Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“I’m not angry.” I sigh and tip my forehead against hers. “And I’m the one who fucked up. I didn’t mention that you were here last night when I told him I was home. I ambushed him.”
“Go talk to him,” she suggests and starts to clear what’s left of our breakfast from the table. “I’m going to head home. Wait. I don’t have a car.”
“Take the Aston Martin.”
She laughs and shakes her head. “Right. I can call Summer—”
“Just take the car,” I repeat. “Seriously, it’s not a big deal.”
“Fashion Week, private jets, an Aston Martin…all part of my normal life now.” She laughs and rises up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. “Okay, thanks. Just call me later.”
“Count on it.”
Polly leaves, and I text Jake to find out where he is.
Me: Did you already leave? Polly just went home, and I’d like to talk to you.
The bubble jumps as he types out a response.
Jake: Made it to Russ’s. We’re going fishing out at Chase and Summer’s house. Be there all day, unless you need me for chores?
I shake my head and feel frustrated because I want to hang out with my kid.
Me: No chores for you today. Take the day off. But we need to talk. Mind if I join you in a bit?
Jake: Not enough bait. But it’s a free country.
If the kid was trying to hurt my feelings in return, he did a good job of it. I grab my hat and keys and hurry out to my truck and drive over to the family ranch. When I pull up to a stop at Chase’s house, Jake and Russ haven’t arrived quite yet.
“Hey,” Chase says as he comes outside. “Heard you were back. Did you have fun?”
“Yeah, it was a great trip. How’s everything on the home front?”
“Not much going on, actually. Jake texted and asked if he and Russ could come out to fish.”
“Yeah, he told me, and I came out to meet him. Need to have a talk.”
My brother’s eyes narrow. “Is he in trouble?”
“No, we just had a misunderstanding, and I need to apologize. Where’s Summer?”
“At her new shop,” he says, shoving his hands into his pockets. “She got the go-ahead to move everything in and get it decorated, and I was kicked out. She said she can handle it without me.”
“The rebuild took much longer than she thought it would. And turnabout is fair play.”
Chase frowns at me. “Huh?”
“You kicked her out of her own house while you were building it.”
Chase laughs and glances down at his boots. “Son of a bitch, I hadn’t thought of that. Yeah, she’s turned the tables on me. She’s got her girls down there helping. Should be open next week, finally. She wasn’t happy that she had to spend the entire wedding season working out of the nursery when she was supposed to be in her shop months ago.”
“Why the holdup?”
“They ran into issues, of course. I warned her that construction is almost never on time, but I was sorry to see that I was right. She did do a good job of keeping the crew in line.”
“Good for her.” I nod, and then we turn when we hear a truck coming up the driveway. “There they are.”
Jake parks next to me, and he and Russ hop out and fetch their poles out of the back.
“Hey, Uncle Chase,” Jake says with a nod. “Thanks for letting us fish.”
“You never have to ask,” Chase reminds him. “Just come on out whenever. Hey, Russ.”
“Hi, Mr. Wild,” Russ says and then turns to me. “Hey.”
“Hello. Jake, I’d like a word.”
“Fish aren’t going to catch themselves,” Jake begins, but before he can breeze past me, I catch his elbow and pull him with me over to the wraparound porch that looks out over the lake.
“Have a seat.” I gesture to one of the outdoor chairs, and Jake lowers into it. “Jake, I’m sorry.”
That has his head coming up in surprise. “What?”
“I’m sorry,” I repeat. “Why did you think I wanted to talk to you?”
“I figured you were going to make me apologize for being rude.”
“You weren’t rude.” I frown down at the deck. “You weren’t super happy, but you weren’t rude. I’m the one who owes you an apology. I didn’t mention to you that Polly slept at our place last night, and then you walked into the two of us having breakfast at our spot.”
Jake’s throat works as he swallows hard, obviously fighting to keep his emotions in check.
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not fine, buddy. You and I agreed that we’d test that table out together.”
“It’s just a table.”
“Jake.”
His lip wobbles at that single word, and I feel like a complete asshole.
“I don’t know why I’m even acting this way,” he says and brushes angrily at a tear on his cheek. “It’s just a stupid table.”