Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
A two-car garage sat to the right of the small front porch and a burgundy four-door Buick was parked on the left side of the driveway. The older sedan could be his mother’s.
Twenty minutes later, when headlights sliced through the interior of her Accord and the double garage door lifted, a Ford Ranger turned into the driveway, stopping for a moment at the end. Owen Decker looked over at her and acknowledged her with a chin lift before continuing forward and parking the older truck in the garage next to two motorcycles.
She decided to wait in her car until he informed her how he wanted to handle the meeting with his daughter… Not daughter, niece. That was what he called her.
Once he climbed out of the truck, the garage door closed behind him and his long strides quickly ate up the distance between the house and her Honda. She powered down the window when he stopped next to the driver’s side door.
“Sorry I’m late. This is what I was talking about when I mentioned erratic hours.”
“Not a problem. So… Two Harleys?”
“I own the one you saw on the left. The other one is on loan from the feds’ while I’m undercover.”
Even from where she sat she’d been able to tell that his personal bike was newer, perfectly clean and decked out with loads of chrome versus the borrowed bike, which appeared old and basic. “From what I saw, the difference between the two is night and day. Is the Ford Ranger yours or is that also a loaner?”
“A loaner. It was assigned to me since the weather’s turning cold and I’m not one of those diehards who can ride a sled all winter long.”
“A sled?”
“What bikers call their motorcycles.”
“Ah. It doesn’t surprise me that they have their own language. Should I get out?”
He glanced over his shoulder at the house. “Do you mind waiting a few more minutes in your car? Before I take you inside and you’re hit by my tiny whirlwind, let me see my mom out since it’s getting late and by the end of the day she’s completely wiped. She’ll need my assistance getting into her car. Also, until you agree to the arrangement, I don’t want to get her hopes up. If you say yes, we’ll have plenty of opportunities for an introduction in the future. Plus…” He hesitated.
She tilted her head and prodded, “Plus?”
He grimaced. “Plus, she’ll get one look at you and start matchmaking. I don’t want to get her hopes up in that department, either.”
“Oh.” Sloane laughed. “Mothers tend to be like that. Mine’s always pestering me about when I’m going to find a good man and give her grandchildren.”
“How about your father?”
She sighed. “To him, no man will ever be good enough.”
“I’m sure I’ll have that same opinion when Val gets older.”
“Anyway, I don’t mind waiting. I’m plenty warm and I can wait until you’re ready.”
He nodded and gave her an apologetic smile. “I know I said I’d make you dinner but I hadn’t planned on being the Demons’ bitch all afternoon.”
“I bet,” she murmured.
He lifted the large paper bag in his hand. “So, I picked up Val’s favorite take-out. I got a variety since I wasn’t sure what you’d like.”
She read the restaurant’s name on the side of the bag. “It’s Chinese. I like it all.”
His deep chuckle would definitely warm her up if her heat wasn’t on full blast. “Good. We can set it up like a buffet and have a little bit of everything.”
When Sloane’s stomach growled loudly, she pressed a hand to it.
His eyebrows rose. “I guess that grumble means I should hurry. I’ll be back out to get you shortly.”
“I’ll be here.”
She watched his long-ass legs take him quickly across the yard to the front door. He pulled a set of keys from his pocket to unlock it but before he could go inside, his mother stepped out onto the porch already bundled up in a thick coat.
Decker dropped the take-out bag just inside the door and shut it before helping the much shorter woman out to the Buick. Now Sloane could see why his mother needed assistance, she moved slowly and used a cane.
No wonder he needed someone to watch his niece. A four-year-old had to be difficult to keep up with when you couldn’t move very quickly.
With a hand on her elbow, Decker assisted his mother over to the sedan and exchanged a few words with her. When the older woman glanced over at Sloane’s car, she wondered what excuse he came up with since his mother nodded and squeezed his arm.
After a kiss to her forehead, he helped her into the Buick, then shut the door. He stayed there until she backed out of the driveway. Once all they could see were the car’s taillights, he encouraged Sloane to get out of her car with a wave of his arm.