Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“It’s going to take a while for the construction of it—the landscaping, hardscaping, everything. Likely at least a year, maybe more. The kids are in school most of the year, remember?” He smiles over at me. “You won’t be bored, that’s for sure.”
“Think about it,” John says kindly. “You don’t have to jump in right this minute. Give it some thought.”
“You’ll have a whole family here to help you,” Joy reminds me with a wink.
“Wow.” I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’ll admit, it sounds like such a fun project. I’d love to do it, but I have no experience in anything like this. I have lots of family who do, and I know I could consult with them, but this is way out of my comfort zone.”
“Comfort zones are lame,” Brady says with a grin. “I figure, to get experience, you have to jump in and figure it out.”
“Like I said,” John adds, “give it some thought. Now, I’d like to go check out that new horse.”
They all get up and go off to play with the kids or check out the horse, and I’m left alone with Remington.
“I don’t know if I’m really the person you’d want for that big of a project.”
He calmly reaches over to tuck my hair behind my ear. “I think that you need to start giving yourself more credit. But if you don’t want to do it, no harm, no foul.”
“Who am I kidding? I want to do it.”
He grins over at me. “I figured you might.”
“Wake up, Doc.” Remington’s voice is smooth and sexy in my ear, lifting me out of the hardest, most delicious sleep ever. “I have to show you something.”
“Time is it?”
“It’s early, but I need to show you something. Come on.”
Yesterday was exhausting. Who knew that a kid’s party could take it completely out of you? I feel like I could sleep for a week.
“Do I have time to pee and brush my teeth?” I ask as I push my hair off of my face.
“Absolutely,” he says and steps away from my bed. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
“Oh, one more thing.” I grab his shirt before he can pull out of arm’s reach. “I love you.”
His lips curve in that staggering smile. “Back at you, Doc. Come on. Let’s go. You won’t want to miss this.”
I stretch and then pad into the bathroom to take care of business. Once I’m dressed, I find Remington in the kitchen.
He passes me a to-go tumbler of coffee.
“Are we going somewhere?”
“I can’t get anything past you,” he says with a wink and takes my hand. “Come on. I’m not telling you where we’re going. It’s a surprise.”
He doesn’t have to tell me. We’re going to the special spot with the view of the mountains. I don’t know how I know it. I just do.
And I’m not wrong.
He pulls the Jeep to a stop and climbs out, then hurries around to open my door for me, and with our coffees in hand, he leads me to a little spot that already has a blanket spread out on the grass.
“When did you put this here?”
“About an hour ago,” he replies with a satisfied smile before taking a sip of his coffee. “I couldn’t sleep last night, so I came out to set up something nice for you.”
“Why couldn’t you sleep? What’s wrong? After that wild party yesterday, I slept like the dead.”
“Nothing’s wrong.” He kisses my fingers, and then we sit on the blanket, snuggled up together. My coffee is delicious, and the sky is starting to turn pink as the sun climbs up behind the mountains. “I wanted some alone time with you in a special place before the sun comes up.”
“I’m glad your parents came for Holly’s party,” he says and sips his coffee. “It’s convenient that we’re only an hour’s flight away from Seattle. When I spoke to your dad yesterday, he said he’d never miss his granddaughter’s birthday party.”
The words start to sink in, and I turn my gaze up to his. “I know I haven’t had much coffee yet, but—”
“I love you,” he says, his voice perfectly calm. His amazing eyes are full of happiness and hope as he stares down at me. “I never believed in love at first sight, but I took one look at you at that coffee shop, and I knew I was a goner. Why do you think I went in every single day? I can get plain black coffee at home.”
I press my lips together, determined to soak in every word of this and not ruin it with questions.
“I’ve done the marriage thing before, Erin.” He sighs and brushes my hair back behind my ear. “I’m not sure that I was any good at it. I made a lot of mistakes, and I can be a bear to live with sometimes. Just ask my kids.”