Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 68882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
And Meg is a nurse in the pediatric oncology ward at Seattle Children’s.
I love them both so much.
“You clean. I’ll put this together,” I offer, and begin assembling what’s in the bags. “I even brought over a board.”
“It’s gorgeous. I might keep it.”
“It’s all yours.” I grin and carefully arrange the cheeses, fruits, and veggies. “How are things going now that both Erin and Zoey are living at the compound and you’re empty nesters?”
Meg pauses and turns to me with a sigh. “It’s been…weird. For more than twenty years, I’ve had kids to take care of. Meals to cook, laundry, carpooling, all of the things, and now they’re gone, and I don’t know what to do with some of the time. Hence, a party with the players for Will and fridge cleaning for me.”
“I think almost all the parents are feeling the same way. Only Matt and Nic and Dom and Alecia still have a kid at home. Everyone else is grown and doing their thing.”
“It freaks me out,” she says quietly. “I’m glad that everyone is still here locally. That makes us all feel better.”
“But how long can it last?”
Her eyes find mine. “Exactly. Gone are the days of little ones running about at family gatherings. Now we have new worries.”
“And maybe grandkids sooner or later. With Liv and Stella both getting married soon, and Josie newly married, it’s bound to happen.”
Meg’s eyes fill with tears. “Oh, you’re right.”
“Okay, don’t cry. I didn’t come over for that.”
“Grandkids.” She sniffles, then shakes her head. “Time just flies by.”
“You sound like my mom. Here, cry into this gouda.”
Meg laughs and reaches for the snack. “Cheese makes everything better.”
“Hell yes, it does.”
“Did you hear that Liv and Vaughn set their date?” she asks me as she chews. “This is really good, by the way.”
“Right? No, I hadn’t heard yet. When?”
“Next month.”
I blink at her. “What? Next month?”
“Yes, and they’re not telling anyone except close family and friends because they don’t want a media circus. Liv wants it out at the vineyard where we can control security better, and it’s just so pretty out there anyway that it’s perfect.”
“Your wedding was there,” I say with a smile. “I think it’s perfect, too. And fast.”
“I think, when you’re as high profile as Vaughn is, you have to make it fast. Otherwise, things leak, and the press can ruin everything.”
“We know all about that.” I pop an olive into my mouth. “Well, that’s exciting. I bet she makes her dress herself. I’ll have to call her.”
“I think all of us girls should get together to drink cocktails and talk about all the details,” Meg says. “In fact, I’ll invite everyone over here next weekend.”
“I’m in.” We cheers with our crackers, just as Uncle Will walks into the room.
“I didn’t know you were here.”
He scoops me up into a big hug.
“I brought food.”
“My favorite.”
“Every food is your favorite.” He grins in that cocky way he does that always makes me laugh. “I hear you’re having a party.”
“That’s right. Oh, I want to introduce you to someone.”
He steps back, and I see that someone followed Will into the room.
And when I see who it is, I feel my eyes go wide.
It’s him.
The guy who tackled me this morning.
“We’ve met,” he says.
Chapter 2
Ike
It’s as though I conjured her out of my mind. Manifested her into standing before me. I’ve been thinking about her all day. About how her body felt under mine. And how damn sassy her mouth was when she ran away.
And now, here she is, with both surprise and interest in those stunning blue eyes that are so much like her uncle’s, it’s almost disconcerting.
Will doesn’t look too surprised to see her as he shoves a cracker full of cheese and meat into his mouth. “I didn’t realize you’ve met Ike before.”
Her eyebrow rises. “We’ve met, but I didn’t know his name.”
“I knocked her right off her feet this morning. Stole the breath from her chest.”
Will’s eyes narrow on me, and she smirks.
“He knocked me down while I was running.”
“By accident,” I clarify immediately, holding up my hands. I’m a smart man and don’t want to die today.
“This is my niece,” Will says, his voice just a little harder than it was before. “Sophie.”
“Pretty name.” I hold my hand out for her to shake. Her eyes fall to my hand, and then lift to my face, and the confidence written all over her is just daring me to toss her onto a bed and have my way with her.
That, or I really irritate her.
Maybe both?
“So, if you’re Ike, that must mean that you’re Ike Harrison, quarterback extraordinaire.”
I grin and clutch her hand in mine.
“Quarterback is close enough.”
“I’ve seen you play, of course,” Sophie says and tries to tug her hand free, but I keep hold of it just a second longer. “You have my hand.”