Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
“Just because I’ve got longer than I thought,” he says, nodding, “doesn’t mean we should stop savoring every moment.”
I beam, reaching over and taking his hand. “That’s exactly what I’m thinking. We can still make every second count, but I need you to know something. I’m not leaving you. I don’t care what they say.”
“Your job, Lily … It’s what you’ve always wanted.”
“If they think they can tell me how to live my life, especially based on something so stupid, they can go to hell. I’ll find another way to help people.”
“They shouldn’t have any right to tell you what to do,” he says, nodding, “but the fact is, they’ll fire you. It’s the cold, hard reality unless …”
“Unless what?” I ask.
“When does your internship end?”
I think for a moment. “Five weeks.”
He nods. “We can make that work, can’t we? For five weeks? Once they’ve given you the job, there’s no damn way they can fire you for finding a husband.”
When I gasp and he looks at me, I can tell he doesn’t realize what he’s just said. Maybe he meant to say boyfriend, but it just slipped out.
“What?” he asks, then, thankfully, turns back to the road.
“Nothing,” I tell him. “I’m just so happy, Landon. All this time, I thought we had an expiration date.”
“Our only expiration date is forever,” he says intensely. “That’s the only time frame I care about with you.”
As we drive—in that comfortable silence that feels oh-so-natural—I think about what he said, realizing he’s right. If he and I are married, there’s no way work can fire me. Maybe they can try to find some other excuse, but if I perform my job impeccably without giving them any reason to fault me, how can they?
It’s still a risk. But when I see that happy-to-be-alive look on my man’s face, I know the risk will be worth it. If he didn’t misspeak, that is. Is thinking of marriage this soon crazy? I almost laugh at the question. All of this is crazy. Trying to single out one thing makes no sense.
Reaching over, I place my hand on his arm.
“I love you,” he says.
“I’ll never tire of hearing that.”
He smiles. “That’s good. It means you won’t go nuts when you hear it about a million more times.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
LANDON
It’s Sunday evening, and I’ve just gotten off the phone with Lex. Apparently, in-fighting started in the Irish mob after Damon’s death, which is officially a “disappearance.” “The cartel is backing off,” Lex told me. “I’ve got reliable sources who informed me they want no part in this mess. You did well, Landon. You saved a big part of this city. Nobody will ever know it, but you should be proud.”
“I’m just glad those kids are going to be safe.”
“Those and many, many more because of you.”
I hang up, waiting for Lily to return from the bathroom. My heart is pounding. I almost thought I slipped up when I said husband in the car after the doctor’s appointment. She gasped but then played it off.
My phone rings again. It’s a number I don’t recognize. Dammit, is it them? Isn’t this over yet?
I answer quickly. “Yeah?” I grunt.
“It’s Carter Weston,” he says. “Is this Landon?”
“Uh … yeah,” I reply. “I won’t ask how you got this number.”
“I’ve got my ways. I wanted to call because I know you had something to do with the mob backing off The Row.”
“Where did you hear that?” I snap.
“It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. You were working on that case, and suddenly, the bar is shut down—no more mobsters. I got a call from one of the parents today, thanking me like I did something, but it was you, wasn’t it?”
“I can’t comment on that, Carter.”
“This is tough to say, but I need you to know I’m sorry. I know we’ve had our differences. I heard how grateful that parent was, and I spoke to her kid, too. Grace, I think you’ve met her?”
“What did she say?” I ask, imagining everything she could tell him if she wanted. She knows how involved I was.
“Enough for me to be making this call,” he says. “I don’t know if Lily told you, but I warned her to avoid you. I told her it could cost her the job here.”
“She said,” I snap.
“That’s over. I’ve killed it. Grace was crying on the phone—a little girl crying happy tears, telling me you were her savior. You’re all right, Landon.”
He hangs up, leaving me with a stunned smile on my face. Lily approaches the table, looking gorgeous in her stunning dress, the cut showing her legs and cleavage. Even secreted away in this quiet corner of this quiet restaurant twenty miles outside the city—so we don’t get spotted—she looks like she belongs on a red carpet.
“Is something wrong?” she asks.