Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
I’m pouring some into my cup of coffee when I hear my phone ringing from my office. Rushing back to my office to answer the phone, I pray it’s Helena deciding that she has changed her mind, but instead, I look down and see it’s my father.
“Hello,” I huff as I walk back to the kitchen.
“You sound out of breath,” he says. “Are you working out?”
“I’m at the office, Dad, and don’t even pretend you don’t know that.” I grab my cup of coffee from the kitchen and walk back. “You don’t think I know you put my location on the last time we were together?”
“What?” He tries to act like he’s surprised. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Dad.” I chuckle. “You know it says I’m sharing my location, right?”
“I thought I deleted it,” he says, not even trying to pretend anymore. I walk around my desk, placing the cup down on the coaster before grabbing my laptop.
“You did, but I have my iPad and my computer all logged into my Apple ID so…” I sit down in my chair. “You got caught.”
“Duly noted,” he says. “Now, what is this I hear that you are on a dating app?”
I put my head back and groan. “I am never telling Mom anything again.”
“Your mother knew?” he shouts, and I roll my lips. “Hazel!” he yells her name. “Why didn’t you tell me Sofia was on a dating app?”
“Who told you?” I hear my mother ask, and then I sit up.
“Is my phone tapped?” I ask, shocked that I never even thought about it.
“You tapped her phone?” my mother yells.
“Goodbye,” I say, disconnecting the call and then calling the one person I know made it happen.
“If it isn’t my favorite first grandchild,” he greets, and I can even picture him smiling. I press the camera button, and his face fills the screen a couple of seconds later.
“Hey there, gorgeous.” He smiles at the phone. I know he’s in the war room when I see all the screens behind him.
“Oh, don’t you gorgeous me.” I glare at the phone, and he leans back in his chair. “I’m going to ask you something, Pops.” I say the nickname I gave him when I was seven. “Did you or did you not put a tracker on my phone?”
I stare into his eyes, and I don’t know why I’m surprised that he gives away nothing. This is the same guy who trained with the Navy SEALs for fun. “I think I’m going to need a little bit more context than that.”
“Don’t you even try to lie about it. Dad just got caught,” I inform him, my eyebrows rising.
“I’m not confirming nor denying anything,” he deflects, picking up his cup of coffee. “The question is, why the hell do you think you need to be on a dating app?”
“Pops!” I shout and smack my desk. “This is the biggest invasion of privacy.” He rolls his eyes. “What if I was sending nudes to a man, and you had one of your men going through my stuff?”
It’s his turn to glare at me. “Once those pictures are in the universe, it’s forever.”
“Take it off my phone now,” I threaten between clenched teeth, “or I’m telling Grandma Olivia.”
He stares at me, wondering if I’m bluffing. “Good, then that means you are going to come home for a visit because she will force you.”
“And Grandma Charlotte.” I play my last card, and he just glares at me. “I’m not kidding. I swear this feels like I’m in college all over again when you put all those trackers in my purse without me knowing.”
“Sofia,” he murmurs my name softly, “how was I supposed to know that you wouldn’t be sex trafficked or kidnapped?”
“Three hundred and forty-seven trackers!” I shout. “I’m surprised I wasn’t followed by the FBI.”
He laughs. “Please, my guys are way better than the FBI.”
“Okay, I’m going to go now and get myself a new phone and not give you the number,” I tell him. “Then I’m going to go on ten blind dates, and you’ll never know.”
“Okay, okay, fine,” he concedes, holding up his hand and then turning to click two things on his keyboard. “There, done.” He looks at me. “Now, when are you coming home?”
“Never.” I side-eye him, trying to ignore him.
“Your horse misses you,” he says softly. He knows that I’ll do anything for Peaches.
“I’ll come home sometime next week, but it’ll probably be just a day trip,” I inform him. “Now, I have to go. I love you even though you are you.”
He laughs. “I love you more, Sunshine.” He uses my nickname, and I suddenly miss home.
“Bye.” I reach out to press the red button, not waiting for him to say goodbye.
I turn my computer on, checking the emails. I reply to the ones I can respond to and then send the ones that need to be looked at to Shelby.