Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 25768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
A part of him wanted to fault the rich girl for using her money to give herself more luxury than Maddox had in his fixer-upper home, but she didn’t seem to be all about indulgence. She just seemed to want to contribute in some way while she stayed here. Her hours were shorter than his and when he came home, often between the day and night shift, there was dinner on the table or in the fridge waiting for him. Good meals she’d cooked herself, not ordered in or picked up. With groceries she’d purchased despite him leaving cash on the counter with a note to use it for house necessities.
Felicia hadn’t cooked. She didn’t know how and she gave him a hard time over not hiring a chef when, at the time, he made the money to afford it. But Gabby was different and he wasn’t enough of an asshole not to admit the difference. So Maddox wouldn’t allow himself to fall back on the rich girl cliché. He had to give credit where it was due.
Gabby cooked, she cleaned, she did laundry…and she painted. In the family room where he hadn’t finished priming the walls, she’d set up an easel and canvas she apparently kept in her car. And when she wasn’t working at the gallery, which she said she loved, he often found her with AirPods in her ears and a paint brush in her hand. From the little he saw of her work, because she often covered her paintings with a sheet, she worked with acrylics.
In essence, over the last week, she’d taken over his house. And though he ought to mind and be annoyed by her presence, he liked having her around. None of which convinced him seducing a twenty-two-year-old woman was in his best interest. He still had plenty of reservations, which included not just her age and their life experience differences, but his uncertainty of where she’d live when the summer ended. He was still guarding his emotions but with every day that passed, Gabby made that more difficult.
Shouting sounded from outside his office. Pushing back his chair, he rose to his feet. He wasn’t in the mood for a fight but he was grateful for the distraction from his thoughts. He walked out and strode down the hall, following the loud voices.
As he stepped foot in the bar, his gaze came to rest on Cal who was in an argument with a familiar looking man. Maddox strode over to the douche in the pressed pants and a sport jacket, looking out of place in The Back Door where guys wore cargo shorts or jeans and T-shirts.
“Okay, Preston, what’s the problem?” Maddox shoved his hands into his front pockets and glared.
The other man met his gaze, clearly not surprised to see him. “James. I heard you were managing this dump.” He scowled as he looked around the bar, which appeared new and in great shape as far as Maddox was concerned. It just wasn’t the country club bar.
Maddox ignored the dig. He didn’t give a shit what Preston the Third thought of him or his occupation. “Why are you hassling my bartenders?”
He glanced at Cal and tipped his head toward the bar, indicating he could go back to work.
“Seems he’s looking for his girlfriend.” Cal shot Maddox a pointed look, one he accepted with a nod.
After Cal returned to his place behind the bar and began helping customers, Maddox turned to Preston. “I wasn’t aware you had a girlfriend. Women you touch without permission, on the other hand, I could count those, but it would take me all night.”
“I’m not here to verbally spar with you. Where is she?”
“Where is who?” He deliberately played dumb. No way would he reveal Gabby’s whereabouts. She was safely tucked away at his house and this prick wouldn’t find her.
Preston let out a prolonged sigh, as if Maddox was wasting his time. “Gabriella, my girlfriend. Soon to be fiancée.”
“No idea who you’re talking about.” Though it was interesting to see how certain Preston appeared that Gabby was his girlfriend and would bow to her family’s demands.
“Gabriella has been missing for a week. Her parents and I were willing to give her time to get this little rebellion out of her system, but they’ve had enough. And so have I.” He straightened his shoulders, posturing as if he had a leg to stand on.
Holding back a snort of amusement wasn’t easy but Maddox did it and remained silent.
“Do not make me call the police,” Preston said, stepping closer. “My father has pull with the Chief and we both know who he’ll believe. He’ll come search your home and no doubt he’ll find my wayward fiancée.”
Maddox raised his eyebrows but still didn’t give the other man the satisfaction of a reply.