Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“Like me?”
“When you try, Tessa, you give it your all,” Kyle said. “I’d be happy to have you watch my back. You’ll let him be who he is because you’re comfortable with who you are. You think people talk about how you fucked up your engagement, but what they really say is they admire you for knowing it wasn’t going to work and ending it with kindness.”
That made her stop because he was right about what she’d thought people said behind her back. “They do?”
“Yeah. So stop moping and keep doing my brother. He’ll be in a way better mood when he comes back. The last two weeks have been awful, and now I blame you,” Kyle began. “You have no idea how broody a professor can get, and when he gets broody he lectures. I swear I caught him lecturing the cat and then we were both trying to claw our way out of the place.”
“Ooops, I’m losing you.” She hung up because the last thing she needed was Kyle Hawthorne telling her all the things she’d done wrong when she’d walked away from David the first time.
And one thing she’d gotten right. She took a long breath and steadied herself because hearing that no one blamed her, no one thought she’d made a huge mistake was surprisingly emotional.
Or maybe she was in an emotional mood because being around David gave her all kinds of feelings.
He was still giving her feels because she was standing here not sending the stuff she needed to, and she had to leave soon or they would miss her and start asking questions.
She moved the photos she’d surreptitiously taken into a text she sent to Kyle and MaeBe. The files started to send even as she lost a bar.
Damn it. She moved closer to the edge. There wasn’t a railing around it but there was a short wall that hit her mid-thigh. She leaned over slightly and managed three bars. The message started to send. Just a bit more.
She leaned again, trying to find the best angle.
That was when she started to lose her balance and tip forward.
An arm went around her waist, and she was pulled back against a hard chest.
“Hey, baby, how about we not find out what kind of medical care is available here?” David asked, his arms tightening as though he was afraid of losing her.
“You find her?” a deep voice asked.
David let her go and turned. Mateo stood there, a frown on his face. “Yes. She’s right where I thought she would be.” He turned back to her. “I’m so sorry I forgot about our plans to check out the town. When Mateo announced you were gone I realized I’d done it again. I got distracted and lost track of time. I tried to explain you needed a few things.”
“We could have sent out for whatever the lady needs. There was no need to walk into town,” Mateo replied. “Come and I will take you back.”
So David had covered for her. He was fast on his feet, but she felt bad she’d interrupted his day. And worse that Mateo seemed so upset she’d left. She wasn’t a prisoner there. “I was about to pick it up when I found this place. I was checking out the view, taking some selfies. We can go.”
“Or we can stay.” He reached for her hand and pulled her close. “I like this song. ‘Zona de Promesas.’ Come here and dance with me.”
“What should I tell the boss?” Mateo asked. “He thinks you are coming back.”
“Tell him I’m taking the afternoon off to be with my girl,” David said, not bothering to look his way. “We’ll be back well before dinner. I think we can find our way. Thanks for bringing me out.”
“David, you came here…” she began.
He sighed and hauled her closer. “I came here to study. I simply switched subjects. Now hush and dance with me. We’re on a romantic island off the coast of Argentina in a bar almost no one in the whole world will ever visit. So be here with me.”
She pocketed her phone and rested her head against his shoulder. He’d saved her. She could give him a couple of minutes.
Who the hell was she kidding? She wrapped her arms around him. He was big and strong, and she fit against him perfectly. There wasn’t any place else she’d rather be. Certainly not back home where she might have been given the job of forcing Kyle to take his meds. At least he would get the photos since his phone was apparently right on the table next to…
She realized what had bothered her about the picture of Eddie as a baby. There had been a cell phone beside the flowers. A very modern cell. She wasn’t absolutely sure, but she would swear it was a model that had come out in the last few years.