Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87817 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87817 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
My hands went to my hips. “Excuse me? Are you saying their age difference is a factor here?”
He rolled his eyes. “For goodness sake, Waylynn. Your aunt is old enough to be his mother. We’re not talking about a few years. The last thing you want is bad press about your dance studio.”
“You don’t think I know that? That I haven’t worked my ass off to make all of this happen? It’s not like anyone walked in and saw anything.”
“I walked in.”
“Are you done sitting on top of your high horse?”
He closed his eyes and took in deep breath before looking at me. “I’m sorry I said anything. I only want to see good things happen for you. I’ll keep my mouth shut in the future.”
“That’s not what I want. It’s been a long day, and I’m ready to go home.”
Nodding, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you want me to give you a ride? I’m not sure how much you drank. You were buzzing when I first got here, but you seem to be okay now.”
“I drank a lot. I don’t want to drive. Do you mind taking me home? I can get Steed or Mitchell to bring me back in the morning if you have things you need to do.”
“No, I arranged to have the day off to be here in case you needed anything.”
My chest tightened at his thoughtfulness. “Thank you.”
Jonathon smiled and took my hands. “Always.”
Chewing on my lip, I had the overwhelming urge to ask him to take me right then and there, but that was the last thing I needed to do. Instead, I made my way to my office and collected my things and followed him back out to his truck. The sooner I put this crazy evening behind me, the better.
Tomorrow I started a new journey in my life, and I couldn’t wait to see where it would lead me.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jonathon
I walked into the dance studio trying to balance all of the coffees. Melanie sprang into action and grabbed one.
“Thanks, Melanie! I was positive I was going to drop them.”
At the front desk, I set them down on the counter. “I hope I got everyone’s order right. Waylynn gave it to me before I left.”
Melanie’s brows pulled down. “Waylynn’s not with you?”
My head pulled back in surprise. “No. She left this morning to get here ahead of everyone, after Cord brought her car back.”
“I opened up this morning,” Maggie said.
“What?” my heart started to pound, and I felt sick to my stomach.
Trying to hide the panic in my voice, I asked, “Has anyone heard from Waylynn?”
John shook his head. “I don’t have my phone, it’s in the truck. Call Steed and see if Waylynn has been back to the ranch.”
I pulled out my phone and hit Steed’s number.
“Hey, how’s it going?” he answered.
“Steed, do you know if Waylynn came back to the ranch this morning? She’s not here at the dance studio.”
“No, she didn’t stop by the house. I can ride over to her place and…”
I heard a commotion on the other end of the line. Someone was yelling.
“Mitchell, I can’t understand you. Slow down,” Steed said.
All I heard were the words accident, Waylynn, and airlifted. I stumbled, and Melanie reached out to keep me from falling.
“Jonathon! What is it?”
“Steed…what’s going on?” I asked, my voice cracking.
“Um, hold on.” He covered the phone and talked to Mitchell. It seemed like an eternity before he came back on the line.
“Jonathon, Waylynn’s been in a car accident.”
Melanie’s cell phone rang, and John took it from her hand. He could tell from the look on my face it wasn’t good news. “Mitchell, talk to me,” John said.
I focused back on Steed. “Wait. What did you say?”
He cleared his throat, and I could tell he was getting in his truck. “Waylynn’s been airlifted to University Hospital in San Antonio.”
My entire body went cold. “W-what? Is she…is she…”
“I don’t know. The state trooper who arrived at the accident called Mitchell. He said he tried to call Dad’s cell but there was no answer.”
My head was spinning. “Is she okay?”
“I’m on my way to the dance studio to pick you up.”
“No, I need to go now.”
“Jonathon, don’t drive.”
I stood there, frozen to the spot. Waylynn. Please, God. Please, don’t do this to me.
Someone took my phone out of my hand and guided me out of the dance studio. It seemed like everyone was talking all at once. I heard Melanie on my phone.
“Steed, your father is going to drive. No, we’ll be okay. You just drive safely.”
Then came Maggie, one of the dance instructors. “Samantha and I will take care of everything here. Go. It’s fine.”
John was mumbling about me getting in his truck and that Waylynn was going to be fine.
The next thing I knew, I was staring out the window as John sped toward San Antonio. Melanie had called everyone in the family and was even on the phone with my mother.