Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 97836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
We talked for a few more minutes before he took off.
When he was gone, I turned toward Silas. I realized I still hadn’t fully apologized for what I’d said before, but I had no idea how to explain myself. I appreciated his help, but I didn’t. I wanted space, but I liked having him near.
Clear as mud.
“Clayton’s also the town dentist,” I blurted awkwardly. “Fair warning, if you need a filling, he’ll spend the entire time telling you about his latest gnarly shred.”
“Ah.” Silas nodded. “Good to know.”
He fell in step with me as I started walking back toward City Hall, and I tried to shake off my mood. This time of year, I loved any excuse to get out of the office and feel the warm sun on my skin. While I enjoyed being the mayor of Majestic more than I’d expected, I also loved being outside, and the biggest downside to my job in town was being chained to a desk.
When we turned onto Poke Street, there were plenty of other people along the sidewalks. Some greeted me with a smile or a wave, while others continued on with their errands without paying much attention to the people around them. Silas reached for my hand again and held it as we walked.
“So,” he began. “You’re going out to Three Daughters tomorrow.”
“Yeah. It’s the cluster of three peaks you can see from my house. Clara, Alice, and Maude. It’s where the trail race and rock climbing events are. I need to make sure there aren’t any issues before the AdventureSmash advance team shows up.”
I felt his gaze on the side of my face. “What time do we leave?”
I ignored his use of the term we. “I’ll leave right after morning feed so I can get back in time to get some work done at the office before afternoon feed.”
Silas stayed quiet for a few moments while I exchanged greetings with one of Sheridan’s friends. Once we were well past her, Silas took a deep breath and asked carefully, “Are you asking me not to come with you?”
I glanced over at him. “Do you want to come with me?”
His nostrils flared slightly. “Yes. I’m not as familiar with outdoor sports as you are, but I do know that it’s not ideal to venture into the wilderness alone.”
Silas’s words took me by surprise, unleashing a flood of emotions and memories from my father’s death. Suddenly, my lungs forgot how to breathe, and I felt cold despite the warm sun.
His hand grasped me under the elbow, supporting me. “Way? Waylon, Jesus. What is it?”
“Huh?”
His eyes were filled with concern. “You looked like you were about to vomit. You okay?”
I shook my head. “N-nothing. I’m… fine. Yes. Sure. You can come with me tomorrow.” I took a deep, cleansing breath to try and get my focus back. “But make sure you have decent footwear.”
After giving him choppy directions to Lake and Jackson’s shop, where he could find hiking boots that might serve him well enough on horseback as well, I left him standing in the street while I rushed away, back to the safety and solitude of my office.
SIXTEEN
SILAS
I stared after Way, itching to follow and ask him what the hell had just happened, but I knew better. For some reason, I wasn’t on the top of my husband’s good list right now, and the judicious choice would be to leave him alone to calm down.
During the drive back to the ranch, I thought about Way’s angry outburst. The man was overloaded and overwhelmed despite my aggressive efforts each night to take his mind off work and relax him to within an inch of his life.
My specialties were helping companies come out of disorganization, assisting C-level executives on how to avoid burnout, and guiding companies through growth pinch points, so it was frustrating to watch him continue to get buried under his commitments. I wasn’t used to having to sit on the sidelines while someone I… while a friend tried stoically to carry too heavy a load. It was one of the reasons I’d been attempting to lighten it.
But the man was shit at accepting help, even when it was freely given.
Frustrated, I glanced at the clock in the upgraded rental Kenji had arranged for me—a decent-sized SUV that didn’t make my legs feel like pretzels every time I drove it—and realized that it was already late afternoon on the East Coast, which meant my sister would be waking up and getting ready for her vampire shift.
I dialed her number and grinned in anticipation of hearing her voice come through the car’s speakers. Camille was not only one of the smartest people I knew, but she exuded positivity, always. Talking to her was a sure way to restore my good humor.
But when she answered, she sounded like she was still half-asleep. “Silas?”