Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 55951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
I glared at Grant. “You sure are bossy.”
“We’re out of time, Highness.”
Stacy’s eyes bounced between us and I nearly rolled mine. She was coming to the wrong conclusion. There was absolutely positively nothing between him and me.
He picked up the puffy coat with the fur trim and held it out so I could shrug into it. I might have stood my ground, but I remembered my grandmother and my promise to her. Now was not the time to make a stand.
I put on the coat and took the bags Stacy handed me.
“Thank you,” I said.
Grant had spun around and marched toward the door, expecting me to follow.
“You’re welcome. Do good by our boy,” she said with a huge grin.
Once again, I was thwarted from responding as Grant barked out, “Let’s go, Highness.”
She only grinned harder and my cheeks burned as I dashed after him.
Once in the truck, he demanded, “Put the boots on.”
“I didn’t try any on.”
“They should fit,” he said and focused on the limited view out of the window as the wipers tried and failed to remove the snow that was heavy and wet.
I did and was surprised they fit as he said. Pride kept me from asking how he’d known my shoe size.
We didn’t drive long before he pulled over again. “Wait here.”
Then he was gone. Minutes later, he got back into the truck and handed me a bag that smelled delicious.
“Burgers and fries. I hope you like the fixings.”
“I’m not picky,” I said.
Years at boarding school made me open to whatever food was available if I wanted to eat.
“That’s good to know.”
I sighed. “I thought we were in a truce.”
“We are. Sorry. Can you hand me a burger?” he commanded.
“Do you think that’s wise while driving?”
“Do you want to drive?” he asked.
I didn’t drive much while living in New York or while I was at boarding school, though I did have my license. Florida, where it was sunny most of the time, didn’t give me the experience to drive on snow or ice-covered roads.
“No thank you,” I replied.
“Then hand me a burger.”
I took out a warm foil-covered burger and unwrapped it somewhat so he would be able to bite into food and not foil. Then I held it up to his mouth.
“What, are you going to feed me now?” he asked.
“Just bite and stop trying to control everything.”
When he parted his mouth, I had a sudden and unexpected urge to kiss him. My hand almost shook with that revelation. When a smudge of ketchup was caught in the corner of his mouth, I leaned in and my thumb reached the spot at the same time his tongue came out.
I sat back so fast I smushed the bag of food with my bottom.
“Are you okay?” he asked as my cheeks heated.
“Yeah, fine,” I said, straightening in my seat.
“Can I have another bite?”
I looked down and realized I still had his burger in my hand. “Sure.”
Feeding him might have been awkward, but the slippery roads left us with no choice. I ended up eating my lukewarm food after I finished feeding him flattened fries and ignoring his enormous smirk.
When we were done, we were left in companionable silence. My thoughts drifted back to extreme worry. I leaned back and covered my eyes when we came to a complete stop.
“What?” I asked on instinct.
Ahead was nothing but a parking lot of brake lights. He checked his phone before he said, “Road’s blocked ahead. It appears there is a pileup and they’ve closed the interstate.”
“Geez, are you serious?”
I felt like everything that could go wrong was happening to stop me from getting to Gran.
“Yes. Looks like we are going to have to find a restaurant or somewhere to hole up.”
He pulled across a couple lanes, following a trail of cars doing the same. With the snow coming down in heavy drifts, the few businesses we passed had their lights off.
“Hotel?” he asked.
I glanced at the time; it was early evening and I shrugged.
He pulled up to one and told me to stay in the car. When he came out twenty minutes later, he shook his head.
“They’re full. I called a few others and they were booked as well. Apparently, the news says the road won’t reopen for hours.”
“And everyone has the same idea,” I muttered.
“Exactly. I did find one place.” It was ominous the way he spoke.
He turned off a side road that didn’t have much light. It was a bumpy and slippery ride to the point I held on for dear life. When we pulled up to what wasn’t exactly a rattrap motel, but more like a fleabag, I automatically felt itchy. The sign flashed “otel” as the M was dark.
“Yeah,” I said on a sigh.
“It will be fine.”
He parked and I followed him in.
Grant didn’t waste time taking the few steps to the desk, where a tall, bedraggled, gray-haired man stood like a stiff breeze would blow him away.