Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
But it sure as hell wouldn’t happen in three weeks. Big Tag was crazy.
“You should put a fifty on six months,” he told Mae. “You know I like to take my time.”
He walked back to his office. When Daphne brought Lou in this afternoon, he would put his best foot forward.
And unbutton the top of his shirt. A little male cleavage never hurt.
* * * *
Daphne walked through the sleek glass doors. McKay-Taggart Security Services was etched in an elegant script, and she wondered how they managed to keep the glass so clean. She only had a circle of glass on the door to her business and it felt like she spent hours a week wiping it off.
“This place looks cool.” Lou was already moving around the lobby, looking at the plants and furniture.
“Hi, you must be Daphne and Lou.” A pretty young woman stepped out from behind the reception desk. She was petite with glossy black hair and wore a white shirt and brilliant yellow skirt with perfectly white high heels.
Daphne was still wearing her Daphne’s Delights T-shirt and jeans that probably had flour on them. Her hair was in a ponytail she’d recently taken a hairnet off of. “I am. We’re here to see…”
“Hey.” Boomer walked out as though he’d been standing behind the doors waiting for them to arrive.
It took everything she had not to drool. He was even more stunning in work clothes. He had on pressed black slacks and a snowy white dress shirt without a tie. The shirt was open at the throat, showing off how golden his skin was. His sleeves were rolled up, highlighting how toned his forearms were.
“Hey.” Yeah, that was a smart reply. He made her normally razor-sharp brain fuzzy.
Oh, darling, it’s not razor sharp. You know sometimes it barely functions.
She took a deep breath. Sometimes she heard Dennis in her head. She’d never been enough for him. He’d never let her forget for a moment that he’d married beneath him.
She shook off the shame that always came with those thoughts. Shame that she hadn’t walked out, hadn’t found a way to beat them all.
The receptionist was watching them, and Daphne got the feeling more time had passed than she thought. Had she really been standing here staring at him like an idiot?
“Thanks so much for having us.” Another dumb response. He’d invited Lou. She was just along to make sure things were safe. Looking around this well-appointed office, she would be surprised if they weren’t.
“Of course,” Boomer said. “We’re happy to have you. Did you get the oven sorted out?”
She nodded. “Yes, it’s a touchy appliance. It breaks down all the time. I probably should replace it, but those big ovens are expensive.”
The doors opened again, and three teenaged girls walked out, a brunette who was probably fifteen or so and a set of twins who couldn’t look more different. The twins both had strawberry blonde hair and identical faces, but the similarity ended there. One wore a short skirt and a cute top, and the other’s clothes looked like they’d been through a shredder. Her choice of footwear—combat boots. There were piercings and tats in that girl’s future.
“Lou, these are my honorary nieces,” Boomer began. “This is Tasha, Kenzie, and Kala.”
Tasha had dark hair and a ready smile. She was in jeans and a T-shirt from what Daphne suspected was her high school, a public school in North Dallas. “Hi, Lou. I’m Tasha. These are my sisters. Don’t mind Kala. She always looks like she wants to punch someone.”
Kala Combat Boots gave Daphne a once-over. “You’ve got flour on your jeans. I like it. It looks like you don’t care. Cool.”
It was good to know she was a hit with disaffected teens. “Uhm…thanks?”
Kenzie’s hair was in a high ponytail. “Don’t encourage her. We find it best to ignore her. So you’re Uncle Boomer’s neighbor? Don’t you love Sprinkles? She’s the most adorable dog. She’s what I think Kala would be if she was a dog.”
Kala faced off with her sister. “I would not be a Chihuahua. I would be a German shepherd, and I would bite you often. You would be a big silly poodle.”
“I like Sprinkles. She’s hard on the outside but nice on the inside,” Lou said, her eyes wide while she watched the twins. “She’ll fight anyone who tries to hurt her or her pack. She’s not afraid to fight, and you have to earn her friendship.”
Kala turned to Lou, and for a moment Daphne worried she might have to intercede. Then Kala’s expression softened. “Well, put like that, I wouldn’t mind being a Chihuahua. Hey, Lou. Boomer told us all about you. You want to come back and see the gulag? It’s not as bad as I make it sound, but I have a reputation to uphold, so don’t tell anyone I said that.”