Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 131459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 526(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 526(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
I was not a fan of the ambush.
That said, I couldn’t let Sasha stand outside then eventually leave because I didn’t answer when I was at home.
I checked the cats, of which I had all five due to Tom being away. We were assessing their ability to travel and be in new environments, considering three of them would permanently be that way very soon. Clay (and Pris and Brayton) had taken care of them while we were in NYC.
They were all sleeping in a pile in their bed.
I closed the door behind me to contain their area, made my way downstairs and opened my front door.
Chloe was Tom in female form, and this included being elegant, sophisticated and chic (and yes, Tom was the male version of that).
Sasha was Imogen, but with a California girl twist.
Tan, blue-eyed, and boho. She was wearing a simple crew tank in heathered gray, faded pink short-shorts and a cream lace duster. A long necklace with an oversized pendant at the end, a slim chain belt and a pair of short-rise Uggs completed this picture.
That and a big head of semi-ratted, disheveled hair that looked like she hadn’t washed or brushed it in days, but it wasn’t about her being anything but intentionally unkempt.
And it worked.
She was stunning.
“Sasha,” I greeted.
“Uh, hey, Mika. This is…um, weird. But…is Dad here?”
I was surprised at the question. Since it was my house, I thought she’d come to see me.
“See, I need to talk to him,” she carried on. “And he’s not answering his texts. I went to his house, but he wasn’t there. I thought he might be here.”
“He’s not answering his texts because he’s flying to North Carolina with Judge. They’re meeting with Sampson Cooper.”
“Oh, right,” she muttered, likely thinking this meeting was about Cooper’s interest in Trail Blazer.
It was, but it wasn’t.
Cooper was a retired NFL player. Cooper was also a beloved American hero, and that had nothing to do with his playing football.
And Cooper was one of the people they’d decided to approach about the Core Point situation.
I studied Tom’s girl.
Then I asked what any mother would ask with what I saw standing on my doorstep, “Do you want to come in?”
She seemed grateful, but this quickly melted to uncertain.
She started hedging back, but I reached out, took her hand and put gentle pressure on to pull her forward.
“Come in, Sasha,” I said softly. “Let’s have a drink in my courtyard and get to know each other a bit.”
“This is…you weren’t expecting me. This isn’t cool,” she replied, resisting my pull.
I was glad she thought that way.
Even so.
“You have something important to talk to your dad about?” I asked.
“He’s mad at me, and I don’t…I don’t like it when he’s mad at me.”
“Please come in, honey,” I urged.
It took her a beat to make the decision, and then she let me guide her in.
She glanced around as I led her to the kitchen.
She stopped at the island as I moved to the fridge, and noted, “This place is awesome.”
“Thanks.”
“Chloe says your place in New York is amazing.”
“That’s nice to hear,” I replied warmly. “Now, what do you like to drink? I could make us some iced lattes. Or iced chais. I’ve got San Pellegrino. A few flavors of La Croix. Regular ole filtered tap water. A variety of juices. Or are you feeling an early afternoon cocktail?”
“I…cocktail,” she said in a rush.
She immediately looked like she regretted saying it. Maybe because it had just gone two o’clock and she didn’t want me to judge about day drinking.
However, I’d offered.
“I’m glad we agree,” I replied quickly so she wouldn’t feel awkward.
We decided on a mimosa take that included a splash of cranberry juice as well as a hint of Nora’s pear and headed to the courtyard.
“This is really…uh, wow,” she said as she stepped out with me, taking in the adobe fireplace and the stream of water that plunged over a ledge that had a potted tree on it and ran across some cobalt blue tile into a pool on the opposite side of the courtyard.
There were additional potted plants, as well a table and four chairs, plus a seating area in front of the fire that had a loveseat and two chairs angled around some tables with mosaic tile tops.
I led her to the seating area.
“Dad’s totally going to move out here,” she breathed, then her face turned crimson. “God, I’m sorry. So sorry. You guys are new and that’s…”
“It’s okay,” I promised her, beginning to become alarmed at how unsure of herself she was.
Chloe knew who she was down to the well-shod toes of her feet.
Sasha couldn’t have been more different.
Chloe was the oldest, at twenty-five, soon to be twenty-six.
Sasha was twenty-one.
But even Cadence was more comfortable in her skin than Sasha was.
“Do you really think he’d want to live out here?” I asked as I sat in an armchair and motioned to the loveseat for her to join me.