Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Gypsi narrowed her eyes at it, then shifted them back to me. “Since you said invited, I am assuming this isn’t something you won from playing cards or pool.”
I shook my head. “No. I didn’t swindle anyone. This was an invite … from a friend.”
Gypsi’s gaze went back to my outfit. “The same friend you had lunch with?”
I nodded.
“Mom, how rich is the man you’re dating?” she asked me point-blank.
I lifted my shoulders slightly. “He’s wealthy. He raises horses and races them. You’re going to like him. I promise, Gypsi Lu. I can’t wait to see you in those dresses. You’re going to be the most beautiful female at the derby.”
I waited for her to take it in. She was looking at the clothes again.
“I can’t just get off work with this late of notice, Mom,” she began. “I could stay here, and you could—”
“No. You know I would never leave you here in this camper like that. Besides, your work has been handled. You can call if you’d like, but you are being taken off the schedule for the weekend.”
Her eyes widened. “How did you do that?”
This part I hated. Admitting I’d allowed a man to do it. Handle our business. We’d always handled our lives. Now, I was forcing her to let Garrett take over. Not on everything, but some things.
“Garrett did it. He knows the owner,” I guessed. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure.
“Garrett’s his name? He sounds young. Please tell me he isn’t in his twenties.”
I shook my head, relieved I got to tell her something she wanted to hear. “He is in his forties, I think. Although he looks to be about forty, he has a grown, married son with a kid, so I am going to guess mid to late forties, but aging well.”
“Last name?” Gypsi asked.
“Hughes,” I supplied.
She pulled out her phone.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Googling him. If he’s wealthy and he races horses, his name will pop up.”
Rolling my eyes, I walked over and took her phone and tossed it onto the sofa. “You will meet him tomorrow. There is no need to google him. Now, come see these dresses. I think the pink one with the short, fluffy skirt will be perfect for you at the derby. You’ll be a real, live Barbie.”
“Mom,” Gypsi sighed, “are you sure about this?”
I nodded. “Yes, Gypsi Lu. We are going on an adventure. One unlike any we have ever been on. Stop worrying, and let’s play dress-up.”
I could see when she finally caved and gave in. I wanted to hug her for being so agreeable. She had every right to be mad and demand to stay here. She wasn’t just my daughter. She was my best friend. Our bond was one that I cherished above all else.
Twenty-Nine
Garrett
The flight to Louisville, I realized two things. One, Fawn was a superior parent. Gypsi was a much better kid than Trev, my youngest son who was only a year older than her. She was mature, polite, respectful, and she didn’t trust me at all. I could tell from the way she watched me with that warning look in her eyes, as if saying if I did anything to upset her mother, I’d have her to deal with. I liked this kid. Fawn had raised her without any help, and she had managed to produce an impressive product.
Me? Not so much. Trev was difficult. Nothing like the girl sitting across from us.
The second thing I realized was that there could possibly be an issue with Trev. He liked beautiful females. He used his charm and playboy ways to go through them like most men did their underwear. Gypsi was a replica of her mother in looks. Not so much in personality though. That was the only thing I felt that could save me from Trev causing a problem. I knew my son. Once he got a look at Gypsi, he was going to be like a dog after a damn steak. I had to prepare for that.
Gypsi would be an excellent match for Saxon Houston. She’d be close, within the family so that I could keep her protected, and Saxon had a good head on his shoulders. A hard worker. A little too soft in the ways of our world, but I was going to remedy that. Gypsi seemed like the kind of girl who would sniff out Trev’s bullshit and appreciate Saxon’s responsible side. I would make sure to put them into contact on this trip. See if something came of that. If not, there were other young men in my circle who I could place in her path. Find her someone that was worthy of her. That Fawn would be pleased with.
“You’ve had a horse win the derby nine times in the past twenty years,” Gypsi said, surprising me.