Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
I nod. “OK. Dinner at my place tonight.”
The whole ride back up to Trinity County I find myself grinning like a stupid teenager. Amon Parrish and me. Together. As a real couple.
It’s not something I had ever considered. I mean, not seriously. Of course, everyone loved Amon in high school, but any thoughts I had of him were tempered by the fact that he was two years older and I was pregnant with another boy’s baby.
But I will admit that when I first saw him in the Rise and Shine getting coffee that first morning he was back, and before I recognized him for who he was—which was only a few seconds. He aimed that smile at me and the little recognition centers in my brain went off pronto—but in those few seconds when he was a stranger, a tourist passing through, oh, you bet I was interested.
And now, just a few months later, I’m leaning my face into his leather jacket as we fly up the highway on a motorcycle and not only are we having dinner tonight, but it will be our third date.
Yes, my brain went there. Third date implies something. Something I am more than willing to try out. But Amon and I won’t be having sex tonight because I am gonna introduce him to my son.
It’s a big step but when I start picturing a life with Amon my heart goes soft, and my head gets light, and if I were standing right now, my legs would be weak.
He’s the one. I feel it.
Amon Parrish is my forever man.
After Amon drops me off at my car and leaves, and I drive back up to Disciple, I walk into McBooms on a high I haven’t felt in over a decade.
Lowyn is at the front counter doing something with a serious look on her face. The teenagers are sweeping the floor and goofing off in the back corner of the store, and there’s some music on, so it’s a nice buffer between them and us when I lean my elbows on the counter and sigh.
Lowyn looks up. “Hi, Rosie. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I came in the back.” I sigh again, louder this time.
Which makes Lowyn grin and redirect her attention to me instead of the papers in front of her. “Well, did you eat a canary or something? Because you look like you’ve just been doing something devious.” She side-eyes me for a moment. “What? Did you have a quickie with that Scar guy down in Fayetteville?” But she winks when she says this. So I know she’s teasin’ me.
I giggle. “No.” Then I turn my body so I have my back to her and prop my elbows up on the counter while looking over my shoulder. “I was never datin’ no guy named Scar, Lowyn. He was just made up so people wouldn’t ask me why I wasn’t datin’.”
Lowyn cocks her head at me. “Really?”
“Truly.”
She laughs. “I know all about Amon. I live next door to that man and this here outfit you’re wearing? I picked it out yesterday afternoon while you were busy with Revival.”
I turn back around and practically explode. “You did!” I smile big.
“I did. Amon wanted me too, of course. Because he had this date all planned for you. So. Was it everything you thought it would be? He was aiming for perfect, and I’m rootin’ for him, so I hope he pulled it off.”
“He did, Lowyn.”
“Really?”
“Truly. It was dreamy. And not only have we dated twice now, but we date in costume! Can you believe that?”
“Dating in costume is adorable, Rosie.”
“Isn’t it, though? For our first date he dressed up in a proper Bishop gentleman’s outfit. And then took me to the Ordinary for lunch!”
“Oh, Collin laughed about that Bishop costume pretty hard the other night. And the Ordinary? For a first date? Now that’s what I call an effort.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
Lowyn leans back in her chair, making it creak a little. “Well, I guess that settles it then. Date number three is a sure thing.”
I slap my hands on the counter and burst. “It does, doesn’t it! It’s settled all right. We’re having dinner tonight. At my place. Well, he’s bringing dinner. I just have to make dessert. Date number three, Low.” My head is nodding in a furious manner and I’m making one of those all-teeth smiles.
Lowyn’s stoic face breaks into a wide grin. Then she leans forward, like she’s gonna tell me a secret. “You’re gonna live next door to me, Rosie Harlow. We’re gonna be neighbors.”
“What do ya mean?”
“Well, Amon’s house is right next to mine. And Amon, well, he’s got ‘ready to settle down’ written all over him, Rosie. And you’re it. He wants you.”
I turn away again, pressing my back into the counter, and sighhhhhhhhh. Because while my life has not been terrible at all, I had given up on finding romantic love. I was satisfied with loving my son. And now, on the turn of a dime, just like that—everything is changing.