dad says, “Listen, I want y’all to come up for a game. Just let me know when, and I’ll make sure we have our box.”
Tennessee lays her hand on my chest. “Daddy, Dart plays professional hockey. I don’t know if he’ll have time.”
“We can look at my schedule,” I tell her. “I’d love to come out.”
She looks up at me with appreciation. “Really?”
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I?”
“You travel a lot, though,” she says, and I can tell she’s not the happiest about it.
“Yeah. But I’ll do more if I’m going with you.”
“Great!” her mom says. “Get us a date. ’Cause, boy, you look good in orange!”
“Mom, are you hitting on my boyfriend?” I laugh along with her parents as Tennessee adds, “But yeah, he does look mighty fine in orange.”
I kiss her temple, unable to resist, as her mom says, “So, is Troy still gonna live there?”
I drag my lips from Tennessee’s head. “I’m sorry?”
“Yeah. But I’m not the least bit worried about him.”
“He lives here?” I ask, and she laughs as she shakes her head.
“No, in the building. His unit is upstairs.”
I really don’t fucking like that.
“Which, by the look on your face, you may have an issue with,” she says, working her lip.