Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Okay, I’d been wrong. That was when my eyes nearly bulged out of my head. “Jenn’s here?”
She scoffed. “Right? I tried to warn Devon that there wasn’t anything even remotely normal about your sister, but he was all concerned about having somebody to distract Lawrence. I tried to tell him I was old Larry’s favorite. But he muttered something about two pit bulls fighting, and I was already looking at flights, so I didn’t ask questions.”
I bit my lower lip.
That man.
That freaking gorgeous, incredible, thoughtful man.
“You’re going to cry again, aren’t you?”
Tears filled my eyes even as I defended, “I didn’t cry the first time. You can’t say again.”
She pushed to her feet and extended her hand to Zoey. “All right, pretty girl. Let’s go downstairs so Lofton can dump out all the glitter while she gets dressed.”
I laughed, my tears once again drying from Brooke’s silly joke.
How had Devon known this was exactly what I needed?
And why did the idea of him recognizing that—when I didn’t even realize it myself—warm me in all the right places?
Sebastian had set the bar so low for all future men it was practically on the ground. Devon wasn’t even mine yet, and he’d already raised it sky-high.
“Just give me ten minutes,” I told Zoey as Brooke guided her out of the room.
“Five,” she negotiated over her shoulder.
I squinted one eye. “Seven and a half.”
Her nose crinkled adorably. “Fine, but hurry up!”
Now that I could do.
I spent the next seven minutes on a quick shower, not bothering with washing my hair, and then threw on a pair of jeans and a pink tank top with spaghetti straps. It was just enough cleavage to drive Devon crazy without giving my father a heart attack.
I didn’t have time for makeup, and honestly, I didn’t feel the need. Though I did swipe mascara through my lashes before heading downstairs.
A lively mixture of chatter and laughter hit me before I reached the bottom of the stairs..
And as I turned the corner, taking in the room, more of that Devon Grant specialty warmth traveled through me.
Jenn was at the counter, pouring a mug of coffee, while her husband manned the frying pan on the stove. However, it was the two teenage girls staring down at their cell phones that made my heart swell in my chest.
Courtney noticed me first. “Aunt Lofton!” Her black oversized hoodie bounced as she jogged over, revealing a short pair of volleyball spandex underneath. She was fourteen and the oldest of Jenn’s girls. For as long as I could remember, volleyball had been her passion—and uniform.
Abby wasn’t far behind her. I hadn’t seen them in about six months, but it looked like she’d finally eclipsed her sister in height. If they were anything like me and their mother, they probably stood back-to-back arguing over it nightly. She too was in her volleyball finest, which wouldn’t have been complete without white Nike socks and a pair of Birkenstocks.
Courtney hugged me hard, only releasing me when Abby wedged her way between us. They immediately started bickering, and I didn’t even try to hide my amusement.
“Girls,” Terry scolded. “Let’s bring it down a notch, okay? Grandpa already tried to kick you out once.”
I flinched. “What’d he say this time?”
Courtney rolled her eyes at her dad, looking just like her mother, and then shot me a wicked grin. “He told me he wasn’t running a strip club and to put on some damn pants.”
“Hey, watch your mouth,” Jenn snapped, ambling over. “It’s still cussing even if you’re just repeating it.”
Abby shot me an eek face. “In that case, he told me, bleep, bleep, bleep, mother bleep, get your bleep, bleep, bleep out of my house.”
I tipped my head up to the ceiling. “Shit.”
Abby snapped and pointed at me. “Yep, that was one of the words.”
I shook my head. “You know he doesn’t mean it. The day y’all were born—”
Courtney waved me off, her pink and purple braces catching the light. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know. He cried and said I was the most gorgeous baby in the world. Then he lied to Abby when she was born two years later.”
“Dad!” Abby whined, and I swear it could have been my voice coming from her mouth twenty years earlier. It was nice to see them carrying on our family traditions.
Courtney slapped her sister on the arm. “Would you shut up so we can ask her?”
Curious, I shifted my gaze between them. “Ask me what?”
“Yeah? Ask her what?” Jenn asked suspiciously.
“Well,” Courtney started, inching over to hook her arm with her sister’s.
Oh wow, a physical truce. This was gonna be good.
I hooked my arms with Jenn’s, mirroring their position.
Abby had always been quieter than her sister, or maybe just the levelheaded little sister as defined by our gene pool. She turned her gaze to the floor as her sister cleared her throat.