Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“I’m just going to run to the restroom really quick,” I tell her and move to walk to the break room, but the hair on the back of my neck stands up, and I turn to the door.
In walks Summer with a bouquet of roses.
“Shit,” I whisper and close my eyes. Like lightning, Bruiser is at the counter, taking the flowers from Summer.
He passes me the card.
“Sir, those are for Erin,” Summer says, ready to knock Bruiser for a loop.
“He’s with me,” I tell her quickly. I open the card and feel my stomach sink.
I can’t wait to marry you.
“Oh, Erin,” Marion says as I crumple the card in my fist.
“I didn’t think I should throw them away,” Summer says. “I called Chase, like he asked me to do, and brought them over to you.”
I close my eyes, ready to break down into sobs, but that won’t solve anything.
“Don’t throw that away,” Marion advises, taking the card from me. “Come on now, and sit down.”
“I can’t do this,” I whisper, shaking my head. I’m surrounded by the two women and Bruiser, and other customers are watching with interest. “I just can’t do this, Marion.”
“Oh, honey,” Marion says, but I take her hand in mine, my eyes pleading with her to understand.
“I need to take some time off, Marion. I know this leaves you in a bind, and I’m so sorry, but I just can’t deal with this every time I’m here.”
“I understand,” Marion replies, and I can tell by the tone of her voice that she means it. “Don’t worry, I’ll get your shifts covered. And this isn’t you resigning, sweet girl. This is a sabbatical until all of this is resolved.”
It feels like all I’ve done is cry over the past few days, but more tears well in my eyes.
“You know I’ll want to come back,” I say. “I love it here too much to stay away.”
“Good.” Marion smiles bravely, but I see the worry there, too. “Everything’s going to work out, honey. You just wait and see.”
“I know.” I nod, wipe at the tears on my cheeks, and stand to get back to work. “I’ll finish out today.”
“Oh, I’ve got this now that my office work is done,” Marion assures me. “You go on home, where you feel safe.”
The sound of that is music to my ears. There’s nothing I want more in the world right now than to be out at the ranch.
Bruiser’s been on the phone this whole time, likely with Remington, and he’s just hanging up when I turn to him.
“We’ll have to come back in an hour to get the kids.”
“Ms. Joy will pick up the kids today,” Bruiser says. “Let’s get on out to the ranch.”
“Okay.” I instinctively reach out and hug Marion. “Thank you. I’ll keep you posted.”
“You take care of you,” she says sternly. “Drop in once in a while for a coffee.”
“I’ll do that.” I hurry into the back and hang up my apron, grab my purse and keys, and walk back out to Bruiser. “Okay, let’s go.”
“You should know,” Bruiser says when we’re on the highway, heading toward the ranch, “Chase will be meeting us out at the ranch to talk to you.”
“I figured.”
“And Remington isn’t too happy.”
“He’s frustrated,” I reply. “And I don’t blame him because I’m frustrated, too. Thanks for being there with me today. You really put me at ease.”
“When you weren’t busy worrying that the boogeyman was going to jump out and get you,” he replies and shrugs when I glance over at him. “You don’t have a poker face.”
“Yeah, there is that.”
Chapter Seventeen
Remington
“All of the cameras and gates are in place,” I say to Chase. He just arrived out at the ranch after the news of the delivery to Erin at Bitterroot Valley Coffee Co. Erin and Bruiser should be pulling in at any time.
“Do you have cameras on the gates?” Chase asks.
“Several. Especially at the entrance that isn’t used as much. Only the family and the guys who work here have the code to the lock pad.”
“Good. I suggest you change the codes monthly.”
“Yeah, I figured that, too. Any word from Washington?”
Chase shakes his head, then takes off his hat so he can rub his head. “No. It’s always slow going to get information. All we know for sure is that he made it to his last parole meeting.”
He looks at me for a minute. “You’re hot for her.”
“Yeah, so?”
His eyebrows climb at the admission. Hell, I’m not going to deny it at this point.
“You’re screwing around with your nanny?”
“Don’t make it sound like that. It’s more, Chase. She’s more. And we’re going to do everything we possibly can to keep her safe from this asshole.”
My brother just nods and rocks back on his heels. “I think it’s good. We all like her, man. And Mom mentioned to me that she’s going to train Erin to take over the bookkeeping for the ranch.”