Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 138588 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138588 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
“Yes.” She had to handle this like the adult she was. “Yes. I am fine. I was straightening up in here and I’ll be out momentarily. I wasn’t expecting company. Elisa said no one would be able to get me until Tuesday.”
“Like I said, those county vehicles don’t have the get up and go mine has. It’s the small nuclear engine I got from some friendly… Well, see, they don’t like the term space pirates,” Mel began.
Sabrina winced as she pushed back the covers. “Sawyer’s going to kill me. I got coffee everywhere.”
“I’ll handle it,” Wyatt said, rolling off the bed. “I’m surprisingly good at laundry. I’ve never met a girlfriend’s father before. Okay. I’ve never actually had a girlfriend in the traditional sense. Just a bunch of club whor…”
She gave him her best schoolteacher finger. “Do not finish that sentence, Wyatt Kemp.”
“Yes, ma’am. What I meant to say was my relationships before this were mostly transactional.” His lips shut, and he handed her the clothes she’d been wearing the day she’d joined them. She’d made do with their T-shirts and sweats she had to tie around her waist.
It hadn’t been hard since she hadn’t worn clothes much. She’d cuddled with them under blankets while they watched movies and lounged on Sawyer’s lap while they sat by the fire and talked. They’d seemed endlessly interested in her stories from the teaching battlefield.
How was it already ending? She pulled on her clothes with shaking hands. Only a few moments before she’d told Wyatt she accepted Sawyer wasn’t going to stick around, but now, faced with it, she had to tamp down some panic.
She wasn’t going to be the woman who didn’t take a man at his word. She wasn’t going to push Sawyer. She certainly wasn’t going to sit around and hope he changed his mind.
“It’s okay.” Wyatt had pulled a shirt on and got into her space. “So your dad knows. Let’s stop calling him fake because it’s obvious the feelings are real.” He grinned. “See, I’m learning feelings are important and about more than anger. The therapy’s working. I’m going to see if Mel would like to join us for breakfast.”
It was probably better than hustling him out of the house and pretending nothing had happened. Wyatt’s calm helped her balance. “Okay. I’m going to use the bathroom and I’ll be right out. Wyatt, you can tell him we’re dating but maybe…”
“You and I had the most wonderful weekend. I’m so grateful you got stuck here because I fell hard for you. And Sawyer worked in his shop. That’s all anyone needs to know.” Wyatt kissed her forehead and walked off to handle Mel.
She could so fall in love with him.
But she worried she would always miss Sawyer.
She took a long breath. Reality was back, and she had to face it. At least she wouldn’t be doing it alone.
* * * *
Wyatt made sure his shirt was straight as he walked out of the bedroom where he’d spent the absolute best days of his life. The weekend had been everything he could have hoped for.
With the exception of Sawyer being such a scaredy cat. He’d known the minute he’d woken up and realized Sawyer wasn’t in bed with them, his partner was in his shop pretending he wasn’t freaked out it was Monday and they only had one more day with Sabrina.
Except they didn’t because they were whole-ass adults who didn’t have to stick to some arbitrary date they set. Just because they weren’t snowed in anymore shouldn’t mean they had to end this amazing experiment.
He took a deep breath and opened the door. There was a tall, somewhat gaunt man standing in the hallway wearing overalls and boots and a coat, a trucker hat on his head. He appeared to be in his late sixties but still had a lean strength no one could deny. He hadn’t been formally introduced, but he did know the man’s name. “Hello, Mr. Hughes. I’m Wyatt Kemp.”
He held out a hand.
Mel’s eyes narrowed. “Are you?”
He wasn’t sure where that came from, but Wyatt answered. “I am.”
“Are you sure?”
“I mean, yes. It’s the name my parents gave me. They never indicated I was someone else.” He wasn’t sure where this dude was going. “Should I get Sabrina? She’s perfectly fine.”
“Is she?” Mel stalked toward him, a flask in his hand. “Now I told everyone we have a few months before we have to worry about the Neluts pestering our women for babies, but that doesn’t mean a single male couldn’t find his way here and try to get a head start on the others. Drink this.”
He was pretty sure he shouldn’t drink anything he didn’t know the ingredients of. Was Sabrina’s adoptive dad trying to kill him? “Sir, I think you should understand my intentions toward Sabrina are entirely honorable.”