Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Ruben looked on cautiously.
Dad twisted to allow them into our circle and explained, “It was found out that Joseph and his family plotted to murder your daughter and collect her life insurance policy.”
“What?” Ruben bellowed.
“Yes.” Dad looked angry himself. “We were able to work in tandem with both the Colorado Springs PD, as well as Albuquerque PD, to find some more information.”
Ruben blinked. “What’s that?”
“This isn’t the first young woman that they’ve done this to. Though, they were successful with the first one,” Dad said quietly.
My mouth dropped open.
“Where is he? I’ll kill him,” Ruben growled.
I caught his arm and said, “Let the authorities handle this. You have to walk your daughter down the aisle to me in six months.”
Ruben spun, pinning me with a glare. “It’ll be my wedding gift to y’all.”
“Daddy,” Bindi said quietly.
“This is not acceptable. Their actions blinded you!” he said. “Because that’s exactly what happened that day, isn’t it? They tried to kill you on that mountain.”
Bindi snapped her mouth shut.
Then Dad explained exactly how everything was supposed to go down.
“The boulder was supposed to scare her, not hit her. She was supposed to trip and fall down the mountain. They could go to the authorities and claim a hiking accident,” Dad said. “But that didn’t work out that way.”
“No, it didn’t,” Ruben said angrily.
“I can’t believe this,” Mom said. “What happens next?”
“Next,” Dad said, “they all go to jail for attempted murder. Premeditated murder at that. And a new case is opened on the other woman that died, and they collected the life insurance on.”
“And we sue the pants off of them while we’re at it,” Dad muttered.
Bindi sighed. “I want nothing to do with them. I’m happy, Daddy.”
“You may be happy, but I have a vendetta. We’re going to take them for everything they have,” Ruben grumbled. “I’m going to make sure y’all’s kids are set for life.”
I grinned. “Just try to keep her out of it as best you can.”
Bindi groaned. “You aren’t helping.”
I pulled her into my side. “Let’s go buy some Christmas presents, baby.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder, and I cupped her head to press a kiss to her head.
“Fine. But I’m getting my amaretto latte with cinnamon sugar sprinkles.”
“Done.”
Turns out I’m not depressed. I just need to go on vacation and get bent over every piece of furniture in the VRBO.
—Text from Bindi to Garrett
GARRETT
6 months later
“Your wife is in your front yard mowing.”
I blinked, positive that I hadn’t heard him correctly.
“I’m sorry, but can you repeat that?” I asked.
“Your wife.” Hollis giggled. “She’s in your front yard mowing your grass.”
The pure terror that shot through me upon the thought of her, blind, on my zero turn made the stomach acid bubble up my throat.
“Fuck,” I said as I all but ran out of the room.
“Garrett, calm down!” she called out, but I ignored her and ran out of the house.
I didn’t find her on my zero turn.
I found her using a push mower that I used when I was doing the small side yard between my brother’s place and mine.
I stopped when I saw her in my front yard, sure enough, mowing my grass.
I remembered this morning when she asked me about the yard.
“What’s the shape of it?” she’d asked.
I’d explained the shape and the flower beds. I’d told her about the sidewalk with the small rock creek that ran through it.
I’d also explained how I mowed the closer sections to the landscaping with the push mower.
She’d found that push mower, too.
She’d mowed over half the yard.
Some of it was bad, obvious missed spots throughout.
Then there were other spots that were fantastic.
As I watched, she bent down, the front of the mower going up with her movement and felt the grass.
Upon feeling the high grass spots with her fingers, she readjusted the mower and started walking again.
I watched her for the next fifteen minutes as she all but finished mowing the yard. All that was left were the parts that she didn’t want to get too close to.
Her father had joined me at some point, watching his girl with fascination just like I was.
“She’s something, isn’t she?” he asked.
“You’ve definitely given me a gift,” I agreed.
We’d been married last night.
We’d decided to forgo the honeymoon because she was six months pregnant with our baby.
Maybe next year we’d go on that honeymoon, but for now, she was staying in sight of her doctor.
She wasn’t high-risk or anything, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t freak out constantly.
“Wow,” Auden said as he came up to stand beside me. “I’m impressed.”
I was, too.
Her sheer stubbornness was intoxicating.
“Do you think she can do mine next?” I heard Atlas call.
The lawnmower shut off, and she turned, searching for the source of the yell.
“What are you doing, baby girl?” her father asked.
Bindi beamed, and I couldn’t stop myself from walking toward her.