Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
“You’re a jerk,” Colby says and kicks Colten in the shin.
“Why, you little shit.” The man starts after the boy. I grab him by the collar, and Summer seizes the opportunity to slide off my shoulder. Still holding on to Colten, I try to corral my woman, but she evades me. To my surprise, instead of heading back into the restaurant and seeking shelter behind the chief, Summer kicks Colten’s other shin. He’s lucky I’m hanging on to this collar because he buckles under the blow.
“My ass is just the right size,” she hisses at him.
“He won’t be looking at it again anyway.” I toss the man aside, not caring that he stumbles and falls off the side of the steps into some bushes.
“Help me, you asshole,” he cries.
I ignore him. “I have ice cream at home,” I repeat to Summer. “And it’s free.”
She puts her hands on her hips. “Then what was that crack about paying for all my services before?”
I rub the top of my head roughly. “I don’t know. I’m bad at words.”
Colby tugs at my shirt. “Say you love her. She’ll stay if you say that.”
Summer turns beet red. “Hush up,” she says to her brother. “Fine. Let’s just go home and eat ice cream. It’s not like I can go back into the diner now anyway. I don’t think I can ever show my face there again.”
“How come?” Colby asks.
I want to know, too.
“Because, honey, the whole thing with him”—she throws a hand toward Colten, who is still struggling to climb out of the bushes—“and him”—the other hand is pointed at my chest—“is going to feed the gossips longer than any meal that Len can whip up.”
“He was like a knight defending your honor!” Colby declares. “Ain’t that right, Kale?”
I nod vigorously.
“Oh, Colby, honey, you’re a sweetheart.”
“No, I’m not,” he scowls and ducks out of the way of her comforting hand.
“Summer actually defended my honor,” I remind the boy. She stood up for me. I don’t remember anyone doing that except Tina, and she’s bound to do so since we’re blood. Maybe she has some warm feelings for me. She likes being in my bed and doesn’t mind my scars. She’s willing to stand up for me in front of the townspeople. That might not be love, but it’s enough for me. Hell, it’s the whole world to me. I think it’s time to go home and have that ice cream. I ruffle the top of Colby’s hair.
“You’re a solid defender,” I tell him. “And you’re right. I was defending Summer’s honor.”
“In what way?”
“In every way a man can defend the honor of the woman he loves.”
A smile splits Colby’s face in half while Summer’s jaw drops. I press my lips together and hustle the stunned Summer and the gleeful Colby into my truck so that I can take my family home.
26
Summer
The car ride home is fairly silent. I lick my dry lips, knowing I should say something but not sure if I should do it in front of Colby. He said he loves me. Those words keep going through my mind. I‘m starting to think the reason he made those comments earlier is because he was scared.
I know he’d been on edge since the chief tried to show up the other day. His mood seemed to shift after that. Then he all but lost it when I left the house. I was kind of hoping he would follow us. He was scared I was going to leave him, so being a stupid man, he panicked and pushed me away first.
I wish I could stay mad at him, but I know that it’s taken him a lot to open up. I need to remember that while Kale is older than me, he’s still new to this whole dating thing too. Hell, he’s new to being around people and socializing on a regular basis. The rest of my anger melts away when I think about how many years he’s spent here all alone. Thinking that no one would ever love him.
“So does this mean we get to live in the castle forever if you guys are in love? Wait, you're supposed to get married, right? I don’t want to wear a suit. Do I have to wear a suit, Kale?”
“You don’t have to wear a suit if you don’t want to.”
I jerk my head up to look at Kale.
“Cool.”
Kale gives me a shrug.
“You’re supposed to ask a girl to marry you. Not just assume they’re going to,” I huff.
“Don’t do it, Kale. She might say no. Just do what you did at the diner.”
“You two are impossible.” I bite my lip to keep from smiling. It’s adorable how much they are getting along. I love that Colby has a male figure to look up to. And knowing that Kale will provide a safe and happy home for Colby is all I can ask for.