Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
I peeled off his jacket and flung it in the general direction of the hooks behind the door. It landed in a puddle on the floor. Next was his shirt. I yanked it out of his pants and ran my hands under it along his hot skin.
“Now that it’s official,” I said, “Lurleen, Cindy Ann, and Katie-Bird have decided poor Dr. Lane needs a man.”
Charlie stopped what he was doing and threw his head back, howling with laughter. “Oh my God, that’s the best thing I’ve heard all week. The Matchmaking Mafia has Lane in their sights? Good. Then they can lay off us for a while.”
It took me a minute for his words to sink through my lusty haze, but then they landed with a thunk. “Oh. You don’t want to… oh.”
He looked at me funny, but before he could ask me about it or before I could ask him if his harmless comment actually implied he wasn’t in a hurry to take the next step in our relationship, the doorbell rang.
I squeezed my eyes closed in frustration. “It’s probably Larry thinking it would be real funny to interrupt our homecoming. Give me a minute.”
I opened the door, fully prepared to yell at or possibly fire one of my best employees, when I saw Diesel and Parrish Partridge standing on the front porch with an animal carrier in one hand.
Diesel beamed. Parrish looked a little less sure.
“Uh, hey, guys,” I began, turning to look at Charlie in case he knew the reason for our evening visitors.
“Ah, shit. I lost track of time. Sorry.” He nudged me out of the way and grabbed the carrier. “Thanks, Diesel. I owe you one. A big one.”
He grinned at Diesel, and Diesel grinned back. Parrish and I looked at each other, and then Parrish caught a glimpse of Charlie’s untucked shirt and the marks I’d left on his neck. He grabbed his husband’s elbow. “We should go, babe.”
Diesel frowned. “We should stay.”
“Nooo, we should definitely go,” Parrish insisted.
“You should go,” Charlie said politely.
Diesel frowned. “But I would really like to stay.”
Charlie scowled at Diesel, muttered an apology to Parrish, and then slammed the door in their faces before turning to me. “Hunter… you know I love you, right?”
I looked between the man of my dreams and the pet carrier uncertainly. “Baby… Butterbean’s not that old,” I began. “But she’s old enough not to want another dog around. We haven’t even talked about getting a puppy—”
“It’s not a puppy.” Charlie’s eyes held a soft understanding. “And if you decide you’re not interested in having another animal, you won’t hurt my feelings in the slightest. Diesel said he can take it back, which probably means keeping it himself.”
The sound of the Partridges’ truck driving away faded, and Charlie opened the front door to peek out. “They’re gone. Come outside.”
I followed him outside, where he sat me on the top porch step and asked me to wait. Patiently. The reminder of my promises in the town square made me roll my eyes… but otherwise, I didn’t move a muscle. I knew I would always wait for Charlton Nutter… just like I knew he’d always come back to me.
When he returned a few minutes later, he was dressed in one of his oldest, softest cashmere sweaters—one I’d told him many times last winter was my favorite—and a clean pair of blue jeans. He rubbed his hands on his thighs before taking a deep breath…
And I decided right then and there that whatever animal was in that box, poisonous or venomous or anything in between, we would keep it. Anything Charlie wanted that badly, I wanted too.
I opened my mouth to tell him so.
And that was when he got down on one knee.
I stared at him. The air in my lungs shrunk, and my heart skittered to a stop. “Ch-charlie?” I breathed. “Are you… is this…?”
“Baby.” He blew out a breath and opened the pet carrier before reaching in and pulling out a tiny, ugly-as-sin turkey chick. “Meet Tammy Wynette.”
“I don’t understand,” I whispered. Except I did. I was almost positive I did. And that knowledge did not one single thing to make my breath come easier.
“Hunter Jackson. Love of my life. My partner in crime. Will you accept this little poult as a symbol of our new beginning, our love and our forgiveness, our challenges and our triumphs, our efforts to nurture and grow not only each other but ourselves and our business as well? Will you join your life with mine permanently? Will you… will you marry me?”
I closed my eyes just long enough to thank the universe for landing me in this town with these people and this crazy life.
Then I opened my eyes and said… yes.