Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“That’s okay. Dutton plans to give me his credit card so I can go shopping,” Billie says with a mischievous smile. If you and Bentley are free, we can go shopping together.” She taps her fingers together deviously. “I’m sure he irritates you as much as he does me, so every year, it’s become a tradition that I release that years’ worth of pent-up anger toward him by spending his money. Let’s just say I spend a lot. But then I always feel better and love my brother again afterward.”
Posie laughs as she says, “I think I’d be deserving of a house on the water at the very least.”
Billie brightens, encouraging her as I roll my eyes. “See, she gets it! And if you’re dating my brother, I assume he owes you more than just a house. What do you think, little man?”
“I’d like a boat,” Bentley says around a mouthful as he picks a bit of the meat out of the burger. Damn, even the kid’s ganging up on me.
“Since when?” Posie asks him.
“Since Dutton got me a LEGO Transformer boat,” he says innocently. My mother and sister look at me, and I can tell the moment my mother’s gaze softens that there’s something in it I don’t entirely understand.
My father returns with a glass of water and hands it to Bentley. “Here. Your mouth will get dry with all that food,” he says to Bentley, who smiles up at him.
Posie shoots a glance my way, and I can tell by the way her muscles are bunched that she’s minorly freaking the fuck out. I’ve seen it before, but it’s only now that I realize how protective she is of her son. Of course, it doesn’t sit well with me that she feels she needs to protect him from my family… or me.
The more I feel her placing that wall up between us, the more I want to shatter it because I know mine has been lowering around her for weeks now. And there’s nothing I can do about it.
CHAPTER 33
Posie
Idon’t like that I like his family. In fact, I feel so comfortable around them that it makes me want to run. His father made me feel awkward the first time I met him in Dutton’s office, and now he’s getting my son a glass of ice water so his mouth doesn’t go dry from the burgers.
It’s weird. And they’re nothing at all like Dutton.
Where Dutton is cool and calculated, his mother and sister are full of life and shine so brightly that it’s almost intimidating.
Everything I’ve read about this family paints them in a bad light, yet I like them.
I also find it interesting to watch how other people act around Dutton. Most are wary of him, which is expected, but his family is clearly the exception. Even as his sister talks with him, he acts as if he’s indifferent, but I can tell he’s listening attentively. She’s lecturing him about something, and he’s indulging her, and when he looks at her, his eyes are filled with love. He might not understand what it’s like to have a child, but he certainly isn’t unfamiliar with doing anything in his power for his family. This is obvious since he dragged me here just because his sister asked him to.
“So, we meet again,” Dawson drawls as he stands beside me. Honey is building a card tower with Bentley. Despite hosting a party for their daughter, it appears Bentley is getting most of their attention.
“We do,” I say as we watch his wife and my son play together. I glance at Dawson and admire the way he stares at Honey. There’s so much love in his gaze, and I almost envy it. It’s how my parents used to look at each other.
Although their son might not know how to act around children, it’s very clear his parents adore them.
“Any update with you and my son? Have things changed between the two of you, by chance?” he asks with a too-innocent smile. And I can’t help almost smiling back, because I realize behind the businessman, there might be a man who has a little bit of cheek in him, just like Dutton. I imagine not everyone gets to see this, not from these powerful men who have built their reputation on being ruthless. But I’ve seen how Dutton cares for his employees and ensures their safety, especially the women. I suppose it’s because of this man that he learned those values.
“He’s still just my boss,” I reply.
Dawson’s smile curves wider. “Ah. Yes, of course. I was my wife’s boss once upon a time as well.”
Honey looks up at him as if knowing he’s speaking about her. She’s beautiful beyond measure. I can tell where his sister gets her looks from; she strongly resembles her mother. And while Dutton takes more after his father, I can also see Honey in him.