Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77611 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77611 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Engagement. Wedding. The works. Anything less than a legally binding promise in front of the world, one that leads to a lifetime of anniversaries like the one we got snowed in for this weekend, is unacceptable.” He pauses before swearing under his breath again. “You think I’m an idiot, don’t you?”
“I didn’t say anything.” I didn’t need to. “But if you know how to solve your problem, and you clearly do, I can’t help but wonder why you’re hesitating.”
“Keep wondering. You’re not the one I need to tell. Brady is.”
I couldn’t agree more. For his sake, I hope he does it soon.
“So, speaking of troubled youths, I’ve known Win since he was a teenager.”
I scowl at him through the phone. “Don’t start. If he wants me to know something, he can tell me himself.”
“That’s the thing, Michael. He won’t tell you. He has reasons for his trust issues, but the only people he’s ever been close enough to open up to are Bex and those other two. They’re a tight-knit group and his only family. All four of them are connected at the hip. His roots are deep here. He won’t leave them behind, and they aren’t going anywhere.”
“I already know about his friends.”
He won’t leave them behind.
At the moment, I can live anywhere. But I can’t say the idea of playing second fiddle to not one, but multiple people, doesn’t rub against some old wounds for me. Could I do that? Stay here for him and take whatever he’s willing to give me? Whatever he has left?
Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourself? Or have you fallen for him already?
I’m not ready to think about either question.
“Just be careful, Demir,” Ken says.
“I’ve always been careful.”
“You’ve always been thorough. It’s one of the reasons I wanted you to consider working with me while you’re here. It’s also why I didn’t bother finding your mystery man for you. You could have done it yourself. Ali might be an asshole, but he knew what the company had in you, otherwise he wouldn’t have worked so hard to tie you to it. Lord knows Bellamy was never that interested in the details of the job.”
He’ll have to be now. At least, long enough to put someone capable in place. “He was too busy running with bulls and wrestling and getting into bar fights.”
Granted, those are better pastimes than romancing random women and knocking them up, so he has one up on our father.
“He’s not so careless now that he has a family to think about. You, on the other hand, are at loose ends with something to prove.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means careful-and-thorough Michael isn’t sure where he’s going to be next month, or what he’ll be doing next year. And you’re dealing with this absence of purpose while coming to terms with what must feel like a betrayal. You have things to figure out before you pull somebody else into the equation. At least until you deal with your situation.”
Don’t remind me.
“I keep telling you to stay out of my problems. There’s no situation if I don’t take the money. I don’t need it. I have enough to last me for however long I choose to ‘figure things out.’”
“I hear you. No more advice from me, I promise.” Ken sounds tired and done. “I officially end my reign as meddler and matchmaker to the Finns and random side characters. The rest of them can figure things out for themselves. So can you.”
“Fine.” Or is it? “You helped Bellamy,” I remind him, rolling my eyes at the hint of petulance in my voice. Didn’t I just tell him to stay out of my business?
Yes, but what if he could help you keep Win?
“Your brother needed me. He would still be looking for the next adrenaline rush if I hadn’t tossed Seamus into his path. And honestly, Michael? If you have the man of your dreams trapped in a cabin with you and you can’t figure it out from there, nothing I can do could possibly help you.”
“Thanks for that vote of confidence.”
“You’re welcome. You should know that as soon as the weather dies down, one of us will be stopping by to see if Win wants to come back to the lodge. And he will come back. He’s agreed to do a job. He’s a stickler about that kind of thing. So your time is limited.”
“I could say the same. This storm might be the only thing helping the both of us right now.”
“You might be right about that. Thank you, Michael. For listening. For taking care of Win. I owe you one.”
After we hang up, I stare at my phone for a minute before typing out a text.
If you really want to thank me, slow them down for as long as you can. He doesn’t need to be rescued right away.