Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
A loud fart was his answer as he made his way into the living room to stretch out on the rug.
“Maybe I’ll stay at my place tonight,” Ian said.
“No, no, no,” I said, shaking my head at him. “How was it Mo got into the stockroom in the first place since I keep the door latched at the top so he can’t open it.”
Ian’s hand fell off his nose and he gagged again.
“You went and got a bottle of wine from the stockroom, didn’t you?” I accused.
“I wanted you to have your favorite.” He cringed. “I forgot to latch the door.”
“I appreciate the thought, but guess who’s staying here tonight to take turns letting Mo out throughout the night?”
No fart was heard but the stench suddenly grew worse, and it caused Ian and me both to gag.
“I swear I will never let that happen again,” Ian said, and I knew a hard lesson had been learned.
19
“Never again,” Ian said, groaning after looking in the bathroom mirror the next morning. He doused his face with cold water and looked in the mirror again. “It’s a good thing I don’t have any photo shoots today.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “If that’s you looking your worse, I wouldn’t worry about it.”
He dried his face then stood in the bathroom doorway shirtless, wearing only jeans, stretching his arms up to brace on the doorframe. “Does that mean you’ll love me no matter how I look?”
“You ask me that standing there shirtless, muscles rippling as you pose in the doorway?” I asked and laughed. “I suppose I could always put a paper bag over your head.”
He launched himself out of the doorway and scooped me up in his muscled arms. “Just make sure you cut holes for my eyes and mouth so I can look at your beauty and kiss you.”
“You always know the perfect thing to say,” I said, envious of how easily he could be so romantic.
“Only to you, mo ghràdh, only to you,” he said and kissed me.
Both our cell phones rang.
“We rendezvous here later tonight,” he whispered as if the meeting was a clandestine affair and kissed me again before placing me on my feet.
I smiled, looking forward to it as I answered my cell.
My smile broadened as I joined Ian in the kitchen after I got finished on the phone. “I got that piece of property by the garden center. The owner came back with a counteroffer which was the price I wanted to pay for it, and I accepted.”
“That’s great news, Pep,” Ian said and didn’t hesitate to share who he had spoken to. “That was Lynx on the phone. We won’t be meeting just yet. Another model took ill and can’t fulfill a contract. She was offered the job and she happily accepted it. She has to start right away.”
“How nice for her and how unfortunate for the other model,” I said.
Ian gave a nod to Mo sleeping in front of the cold fireplace. “He hasn’t budged, but then I don’t know how there’d be anything left in him after he went out so much last night.”
“He’ll spend the day recovering and probably won’t eat until tomorrow,” I said, feeling bad for him. “It doesn’t matter though, if he gets a chance he’ll do it again. He loves beef jerky. I give him a little every now and then, but if he can sneak more he does.”
Ian gagged at the memory and repeated for the hundredth time, “Never again.”
I turned away to hide my grin. “Plans today?”
“Some business to attend to this morning then I’m free. I was hoping you’d be free for lunch.”
“As long as we can go to Treetops. I love the atrium section in the winter. The trees look gorgeous snow-covered.”
“It’s a date. How about I see if Beau and Amy are free? We can catch up on things with them.”
“Amy could use a reprieve from work and her dad problems.”
“Great, then I’ll grab a light breakfast at the lodge while I work, and I’ll scoop you up around noon.”
A quick kiss goodbye and I got busy making myself some toast while I blessed Ian for having turned the kettle on.
A key turned in the door and I wondered if Ian had forgotten something.
“I saw that Ian had left so I didn’t think you’d mind if I used my key,” my dad said after entering.
That he was thoughtful enough to explain why he used the key made me less annoyed that he actually did use the key. Still though, my family was going to have to learn to knock. Like that was even a possibility.
“Coffee?” I asked.
“Definitely,” my dad said and slipped off his jacket and sat on a stool at the island.
I could tell he wanted to talk, I just wasn’t sure if it was about the Carson case or Mom running for mayor.