Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Her eyebrows lift. “Have you ever had sex?”
My stomach drops. “With Gabe? No… never.”
She looks completely surprised. “Really? I would have thought…”
When she trails off, my mind starts going a hundred miles a minute. “You would have thought what?”
She just shrugs. “I don’t know. You guys are so good together. It’s obvious there’s something there.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, we’re best friends. That’s it. I mean, not that’s it, like it’s a bad thing but that’s it, we are not romantically involved.”
She looks like she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying. “I’m serious. Nothing has ever happened between us. I love him, he loves me but not… like that.”
I look over at Macy so I don’t have to look at Haven while I tell her that I don’t love Gabe like that. Heck, the truth is that I’ve loved Gabe like that for as long as I can remember, and that’s exactly why I can’t take him up on his offer. All my dreams would come true—well, most of them—but he’d be the one stranded with his best friend in a platonic relationship. Nope, no matter how much I want to be with Gabe, I’m not doing it.
The baby saves me from further questions when she starts to cry. Haven starts to get up, but I stop her. “Let me grab her. She’s probably hungry. I’ll bring her to you.”
Haven leans back in the couch and puts a pillow on her lap. I pick up sweet baby Macy and start cooing to her. My heart melts as her little lip puckers. “She’s even cute when she cries, Haven.”
I place her in Haven’s arms, and immediately she starts to feed.
Not wanting to stare, I lean my head back on the couch. “Anyway, I’m going to put it off for a while. I’m only thirty-three. I have time.”
“You have plenty of time,” she agrees. “You coming over for dinner tomorrow night?”
I nod. “Yeah, I’ll be here. I want you to know I think you’re amazing. I can’t believe you feel up to hosting all of us for dinner. Haven, you’re only two weeks postpartum. I would be mad at my brother for doing this to you, but I have trouble believing it was his idea.”
She laughs, and I can hear the smile on her face. “Please, King had the house cleaned. He is having the food catered in, and I have to basically do nothing. And you’re right, it was my idea. I wanted us all to get together, you know?”
I turn and lean the side of my face on the couch. I can see the top of Macy’s head, and I’m wondering if she’s already gone back to sleep. “I’m going to leave a little early tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah?” Her eyes light up, and I can’t help but laugh. “Do you have plans?”
I roll my eyes. I mean, I might as well tell her because it will make it through the rest of the family before long. “Yes, I have a date.”
Her eyes practically pop out of her head. “A date? Does Gabriel know?”
My forehead creases. “First of all, I don’t have to ask Gabe’s permission to go on a date.”
She blows a soft whistle and sounds almost aghast. “So he doesn’t know?”
I think about the conversation I had with Gabe the other day and the promises I made. “Yes. Gabe knows. I told him.”
She smiles and shifts in her seat. I lean forward. “Is she back to sleep? Am I ever going to get to hold her?”
She sits up. “She’s sleeping, but you can hold her.”
Haven places the baby in my arms, and I get lost looking at her. She’s so beautiful, and I breathe in her sweet, powdery scent. She lets out one whimper and then snuggles into me.
Haven leans in and whispers, “Don’t think you’ve distracted me. What did Gabe say when you told him?”
I act like I don’t know what she’s talking about. “Told him what?”
She makes a big to-do about rolling her eyes. “When you told him you were going on a date.”
I’m still frustrated about Gabe’s reaction. I’m not sure why he’s acting like he is. He’s always been protective of me, but it’s been different lately, and I don’t know what to make of it. “He, uh, didn’t take it well. He asked me a dozen questions. He wanted to know who the guy is, what he does, where we’re going…”
She claps her hands together without making any noise and then rambles off a bunch of questions. “Who is he? How did you meet him? Where are you going?”
“He’s a doctor at the hospital. His name is Roger Banks. I’m sure my brothers all know him because he’s from Whiskey Run. We’re going to the Whiskey Whistler for drinks…. Keeping it casual.”
She raises her eyebrows dramatically. “What did Gabe say?”