Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 36407 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36407 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
“A doctor?”
“Yep. I decided not to follow in the family footsteps. I love helping people in a different way. You’re the first girlfriend that Caleb has brought home.”
“Yay,” Lauren said.
He heard the quiver in her voice and held her close to his side. “We’re heading to see Mom and Dad.”
“Ah, I’ll go and hunt for William. You haven’t been mean to him, have you?”
“He’s a grown-ass man, he can take it.”
“You and your language. He’s a good guy, you know.”
He didn’t know but rather than point out the obvious to his sister who clearly adored her husband, he led the way over to the parents.
“I hate this. Lying doesn’t come easy,” she said.
“You’re doing great. We’ve got to get through this weekend.” What he hadn’t told her was he had a little surprise by the end of the weekend. He didn’t for a second believe she’d appreciate it, but he had to do what was necessary for his father to but this act.
His family was suspicious of his woman and he was going to have to do a hell of a lot to convince them this was real. His mother wouldn’t be so hard to impress but everyone else, well, that was going to prove to be difficult. But he couldn’t help but feel that Lauren somehow had started to seem like the right kind of woman for him. The idea of actually having her belong to him didn’t seem like a horrible idea.
****
Lauren hated lying more than anything.
This was something she should never have agreed to. His family was … lovely.
Being embraced, left, right, and center, she couldn’t for the life of her believe Caleb would do this, but then, she’d been working for him for a few years now and knew what he was capable of to meet his own ends.
The drinks were free-flowing and the canapes sparse, and that was all because of a nice big dinner.
She didn’t get to sit beside Caleb, nope, they were opposite each other. His father at the head of the table, his mother down the other side, and everyone spread out. There was a separate table for the kids.
As everyone sat down and started to dish out their food, she paid careful attention to what Caleb put on his plate, following his lead.
Once everyone had their food, Timothy stood and tapped his fork against his glass. Silence fell and all attention turned to him.
“I want to thank you all for coming. It means a lot to me that as I celebrate this next step in my life, I’m surrounded by people I love and who’ve been there for all of us. You’re all rocks and the true reason why we’re all here today. A family. This is what I built our empire on and why to this day, I will still continue to focus it on family. Thank you all so much. First, I’d like to say a big congratulations to Cassie and William. They’re starting their own family as we speak.”
People congratulated around the table and those closest to Cassie hugged her. She smiled for the happy couple even as Caleb looked ready to throttle William, but his big-brother issues would just have to wait.
“I would also like to introduce everyone to my son’s girlfriend. Lauren. You’re new here, and I hope you find this family welcoming, and that my son doesn’t drive you away.”
Caleb winked at her.
“Let’s eat and enjoy,” Timothy said.
Picking up her knife and fork, she started to eat.
“So, Lauren, why don’t you tell us how you and my son met?” Timothy asked.
“You’re seriously going to start with the inquisition now?” Caleb asked.
“Your mother would like to know and I’m pretty sure everyone is curious as to how she managed to get you to settle down.”
She watched father and son face off. “I don’t think I’ll ever get Caleb to settle down. We’ve got kind of an … intense disagreement. To be honest, sometimes I don’t even know if I like him or not.”
Caleb shot her a glare.
“But you’re his girlfriend,” Louise said.
“Yes. When we first met, Caleb wasn’t exactly … how should I put this, nice? He told me to clean his stuff, not steal it.” She smiled at him.
“Excuse me?” Cassie asked. “My brother said that?”
“I think it should be clear that I actually work for your brother as his cleaner. I’m quite proud to say I’ve been cleaning for him for two years now, and he has yet to fire me.”
“And you thought a cleaner stole from you?” Louise asked.
“I did have a cleaner steal from me. I was doing it as a perfectly reasonable request,” he said.
“Son, you forget your mother was a cleaner. Her hard work all those years ago was what helped to fund the empire with which you are now privileged to,” Timothy said.