Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“He was trying not to piss her off and failing miserably.” Nash leans back in his chair, one arm propped on the armrest, the other tapping the table.
“Caine.” My mother just says my name like she did when we were younger, and she was about to give me a warning.
“Don’t listen to him.” I point at Nash. “He’s trying to cause trouble.”
“Me?” He points at himself at the same time I whack his hand that is on the armrest, making it fall. “I’m not the one who barks at her fifteen times a day.”
“I do not bark at her,” I defend through clenched teeth; my jaw so tight I think my teeth might break.
“Uncle Nash,” Meadow calls him. “Grandpa said you can’t push me higher than his old arms.”
We all laugh, and luckily for me, Nash gets up. “He does have old arms,” he says to Meadow as he walks down the steps and jogs over to her.
“Caine,” my father admonishes, “tell me that Nash is wrong.”
“He’s wrong,” I semi lie to him, and he must know it because he tilts his head to the side, knowing there is more. “Okay, fine.” I put up my hands. “I may have barked at her in the beginning. But that was because I thought she was too young for the job.”
My mother pffts. “Sexist pig,” she mumbles under her breath but loud enough and also clear enough for me to hear.
“Come on, Mom,” I say, and she just sneers at me.
“That young girl closed a deal for us last night that we’ve been trying to do for years. All she had to do was smile his way and he was putty in her hands.”
“You pimped out my assistant?” I snap, and my father laughs. I’m angry anyone is going to be putty in her hands but me. I’m so far gone for her it’s not even funny.
“Her grandfather would hang me up to dry if we did that,” he discloses, shaking his head. “No, we introduced her to Franklin, and she did all the work. He went to talk to her afterward, and now we have a meeting set up next week. She is going to work with us on it.”
“Then I’m working on it as well,” I inform them. “We will fly in for the meeting.”
“Or you can Zoom in,” my mother suggests. “No need to fly in anywhere.”
“Whatever,” I say annoyed, then look at my father. “What do you know about her family?”
“Her grandfather is huge in the security business,” my father starts and grabs a piece of strawberry. “Started when he was young, was a rodeo king or something like that. Has some top-secret government deals. I think he just bought a hockey team.”
“What?” I’m shocked at this. “From rodeo to hockey?”
“From the whispers, he did it because one of the kids on the team is married to—”
Finally, all the pieces click. “Sofia Petrov,” I say her name, “Grace’s cousin.”
“Maybe.” My father shrugs. “Either way, he bought the team.”
“Wow.” That’s the only thing I can say.
“You better be nice to her,” my mother urges. “She is the sweetest thing. Last night, she was going crazy, she barely ate.” I swallow down before I tell her I know because I was watching her the whole God damn fucking night. From my side of my table, my eyes followed her every single time she got up or moved. After I dragged her into that room and kissed her again, I was waiting to catch her again, but she was always with someone. And when she wasn’t with someone, she was rushing to find someone. Finally, at midnight, she found me with my father and told us she was heading home, and if there was anything, to speak with the lady who was standing in the corner. I wanted to walk her out and make sure she got into a car safely, but she left with Kayla, and it would have caused a scene if I followed her out.
“I am nice to her,” I finally say softly.
“Now.” Nash walks back up the steps, holding Meadow in his arms, who squirms to get down. She runs over and hops on my lap, leaning over and grabbing some strawberries in her hands. “So serious question,” he says, and we all look at him, “can I ask her out?”
“Absolutely not,” I bark out at the same time my mother says, “That would be lovely.”
All eyes come to me. “He’s not dating anyone who works for me.” I grip the handles to the chair tight. “Period. Go f—” I stop saying the word because Meadow is on top of me. “Go bark someone in your own office.”
“Why are you barking, Uncle Nash?” Meadow asks me and I put my head back. “You should meow instead.” Then she looks up at me. “Can I get a cat?”