Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
"Help, Walkey," she says, holding the thing up to him.
He smiles down at her, taking the jacket from her hands and laughing when she turns her back to him and slides the thing on with little help from him other than holding the thing open for her.
I grab my purse and house keys before walking toward the door.
"Larkin, wait for me," I tell her when she tries to bolt past Walker.
He reaches down and grabs a hold of her hand as if he's been doing it all her life, and it makes me wonder if he's ever dated a woman with kids before me.
No, not before me. That implies we're dating, and we're not.
Right?
Just because he says it doesn't make it so.
At the same time, I don't want to picture him dating anyone else either. I swear I need more sleep in order to make these complicated decisions.
Walker is standing beside his truck with Larkin, the back passenger side door open as she tries to climb into the vehicle.
"She can't get up there on her own," I tell him, but he doesn't stand to the side.
"You got this, don't you, Larkin?”
My little girl looks back at him, determination in her eyes, before she goes back to her task. It's hard for me to watch her struggle, but the victory in her eyes is well worth it when she finally gets her footing right and climbs up into the truck.
Nora will be less than impressed with the spot of mud on her pants from moving against the bottom of the truck, but the grin on Larkin’s face is worth whatever chastisement and judgment the woman wants to throw my way.
Walker steps to the side so I can get her buckled in, and he doesn't even get defensive when I recheck that the straps locking her car seat in the bench seat are still good.
He waits for me to climb into the passenger seat before closing my door and walking around the truck to climb in behind the wheel.
"That's for you," he says, pointing down to a coffee cup on the console. It's a travel mug, one he no doubt brought from home, and I sort of like the idea of him not wasting money on expensive coffee. "Black and bitter, just how you like it."
I huff a laugh when he winks at me. "You made me coffee?"
"I did."
"Thank you," I whisper as I reach for the coffee. "Where's yours?"
He does that thing men don't even know is sexy by putting his hand on the back of my seat and looking behind him as he backs out of the parking spot. This truck is fully equipped but he doesn't use the two different camera angles that pop up on the display screen. He's comfortable driving without them.
"I got up really early and finished mine before leaving the house."
"Couldn't sleep?"
He looks at me as he shifts the truck in drive. "Couldn't wait to see you."
I swear this man is dangerous, and I don't even think it's a line. He delivers it simply, as if it's nothing but the truth, and that makes me want to swoon over him. Someone was excited to see me? When was the last time that ever happened? I can't recall a single time, which is honestly sad.
I lift the coffee mug to my lips rather than admitting that I was excited to see him this morning too.
The drive to Nora and Leo's house is much too short.
"Please stay in the truck," I say when we pull up in front of the home and Walker reaches for his seatbelt.
Thankfully, he doesn't argue, allowing me to climb out of the truck and open the back passenger door.
"Bye, Walkey," Larkin says as I pull her from the car seat.
"Bye, Larkin."
I grab the bag Nora hates so much before giving Walker one last look and closing the door.
I can feel his eyes on me as I walk toward the front door.
"Larkin," I say before she can rush past Nora into the house.
It's not often that she listens to me when she's excited, but for some reason, she must sense the unease in my voice.
"Do you think it's setting a good example, Claire?"
I don't have to ask her to clarify what she's talking about because her eyes are locked on the truck behind me.
"I think," she continues, and it just hits me all wrong like it has so many times she's given me her opinion.
Only this time, I've met the end of my rope.
Instead of arguing with her, something I'd never do in front of Larkin, I simply reach down and take my little girl's hand and guide her right back down the front steps.
Walker climbs out of the truck when he sees me walking back in that direction, and he has Larkin's door open before we reach him.