Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“My mom will come around once she thinks this is real. Right now, she’s not sure, but in a few weeks, believe me, she’ll already start planning the wedding,” Rafe muttered in my ear as he held my hand and walked me back to the car with his family watching.
“Seriously?”
“Yes. So wipe the guilt out of your eyes.”
I hadn’t realized I’d been so obvious.
Once we were in the car and I’d waved to them all as Rafe pulled away, I commented, “Your dad didn’t seem shocked by what I had to say at all.”
“Oh, he was shocked. He’s just good at hiding it. Besides, it’s my mom who’s on my case to get married. My dad could not care less.”
“Why is your mom so insistent you marry?”
“She wants me to have the life she had. She and my dad adore each other. They’ve had their ups and downs like anyone, but they’ve had a good life. Her life is the example she thinks we should all live by. Mom can’t see past it.”
“She thinks because marriage made her so happy that it’s the answer to all happiness?”
“Exactly.”
We were silent for a few minutes and then Rafe’s hands squeezed the steering wheel and released. He did that a few times before he spoke. “I want to apologize for not asking about your family.”
Rafe’s look was quick but piercing before he focused on the road.
“When I came to your apartment to go over my family background, it was . . . it was rude and self-involved to forget to ask you about yours. I’m not usually . . .” He sighed heavily. “I got wrapped up trying to maintain a professional distance between us, but a decent person would have asked.”
“It’s okay,” I assured him, finding his apology adorable. “This job is about you.”
“Technically, it’s about us. We’re pretending to date. And I should have known that about your mom and dad before it came out at my parents’ table.”
“It’s fine.”
Rafe nodded, but the tension remained between us, and I wasn’t sure why.
Then he asked, “Do you really believe all that stuff about your parents and your upbringing? That it was all for the best and made you independent?”
There was that fisted knot in my chest again. I sighed, staring out the passenger-side window, watching the world fly by. “It definitely made me independent, but would I recommend it? No.” I smiled ruefully as all the memories of my childhood flooded through me. They were tinged with one powerful emotion.
Loneliness.
“My childhood sucked,” I admitted quietly. The only other people I’d ever confessed that to were Roger, Jude, and Kendall.
“I’m sorry,” he commiserated.
“My parents should never have had a child. I don’t even like them very much. Is that awful?”
Rafe shook his head. “Not at all. They’re awful for neglecting you like that.”
My smile strained as a familiar hurt stole its hands around that knot in my chest. “Yeah, well . . . they got one thing right.”
“What’s that?”
“Freedom is everything and you should never tie yourself completely down to one place and one person. Glad I’m here to help make sure that doesn’t happen to you.”
Rafe’s frown deepened, but he didn’t respond. Silence fell between us and after a while I reached over to turn the dial on the radio up to allow Tom Grennan’s growly voice to fill the car.
Chapter Ten
Pushing inside the pub, I let my eyes adjust to the dim light and then swept the joint for my “date.” The sound of wood scraping against wood drew my attention and there he was, unfolding his large body from a wooden chair, his napkin falling to the table in front of him. As I wound through the tables in the small restaurant area, I smiled at the sight of him pulling out my chair for me.
“Thanks,” I murmured as I sat and Rafe deftly tucked me back in.
No one had ever pulled out my chair before.
It was so gentlemanly.
I must have been gawking at him in wonder, because Rafe frowned as he sat back down. “What?”
“Nothing.” I swept my hair off one shoulder to allow a little air on my hot skin, and Rafe’s eyes followed the movement. His gaze lingered on my bare throat and he might as well have been staring at my breasts for the way it made me feel. Ignore it. “What do you think?”
His eyes came back to mine. “Of what?”
At his seemingly perpetually bored tone, my lips twitched. “This place. It doesn’t look like much, but they do the best burgers.”
“So I’ve heard.” Rafe shrugged. “My friend Alfie lives on the island. He’s in a band and they’ve played here a few times. I haven’t eaten here, though.”
Now I was truly gaping at him. “Your friend is in a band? That has played here?”
“Yes. Is there something wrong with that?”