Series: Like Us Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 241
Estimated words: 236417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1182(@200wpm)___ 946(@250wpm)___ 788(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1182(@200wpm)___ 946(@250wpm)___ 788(@300wpm)
Donnelly thumbs his black paperclip earring, contemplating things. “He’ll get over it.”
“You think?”
“He’s not at war with Charlie. Hasn’t been for a while, and he’s got a newborn.” He looks at Cassidy again. “You can’t worry about his reaction. You just gotta do what’s best for you.” Donnelly stares deeper into me. “Be selfish for yourself, Luna Hale. It’s what I would do.”
Donnelly understands survival better than I ever likely could.
Having his vote of confidence is all I really need. “Charlie might say no,” I tell him. “I haven’t asked him yet.” I rock on my heels. “I kinda want to do it now and get it over with, but I have no clue where he is.” There isn’t enough snow to shovel off the front and back porch, so his holiday task could be anything right now.
“I got ya covered.” Donnelly clicks the mic at the collar of his button-down. “Donnelly to Oscar, where’s Charlie at?”
I’m smiling. Perks of dating a bodyguard. A bodyguard that is technically off-duty here at the lake house. It’s what I overheard Price telling him. “If you’re not with your client, you’re not on the job. You need to learn how to keep work and personal life separate,” the Alpha lead said. “There won’t be mixing bodyguard duties with your dating life. Understood?”
Donnelly agreed, but it’s not like he could say no. Now that he works for Price Kepler on Triple Shield, he has to abide by their rules.
Right now, Donnelly rolls his eyes at a response over comms. Must not be too nice.
I glare at his radio, kind of pissed they’re treating him poorly. They should be happy he’s a part of their team. He’s a spectacular bodyguard. My brother loves him.
After another long moment, Donnelly sets his attention on me. “He’s out back on the tree swing.”
Weird.
But okay.
“Thanks,” I tell him.
“Godspeed, space babe.” He gives me a perfect Vulcan salute, and my heart soars out of my body. This is my boyfriend. Did I manifest him from one of my fics?
Feels like it.
I return the Vulcan salute, on cloud nine, right before Cassidy lets out a teeny-tiny piercing wail. Donnelly and I wince in unison, and I bounce the baby, trying to calm her. “Shhh, Cass,” I whisper. “Shhh.”
She sniffs and tries to settle.
“It might be the cold,” I tell him. “Moffy said he just fed her, so I don’t think she’s hungry.” I glance at the house, then think about Charlie outside on the tree swing. Will he still be there when I return?
“I’ll take her,” Donnelly suddenly says.
“You sure?”
He’s already coming forward. “Yeah, I’m done here anyway. You go find Charlie.” Quickly, he helps me detach the sling, and he’s cradling Cassidy like a natural. No awkwardness as he tucks her against his chest. I’d think he’s held a million babies over his lifetime, but I highly doubt the number is that high.
As we depart in two different directions, I cast a quick glance back. He climbs the front porch steps, his body language at ease but his eyes seem uncertain. I have a feeling he’s not telling me everything, but I keep hope alive that we have time for these close encounters with one another. I want to discover all there is and all there ever could be about my boyfriend.
Leave no stone unturned.
17
LUNA HALE
To reach the backyard, I navigate through a gravel pad where a plethora of vehicles are parked—from expensive, fully-loaded SUVs to the practical truck and more modest sedans. I take a couple steps and hear Audrey and Kinney somewhere nearby.
“Watch his head, Kinney,” Audrey says in panic. “You’re getting too close to the Subaru.”
“They shouldn’t have parked so close to us,” Kinney grumbles. “Whose car is that anyway?”
“Uncle Stokes, I think.”
Uncle Stokes is Sam Stokes, the husband to my oldest and least famous aunt. Aunt Poppy has dodged the spotlight, and I doubt that’s changed much. From what my mom has told me, Aunt Poppy actively avoided the press and media attention. The big irony is that her daughter (my cousin Maria) became a movie star.
The Stokes don’t spend every holiday with us, but it’s not unusual for them to stop by the lake house for a few days. It’s even less unusual since we’re coming off the tail-end of a funeral. Though, I heard Maria missed it. Her flight from LAX to PHL was delayed and she’s supposed to arrive tomorrow now.
“Why is he so heavy?” Kinney huffs like she’s carrying a dead body.
I pass the blue Subaru, not seeing my sister yet. And then Kinney lets out a loud gasp.
“Oh…my…” Audrey is hyperventilating. “His head!”
I slip around a baby blue Land Rover and see Cardboard Connor’s head on the gravel.
“I didn’t do anything,” Kinney snaps and points at the car. “It was the Subaru’s sideview mirror.”