Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
It was a simple gesture, but it brought a sense of calm that I didn’t expect. “You good?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Trying to seem unphased, I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and smiled. “Just caught off guard.”
He didn’t respond, so I added, “I appreciate you bringing in the rest of his things.”
“No problem.” He stood and started for the door. Before walking out, he turned back to me and asked, “You sure you’re good?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Really. It was nothing.”
He stared at me for a moment longer, then disappeared down the hall. And that was that. He didn’t push. He didn’t make me feel like I was a complete lunatic. He just gave me the space to have my moment and get through it.
It was one of many things Sutton had done for me over the past two weeks, and I was grateful beyond measure. Just thinking about it brought a smile to my face. Bridget gave me a little nudge and asked, “Hey, where’d you go?”
“Oh, sorry about that. I just drifted off there for a minute.”
“Looks like you were daydreaming, if you ask me.” She leaned in with a mischievous smile. “I think someone is a little smitten with our hot, white-haired biker.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” I reached for my coffee and took a long sip. “But I gotta say, he’s been pretty great with me and Toby. Whenever we need anything, he’s right there, and he never complains about anything—not even when Toby leaves his shoes in the middle of the living room floor or when he forgets to put his dishes in the sink.”
“Ghost is definitely one of the good ones.”
“Yes, he is.” I raked my teeth over my bottom lip as I teased, “And he looks really good without a shirt on. Like, holy moly, kind of good.”
“Yep, definitely smitten.”
“But I can’t be. It would complicate things too much.”
“And what if it does?”
“Why does he have to be so stupidly good-looking?”
“He is definitely hot.”
“And sweet and patient.” I leaned back in my chair with a huff. “And strong and confident, and when he smiles, good Lord. There are times when I have a hard time being in the same room with him.”
“Hard not to pounce him, huh?”
“The thought may have crossed my mind...”
I shouldn’t have been feeling this way, not after everything I’d been through. I should’ve had my guard up and kept him at arm’s length, but all the little things were getting to me. I just couldn’t help it. There was something so appealing about the way he was always there, even when I didn’t know I needed him. It could be something as simple as one of his reassuring smiles or simple nods of encouragement. That’s all it would take to make the weight on my shoulders seem to fade away.
And then, there was the way he was with Toby—so soft and gentle but manly at the same time. He wasn’t a pushover. He made his points, but he did it with kindness and respect. And he listened to both Toby and me—even when it was something as random as Toby telling him about a silly cartoon or me telling him about a favorite meal I used to make.
It was the way that our quiet dinners never felt awkward or forced. He would just let the silence settle over us and thought nothing of it. He fixed the squeaky bathroom door without me asking him to, and he always seemed to know when I was feeling overwhelmed and needed some space. And when I did, he’d give it to me without question.
He was patient and kind in ways I never expected, and it’s impossible not to be drawn to him. I’d tried to fight it, but I found myself wanting something more than a simple friendship with him. And that was a thought that both terrified and intrigued me at the same time.
“There you go, daydreaming again,” Bridget giggled, pulling me from my thoughts. “You got it bad, girl.”
“No, no. I was just thinking that I should check in on Toby,” I lied. “He’s supposed to be finishing up some homework before the tutor gets here.”
“Tutor?” Her brows furrowed. “I thought he was going to start going to school with Garrison.”
“Well, that was the plan, but after we talked it over with Preacher and Creed, we decided it was better to hold off for a bit longer. For now, he’ll just stick to the homeschool thing, and we’ll see how things are going in a couple of months.”
“And what about you? Are you still going to try to work, or will you just stay home with Toby?”
“Oh, I’m getting a job. I’ve already been looking. I’ve just gotta figure out what kind of schedule I can work out with Toby. It’s just harder without him being in school and all.”