Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Dripping wet, Stone struggled to get to his feet. “You’re going to pay for this, Pepper.”
CHAPTER 14
“Mishaps and mischief, steady companions of yours, I can deal with, but I draw a line when it comes to danger,” Ian said the next morning over breakfast at the kitchen island. “You need to be extra cautious, not only for your own sake but for my sanity. I love you and I don’t want to see you hurt or lose you.”
Flutters consume me anytime Ian tells me that he loves me. I thought it was a foolish reaction at first, liking it to a young girl’s first crush. But I’ve come to realize it stirs my own feelings of love for him that I didn’t accept easily and that I still sometimes find difficult to believe and that I don’t tell him as often as he tells me that I love him.
“Pep, are you listening?”
“I love you!” Popped right out of my mouth. “I don’t tell you enough, but I do love you.”
He smiled, leaned close, and took hold of my chin to lift it gently and kiss me just as tenderly, at first. It didn’t take long for the kiss to escalate, which meant we might be late for our prospective morning meetings.
No such luck. The front door flew open, and my mom waltzed in with a bright smile on her face and Mo rushed to her to receive hugs and kisses.
“Morning, you two,” she said cheerily walking towards us. “Mo is scheduled to go campaigning with me today, but after what happened yesterday, I thought you might want to keep him with you today. I can always take him another day.”
“Not necessary, Mom,” I assured her. “Amy and I are going to the Willow Mansion to go through some files since our membership was approved quickly and as you know—”
“No pets are permitted in the mansion,” my mom said. “Wagging tails can do a lot of damage there as well as pet owners who don’t mind their fur babies properly.” She frowned. “You need to be careful. News has spread that you have the keys to the mansion and that could be the very reason that vanishing guy showed up here yesterday.”
“I didn’t consider that,” Ian said, a crease of concern wrinkling his brow.
“It could have been a ruse, the fellow making you think he was on your side when he’s the culprit or is in cahoots with the biker,” my mom said.
I knew where she got that from. “You and Dad have been talking.”
“Of course we have,” my mom admitted. “We’re concerned for your safety especially since you can be so stubborn.”
I grinned. “I wonder where I got that from?”
“Your Aunt Effie. You’re just like her.”
Ian turned his head away to hide his laugh.
“I better get going. I have a busy schedule today. Besides campaigning, there’s the Main Street Beautification meeting and the Summer Festival Committee meeting. Please tell Amy not to be late for that meeting, her input regarding the budget is imperative.”
“Amy is never late, Mom, so no worries.”
“I won’t bore Mo with the meetings. I’ll drop him off after I finish campaigning. Now where is his vest?”
I smiled and pointed at the door. Mo was sitting in front of it with his vest in his mouth waiting for her.
My mom beamed with pride. “He is such an intelligent dog.” In minutes, the two were out the door, a cheerful “Toodles!” following my mom out.
“I haven’t seen the Willow Mansion yet. I have a break between meetings today, I’ll stop by,” Ian said innocently but I knew the reason for the unexpected visit.
“Checking up on me?”
“Aye, Ah cannae leave mo ghràdh unprotected,” he said, with a deep Scottish brogue that flitted my heart.
Okay, so he flitters my heart for other reasons as well, but how can it not flutter when he calls me my love in that sexy Scottish accent? I really needed to stop sounding like one of Amy’s beloved romance novels.
“Seriously, Pep, we don’t really know why that vanishing guy was here yesterday. Maybe he thought you weren’t home and came looking for the keys to the Willow Mansion. Maybe he’s in cahoots with Stone and they had a falling out. It could be anything. My concern is for your safety.”
“Cahoots? Really? Practicing for that cowboy modeling gig?”
“Blame your mom. It stuck in my head.”
He had mentioned his concern enough that I realized it really did trouble him, so I tried to reassure him. “I’ll be careful, and Amy will be with me and the mansion is open to visitors today. So, I’m pretty well protected.”
“Good to hear,” he said, sounding relieved.
I didn’t want to burst that relief but there was something I hadn’t mentioned to him. “I’m taking that skeleton key with me to see if it fits any lock in the mansion.”