Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“I know.” My voice is soft. “I wish Dad would retire and stay home with her.”
“He would go mad in a week,” she reminds me. “He’s not ready to retire, Gray. I want to go spend some time with Mom. In thirty years, I’ll be happy I did.”
My sister has the biggest heart and always thinks of everyone before herself.
She’s the caretaker.
“I’m always a phone call away.”
“I know. Don’t beat yourself up, Gray. It’s going to be okay. Maybe once she’s recovered from the hip, things can go back to normal for a while.”
“I hope so. When is all of this happening?”
“I’m packing up this weekend. I already gave notice at the job. Movers are coming on Monday, and then I’ll be at the ol’ homestead.”
“I mean, it’s not a bad place to hang out. Stella enjoyed it. Maybe we’ll come visit again soon.”
“We’d all like that. How are things with Stella, anyway?”
“Good. Things are good.”
“I know you won’t give me any details, so I’ll let you go. I’ll call Dad really quick. Thanks for the heads-up.”
“No, thank you, Maya.”
“Hey, this is what kids do, right? We take care of our parents.”
“I just don’t want you to think that Sid and I are putting all of this on your shoulders.”
“It’s fine. Really. And if it ever isn’t fine, I’ll let you know.”
“Do that. And keep me posted.”
I hang up and sigh, staring out at the city. I love living in Seattle and the life I’ve built here, but damn, it’s hard being so far away from my family when the shit starts to hit the fan.
I know that Maya will keep me posted and will give it to me straight.
For now, I need to be content with that.
It’s been two weeks since I met Stella’s parents. I haven’t spent a lot of time with her over the past couple of weeks because she’s been swamped with work since she’s now doing double-duty, and I’ve had my own plate full of cases and things to see to since I was gone for that week in Idaho.
But I’m taking Stella out on a date tonight. I don’t think we’ve been out since our first date, and given how long ago that was, I need to up my game.
Stella deserves to be wined and dined and pampered. She works her ass off.
And I’m completely in love with her.
“I’m here,” Stella says as she bustles into the condo in a mad dash. “I know I’m late, but I had to finish up some things at the office.”
She runs right past me into the bedroom in a gorgeous, blond flash.
“You’re not that late,” I say as I casually follow her. Stella spends more nights here than she does at her place, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Just last week, she brought a suitcase of clothes to my condo because she was wasting so much time driving home each morning to get ready for work, only to turn around and come back into the city.
“My uncle Will called. Now that they’ve closed on the house next to mine, they want me to help with some of the renovation ideas. So, I met them there earlier today. Since I was already next door, I went ahead and grabbed a few more things that I need over here. And then I had a meeting in my office.”
She disappears with a bag into the closet and starts putting some things away in the drawers and on the hangers that I emptied for her.
“But don’t worry,” she continues, “I just have to change and freshen up my makeup and then I’m ready to go.”
“Do I look worried?”
She stops, blows a strand of her hair out of her eyes, and looks at me. “No. Actually, you don’t.”
“Because I’m not. We have time.”
I cross to her and frame that gorgeous face in my hands, then lean down to kiss her.
“We don’t have time for this,” she murmurs against my lips and then pulls away to get ready for our date. “Where are we going, anyway?”
“Wine tasting.” My mouth goes dry when she shimmies out of her form-fitting dress, leaving her in only a tiny pair of panties and a matching bra. “With food, of course.”
“Oh, fun. That sounds awesome.”
She wiggles into a pair of jeans and a little tank top thing and then pulls on a short, green sweater that hits at her waistline.
She slides her feet into brown, knee-high boots and then runs for the bathroom.
As I listen to her shuffle around in there, I look at the walk-in closet.
I like seeing her things mingled with mine, and, honestly, that surprises me. I’ve never felt enough for a woman to ask her to stay with me, to move in with me.
And now, the thought of Stella leaving makes my chest ache.