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)
“Whenever it is, let’s make it soon. This girl needs a little bit of fun,” Sienna said.
“Then you’ve come to the right place,” I told her with a shimmy of my shoulders. Then my eyes went wide when the awesome idea occurred to me. “You should totally come to Otto’s birthday party in two weeks. It’s going to be at Kane’s, and everyone will be there. I’ve been wanting you to meet my family and friends.”
Excitement toppled around in my stomach. It was going to be a big bash. Dancing and drinking and celebrating the man who’d come to mean the most to me. Even our friends from Redemption Hills were going to be there.
Her expression turned conspiratorial. “If that means Theo is going to be there, then you can count me in.”
Theo had apparently come in one morning to have breakfast. She hadn’t stopped talking about him since.
“He’ll absolutely be there, but you probably shouldn’t count that as a bonus. That boy will chew you up and he won’t bother to spit you out…he’ll just swallow you whole,” I warned her, only half joking.
Because Theo would.
He totally would.
“I think I’ll be the one to swallow…especially with someone that looks like that.” She bit down on the tip of her tongue, obviously really proud of herself for making me choke and heave over the innuendo. “Eww.”
She cracked up, and I held up both hands in surrender. “Fine, I will gladly facilitate, but I cannot be held responsible for any breaking that comes your way.”
“Maybe I’m the one who’ll be doing the breaking.”
“I think I’m getting the picture that’s the way it’s going to be. And as long as you and I remain friends on the other side, then go for it.”
“You never know…I just might.”
“It’s a date, then.” I situated the flowers then brushed off my shirt where a few leaves had gotten stuck to it. “Before I go, I need to grab one of those chocolate lava cakes, and throw in a dozen lemon bars, too.”
So what if chocolate just so happened to be Otto’s favorite.
“Big family gathering?”
“We get together almost every Sunday,” I told her.
Sienna moved over to the display case where the treats were kept, and she loaded a big white box with the cake and another full of the treats. I paid, then she passed them over the counter. “Here you go.”
“Thanks so much, Sienna. Hope you have the best day.” I started toward the door, hollering over my shoulder, “Can’t wait to hang out.”
“Me, too! Have fun today.”
“I will!” I walked out of the café and into the breaking day, feeling light.
Because I could feel it.
My wings stretching. This chance of soaring free.
TEN
OTTO
I pulled my restored Ford into the clearing. The rest of the family was already there, smiles on their faces, everything for our barbecue set in a pile behind River’s SUV. Theo and Kane’s bikes were parked to the right of it, and I pulled into the spot beside them. I hopped out and grabbed the cooler I’d packed from the bed of my truck.
“Yo, brother,” Kane shouted from where he, River, Charleigh, and Theo were chatting under the shade of a tree in the distance.
“What’s up?”
“Just waiting on your sorry ass,” Kane punted back.
River and Theo laughed, no one really minding.
All except for maybe my sweet little tot who came bounding my way. Nolan was growing too fast. It blew my mind the kid was already five.
“Uncle Otto, Uncle Otto! Sheesh, it’s about time you finally got here. I thought we were gonna have to leave you behind and you were gonna have to find your way all the way to the lake by yourself because we can’t be late.”
I set the cooler down so I could sweep him up and into my arms the second he was within reach.
Affection squeezed my chest. His cherub face shining all its glee. His tender spirit so damned sweet. The kid had me wrapped around every single one of his little fingers.
“Looks like I made it just in time,” I told him.
“Whew.” Nolan dragged the back of his hand across his brow, wiping up nonexistent sweat.
Except my skin was instantly slick with it when I caught sight of Raven. She was across the clearing, bent over and leaning into the rear of the SUV as she dug around for something, wearing a pair of black shorts that hugged her splendid ass in the best of ways.
Did my best to rip my attention away and not stand there ogling her like some kind of perverted asshole, but it was damned hard to look away.
She straightened as she turned around, slinging a reusable grocery bag over her shoulder. A grin spread across her gorgeous face when she saw me standing there.
“Thank God you’re here. We need all the hands we can get.”