Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 67492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“What are you smiling about? And, yes, I’m still going. I told you I want to be there to support you. You’ve been putting your all into this gala.”
“I’m smiling because of you,” I tell him honestly. “And if you changed your mind, I wouldn’t be upset with you.” Disappointed? Absolutely, but I wouldn’t be mad at him.
“I can be an asshole, but I wouldn’t do that to you, Blake.”
“I just wanted you to know I won’t be mad if you’ve changed your mind.”
He nuzzles his face into my neck. “You got another man you want to be on your arm tonight, baby?”
“No. Never. Just you,” I assure him. I can hear the unease in his voice, and I know the insecurities from what his ex and ex-best friend did to him are going to take some time to heal, but he’s come a long way already.
“Good.”
“Come on. I’ll take you to breakfast before I head to the manor to check on things.”
“You need me to go with you?”
“You can if you want. I’m just going to make sure maintenance set everything up as it should be.”
“Will Mason be there?” he asks.
“I’m not sure, but he is in the maintenance department.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“Are you jealous, grumpy?” I ask, rolling over to face him.
He studies me with a furrowed brow. “I guess I am.”
“Wow. I didn’t expect you to admit it.”
“I’ll never lie to you, Blake. To myself, yes, never to you.”
I want to ask him what he means by that, but we don’t have time. I really need to get my day started. “Come on. Breakfast at the diner is calling our name.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He winks. We both climb out of bed, get dressed, and handle our business in the bathroom. I don’t bother showering in case I need to jump in and help with something at the manor. I’ll do that when I come back to get ready for tonight.
When Oliver turns his SUV into the diner parking lot, I almost tell him to turn around. However, I keep my mouth shut. I’m curious how he’s going to handle what’s about to happen. He has no idea that my dad and my uncles are inside eating. At least from the trucks in the parking lot, that’s what it looks like. Oliver said he didn’t want to hide, and we haven’t, but we haven’t really made a point to meet each other's families either—not in an official capacity. He met my family at the tree lighting, but that was in passing, or so they think. He planned to be there, which makes my heart yearn for him even more.
“I’ll get your door,” he tells me.
Normally, I’d take a page out of his book and grump that I can open my own door, but today, I keep that reply locked away deep, just in case my family happens to notice us. Oliver is a good man, and I want them to see how he treats me.
“Thank you,” I say when he offers me his hand and helps me out. “I should warn you, my family is in there,” I blurt. I can’t let him go in blind.
“Okay.”
“If you want to go somewhere else, we can, but I recognize their trucks.”
“Who are we talking?”
“I’m not sure, but if I had to guess, all of my uncles and my dad. They do this sometimes, go out, just the group of guys.”
“Do you want to go somewhere else?”
This feels like a pivotal moment. “No. I’m not hiding. But I know this isn’t ever going to be a forever relationship for you, so if you want to back away now, we can go somewhere else.”
“I’m not hiding. You know that. This might not be forever, but I respect the hell out of you, Blakely Kincaid, and that includes your family. I’m not ready for our time together to end, and if that means a run-in here and there with your family or mine, then so be it. Besides, you know my parents are going to be at the gala tonight, and I’ve already met your parents, just not like this.” He looks down to where his fingers are laced through mine.
“So, we’re dating? That’s what we’re telling them, because this”—I raise our joined hands—“is going to cause questions.”
He smiles. It’s one of the ones that he only offers to me. “Yeah, baby, we’re dating. Come on. Let's get you fed.”
Hand in hand, we make our way into the diner. I don’t even pretend not to look for my family, because that would be obvious. I see them in the back corner, taking up three tables scooted together. Uncle Maverick smiles and waves, and I wave back with my free hand and lead us toward them.
I don’t bring men to meet my family. Ever. I’ve never met someone who I thought would be worth the questions or who was willing to take on the gauntlet of questions that are sure to be rapid-fire tossed their way. Not until Oliver. The worst part about all of that is that he’s not mine. Not really. Sure, he’s mine for now, but I’ll never have him forever, and there is a piece of me that’s already broken from the thought.