Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57499 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57499 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
"Yeah, it's great, mom and dad are in heaven waiting for grandchildren. I'm not sure they won't be waiting for a while, I don't think either Liza or Stacey are thinking babies just yet."
"Really? I think that would be nice."
My heart did a wild kick in my chest, she sounded so wistful just then. Was she saying she was ready for those things? Damn, a pregnant Shania, especially with my kid growing inside her. Wow the thought alone left me speechless.
First things first there Chase, get through your first date and then maybe you can start day dreaming about the five or six sons and daughters you want to plant in her.
We reached the cove and I pulled up to the grassy knoll that led down to the waters' edge. Taking her hand in mine, with the basket in the other, I found us a spot.
We spread the blanket and set out the china and wine glasses. I filled hers with a nice Sauvignon Blanc, while I took Perrier.
"Only a Chase would think of using China at a picnic." She teased, as she'd always done since our younger days. She liked to rib me about my family's wealth. Not in a negative way of course, just the kind of playful ribbing you did with the people you were closest to.
We enjoyed a lunch of poached salmon and salad with asparagus in hollandaise. There was cheese and fruit as well that I wished I could feed her from my hand, but it was too soon.
"Wow this is really good, thanks for thinking of this and thanks again for my flowers. I hope you know you don't have to do all that, but I do appreciate it."
"Yes I do, I do have to do it."
She looked at me with a mix of nervousness and...hope? God I hope so.
"Do you mind if I ask why?" Her voice had gone all soft and unsure. I looked into her eyes as I took her hand in mine trying to read what was written there.
I took a deep breath, questioning whether this was the time or not? So much was hanging on this one moment; I’m not exactly known for my patience this is true. I believe in going after what you want and fighting ‘til the end if need be.
But when you were on the precipice of something like this, something that could go either way and mean the realization of a dream or the death of the same, it felt like swan diving off a high board with no safety net.
There was nothing for it now though, she’d posed the question and I wasn’t about to play games and pretend I didn’t know what she was asking. So here goes, it's all or nothing, don't fuck this up Chase.
"Because I want us to be more than friends. I've wanted that for a long time now." She didn’t say anything for the longest time, and I thought for sure I’d misread the situation, that her brother too had been wrong. Just as I was gearing myself up to give her all the reasons why I won’t let her walk away, she finally spoke.
"Don't play with me Donovan..."
"Babe; seriously, how long have you known me? Do you really think I'd do something like that to you? First of all your brothers would all take turns skinning me alive, not to mention what the chief would do to me. And more importantly than that, I've wanted you since you were sixteen fucking years old, there's no way this is a game."
"Six…are you kidding me right now?"
"No, I'm very serious sweetheart."
"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Her eyes were wide with disbelief.
"First, because you were too young back then, then time got away from us. I wanted you to go off to college and experience all those things every young person should. I didn't want to hold you back. And look at what you've done with your life. I wanted all of that for you, but selfishly, I wished you’d have stayed here with me too.”
"Oh man, this is so much to take in, I don't even know what to say."
"You don’t have to say anything, or you can say you feel the same, or at the very least that you're interested."
She was nodding before I finished speaking.
“Be very sure Shania, be sure that I’m what you want, that you can live here with me, because that’s what I want. I want us to have a life together. Just to make it clear I’m not talking about a momentary fling.
I know I’ve just sprung this all on you and you’ve only just come home, and there’s probably a million other things on your mind. But I’ve been holding this in for a lifetime, this is the one thing that has been missing in my life and if you say yes, life as you know it will change.” I didn’t expound on that statement, she’d learn what it meant soon enough.