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)
He didn’t have to tell me she didn’t know what he was up to. We both knew she would talk him out of it.
“I will. You two stay safe.” He gave me a knowing look and I narrowed my eyes at him in warning. “Though I have to say, not much to do up here.” His eyes bounced between us. “But I’m sure you guys can figure out some way to pass the time.”
“Bye, Liam,” I said as he laughed and hauled himself back into his truck.
I stepped away so he could back up and turn around to head out.
“Ignore him,” I said, hoping what my cousin said hadn’t made my uphill battle even steeper.
“I like him,” Jolie said with a huge grin on her face. I scowled in response. “Don’t worry. I don’t like him that much.”
“You better not.” I took her hand because I liked touching her. “I have something to show you.”
We walked back to the spot I’d taken her the day before. But now there was something there.
“A swing?” she cried, letting go of my hand and running over to it.
I’d spent the morning cutting a log and sanding it down with a power tool to save time. Then I cut holes on either side of the plank for the rope I’d used to hang the swing on a tree branch not close to the edge, but close enough to enjoy the view.
“Sit,” I said.
Eagerly, she did as I asked.
“I remember something about you not going to the playground much as a kid,” I said.
“You made me a swing?”
Her astonishment and utter happiness were enough to make me feel like Superman.
“I promised you a chair. Does this work?”
“Does this work? I can’t believe you did this,” she said, staring at me with wonder.
I wanted to tell her there was so much more I could do if she’d let me, but now wasn’t the time.
“Just sit your sweet little ass there and let me help give you a push.”
I winked at her, ignoring the chill in the air. Her excitement was the balm that I needed to warm the day. So I pushed and savored her squeals of delight. Later, I would think about how this simple act made me happier than I’d been with any woman.
“Stop,” she finally said, giggling. “We should get back.”
“Why?” I held the rope and stopped her forward progress.
She hopped off and reached a hand back to me. She had no idea the victory I felt in that gesture.
“I have something for you.”
I let her lead me back to the cabin, as I could only guess her surprise for me.
Inside the cabin, my stomach growled when I smelled food. Then another smell invaded the air. A scent that even the fire couldn’t hide.
“Oh my God,” Jolie cried, running for the stove, grabbing things with a mitt and moving them off with haste. When she spun to face me, panic filled her face as she tried to block my view of what I already knew. “I wanted to keep it warm for you.”
I tried and failed to contain a grin as I moved in front of her. I placed my hands on her hips and shifted her to attempt to salvage the meal she’d made for me.
“It’s ruined,” she cried.
From the looks of things, the bacon was beyond crispy, the eggs were runny on top and hard as a rock on the bottom. The pieces of toast from the toaster were just shy of black. I reached out as tears brimmed in her eyes.
27
Jolie
To hold back a sob, I covered my mouth, as I’d made a mess of things. I watched in horror as Grant snagged a piece of toast and a butter knife. Then he proceeded to scrape the dark parts off into the sink with not one piece but two.
After placing the salvaged toast on a plate, he scooped up some of the congealed eggs and piled them on the bread. He then took burnt bacon that looked as hard as a rock and placed them on the eggs. I tried not to gag as he topped the sandwich and bit into it and murmured sounds of satisfaction.
I couldn’t let him eat the mess on his own and made myself a smaller version of the sandwich with only one slice of toast. It wasn’t exactly horrible, and I forced it down.
“Thanks, babe,” he said, after swallowing the final bite.
With a mouth full of food, I bobbed my head, wondering when he would do something that would make me not that attracted to him. Not to mention he’d once again called me babe. I had no idea why it gave me a thrill whenever he said it, but I had to squash this.
In two weeks’ time, the fantasy bubble he was creating would pop. I would leave the swing he’d made for me by hand from the looks of it. I would leave everything I was coming to love about the mountains and living in a cabin off the grid.