Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 97386 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97386 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“I hope she likes it,” I said. “I mean, if she wants to go and pick out a diamond, I’ll understand.”
“Nah, not Corina. She’ll love it and treasure it, especially when she hears the story. How you going to do it?”
I let out a gruff laugh. “Shit, I don’t know. I’ve been trying to think of different places, times of day, what would be the most romantic. I’m coming up with nothing.”
“Why don’t you just do it when the time feels right?”
“So, you’re saying carry the ring with me everywhere I go until the mood strikes me and then pop the question?”
Tripp let out a chuckle. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Huh. He has a good point.
“I like that idea. Go with the flow. Let it come naturally.”
I glanced out the window to see Corina and her mother standing on the beach. They were embracing, and I couldn’t help but watch them. My heart broke when they wiped tears off their faces.
“Listen, Corina is headed back in. Tell everyone hey for me. Oh, did Waylynn get the permit to start back up with the dance studio?”
Tripp groaned. “Fucking hell, what a damn nightmare. Old lady Hopkins was convinced Waylynn was going to be running some sex shop in there. At one point, Waylynn leaned over and told me she was going to open a sex toy store in Oak Springs just to piss off the old woman. Then she smiled and said the locals would probably all enjoy it and was going to pitch the idea to Dad as an investment opportunity.”
I trembled at the mental image my brother had given me. A shop full of Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Hopkins and their friends shopping for sex toys.
Blah.
“Does Waylynn want to give him a heart attack? Jesus.”
Tripp laughed. “Anyway, Judge Hill sided with Waylynn and informed Mrs. Hopkins that just because she walked into the building while a private sexual act was being performed, didn’t mean anything illegal was going on in the building.”
“Please tell me Dad was there.”
My brother laughed harder. “Dude, I had to look at his face. It was fucking priceless. He was white as a ghost. Waylynn slid down in her seat almost to the floor.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Damn. That would have been a moment to see.”
The bedroom door opened, and Corina walked in. She looked beautiful, her cheeks slightly chapped from the cold wind coming off the lake. When she smiled, my heart felt like it grew ten times larger in my chest.
“Hey, Corina just got back from her walk. Tell Mom and Dad I said hey and that we’ll see them soon.”
“Will do. And, Mitch, follow your heart. Don’t overthink it too much.”
“Gotcha. I’ll talk to you later, bro.”
“Later.”
The call ended and I slipped my phone into my pocket. My heart ached when I looked into Corina’s eyes. She’d been crying.
“You okay, dove?”
Her chin trembled, and I knew she was trying to hold back her tears. I held out my arms and she rushed into them, pressing her body against mine.
“I’m going to miss my mom so much. I can hardly stand the thought of leaving her.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I pressed my lips against her head. “I know. I’m so sorry, baby.”
Corina’s buried her face in my chest as she cried. I honestly couldn’t imagine living away from my family. My parents were my rock—the solid foundation that kept everything together.
“She’s going to be all alone.”
I lifted Corina’s chin so she met my gaze. “What do you mean?”
“Rick took a job in New York City. They’re moving when they come back from the honeymoon.”
My heart dropped. “Oh. That really sucks.”
“I wish she would come to Texas and visit Oak Springs. I think she’d love it there. She told me this was her home, and she couldn’t leave it. Mitchell, I hate the idea of her being so alone with her kids so far away.”
The pounding of my heart nearly rattled my brain. “What are you saying?”
Corina’s eyes widened. “No! I’m not saying I want to stay here, gosh, no. I want to be with you, in Texas.”
I let out a huge breath and closed my eyes.
Thank God.
When I opened my eyes, I watched a tear roll down her beautiful face. I brushed my thumb across her cheek and wiped it away.
“Don’t cry, baby. I can’t stand it when you cry.”
“Maybe we can come back for Christmas? We could have a white Christmas.”
Smiling, I started hatching a plan in my head. “That sounds like a great idea. Let’s do it.”
Her face lit up and a breathtaking smile covered her face.
“I love you, Mitch. I love you so much.”
With my hands on her face, I leaned down and kissed her softly. “We should probably get the luggage in the car and head to the airport.”