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 was texting with him earlier,” I confirm. “He’s probably asleep now, or just waking up to take care of the horses.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s great. Told me to stop pestering him and to pay attention to you.”
Her head comes up at that, and she laughs. “He did not.”
“He did. He’s glad that we’re having a good time.”
She smiles and settles against me once more. “When is Jake’s birthday? We should get him something while we’re here.”
“He turns sixteen in December.”
“We definitely need to get him something fun. There are some hip fashion places here in Europe that are popular that the kids can’t get back home. I’ll find him some things.”
“The fact that you’re thinking about my kid when we’re on vacation together is incredibly sexy, you know.”
“I like him a lot,” she murmurs. “I have a soft spot for him.”
“Me, too.” I skim my hand down her back, then back up again, and plunge my hand into her amazing hair. “We have a couple of hours before dinner.”
“Really? What should we do?”
She grins as I lift her and carry her toward the bedroom.
“I have some ideas.”
“My shoes are back there,” she says, pointing over my shoulder toward the room we just left.
“Later,” I reply. “You can wear them for me later. Right now, I just want you.”
She sighs as I undress her, and when we’re both naked and sweaty, panting and humming from an intense orgasm, I pull her to me and kiss her long and deep.
I’m in love with her. I feel it in every fiber of my being. And I want to tell her exactly how I feel.
But before I can, my phone rings, and it’s Jake’s ringtone.
“Sorry, babe.”
“It’s okay. Talk to him.”
I kiss her nose and then roll over to get my phone. “Hey, buddy.”
“Dad?” I immediately sit up, every muscle on high alert.
“Are you hurt? What’s wrong?”
“I’m okay.” He sniffs on the other end of the line. “Dad, we lost Blossom. I had to call Dr. Randolph, and she came right away, but she couldn’t save Blossom.”
“Whoa, take a deep breath, buddy. I’m right here. Deep breath. What happened?”
“She—” He sniffs again as I pull a T-shirt over my head and push the button for FaceTime, and Jake accepts it. “Hi.”
“Hey. It’s going to be okay. I’m not mad at you. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Jake starts to cry again, and it tears at my heart.
“She had colic,” he says when he can catch his breath. “When I went out there this morning, she was in pain. I could tell, so I called Dr. Randolph, and she came. Mac was here, and I called him, too, and he came to help me. I wasn’t by myself.”
“Good.” I nod, feeling so fucking guilty that I’m not there. “That’s good.”
“She was in pain, and there wasn’t anything we could do for her, Dad. So, I held her head and kissed her and stuff while Dr. Randolph put her down. Dad, she was in pain all night, by herself. I wasn’t there to help her.”
“You didn’t know.” I shake my head and wish I could hug him to calm him down. “You couldn’t have known, buddy. It’s not your fault, and you were with her in the end, when she was hurting and scared. That’s important.”
“We should go back,” Polly says, and I glance up to see that she’s dressed and has tears of her own. “You should be there with him.”
“No,” Jake says and wipes his eyes. “Don’t come home. I’m okay. The other horses are okay, too. Dr. Randolph checked everyone to make sure. It was just a freak thing, that’s all. Mac’s here, and Aunt Millie’s coming out, too. She said Grandma and Grandpa might come with her. I have lots of people.”
“Can I please have the phone?” Polly asks, holding her hand out for it.
I oblige her, and she stares down at Jake.
“You are more important than this trip,” she tells him, leaving no room for argument. “If you want your dad home, you just say the word, and we’ll be on the plane. Be honest, Jake.”
“Really,” he insists. “I’m doing better now. I’m just sad, but coming home doesn’t bring Blossom back. I just wanted to talk to you guys, you know?”
“Of course, I know, and that’s why I’m telling you that we’ll come home if you need us.”
“No.” I can see him shake his head adamantly. “I’ll call Dad if I change my mind, but I’ll be okay.”
Polly narrows her eyes on him, and it seems she’s satisfied with what she sees because she nods.
“Okay, then. I’m sorry, Jake. I really am. Here’s your dad.”
“Polly’s kind of bossy,” Jake says with a half smile when I come back into view. “It’s kind of scary.”
I laugh and give him a shrug. “I think you’re right. Call me if you need me, day or night. Promise?”