Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141251 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 706(@200wpm)___ 565(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141251 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 706(@200wpm)___ 565(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
“Oh, wow, sick,” Sammy whispers, looking around in awe.
“Yes, there’s no doubt what we’ll all be after eating here,” Julian mutters dryly.
I elbow him. “Stop being such a snob.”
The attendant walks up to us. “Table for four?”
“Yes, please.” I smile as I go up onto my toes, completely excited to be here.
The attendant hands me a small silver bucket of beer nuts. “Nuts are on the house.” She begins to walk off. “This way, please,” she calls over her shoulders.
The children follow her, but I hang back, hunching my shoulders and smiling broadly at Julian. “I love it when nuts are on the house.”
He looks at me, deadpan. “Or in your mouth.”
I laugh. “That, too.”
We weave through the busy restaurant and take a seat at a bench seat. Country music is blaring through the space, and the back area of the restaurant opens out onto a huge courtyard. They have attractions out there, obviously because it’s the opening week. There are donkeys, horses, and a baby animal petting zoo, with a bucking bull set up in the corner.
“I love this place.” I smile as we sit down.
“Me, too.” Sammy beams. I hold my fist up and he punches it with his.
Julian turns his attention to his daughter. “What do you think of the place, Will?”
Will looks around and sees the peanut shells on the floor. “It’s a bit feral, if you ask me.”
“Thank you. At last, someone who knows what they’re talking about.” Julian sighs, relieved.
Sammy and I pull a face at one another, and we open the menus.
“Wow, I’m definitely getting the ribs.” I keep reading. “It’s called The Huge Rack.”
A look of disgust washes over Julian’s face. “I have to sit opposite you and watch you chew meat from a bone that’s called the Huge Rack?”
I giggle. “Aha, and I’m drinking beer straight out of the bottle, too.”
Willow giggles. “You are so uncouth, Brell.”
“That’s why you all like me so much.” I bat my eyelashes playfully. “What are you getting Sammy?” I ask.
He studies the menu. “Chicken wings, maybe.”
“Hmm.” I nod. “Sounds great but we’ll have to make sure we ask for them plain, not spicy.”
“Yeah.” He shakes his little head. “Definitely not spicy.”
“Will, you getting the ribs with me?” I keep looking at the menu. “Oh, we have to get the Yam Taters.”
She concentrates as she reads the menu. “Yam Taters? This food is weird.”
“I know, it’s great isn’t it?” I smile. “What are you getting, Mr. Masters?”
He frowns as he peruses the menu. “Food poisoning, no doubt.”
I roll my eyes. "Will you stop being such a killjoy? Just pick something."
“Chilli Tex Mex.” He closes the menu.
I giggle. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, why?”
“You have no idea how hot that could be.”
He smirks. “My dear Miss Brielle. May I remind you that I like my life extra hot.” I smile down at the table. He’s being a bit flirty tonight.
“If you have an upset stomach all night long, don’t be blaming or calling me,” I tease.
The children both laugh and Julian rolls his eyes.
"Oh, look, the horse." Sammy smiles excitedly as he looks out to the backyard.
“Do you want to go see?” Will asks.
“Can we?” Sam asks me.
“Of course.” I smile.
They both get up and disappear out the back, leaving Julian and I to watch them in silence for a while.
“Thanks for coming tonight,” Julian says. “I’m not sure how to handle this whole thing.”
“It’s okay. I’m not going to go out this weekend.” “Why not?”
“I want to stay with Will.”
“Oh, so you’ll stay home for her, not me?” he teases.
“That’s right.” I smile as I watch his eyes hold mine. He’s so lost in all this Will business, he has no idea what to do for the best. “I thought maybe we could do something fun, both on Saturday and Sunday. You know, to try and take her mind off it all.”
He nods as his eyes drop to the table.
“Did you think any more about getting them a kitten?” I ask hopefully.
His eyes snap up to mine. “I don’t want pets, Bree. We go away a lot. The children stay at mother’s every Thursday.” He frowns.
“The cat can go with them.”
He shakes his head. “No.”
I roll my eyes. “Fine.”
The waitress comes over and we order the meals and drinks, and then she disappears through the crowd once more.
“What do you want to do all weekend then?” he asks.
“Whatever you want.”
His eyes darken as they hold mine. “Whatever I want isn’t on the menu at home.”
“Why not?”
He shakes his head. “Because it needs to be kept separate.”
“Why?”
“It just does.”
The kids bounce back to the table, interrupting our conversation, and we fall quiet again.
I watch the bucking bull trying to throw somebody off. “Who wants to come watch me ride that bucking bull?” I ask.
Julian’s face falls.
“Yes,” both kids squeal.
I stand. “Come on then.”