Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 79821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
He crosses his arms over his barreled chest. “You wouldn’t.”
I grin, knowing damn well his wife would lay into him if she thought he was being mean to any of her boys. “Would too.”
Saul flicks his wrist in my general direction. “Get back to work.”
“I was working, you know, before you interrupted me.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he mutters, walking off to pester someone else.
Rolling my eyes, I slide down my goggles and ready my saw. Only before I can make the cut, my phone rings, vibrating against my leg.
The sight of Stella’s name flashing across my screen has my lips lifting in an easy grin. If she’s calling me—on her own accord—maybe she’s thinking of forgiving me.
“Hey, Luna, to what do I owe the pleasure—”
“Samson,” she whimpers my name, and immediately my entire body is on high alert.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, pacing back and forth.
“My… my tire blew.” She releases a shuddery exhale. “And Dad and Orion are busy, and I’m sure you’re busy too, but I don’t know who else to call.”
“Where are you?”
“On the side of I-24.”
Fuck! Why couldn’t she be on the side of some two-lane road with no traffic? “I’m on my way.”
“Really?” She sniffles and my heart clenches in my chest.
“Really. I need to hang up for just a second, but drop me your location and I’ll call you right back, okay?”
“Okay.” Another sniffle. “And, Samson…”
“Yeah, Luna?”
“Thanks.”
“Always.” I end the call and pull my phone away from my face, waiting for her text to come through.
As soon as it does, I’m off to find my foreman. “Saul!” I holler his name, hoping like hell he hears me over the noise of the job site. “Saul, where you at?”
“Let me guess, you fudged the cut?”
“I gotta go.”
“You gotta what?” His voice lowers to a growl as his entire body tenses. “It’s not even lunchtime!”
“I know. I know. But my girl needs me. You know I’d never just dip, but she’s stranded on the side of the interstate. She needs me.”
“Goddamn young love,” he mutters to himself. “Go, but I expect you to make up the hours.”
“I will!” I shout over my shoulder, already running for my truck.
As soon as I’m on the road, I call Stella back.
She answers on the first ring. “Samson.” Her voice cracks and I swear, my foot mashes the pedal to the floor.
“I’m on my way, Luna. I’m coming. Are you okay?”
“Yes, um. Yeah. These cars are just going by so f-fast, it rocks my whole car.”
“You got your flashers on?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Talk to me, and I’ll be there soon.”
“About what?”
“How are your classes?” I ask, merging onto the interstate.
“They’re more challenging than I thought, but in a good way.”
“That’s because you’re smart as hell.”
“Whatever. You’re just trying to charm me.”
“Is it working?”
Stella gasps as a horn blares in the background. “Holy crap!”
“Are you okay?”
“They were just really close.”
“Jackasses.” I squint, looking for her car. “I see you, Luna. Gonna pull up behind you.”
“Okay,” she whispers.
“Wait for me to come get you.” I end the call before she can argue, throwing my truck into park and popping on my flashers.
Car after car rushes by, not bothering to move over or slow down in the slightest as I approach her vehicle.
“Come on,” I say, opening the door. “Let’s get you situated in my truck and then I’ll I get this sorted, okay?”
Stella looks up at me from beneath damp lashes, her cheeks red from crying. “Thank you for coming.”
I swipe my thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away her tears. “Always, now come on.”
She allows me to help her from her car. I know she’s shaken up when she lets me wrap my arm around her as I guide her back to my truck.
“You got a donut in the trunk?”
“Yeah. A jack too.”
“Good girl. I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Thank you. Again.” She looks me up and down—and I mean, really looks at me. “Oh my God! Did you leave work to come help me?”
I stare blankly at her. How is that even a question? “Of course I did.”
“Samson! Will you get in trouble?”
“Let’s get something straight—I’d have left to help even if it meant getting fired. You need me, I’m there. It’s that simple.”
Her blue eyes widen. “Did… did you get fired?”
“No, Luna.” I give in to the urge and tuck her hair behind her ear. “My boss is every bit as crazy about his wife as I am you, so when I told him you needed me, he got it.”
“That’s…” she trails off before leaning forward and pressing her lips to my cheek, shocking the hell out of me.
“Damn.” I brush my fingers over the spot her lips just touched. “Hang tight,” I murmur as I shut her door, heading back to her car before I can do something stupid—like kiss the hell out of her.
Chapter Fifteen