Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Ryan hasn’t said much, so I turn to him. “Thoughts?”
“If it’s something you both want, I think you’d be stupid not to do it. It’s too beneficial for both sides.”
“I’d want to make sure that my men have jobs.”
Rem frowns. “We’d be partners, Holden. I’m not going to fire your men, and you can’t fire mine.”
I blink at him. “Partners.”
“Like you said, I’m not buying you out. We’d be merging.”
I nod slowly, surprised that they’re so open to this idea.
“I think we should have more conversations,” Ryan says. “Speak with attorneys, get projections, that sort of thing, and go from there. Think it over.”
“It’s definitely not something to decide over Sunday dinner,” I agree with a chuckle. “But I’m glad I brought it up. I’ve been thinking about it for a few weeks now.”
“Definitely worth thinking over,” Rem agrees.
Millie wanders our way, holding a fussy Lottie. “Ryan, I can’t get your daughter to stop crying.”
“Did you pinch her?” Ryan asks her as he takes the baby and bounces her against his shoulder. “Did Auntie Millie pinch Daddy’s sweet potato?”
“No, moron.” Millie rolls her eyes and then runs her hand over the baby’s head. “She was just sad. Weren’t you, pumpkin? Don’t be sad. Don’t be a sad girl. Aww, you’re so sweet.”
She’s smiling at that baby, making funny faces, and it makes my stomach clench. I want babies with this woman. I want to be here, with her family, and maybe my girls, too, with our kids playing.
I fucking want all of it. Everything I thought I’d never have in my life.
“Hi.”
I look down and grin at a little brunette, who’s missing her two front teeth and smiling up at me.
“Hi there. What’s your name?”
“Daisy.” I squat next to her so I can look her in the eyes. “Brady is my daddy.”
“I knew that. How are you? Are you having a good day?”
“Yeah, it’s always fun out here. We have a house on the ranch, too, but you can’t see it from here. It’s new. We just moved into it. Daddy got me cows.”
“The black beef cattle?” I ask her.
“No, my own cows. Highland cows. Mini ones. Mom told him I could have one, but he got me three.”
I grin at her. “Cows get lonely.”
“That’s what Daddy said. Anyway, you looked sad, so I wanted to say hi.”
I frown at her. “I looked sad?”
“Kinda.” She shrugs, and then Holly calls her name. “You can sit by me at dinner.”
I grin at her and tug on her braid. “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.”
She smiles that big, toothless smile again, and then she runs off.
“Well, that was cute.”
I look over at Millie and find her smiling softly at me.
“You’re just a chick magnet, aren’t you, husband?”
Ryan smirks, and even Remington grins at me. I see that Millie’s holding the baby again, and I cross to her, pat the baby on the back, and lean in to whisper in my wife’s ear.
“I’m going to put a baby in you the first chance I get, wife.”
Millie blanches, Ryan and Remington bust up laughing, and I simply grin at her.
“Geez, hold a baby for five minutes, and men start getting ideas. I’m going to find the girls.”
She’s not scowling when she walks away from us, and from the flush on her cheeks, I’d say she doesn’t hate the idea.
“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen my sister get as flustered as she does with you,” Ryan says, clapping me on the back. “Way to keep her on her toes, man.”
Remington takes the ribs off the grill, and before he can take them inside, we hear tires pull up at the side of the house.
Remington and Ryan share a frown, and unease moves down my spine.
“I’m about to get my ass handed to me, aren’t I?” I ask them.
“No. This is my fucking house,” Remington says, anger in his voice. Before he or anyone else can go see who it is, although we already know, John walks around the back of the building.
He grins, obviously happy to see everyone. He hugs the grandkids when they rush over to say hello before they run off to play in the treehouse that Ryan bought them last Christmas.
“Wait for it,” I whisper.
And just then, he spots Millie. His face falls in surprise, but then his eyes narrow, and he skims the area. When he finds me, his face turns to stone. He straightens, snarls, and turns to leave.
“Dad!” Millie calls out, but he doesn’t even look back at her.
“Enough,” I mutter and hurry past her, squeezing her shoulders as I pass. “John. Mr. Wild.”
“Fuck off.”
“Stop. I’ve fucking had it with you hurting my wife.”
I hear the gasp behind me, but I don’t turn away from him. John stops and swings around to stare at me.
“You what?”