Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
“No, I wanted to talk to you about something else. I went by the bookstore,” he said, settling down and leaving room for her. “You’ve been in a couple of times this week.”
She had a small staff who worked the retail portion of the business. Her shop was within walking distance of the fort, with beautiful views of the marina and all the boats coming in and out of the bay. She loved walking down the winding path to the marina, the sun on her face and the wind in her hair. Only one other place in the world had ever called to her like this one, and she would never see Bliss, Colorado, again.
But she had her bookshop, and her son was thriving. She oddly didn’t miss the adrenaline of working as an operative. Now she used her investigative skills tracking down books. She’d gotten damn good at being the last one standing when a particularly old text went to auction. She’d often tangled with some dude who owned a store in Copenhagen, but she usually came out on top.
“I went in because Anna was sick, and I didn’t want to have to close up,” she admitted. “It was a cruise ship day and you know how the tourists love the front of the shop.”
The front of the shop was filled with touristy knickknacks and postcards and books about Malta and the Knights. And Roman’s favorite part of the shop—the chest she kept filled with sodas and water and ice cream treats for hot days.
“I had some time to kill before I picked up Roman,” Ezra said. “I went by the shop to grab a water and Anna told me a man came in and asked about you.”
A chill went up her spine. “He asked for me by name? My real name?”
Naturally the shop was held in a corporate name that she was fairly certain couldn’t be traced back to her. Even her employees didn’t know her real last name.
“No, he asked about the tall blonde.”
She breathed a sigh of pure relief. “Good. I’m sure it’s nothing. Like I said, I went in last week for a few hours and talked to some of the customers. A couple of the guys hit on me. It’s kind of nice to know I still have it.”
Ezra’s eyes rolled. “You’re a gorgeous woman and you know it. If you weren’t so cautious, you could have had many relationships by now.”
“I have the only one I need,” she replied with a sense of satisfaction.
“You’re not just a mother. You’re going to need more.”
“Oh, you thought I meant Roman. No. I was talking about my body wand,” she replied with a grin. “I’ve got a great relationship with that. Give me a glass of wine and that wand and I’m in for a good night.”
Ezra’s head dropped back and he groaned. “I do not need to hear about that.”
She enjoyed teasing her brother-in-law. She still thought of him that way. But she sobered slightly. “Do you miss it?”
“Sex?” Ezra sighed and sat back. “Sometimes. But what I do now fills me in a way sex never could. I know you worry I’m punishing myself or doing some sort of penance for my crimes, but I’m more settled than I’ve ever been. We make choices in our life and I’m content with this one. You sending me to your uncle saved my life.”
And ruined a part of hers, but she’d come to peace with that. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. I wouldn’t worry about the man at the shop, but I can go through the CCTV feed tomorrow. I’m going in to inspect a couple of books that came in this afternoon. Anna said this was yesterday?”
“Earlier today. I would feel better if you did. I don’t know. I’ve been feeling antsy lately.”
She cocked a brow his way because he should know why. The anniversary of his “death” was rapidly approaching. It was the one time she worried that he might fall back into his old habits. She always made sure she spent time with him during this week.
“It’s not about that,” Ezra countered. “Or maybe it is. I’m feeling guilty. I should never have brought you into this. It should have been between me and my brother.”
She reached out and took his hand. He and her uncle had been a good family for her. Ezra had become her closest friend, the brother she’d never had. It had been Ezra’s hand in hers when she’d given birth to Roman. “You had your reasons and honestly, I think it would have been one thing or another between me and Beck. We weren’t meant to be.”
“I don’t know about that. When you were with him you glowed.”
“And I don’t now?”
He smiled, a wistful expression. “You know you do. You glow every time you look at Roman. You glow when you’re in love.”