Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
My dad will not shut up about you.
Haha. What’s he saying?
Just going on about how sweet you are, how pretty you are, how lucky it was that you showed up when you did. Basically he’s in love.
It’s mutual.
He told me I should take you out to a fancy restaurant while the kids are gone.
Oh really? And what did you say?
I told him I was already fucking you at home for free.
JERK.
Kidding. If you’d like to go out, we can. I just like being alone with you. I don’t want to share.
I also don’t want people talking.
It’s fine. I don’t need fancy restaurants. What I need are clothes. Any suggestions?
Lots of skimpy things. Maybe something see-through. Or those panties without a crotch. Might be tough to find in Cherry Tree Harbor.
That’s not what I meant. What SHOPS should I go to? I want to buy local.
Oh. I have no idea. Ask Mabel?
Good idea.
I didn’t expect Mabel to answer, so I was surprised when she picked up. “Hey, Veronica!”
“Hi!”
“I was just thinking about you. How are things going?”
“Great,” I told her. “Really great. How’s the dig?”
“Fantastic,” she bubbled. “Are the kids in California?”
“Yes. They left on Saturday.”
“Has my brother been a bear ever since? He’s extra hard to live with when he’s away from them.”
“He’s been okay,” I said casually, although extra hard was accurate too, just not in the way she meant.
“So you’re getting along?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Austin can come off prickly, but once you get to know him, he really is sweet. He’d do anything for people he cares about.”
“I can see that about him.”
“I don’t know how much he’s told you, but he practically raised me and my brothers.”
“He’s told me a little,” I said. “Sounds like he had to grow up fast after your mom died.”
“Totally. Austin basically took over as a second parent back then, because my dad had to work so much to support us all. But my dad sort of returned the favor when the twins arrived.”
“That’s what it sounds like. I know you guys have been through some really hard times, but it’s nice how close you all are.”
“It is,” Mabel said, emotion in her voice. “And Austin has been so strong and so supportive of every single one of us. I hope one day he does something for himself.”
“Me too. I was asking him about starting his own furniture business.”
“Good luck. I’m always on him about that, but he thinks my dad would be upset.”
“Would he?”
“I mean, maybe. But he’s a grown man. And he’s a great father. I think he’d want to know Austin’s true feelings.” She sighed. “But my brother is not good at sharing his true feelings, which is probably why he’s still single.”
“He mentioned he doesn’t date.”
“Nope, the man lives like a monk.”
Not this week, I thought.
“He says he doesn’t have the time,” Mabel went on, “and it’s true he doesn’t have much to spare. But sometimes I think that’s just an excuse.”
“An excuse for what?”
“He would never admit this, but I think he avoids relationships so he won’t have to be real with someone.”
“Maybe,” I said, thinking that he’d actually been fairly real with me. “Has he always been that way?”
“As far as I can remember. Xander told me that even when our mom died, Austin never broke down. Ever. Our dad even told the boys it was okay to cry, but Austin refused.”
A lump was swelling in my throat as I pictured a twelve-year-old boy with dark hair and big brown eyes holding his sadness inside because he didn’t want anyone to see it. Did he feel like he’d have been letting someone down? His dad? His mom? Himself? “That hurts my heart,” I said to Mabel.
“I know. Mine too.” She exhaled. “And what sucks is that Austin would be a great boyfriend or husband, you know? He’s so giving. And when he lets himself relax, he’s a lot of fun.”
Can confirm, I thought.
“But no woman I know wants to be with someone who keeps his feelings under lock and key.”
“He does seem to keep some things bottled up,” I said, recalling his words. Certain emotions are kind of pointless. “But once he warms up to you, he lets down his guard. I’ve seen it.”
“See if you can get him to leave the house,” Mabel encouraged with a laugh. “Take him on a play date. Go to dinner at The Pier Inn. It’s my favorite restaurant in town. The food is great, and the view is amazing.”
“I’ll try,” I said. “I was actually calling to see if you had any suggestions about where to go for some cute clothes. I can order some things online, but I’d like to shop local too.”
She named several stores she liked in town, and I made notes in my phone. “Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate it.”