Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“You know I appreciate this, but I could have just ordered from The Family Restaurant.” Jed sat at the kitchen table, drinking his morning coffee, a cast on one arm.
“And you know my mother wouldn’t let anyone she cares about have to make do with takeout. Who would watch your salt intake?” she asked lightly.
“I’m taking those pills, which keep my blood pressure down, so I don’t see why I can’t eat whatever I want,” he muttered with a frown, which did nothing to detract from his distinguished looks.
Though he had a full head of silver hair, he had masculine and well-defined features. Cole definitely resembled his dad.
Erin shook her head, knowing better than to let her mind go there. “That’s an argument for another day. I need to get to work.”
“Is he giving you a hard time?” a familiar male voice asked.
Erin started at Cole’s voice. “I didn’t hear you come in,” she said, her heart now racing at the sight of him.
“Came through the back door.”
“Bastard still has a key,” Jed muttered. “What the hell do you want?” he asked Cole.
Erin cringed, taken aback by the anger in Jed’s tone and the way he treated his son. She hadn’t been in the same room with them together since she was a child. All she remembered was Cole, the wild boy, drinking, getting suspended, and causing trouble, and her parents talking about Jed’s threats to send Cole to military school. But surely all that was in the past? She narrowed her gaze.
“Morning to you too, Dad.” Cole strode into the small kitchen, ignoring his father’s words.
He leaned against the counter, dominating the room by sheer virtue of his presence. He was almost six feet tall, pure muscle and all male, and the small room shrank in comparison.
“So what are you doing here?” Cole asked her, those gorgeous ink-colored eyes penetrating her with his intent stare.
“My mom asked me to bring food over for Jed while she and my dad are out of town.” And since she’d done just that, it was time to beat a hasty retreat. She grabbed her purse from the counter and her car keys, which she’d put alongside it. “I should be going.”
“Don’t rush off on his account,” Jed said.
Erin tried not to wince.
Ignoring his father, Cole pinned her with his steady gaze, and she swallowed hard, resisting the urge to smooth her hair or look uncomfortable.
She didn’t look her best. Morning sickness struck at odd times. She wasn’t sleeping well, and, of course, the anxiety over being pregnant was eating at her. Carrying this burden alone wasn’t smart, but she didn’t know who she could turn to who wouldn’t slip and inform her parents, her brothers, or worse, Cole himself. Erin wasn’t in top form and she didn’t want Cole looking at her too deeply and suspecting something was wrong. It was bad enough she’d have to deal with him eventually.
She clutched her car keys more tightly. “I’ve got to get to work.”
“Driving off women now too, son?” Jed asked Cole, no hint of humor or joking in his tone.
Oh my God, enough already, Erin thought, dying to speak up but certain neither man would appreciate her interfering. Still, she couldn’t help but glare at Jed, letting him know in no uncertain terms his comments were uncalled for. Whatever the difficulties between father and son, they deserved to remain private.
Erin didn’t miss the deliberate way Cole straightened his shoulders, as if he were bracing himself so the insults would bounce off him. But if the set of his jaw was any indication, his father’s words clearly hit home. Worse, the ruddy flush in his cheeks told Erin it was as embarrassing for him as it was for her.
Which meant she’d make her escape before things became any more awkward between the Sanders men. She said another good-bye and left the two wary men alone.
* * *
“Way to go,” Jed said to Cole after Erin left the house. “You drove the lady off.”
“You did that all by yourself, Dad.” And though Cole was used to his father’s attitude and was even proud of the way he’d ignored the obnoxious comments, it was clear he’d made Erin uncomfortable.
“You heard her. She wasn’t itching to leave until you showed up.”
Cole clenched his hands into fists. “Do we really need to do this? Do you have that list of things I can fix around here?”
“What? Did your cousin get smart and decide he didn’t want to keep a no-good SOB like you around his respectable customers?”
Even with Erin gone, Cole didn’t plan on engaging his father. Instead, he pushed off the counter and headed for the front door. His tools were in the truck, and at least he could get started on fixing the front step. Once outside, he realized Erin’s car was still in the driveway.