Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
She swallowed. “And now?”
The chords of his throat worked, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “Now, I’m ready to go all in.”
Jane couldn’t sleep that night. Conrad was ready to go all in. With the next woman he dated.
Conrad.
All in.
With someone besides Jane. Maybe even someone she picked for him.
Curses sucked! Needing a distraction, she turned her attention to Benjamin’s journal. Mainly, the seven names and a map of the cemetery. The print out of the map she often passed out to visitors. Something about the two items together prodded at her mind, but what? She even marked the seven gravesites on the map, but no pattern emerged. And yet…
Yeah. That something never faded. Again and again, just before she could grasp the answer, her thoughts returned to Conrad. She pictured him with the ladies of Aurelian Hills and did not like it. In desperation to fully occupy her mind, she scrolled through Instagram to find a new date for Beau. As late night scrolling often did, it took her down unusual paths. This time, to a page for the vet’s former “roommate” Sora Kahtri.
Tons of pictures of the dark-haired beauty’s travels populated the feed, though none were recent. And not a single one of her family. Or of any kind of holiday. Sadness tugged at Jane’s heart. It was a longshot, but she sent the other woman a direct message, inviting her to Thanksgiving lunch/dinner. Dinch? Lunner?
Despite her lack of sleep, Jane popped up before her alarm sounded, eager to begin her morning of chopping, braising and stuffing the turkey. But not before texting Fiona a holiday meme–Keep your Thanksgiving food from going bad by eating it all in one day. Also not before she discovered another shredded hat, courtesy of Rolex. The little scamp! He did love to play.
After a quick wake-up shower, Jane donned a fit-and-flare covered in tiny pancake stacks. A garment reserved for special occasions. Rolex followed her to the kitchen and perched in his centerpiece bowl as she tottered about, stirring and chopping and heating. As the scents of caramelized onion and melting butter scented the air, Conrad came downstairs, looking more rumpled and adorable than ever as he led Cheddar outside. She prepared him a mug of coffee.
“Smells amazing in here,” he told her upon his return. “Like my favorite memories.”
For once, no sadness tinged his voice when he spoke of the time before he’d lost his family in a tragic accident. Delight puffed up her chest. Maybe, just maybe, she’d helped him think of the past in a new way. Not in all he’d lost, but what he’d once enjoyed.
“And your dress.” A grin bloomed as he looked her over. “The pancake is wearing pancakes. There’s nothing more perfect.”
What a wonderful compliment. She heard an odd cracking sound—inside herself. “Th-thank you.” Trembling, she passed him the coffee.
“No, thank you.” He sipped the brew and washed dishes while the corgi sat at his feet, gazing up at him with adoration. “Anything I can do to help?” he asked as soon as those dishes were done.
Behind him, Rolex stalked across the kitchen table, closing in, his glare laser focused on the father and his fur-son. “Entertain my baby? He’s eager to play.”
Conrad winked at her, and oh, did he give good wink. “Consider it done.” With a slight shift, he swooped the feline into his arms, holding the stunned creature with eyes now as wide as saucers against his chest. They exited the kitchen, Cheddar trotting happily behind them.
A dangerous sense of contentment fell over Jane. Rather than going to war with it, letting the dread of finding Conrad a new girlfriend or the unpleasantness of his brand new willingness to commit sweep over her, she made a decision to relish the day. Humming a song from her childhood, she dove into her baking with gusto. The love she couldn’t pour into the former agent, she poured into her food.
The landline in the office rang just as she began to whisk the gravy for a surprise sausage, egg and biscuit breakfast casserole. “Would you get that Conrad? And put my phone on the charger while you’re in there, please?” All that late night scrolling had drained the battery.
Conrad returned to the kitchen a few minutes later, frowning. No sign of the animals. “That was Trick. Someone hacked into the servers at a bank in Atlanta. He, Holden and Isaac are on their way there now. He’s sorry, but they couldn’t turn down holiday pay. They’ll come as soon as they can, but they’ll definitely be late.”
“It’s all right. We’ll make them all a plate.”
“Exactly what I told them.”
Excellent. But as she refocused on the gravy, it was her turn to frown. The boisterous and jovial found-family atmosphere she’d hoped to create had morphed into an intimate group of five. Two of whom were dating and two of whom used to date. Oh no. Would Beau feel like a fifth wheel?