Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I’m trying to get ahead so I can take the time off.” I don’t want her to think that it’s a hardship for me to do this with her, so I shrug and take a bite of my burger.
“Will you still be behind when you get home? And don’t lie to me, Wild.”
“Behind? Not much. I’m the boss, remember?”
“I know from experience that just because you’re the boss, it doesn’t mean that your workload isn’t massive. In fact, the bigger the boss, the more work you have.” She leans over to kiss my shoulder. “So, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“What about Jake?”
I love that my kid is never far from her mind. “He’s cool with it. More than, actually. He’ll have the village looking out for him. He encouraged me to take you.”
“Yeah, I love him,” she says, and hearing those words warms me, even if it is in reference to my teenager.
“He’s a lovable kid.”
“So, we leave in two days?”
“That’s right.”
“What time does the flight leave?”
“Whenever we want it to.” Polly pauses in wiping her mouth and stares at me. “We’re taking my jet, so we choose the flight time.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No, ma’am. It’s the most convenient and, I have to admit, it’s quite comfortable. You’ll like it.”
“I’ll like it.” She giggles and shakes her head. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m going to like it. Jesus, what is this life?”
“It’s a damn good one.”
“Yeah.” She sighs and then pops a fry into her mouth. “It is that.”
“There are a million groceries in this house, and your gas tank is full, but I put a grand in your bank account, in case you need anything.”
“You put a grand in my account?” Jake echoes with a laugh. “Jeez, you’re only going for a week, Dad.”
“Could be ten days,” I remind him. “And I want to make sure you have plenty of spending money.”
“Well, that should be plenty,” he says, shaking his head. “You do know that I hardly go anywhere, right? I’m pretty much a homebody.”
“Yeah, well, you’re covered for emergencies.” I don’t know why I’m so nervous about leaving him alone this time. It’s not the first time, and it probably won’t be the last. “Millie’s coming to stay for the first few nights.”
“I know. She already texted me.”
There’s a knock on the door, and Jake and I frown at each other.
“Are you expecting anyone?”
“Yeah, right,” he says, rolling his eyes as we both walk to the front door and open it to find Chase standing there with a grin.
“I have your table,” he announces proudly. “But I need both of you to help me muscle it inside.”
“Nice,” Jake exclaims and runs down the stairs to Chase’s truck.
“This thing is heavy,” I say as we lift it out of the bed of the truck. Chase is right: It does take all three of us to do it.
“Pure maple,” Chase says. “This table will never wear out. You’ll be able to pass it down to your grandkids.”
“It’s really nice,” Jake says as we make our way up the stairs with it and set it in the office, right where I envisioned that it would go in my head. “But we don’t have chairs.”
“Follow me.” I lead the men out to my detached garage, and there are four chairs waiting for us. “I bought these weeks ago so we’d be ready for the table.”
Jake takes two of them and immediately heads back to the house, and Chase and I follow with one chair each.
“He’s excited,” Chase murmurs to me.
“Breakfast is our favorite time of day,” I reply. “And he likes that I wanted a special table for it. And that you built it? Well, that’s extra cool to him.”
We find Jake already in the office, his chairs placed at the table, and Chase and I add ours, and then the three of us step back and admire our handiwork.
“This is fucking legit,” Jake says. “Sorry for the language, but it is.”
“Yeah, it is,” I agree and ruffle his hair. “You did an awesome job, Chase. Thank you.”
“It was my pleasure,” he replies. “Did I see suitcases downstairs?”
“You just caught me.” I lead them back down to the foyer. “I’m headed out to Paris for a week or so with Polly.”
“Well, aren’t you fancy?” Chase grins and then eyes Jake. “Who’s taking care of your child?”
“I’m not a child,” Jake insists, which is exactly what Chase wanted him to do. “Millie’s coming tonight.”
“Call me if you need anything,” Chase tells him. “Summer and I are ten minutes away. Is the security detail staying here, or are they with you, Ry?”
“They’re staying, and a different detail will be with us. Everything should be good here, but I’m glad you’re close by.”
“Why don’t you come out for dinner tomorrow?” Chase asks Jake. “We’ll do some fishing off of the dock afterward.”