Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Instead, I gave him a reassuring smile and asked if he needed anything.
“Tully, I’d like you to meet my parents. Mom, Dad, this is Tully Bowman. He was a good friend of Katie’s, as well as her attorney.” As he finished the introductions, Lellie hurled herself out of his arms and into mine.
“Tuh-wee.” She said my name with a whine that I was rapidly coming to recognize as a precursor to a meltdown.
“Are you hungry, baby?” I murmured. “Thirsty?”
“Wah-guh.”
Dev immediately pulled her water bottle out of the backpack and handed it to her. She sipped it greedily while laying her head on my shoulder. I could feel the heat of everyone’s eyes on me. I could also feel it on my cheeks as my face flared with embarrassment.
We looked like a married couple. Like a family. And while it might have been very much like some of my most secret fantasies, it definitely wasn’t something I wanted any of these people to witness or misconstrue.
I shot Dev a look that he must have correctly interpreted because he quickly pulled Lellie back out of my arms and set her down on the ground before taking her tiny hand in his. “Want to walk outside a little bit? We can go look at the tree with the pretty pink flowers on it.”
Thankfully, everyone allowed them to walk out unmolested. Then, we all followed them like a little trail of highly litigious ducks.
As soon as Dev had reached the little patch of lawn with the big crepe myrtle in bloom, the Scotts finally approached again. Just like with the McKays, it was awkward and strained. I could tell Dev was doing his best to allow them a moment to interact with their granddaughter, as if he was honor-bound to act the gentleman.
I wanted to rip everyone away from him and his precious baby girl and hurl obscenities at them until they fucked all the way off. My temper was holding on by the barest gossamer thread.
You don’t have to do this, I kept thinking. You’re a better person than they are.
And it was right then, as I watched him bite his tongue against overly intrusive and downright insulting questions from both his parents and the Scotts, as I had to clench my own fists from riding in on a white horse to save him, that I realized I was falling in love with him.
No… that wasn’t quite right. I wasn’t falling. I’d fallen a while ago. Maybe even two full years ago.
But right now, watching him try his best to allow Lellie to know both sets of grandparents, despite their being complete assholes, I realized he was the best of men.
He was generous and kind, patient and loving, loyal to a fault, and also sexy as fuck. He crouched down to be at Lellie’s level, which pulled the seat of his trousers tight across his ass and thigh muscles, and I was faced with just how inappropriate a paternity clinic boner was.
“Fuck,” I said under my breath.
I heard a soft snort from behind me and turned to see Kenji. My cheeks burned again.
“You’ll have to keep a close eye on him if you come to Zane’s concert,” he said with a knowing smirk. It was so different from his usual neutral expression I blinked.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s a chick magnet. And god forbid they find out he knows the lead singer of the band. It gets a little crazy sometimes. But don’t worry. Zane has security. I’ll let Ryan know to arrange an escort for us in case we’re able to make it back to Majestic in time for the concert.” He pulled out his phone and tapped away without explaining who Ryan was.
Raised voices alerted me to trouble. Kenji’s head popped up just as I began striding closer to find out what was going on. Susanna held up her hand and stepped between Dev and Pastor Scott, who was suddenly berating him.
It happened in a split second. Mrs. Scott swooped in and grabbed Lellie, causing the poor girl to yelp in surprise. The McKays stood motionless while Mrs. Scott turned and hotfooted it toward a dark blue minivan.
Dev immediately lurched toward them, but Pastor Scott held his arm. Dev’s father stepped to the other side of Dev and looked like he was trying to reason with him while holding him back with a palm to his chest.
I raced across the parking lot without thinking, hell-bent on preventing Mrs. Scott from absconding with Lellie. There was no way to know what her intention was, but I knew enough to fear that this would escalate an already tense situation into a criminal case of some kind.
Mrs. Scott threw open the sliding door to the van and climbed inside. I caught sight of someone already in the driver’s seat.