Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
When I got back, Blade was awake. He took his turn in the bathroom, still looking half-asleep when he returned. “How late is it?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, but I slept like a rock.”
“You should have after all that.”
I grinned. “So should you.”
He looked at his phone and laughed. “Apparently, I did. I haven’t slept this late in years.”
“Good. I’m sure we both needed it.”
My stomach growled, and Blade laughed. “Sounds like it’s time for breakfast.”
“Yeah, but we never talked about where we’re going to live last night.”
“We can wait a little longer if we need to.”
“We probably won’t be able to talk here. There are too many curious people and chances for interruptions. There’s a little downtown area not far away. Do you want to take a walk and get some breakfast there?”
Blade smiled. “I’d love that.”
We showered and dressed, then crept quietly downstairs. I expected to at least see some of the others, but if anyone had come down to eat, they’d already finished.
We were able to slip out unnoticed by anyone except Lola. We assured her we hated to miss her breakfast, but we really felt like a walk and a little time away. She smiled as though she completely understood.
The walk into town was beautiful. The morning air was chilly but not so much so that it bothered us. We didn’t talk as we walked. We just enjoyed being together, holding hands until we reached the edge of the small row of businesses.
We walked along the street looking for a café or bakery, but I didn’t see either. What I did see was a vacant building that should definitely have been a café if it hadn’t been one in the past. It was for sale, and there appeared to be rooms upstairs that would work as a living space. I started to put together a plan. Living here would be a great compromise. We’d be close to my family but not in the city where Blade would undoubtedly often be uncomfortable.
41
BLADE
“I don’t see a coffee shop, but there’s a diner over there.”
Carlo frowned. “I was really hoping for a cappuccino.”
“You might just have to make do.”
He pulled out his phone and searched the area, then he shoved the phone back into his pocket with a disgusted look on his face. “It looks like I will. How does a cute little town like this not have a coffee shop?”
“Let’s see how bad the coffee is at the diner.”
Carlo gave a heavy sigh. “All right, but they probably don’t have any good pastries either.”
“Maybe not breakfast pastries, but I bet they have good pie.”
We stepped into the diner and were told to sit wherever we liked. I chose a corner booth and insisted on sitting with my back against the wall. Carlo didn’t ask any questions; he just went along with it.
We placed our orders—French toast and bacon for Carlo and pancakes, eggs, and sausage for me. After the waitress left our table, Carlo doctored his coffee, then took a sip. “It’s barely passable.”
I laughed after taking a few sips of my own. “It’s perfectly good.”
“You’re used to military coffee.” He shuddered and made a terrible face.
“You’re used to being a snob.”
“And I’m going to continue to be one, at least about coffee.” He drank a little more, then set the cup down. “Do you want to go back to the ranch? Is that where you want to be? Because if it is…”
I reached across the table and laid my hand over his. “I will always be thankful to Grant for giving me that cabin and letting me have a place to be where I was comfortable and where I knew I was safe, but I don’t have to stay there.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. If you need to be in Boston, then that’s where will be.” I didn’t like the noise, the crowds, or the traffic, but somehow I would figure out how to make it work. I was feeling more and more like my old self every day. I was going to do whatever it took to make things work with Carlo.
“Actually, I have an idea.”
I studied him for a moment. “What kind of idea?”
“Do you know that building that I stopped to look at?”
“The one that’s for sale?”
He nodded. “It would make a great café, and it looks like there’s space above it for apartments. We could open it up and make a larger home.”
“You mean you’d want to live here?”
“I thought it might be better for you than the city, and it’s plenty close enough to my family, especially considering how much time they spend at their house out here.”
“Do you think Lucien would be all right with us living here?”
“I’ll have to talk to him, but yeah I do, and I bet Sabrina would put in a good word for us.”