Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
For the first time since I mentioned it to him, he looks skeptical. “Mom, please, even if Jeremy says no, we both know you’re still going to do it.”
I put my hand on his shoulder. My son knows me well. “Well, it’s for me to decide. So let’s keep this between us for now, you got me?”
“I got you.”
As soon as we’re inside, he races off, and I holler behind him. “Where are you going?”
“To pack,” he screams from the other side of the house.
Well, at least one of us is excited. I’m feeling a lot of things. Challenged, nervous, overwhelmed, and a little up in my feels about this.
I drop my purse and head straight for the kitchen. After preheating the oven, I pop in the lasagna I premade this morning to heat up.
When the doorbell rings, I make my way to the door and open it. I’m not sure what I expect. A hello kiss? A compliment? Maybe him saying he missed me? But Jeremy just nods at me. “Catherine.”
I move to the side to let him in as I say his name. “Jeremy.”
I close the door and walk into the kitchen. “I have lasagna in the oven. I’m going to throw together a salad. Do you want to keep me company while I get dinner ready?”
He nods and takes a seat at the table. He sits stiffly, his back ramrod straight while he pushes his glasses up the bridge of this nose.
I grab all the contents to make a salad and set them on the counter. “So how was work today?”
He goes on about spreadsheets and the state of the financial market, and I try to pay attention as he talks. Normally, I’m intrigued by what he says because who doesn’t love a good spreadsheet? But today, I’m a little preoccupied.
I wait for him to ask me about work, and when he does, I figure it’s as good of an opening as I’m going to get. “I actually had an opportunity presented to me, but I thought I should talk to you before I took it.”
He doesn’t ask any questions, just waits patiently for me to continue. I go over to the table and sit next to him. “A professional baseball player was injured and needs therapy. It’s an in-house position, and I would be working with him for the next two months.”
I’m holding my breath, waiting for him to respond. I’m not sure what I expect. Is he going to be mad? Is he going to tell me I shouldn’t do it? Or maybe ask me not to?
He blinks at me. “And will you be compensated for your overtime?”
I sit back, a little deflated. “Yeah, I’ll be paid for overtime, and there is a bonus that I’ll be receiving also.”
He nods once, with no emotion on his face. “You should do it.”
“Oh,” I say as I get up and go back to cutting up vegetables. “Yeah, well, I plan to, but just thought I should mention it to you. I wasn’t sure what you’d think about Cole and me staying at his house. I just didn’t want you to hear it from someone else.”
He nods his head and starts talking about his appointments for the rest of the week. While he talks, I can’t help but feel a little defeated. I’m not sure what I was hoping for. Of course, I wouldn’t want him to tell me not to do it, but it would be nice if he at least had some emotion about it. I want him to feel some passion toward me. There aren’t a lot of men I know that would be okay with the woman they're dating staying with another man. I don’t want someone bossy that tries to tell me what to do, but maybe a little possessive and protective. He didn’t even ask Holden’s name. All he was worried about was the money.
The timer goes off on the oven, and I holler for Cole. “It’s time to eat.”
Jeremy doesn’t miss a beat, though, and continues telling us stories about the happenings at his accounting office. Cole is practically vibrating in his seat, and I know it’s from excitement. I didn’t even mention how Holden said he’d work with him on baseball while we were there. I didn’t want to get his hopes up in case Holden changes his mind. Holden… why can’t I get him out of my head? He is definitely not the type of man that would be okay with his girlfriend staying at another man’s house.
Instantly, I feel guilty. Jeremy is a good man, and I need to remember that. As we sit here and eat, I try to pay better attention to him. “So what about the fundraising dinner next week? Is it black tie?
He talks about the event, and I know I need to forget about the wild card that is Holden Gray. He may be attractive, but so is Jeremy. And Jeremy is safe, dependable… predictable.