Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 19554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 98(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 98(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
"Just remember to tell him the truth, and we'll get this mess all figured out," he adds with a warm smile that somehow eases the tightness in my chest.
Chapter 5
Ashton
I exhale the breath I didn't realize I was holding while Emily goes back and forth with the judge. She serves up a mix of remorse and sincerity, knocking it out of the park. I’m impressed and relieved as she rolls with the punches. Once the hearing wraps up, I click off the link to Houston and turn to her.
“Alright, let’s finish this,” I say, turning to the laptop to tackle her fines. I guide her through the pages until we get to the “Pay Now” button. Relief courses through me as this part of our journey comes to an end.
After wrapping up the payment, I decide it’s time to move on to the next step in my campaign to win her heart. First step in the plan: help Emily set up her new mobile grooming van.
Dillon sticks his head in the office door. “Can I have my office back now?” The unspoken “asshole’” at the end echoes around the room.
“We just finished up,” I tell him before adding, “Now that we’ve got Emily’s tickets squared away, I’ll be taking a few days off,” I say casually.
Dillon looks up from his desk, glaring at me. “I don’t remember you asking for vacation.” Then his eyes narrow. “What about your spoiled-ass dog?”
“I didn’t ask.” I try to maintain a teasing vibe as my mind whirls with plans for my unexpected time off. “And I’ll pick Edna up a little later.”
“Fucker.” He shakes his head sadly. “We’re going to have a discussion about who’s in charge of who when you get back.”
“Whom,” I correct, knowing it will ruffle his feathers. “It’s who’s in charge of whom.”
“Get out of here before I fire your ass.” We both know he isn’t serious. “Just so you know, I like your dog more than I like you.” Probably true. Edna is pretty loveable and I’m a cranky son-of-a-bitch.
As I follow Emily to her house, I glance around the quirky little suburban neighborhood. Despite everything she’s been through since yesterday, she’s still fucking stunning and so full of fire.
She hops out of her car and leads me through the side gate to her garage, and I can feel the anticipation growing. “You ready for the big reveal?” she teases, a mischievous glint in her eye as she throws the garage door open.
Her van is parked inside, an eye-catching hot pink mobile grooming setup, perfectly outfitted for her new venture. But the moment my gaze lands on the bold letters painted on the side, a laugh breaks free before I can stop it. “Doggie Style,” really is a unique name.
Emily turns to me, arms crossed, a defiant smirk on her face. “Well, what do you think?”
“It’s absolutely brilliant!” I barely manage to choke out between fits of laughter.
She glances up into my eyes, her confidence shining through. “It gets attention, and that’s half the battle in this game.”
“I think it’s the perfect name for a mobile grooming business.” I feel a rush of admiration for her determination.
Standing here, bathed in the sunlight spilling through the open garage, she looks more radiant than ever. I watch as she opens the back doors, revealing a space filled with all the essentials. There’s a grooming table, a doggie shower stall, and various dog beauty products.
“Wow, this is fantastic,” I say, stepping inside the van. “You’ve really thought this through.”
“Yeah,” Emily says, sliding in next to me, and the atmosphere thickens. “I waited until I had enough money to do it right.”
We’re standing close, the scent of dog shampoo mixed with her sweet perfume filling the air, and there’s an undeniable spark between us. My heart starts to pound as I meet her eyes, suddenly aware there’s nothing standing between us.
“What’s the plan for today? Are you ready to dive into this head first?” I ask, forcing my voice to remain steady even though my pulse is racing.
“Are you planning to help me?” She inches a little closer, her shoulder brushing against my arm, and I swear I can feel the heat radiating between us.
“Of course, I’m going to help you.” I lean in slightly, lowering my voice to match the intimacy of the moment. “I’d love to be a part of this new chapter in your life.”
Her breath catches slightly, and for a heartbeat, I know she feels the pull between us, too. “This chapter?” she asks, an expression of vulnerability crossing her face and slicing through the earlier bravado.
“This chapter and all the future chapters. I’m all in.” I can feel my pulse roaring in my ears from the way she’s looking at me. The unyielding gaze seems to pull me in.