Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
“I want to be with you.”
My chest squeezed while my mouth parted open to say something, only nothing would come. Glancing over Wyatt’s shoulder, I noticed Jacob watching us. The look in his eyes was one I hadn’t seen in a long time. He was jealous, and somehow, that bothered me.
Bring my attention by to Wyatt, I said, “Come on, let’s go get that cup of coffee.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
* * *
Wyatt
WALKING INTO THE kitchen, I grabbed my mother’s hand and spun her around, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Good morning, my beautiful mother.”
She blushed and playfully hit my chest. “You’re in a good mood this morning.”
“Why shouldn’t I be? We won our football game last night, and I had coffee with the most gorgeous girl in Marble Falls—hell, in the state of Texas.”
My father chuckled, and he took a sip of coffee. “I’d say someone has it bad.”
Grabbing an apple, I took a bite. “Can I ask you guys something?”
“Of course you can. You never have to ask that, Wyatt.”
My father looked up from his newspaper and grinned. It was nice having him home more often. He worked for the FBI, and although I thought I knew what his job was, I often wondered if I really did.
“If I want to do something really special for Skylar, what should I do?”
My mother’s smile practically took over her entire face. “Something romantic”
“Not too romantic,” my father was quick to say.
“Something heartfelt.” She smiled.
Setting the newspaper down, my father nodded. “I agree with your mother. Make it original though. Any schmuck can give a girl flowers. Show her you know what she likes by sending or doing something you know she’ll like. It will mean more.”
My mother was looking at my father like she couldn’t love him any more. “This is why I married your father. He took me to a hockey game.”
Lifting my eyebrows, I asked, “A hockey game is why you married him?”
With a chuckle, she walked over and sat on his lap. “It was part of the reason. My father was a huge hockey fan. When I was little, he and I used to go all the time. He would buy me those giant pretzels. Oh, man, I couldn’t wait to get to the game just for that stupid pretzel. When my father passed away, I stopped going to hockey games.
“Later, your father and I were with a group of friends—before we were dating—and I told that story. The next weekend, he showed up at my dorm with tickets to a hockey game.”
With a look of love on his face, my father smiled while gazing at my mother. “And the first thing I did was buy her a pretzel.”
“Best first date ever.”
I couldn’t help but smile as I watched the scene between my parents play out. “Huh. So, in other words, make sure I pay attention to everything Skylar says.”
My mother quickly kissed my father on the lips and stood. “Oh, Wyatt, when a woman speaks, you should always pay attention.”
“Amen to that,” my father mumbled.
***
Later that afternoon, I glanced up and watched while Skylar chewed on the end of a pen cap. She was completely focused on what she was reading that she hadn’t noticed she had eaten half of the damn cap.
“What’s your favorite movie?”
“Hmm?” she mumbled.
Reaching across the table, I took the pen from her mouth and looked at it. “Gross, Sky. You’ve eaten nearly the whole damn thing.”
Giggling, she snagged it out of my hand. “What did you ask?”
“Favorite movie?”
Lifting her eyes in that oh-so adorable way she did, she thought for a few moments. “Like, funny movie, romance movie, or horror movie?”
Pinching my eyebrows together, I asked, “You like horror movies?”
She shrugged. “Sometimes. If it’s believable.”
“There is that practical girl I know.”
The left side of her mouth rose into a slight smile, making my heart feel heavy in my chest.
“I try. Let me think…favorite movie…”
“Don’t say Emma.”
She giggled. “The Sound of Music.”
Frowning, I asked, “Is that a movie?”
“Yes!”
“Why The Sound of Music?”
With a shrug, she said, “I don’t know. I like the scene where they all go for a bike ride and sing. It makes me smile.”
Okay, a bike ride. I can do that. Singing…yeah, don’t think so.
“Any other movies?”
“Not that I can think of.”
Damn it. That didn’t go at all like I’d wanted it to.
Skylar’s phone buzzed. Lifting it, she smiled at something she’d read.
“Hot date later?” I asked.
Her eyes met mine, and I swore, they turned dark.
“With the stars,” she said.
“The stars, huh?”
With a chuckle, she nodded and set her phone down. “My older brother, Skip, used to always take me out past town anytime something was happening in the night sky, like a comet or the planets all lining up in a row. It was something fun we would do together, and it was his way of playing off my name. Now that he is in the Marines, he always sends me little reminders when something is coming up. He’ll tell me to look up and know he is looking up at the same time.” She shrugged and blushed. “It’s stupid, but we did together, so it kind of makes it special to me.”