Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 64910 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64910 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Everything getting done in a timely manner, and it wasn’t even eight in the morning yet, I looked at my watch and considered what to do next.
I needed to go to my job and quit.
I also needed to go see my family and let them know what was happening.
Give them an in-person explanation as to why I wouldn’t be here anymore.
Not to make them feel bad about what they’d put my wife through all these years—they were just feeding off of what I’d done myself—but because they deserved to know.
“What are you doing?”
I looked up from where I was doodling on a piece of paper I’d put down quotes and who would be here when and where, to find Dory standing in the kitchen staring at me with confusion.
My eyes took in the length of her body, and barely hid the urge to growl in appreciation.
She was wearing my T-shirt, what I assumed was a bra and panties, and slouchy socks that had been mine from high school.
They were ones that I wore while on the football team, and I hadn’t seen them in a very long time.
It made me wonder if she’d had them all along.
Which made my stomach and heart do weird things.
“I’m getting quotes.” I paused. “Or I got quotes. I have the movers coming tomorrow to start packing up the house. I spoke with the lady about another house that she has as a rental. She’s having the place cleaned now, and it’s right on the water—bay side, not even a block from where we were at originally. But it’s more spacious, and a little more secure. Which she figured I’d want. Which I do. It’s about twice the amount of money in rent every month, but I thought being waterfront would be worth it. She also mentioned renting to own, but not having seen the house, I can’t very well say that I want it when I’d have to get your opinion on it first.” I hesitated. “Unless you want me to do it?”
She blinked owlishly, then shook her head. “No, no. That’s okay. Let’s look at it first.”
I flashed a grin at her. “I have a couple of preliminary appointments with a few underwater welding jobs there, too. That starts next Monday. Which, might I add, is about twice what I get paid right now. So this might work out really well for us financially. They’re in high demand down there right now due to that last hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast.” I stopped. “And I also talked to that chick about your upcoming job interview. Though that wasn’t because I called her, but because she called here looking for you. I asked her if she’d mind moving it to Monday as well, seeing as you’d been really sick and couldn’t hold any food down. She agreed, and so I’ll drop you off at yours before I go to mine. It’s a good thing we got you a new vehicle.”
She continued to blink. “You’ve been busy.”
“I’ve been motivated,” I admitted. “And now, I have to go quit my job and talk to my family. One of which I think I need to do alone, and one of which I think you’d rather me do alone. But, if you want, I can take you to both. It’s completely up to you.”
She licked her lips, then shook her head, causing her hair that’d obviously been twisted up and loosely tied to fall down around her shoulders.
She immediately started to twist it back into place.
Which I watched with rapt attention.
God, I wanted to sink my hands into that soft hair.
“I’ll stay and help you pack since I haven’t really unpacked,” she said softly. “I don’t… I don’t want to talk to your family, if that’s okay with you.”
That made my heart sink, because even though I knew that’d be her answer, I still had hoped for a different one.
God, what had I done?
Why had I allowed this to go on for so long?
“Sure,” I said softly. “In the meantime, if you get tired of packing, you can eat some of the food I had delivered?”
I pointed to a few bags on the counter.
“They’re just a couple of orders of breakfast style food. Some pastries. I made a run over to Jeremiah’s bakery and got you a few things that I knew you might be able to hold down.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Thank you, Bram.”
I winked at her. “I’ll be back. If you need anything, call?”
She nodded, and I was just about to pass her to head out the front door when an urge to touch her struck.
And instead of denying that need to touch, I chose to stop and honor the need.
I caught her around the neck and pulled lightly, pressing her body close to mine before leaning down and giving her a kiss.