Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
I tacked on a bunch of winky faces at the end like this was all a big fucking joke.
River
You think she’ll stick?
It was the most dangerous part of what we did. Someone going back. Exposing who we were. It’d only happened twice.
First one had somehow kept her oath and hadn’t thrown us under the bus. Other had ended up dead, and her piece of shit husband had come after us. That choice hadn’t exactly landed in his favor.
Me
Yeah. Like I told Theo—she wants the best for those boys. Could see it in her eyes. The flickers of joy and the hope that had sprouted.
River
Never gets easier, does it?
My spirit thrashed.
Me
Never, brother. Which means we have to take the opportunity to enjoy ourselves in the moments we can. Take a bit of the finer things in life…like your ugly ass has been doing since Charleigh walked through your door. You know I’m going to.
Nah, I was gonna wallow for the whole fuckin’ day. Try to make penance for my sins when they could never be forgiven.
River
Never thought I’d get this.
Me
You deserve it more than anyone I know.
I meant it.
River
Hardly, but I’m not gonna be the prick who swindles what he’s been given. Speaking of, she just came into the shop. Wants another tat. I’d better run.
Me
Yeah, know exactly what you’re running to.
I chuckled when he only replied with a bunch of winky faces, the asshole tossing them right back at me when they were typically my favorite way to give him shit. Didn’t think the guy had even known what an emoji was before he’d met Charleigh who’d come into town about six months ago and had changed everything for him and Nolan. Wondered if he realized his grumpy ass was going soft.
Made me damned happy, though, that he was happy.
I pulled on a fresh pair of underwear and flopped onto my back, picking up my phone and staring at the text thread from Raven.
Thumb hovering over the text that I’d left unanswered.
Should leave well enough alone.
But I was never so good at that.
So I tapped out a message like the selfish fucker I was, never able to fully let her go.
Me
Don’t worry, darlin’. I’m home safe and sound. Like I’d ever dream of leaving you.
NINE
RAVEN
“You’re an angel on earth, Millie.” I scooped up the giant bundle of fresh-cut flowers and grinned at the woman across the counter from me.
She’d been a total savior since she’d started working on the weekends here at Moonflower. I loved owning the quaint little floral shop that was my pride and joy. Loved putting together bouquets and making people’s days brighter. But I also loved to be able to take some time off to spend with my family, as well.
Millie only wanted to work on the weekends, so it was a win-win.
She arched a penciled-in brow. “It is my job, and you’re here on a Sunday morning just after dawn taking care of a big part of it.”
“I have to pick up some treats for our family picnic today, so I was already in town. It’s no bother.”
Her scowl was full of affection. “I think you’re the one who’s the angel on earth.”
My chest expanded. God, I loved this woman. She was so kind and gentle and caring. The type of person I wished my mother would have been, which was probably why I’d adored her the second she’d walked through Moonflower’s door two months ago and I’d hired her on the spot.
She was in her sixties and had retired from her job at the bank. She’d said she needed something to keep her hands busy so she didn’t go stir crazy.
“Angel?” I would have waved her off if my arms weren’t loaded down with blooming stems. “Ha, you should have seen what I was wearing last weekend at Kane’s.”
I waggled my brows at her.
Her chuckle was low. “Oh, I can only imagine. I bet you were knocking them boys off their feet.”
Too bad there was only one boy that I wanted there.
Still, I played it up. “You should have seen it…men just falling all over the dance floor. Boom, boom, boom. One right after another. On their hands and knees as they crawled to me.”
She laughed outright. “Now that is a picture I would pay to see.”
I giggled. “All right, I need to get these over to the café so I can go home to get ready. Let me know if you have any issues today.”
“I’ll be just fine. You go on and have yourself some fun.”
“I plan to.” I gave her a little curtsy before I turned and started through my shop.
Happiness brimmed in my heart.
My store was adorable. Total country chic with a dash of whimsy. The floors were rustic wood, the same as the reclaimed countertops.
The middle was filled with two rows of every sort of fresh-cut flower, buckets holding each variety slotted into custom wooden frames that Otto had built for me.