Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“It hasn’t been aired out in a while,” Kent explained. “Clint won’t let anyone in the house to clean or to help with the baby or with Charlie. He seems to think he’s got to do it all himself. He’s not sleeping, barely eating or bathing. Honestly, he’s a mess.”
Hell.
He sounded like he’d gotten worse.
“Why aren’t you with Bebe?” he snapped at Hayes.
“She’s fine. She’s got someone with her.”
“No one will get to her here,” Kent added.
Nonetheless, he wasn’t going to let Kent avoid answering him. “How is Ari different from Bebe?”
Kent shrugged. “I suppose there are some similarities. You’re her bodyguard. And Ari had an awful mother too. But Ari was quiet and shy, without the, uh . . . presence that Bebe has.”
“Is that your way of saying she has a reputation? Because people watched that fucked-up show about her and judged her without knowing her?”
Corbin was getting mad. He didn’t think he’d ever been angry at Kent before, but he honestly expected better from his boss.
“Yeah, who’d do that?” Hayes drawled.
“Urgh. Point taken.” Kent rubbed his hand over his face. “Sorry. I can’t believe I even said any of that. Her mother told me some things and I guess it colored my perception of her. She made her sound like a troublemaker. Manipulative and selfish.”
“Trust me, she’s not the manipulative, selfish one,” Corbin told him. “Her mother has either neglected her or tried to dictate her whole life. If Bebe doesn’t do what her mother wants, then Barb finds a way to punish her. And there is no way in hell she’s doing that show again. Barb is crazy to believe that. Nor will I let her punish Bebe for not wanting to do it.”
Kent shook his head. “Unbelievable. I can’t believe that Benton doesn’t see what his wife is like. I trust you, Corbin. I trust your opinion and your judge of character.”
“This is my girl, Kent. I expect everyone here to treat her well,” he warned.
“I’m sure they will.”
Yeah. They would. No one here would be rude. But would they welcome her? He didn’t want her to follow the same pattern of doing reckless things to work through her pain rather than talking about it.
So everyone better bloody well treat her like a queen or they’d have him to answer to.
Kent slapped him on the back. “Let’s go meet your girl.”
Wait.
He turned to Hayes. “Who the hell is she with?”
36
Corbin gaped at his girl in shock.
She was sitting next to Clint on the couch. A sleeping Clint. Who had his feet up on an ottoman and a blanket over his legs.
Oh, and he also had a baby strapped to his chest.
This was who Hayes had left his girl with? Clint, who was likely sleeping the sleep of the dead?
He glared at the other man.
“She’s safe,” Hayes said. “You don’t think Clint will launch into overprotective mode the second someone threatens her? Around Annabel?”
Hayes had a point.
He still didn’t like it much. What if she’d wandered off? Then again, hadn’t he told her how safe the Ranch was?
“I can’t believe he’s sleeping,” Kent whispered. “She got him to sleep. None of us have been able to do that.”
They were all whispering as they stood outside the doorway, peeking in.
“Do you really think he’s asleep?” Corbin asked Kent.
The other man held up his finger to his lips. Then a loud snore filled the room and Kent let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank fuck.”
They waited several moments to ensure Clint was in a deep sleep before heading into the room.
Bebe stared up at him with wide eyes. Clint’s head was slipping onto her shoulder.
“Quick,” Kent said, grabbing a cushion. “You get up, Bebe. Hayes, hold the cushion for his head.”
“Never thought I’d become a cushion-holder for a paranoid, grouchy rancher,” Hayes muttered. But he held the cushion as Corbin helped Bebe stand up, away from Clint.
“Poor guy is really tired,” she whispered.
“He hasn’t really slept since the baby came,” Corbin told her, pulling her against him.
“I don’t know if the baby should sleep with him, though.” She chewed her lips. “Not that I know much about babies.”
“I’ll take her off him,” Kent said.
“But then he’ll worry if she’s not there when he wakes up,” she said.
Corbin gave her a squeeze. It was sweet how concerned she was about him.
“I’ll quickly put the baby up in her crib and check on Charlie,” Kent told them.
They all waited with bated breath as he undid the buckles at the sides of the front pack. Then he gently took out the baby and lifted her into his arms.
Clint let out a loud snore and they all gave sighs of relief.
Kent carried the baby away while Hayes awkwardly helped Clint lie down on his side.
“Where did the blanket come from?” Corbin asked.
“Oh, I found it,” she said. “Thought it might help him sleep. I also played this playlist I have on my phone that helps me sleep. I thought it might help as well. Maybe it sounds a bit childish.”