Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“Sure,” Mr. Weaver said, looking happy to have company. The dog wagged its tail excitedly.
Beckett turned for the stairs, which he went up two at a time.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He had a beautiful, muscular back, and that towel could not hide his fantastic ass. At the top of the stairs, he turned and glanced down—and one hundred percent caught me gawking at his butt.
Embarrassed, I turned my attention to Elliott, who’d dropped to his knees to hug the Border Collie, and Mr. Weaver, who was closing the front door.
“What was your name again?” he asked me.
No joke, I had to think about it.
“Uh, Maddie. Maddie Blake.”
He brightened. “There’s a family who lives across the road named Blake. A lady and her daughter. I told my son he should marry that girl, but he claims she doesn’t live there anymore. Any idea where she went?”
I had to smile. “I think she moved away.”
“But she’s just a girl,” he said, growing distressed. “Maybe she’s lost.”
“Actually, I think she’s okay,” I said gently. “I think she’s all grown up now, and even though she’s made some mistakes, she’s right where she needs to be.”
Mr. Weaver studied me for a moment. “You know what? You almost look like that girl.”
I laughed, glancing up the stairs again. “Sometimes I still feel like her.”
Three
Beckett
Fuck. She was here.
I’d just gotten out of the shower when I heard the dog barking. I rarely closed my bedroom door these days, in case my dad needed something and called out, and as soon as I poked my head into the hallway, I’d seen my father pull open the front door. Heard him talking.
So far, he hadn’t made a habit of conversing with people who weren’t there, so maybe that’s why I went rushing down the stairs with nothing on. I really didn’t expect to see anyone. Mostly I was worried he’d escape the house.
Instead, there were Maddie and her son standing on my front porch.
My heart thudded hard and fast. She was just as beautiful as she’d ever been, maybe more so. Torn between wanting to wrap my arms around her and feeling like I might die of embarrassment, I’d chosen dignity and kept my distance. If the crimson color in her cheeks was any indication, she felt just as awkward about the towel situation as I did.
Praying my dad could handle playing host for a couple minutes, I’d run back up the stairs to put clothes on, but right before entering my room, I’d been unable to resist glancing down at her again—and noticed she was looking up at me.
And there was something about her stare that made my body temperature rise.
But then she’d turned away, and I was left wondering if I’d imagined it. After all, Maddie had never looked at me as anything other than a friend our entire lives. If she felt an attraction to me, wouldn’t she have shown it by now?
Inside my room, I threw on jeans and a clean navy blue T-shirt, ran a comb through my hair, and put on my watch. Then I raced out of my room and back down the stairs, hoping my father hadn’t had time to say anything too outrageous or offensive to Maddie and her son.
To my relief, they were seated in the great room conversing amiably. My dad was on the couch across from Maddie, and Elliott was playing with DiMaggio, our Border Collie, on the floor in front of the fireplace.
“Your home is so beautiful, Mr. Weaver,” Maddie was saying. “You must love it.”
“Yes.” My dad nodded in agreement. “If I had a map, I could find it.”
“Hey,” I said, entering the room. “Sorry about that.”
Smiling, Maddie rose to her feet and moved toward me. “That’s okay. Now that you’re not all wet, can I give you a hug?”
“Of course.” I scooped her small frame into my arms and held her against my chest, refraining from resting my lips on her hair like I wanted to. “It’s great to see you.”
“You too. And you smell good,” she said, rising up on her toes to sniff my neck.
“You caught me at the right time. Usually I smell like sweat and the barn.”
Laughing, she released me and stepped back. “I kind of like the smell of a barn. Is that weird?”
“Definitely.” I glanced over at her son. “Want to introduce me?”
Her eyes lit up and she nodded. “Elliott, come here please. This is my friend Beckett.”
The skinny, golden-haired boy popped to his feet and came over. Right away I noticed the pink cowboy boots, princess T-shirt, and barrette in his hair.
“Hi there.” I held out my hand. “I like your boots.”
“Thank you,” Elliott said, putting his small hand inside mine. For a little kid, he had a nice firm handshake. “I just got them.”