Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“I can do this,” she said to the birds. Devy stood, picked up her jacket, and draped the clean side over her arm while she waited for Hayden and the kids. As they walked toward her, Hayden had a hand on each of them. Maren and Conor chatted animatedly, while Hayden stared at Devy with a grin on his face.
One that meant something . . . she just had to figure out what.
Fourteen
Hayden
Hayden took everyone out to lunch at the Lazy Lamb, mostly because he didn’t want to drop Devorah off yet, and he couldn’t think of an excuse to see her later in the evening or tomorrow. The best excuse he’d have to see her would be Monday, when the kids went back to school, and frankly that would be too long for him.
The kids ran into the pub and went to the end of the bar and waited for Colt to follow them to the game room. He was going to lose a fortune on video games where these kids were concerned.
With his hand on the small of Devy’s back, Hayden directed them to a booth. They sat across from each other and waited for one of the staff members or Colt to come over to them.
It was Colt who graced them breathlessly as he sat down next to his sister. “How do you keep up with them?” he asked.
“They have a lot of energy, which is shocking, since they just had baseball tryouts,” Devorah said.
“I heard some shit went down with Noble’s kid?” Colt shook his head. “He’s such an ass when he’s in here. I’ve had to call Dad or one of the deputies a time or two. And don’t get me started when his ex is here. They’re oil and water but volatile. I don’t know how they survive each other.”
“Sapphire Fleming being the ex?” Hayden asked.
Colt shook his head. “No, believe it or not, she’s the sane one. Dalton messed around on his wife with Sapphire, got her pregnant twice. They had an off-and-on thing in high school. I guess they never got over it.”
“That’s rich,” Devorah said. “Now she likes Hayden.”
Hayden’s eyes went wide. “Believe me, the feelings aren’t reciprocated.”
“Stay away,” Colt said. “You don’t want to get involved with her kind of drama.”
“I’d like to live a drama-free life,” Devy added. “But it doesn’t look that way.”
Colt put his arm around his sister. “The ship will sail soon. Small-town drama comes and goes like the weather.”
“Well, this has been the longest five minutes of my life,” she said.
“Anyway, what happened?” Colt asked.
“DJ pulled Maren’s hair and touched her when she asked him not to. Crow was there and told Dalton to bring his kid to the station after tryouts,” Devy said, summing everything up for Colt.
Her brother shook his head again. “Crow’s going to show the boy the jail cell. He may even lock him in it for a minute, since the kid messed with his granddaughter. Dalton should’ve taught him better.”
“Well, Sapphire is more than pissed at me for being back, so I’m sure there’s more drama heading our way.”
“Not if Crow has anything to say about it,” Colt told her. He slapped his hand on the table. “All right, enough of the whatever this is.” He waved his hand in front of them. Devy smiled at her brother. “What can I get you to drink? Eat?”
Hayden placed his and Conor’s order, and then Devy did the same for her and Maren. Hayden waited for Colt to be out of earshot before he spoke.
“I meant what I said under the tree, Devy.”
She smiled softly. “I know you did. I just—”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He cut her off, unwilling to hear how she needed time or wasn’t looking for anything right now. He wasn’t, either, but he also couldn’t ignore the strong pull he felt toward her. Seeing her at the school was a sign. He was sure of it.
“I think I need to find a job or a hobby. All this sitting around with my thoughts isn’t helping.”
“Estate curating, right?”
The small smile turned into a wide grin. “Yes,” she said with a shake of her head. “Impractical here, though. I was thinking of asking Colt if he’s hiring, or maybe my dad needs someone down at the station.”
“I’m sure either are viable. What are you going to do about Bea Sherman’s offer?”
“Are the Crafty Cathys really still a thing?”
Hayden nodded vigorously. “My mother is still a proud member. I believe they meet here.”
“I think I’m supposed to join or something,” she said. “My mom was a member, and so was her mom.”
“I bet this is why my sister moved away.”
“Where does Allie live?”
“Los Angeles,” he told her. “Entertainment law.”
“Well, that’s about as anti–small town as one can get.”
“That’s what she wanted. To be far away from here and doing her own thing. She likes it. Conor went to her place last year for a week. She took him to the beach and Disneyland and did the whole Hollywood tour thing. He was only interested in seeing the Angels baseball team and, of course, Disney.”