Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 91079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“To hell with the Cantons. I’d let you put it in my butt if you took me back to the hotel.”
A throat clears from the front of the car and I stiffen. Jake dips his head and drops his voice. I know what he’s going to say before he says it. “This car doesn’t come equipped with a privacy partition, sweetheart. So you may want to keep your dirty thoughts to yourself.”
I bolt upright in the seat and meet the eyes of the driver in the rearview mirror. All the blood in my body rushes to my face. “I’m so sorry.”
The driver, professional as ever, focuses his attention back on the road. “No apology necessary, Miss.” He swallows hard and shifts with unease before addressing Jake. “Mr. Swagger?” He pauses to clear his throat—his unease obvious. “Are we sticking to the schedule?”
Jake doesn’t even look up—his concentration on his phone. “Yes. We need to be at the manufacturing plant by three.”
The driver nods and mutters a, “Yes sir.”
And though Jake seems oblivious, I don’t miss the driver’s smirk when I mumble a comeback.
“Wasn’t gonna let you put it in my butt, anyway.”
“I appreciate each of you and what you’ve done for this company. I look forward to a future with you. To working alongside you as together, we introduce the world to the greatest change the agriculture community has seen since the tractor. Thank you.”
And the crowd cheers.
I’d bore you with all the other bullshit he said, but there’s really nothing exciting about a fucking sprinkler system. I don’t care how you spin it. I mean, sure these people were engaged—hanging on Jake’s every word. But they know shit about farming that I don’t. And he really does look good standing up there all handsome and powerful, trying to be casual in his jeans and shirt as if he doesn’t run the world.
I wonder if Jake is part of the Illuminati….
Amber nudges me with her shoulder and smiles. “They loved him.”
I look back up to where Jake is shaking hands with everyone. “Yeah. It’s easy to love him.”
“I think I might love him.”
“Couldn’t blame you if you did.”
“So do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Love him?”
I nod slowly. “I think I do.”
She cuts her eyes at me. “Think? Girl you better know. Because there is no doubt that he’s in love with you.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“Um. I am. The way he looks at you? Smiles at you? Touches you? Either you’re blind or just really stupid if you don’t see it. The two of you are like something out of a romance novel. You’re the heroine and he’s…I’d say hero, but that doesn’t do him justice.”
I stare at Jake from across the room. As if he can sense my gaze, he looks up—his eyes immediately meeting mine. Like he knew where I was all along. I give him a small wave and feel all the muscles in my back relax when he winks at me.
“You’re right, Amber. He’s more than a hero.”
“So what do you call the man who is just…everything?”
“I used to call him That Guy.”
“That Guy…oh, that’s good. So what do you call him now?”
“I’m thinking something along the lines of future baby daddy. Love of my life. Reason for existence. Soulmate….” I purse my lips and tilt my head as I study him. “You think that’s too extreme?”
At that moment, Jake picks up a baby.
I don’t even know where the baby came from.
Didn’t even know one was here.
But he has a baby.
In his arms.
And he…
Have mercy.
He kisses the baby.
Amber’s dreamy sigh matches my own. “Extreme? Do I think it’s extreme to want a guy like that to be your soulmate?” From the corner of my eye, I see her shake her head. “Nope. Not even a little bit.”
“I think I’m going to tell him I love him.”
“If you don’t. I will.”
I frown and turn to face her. “Why would you tell him I love him? That’s…that’s personal.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m not going to tell him you love him, dumbass. I’m going to tell him I do.”
I’m not sure if she’s joking or not. I can’t read her. To be safe, I start plotting my revenge—you know…just in case she’s serious. There’s just one thing I have to know first. So in the most nonchalant voice I can manage, I ask, “On a scale from one to ten, how hard is it to find a fresh pile of dog shit in Topeka?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
I watched Jake hug old people, pet dogs and kiss babies for as long as I could until the fear that my ovaries would explode consumed me. So I wandered outside. It was there, on the back dock of the warehouse, that I found a group of employees in an intense game of poker.
Unable to resist, I joined.
And thanks to my skills and ability to bluff like a pro, I’m one of the last two standing.