Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“This is icing,” Tyler muttered, pointing to the computer.
“Shut up,” Scott muttered to his brother before turning his eerily Avery-like eyes on Grey. “As far as I’m concerned, jury’s out on you until you prove yourself with my sister. This jackass over here”—he gestured to his brother—“he doesn’t know what it’s like to be in love. You are in love with her, right?”
Leave it to a Dare brother to put his cards on the table. “Yes, I love her.”
“Hearts, flowers, who gives a shit? The fact is—” Tyler began.
“My relationship with Avery is my business, not yours,” Grey said. “I’ve already told you you can trust me with your sister’s welfare, and you can. The rest is not up for discussion unless it involves keeping her safe.”
Scott eyed him with respect. Tyler ignored him.
Grey could live with that. “I hired you to do a job because I have to shut Simon down,” Grey said. “What did you find out about Mills’s widow?”
“Dawn Mills is in seclusion in the mountains. To contact her, you have to leave a message at the town store. They wait for her to come down and give her messages. Then it’s up to her whether or not she returns them.”
“Sounds great,” he said sarcastically.
“Yeah, but we started that process on your behalf,” Tyler said.
Grey nodded. When it came to the professional, he knew he could count on the man. “Good. Keep me posted. Is that all?”
“No,” Tyler said. “The longer my sister lives with you, the more chance she’ll end up emotionally invested and hurt.”
Grey shook his head. “You’re so determined not to trust me. I think it’s time you took a harder look at yourself than me.” Grey stuck his hand out for Scott.
The other man shook it.
He merely nodded at Tyler. “You need me, you know where to find me.”
He needed to get home so he’d be there when Avery returned. Because she was what mattered in his life right now.
* * *
With her ever-present bodyguard, Rick, by her side, Avery picked up Ella from the airport. Rick drove her car, and Avery chatted with him from the passenger seat. When she got past his business personality, she liked the man. But he always kept an eye out for danger, which she appreciated. Not that she anticipated any issues. Simon causing Grey trouble seemed to be the main thing going on at the moment. Avery was no longer the flavor of the month, for which she was grateful.
She’d had time to think and realized that as scary as some of the moments had been, she’d survived them quite well as an adult. She was proud of herself. Happy she could be with Grey and give this thing a real chance.
Avery and Rick waited for Ella at baggage claim. While she’d been away for work, Avery had explained what had happened with one of Grey’s groupies or a stalker getting as close as their front door. And she’d told her friend that she was temporarily living with Grey. She’d also informed Ella that Tyler had declared their shared apartment off-limits to single women living alone. Because Tyler had set down the mandate, Ella had immediately disagreed. She didn’t want to disrupt her life at Tyler’s demand.
Grey had grabbed the phone from Avery and offered Ella the use of his extra condo across the hall because he didn’t think it was safe for her to be there if someone came looking for Grey or Avery and found Ella there instead.
Avery wanted to kiss her sweet man. She couldn’t believe he was willing to put off his studio renovation, but he swore he didn’t mind. Avery liked knowing not only was Ella safe, but she was across the hall, and her friend had given in.
Ella walked into the arrival area, looking tan from her island trip and the photo shoots outdoors. Floppy-brimmed hat in hand, she pulled Avery into a hug. “I am so glad to be back!”
“Glad to have you back.”
“We have a lot of catching up to do,” she said, eyeing the tall, broad, imposing-looking bodyguard by Avery’s side.
Avery grinned. “We do, but not now.” She wasn’t going to discuss her love life and especially not her sex life in front of Rick. “I have many other things to tell you. I met with Dr. McCann this morning.” She patted her bag, her calendar secure inside. “We have dates for the kids to choose their dresses and another for the fittings so we don’t wear the kids out.”
Ella nodded. “I can’t wait to go visit them. It’s been a while, and I want to see their faces in person. See how they’re doing.”
Avery nudged her side. “I’m sure they’ll love to hear about your adventures on the island.”
Ella grinned. “I brought back fun gifts for them too.”