Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
He looked at me and smiled weakly. “Must be the Shaw family. I opened up to your father this morning as well.”
I grinned, then looked back out over the ranch. “Sir, please forgive me if you think I’m interfering in your life with what I’m about to say.”
When he didn’t say anything, I went on.
“I think maybe you and Timberlynn are long overdue for a heart-to-heart. And, I think you could do with speaking with someone. My brother Ty went through a rough patch a few years ago, and he sees a therapist. It might do you some good being away from familiar grounds, talking to someone neutral. Heck, just talking to someone at all.”
I looked over and saw him nod.
When he didn’t say anything, I let out a slow breath, then said, “Should we catch up with my father and Brock?”
He stared straight ahead and smiled. “Yes, I think we should. And Tanner?”
We faced each other and he looked directly at me. “I didn’t mean to come off as not liking you when we were coming back from the airport. You seem like a fine young man and I trust my daughter to know what she’s doing. But if you ever hurt her, I’m honestly not sure I could keep myself from hurting you.”
I tipped my hat at him. “Noted. And for the record, I’d lay down my life to protect her, sir. Everything I do, I do it for her.”
He clapped me on the shoulder and grinned. “Thank you for taking care of our girl. Let’s go catch up with your daddy and brother, shall we?”
Chapter Thirty-Three
TIMBERLYNN
I paced the kitchen and rubbed my hands together as Stella and Kaylee sat at the small table and drank coffee.
“Timberlynn, you’re starting to make me tired with the walking back and forth. Will you please sit down?” Kaylee said.
“Where do you think they are? You said Ty Senior and Brock went as well?”
Stella nodded. “Ty and Frank actually went out a bit earlier for a ride together before they met up with Tanner and Brock, I believe.”
I was positive my eyes nearly jumped out of my head. “What? Why did they go out earlier, just the two of them?”
Stella laughed. “They seemed to have hit it off.”
“Right. The cigars and all,” I said as I went back to pacing. “This isn’t my father. He doesn’t do sitting on back porches, bullshitting, or riding. I didn’t even know my father rode horses!”
Kaylee gave me a sympathetic smile. “Why don’t you grab a few blueberry muffins, slather some butter all over them, sit down, and eat your emotions.”
“I can’t eat, my stomach is upset. Do you think he likes Tanner?” I asked as my gaze bounced between the two of them.
“Why wouldn’t he?” Kaylee asked.
“Of course, he does. What’s not to like?” Stella countered.
At that, I smiled. Then I saw Kaylee pick up a stick of butter and take a bite out of it. I blinked a few times to make sure I was seeing correctly. Another bite and I gagged.
“Oh my gawd!” I cried. “You just ate butter, Kaylee!”
She glanced down, and then looked back up at me. “Can you hand me a blueberry muffin if you’re not going to eat one?”
I shot a look at Stella who simply gave me a sweet smile. After getting a muffin for Kaylee, I handed it to her.
“Thanks!” she said as she took a bite of the muffin, then another bite of the butter. “Hmm, so good.”
I slapped my hand over my mouth as I gagged again. Stella jumped up and started to guide me out of the kitchen.
I went to glance back, and she said, “Don’t look back, it’s for the best.”
“But…she…the butter…she ate it!”
Stella nodded. “Yes, I know. Don’t even get me started on what she ate that made poor Blayze throw up.”
“What?” I cried out as Stella walked us into her sewing room and shut the door. “She made Blayze throw up?!”
“Yes, and Lincoln wasn’t too far behind. But luckily Brock got her out of the kitchen while I tended to Blayze. Morgan sat in her highchair oblivious to all of it. The joys of being a baby.”
I opened my mouth to ask what it was she ate, then quickly shut it.
“Smart move, sweetheart. You don’t want to know.”
“Ugh. Why does pregnancy make women eat such weird things?”
She shrugged and motioned for us to sit down on the small sofa. “I’m not sure, but when I was pregnant with Ty and Brock, I had the urge to eat dirt.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Dirt?”
“Yes,” she replied with a slight chuckle. “Ty Senior swears I snuck off and ate some, and that’s why the boys love to bull ride so much.”
Stella rolled her eyes while I shook my head in disbelief. Then she took my hands in hers. “Timberlynn, stop worrying so much about your daddy. He’s fine. Tanner is fine, all is going to be fine.”