Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
With a huff, she turned and started back toward the kitchen. I glanced at my father. “Have you always known that she wants Sean and Crystal together this badly?”
He nodded as he reached for the remote to turn down the TV. “I’ve tried to talk to her about it countless times. She was over the moon when she found out Sean and Harper broke up, since that was his longest relationship.” Dad shook his head and sighed. “Then the hope of Sean and Crystal was sparked back to life. But now that he’s back with Harper, your mother isn’t taking it well. It’s foiling all her plans.”
“Right. They’re back together.”
“What do you mean by that?” he asked, eyeing me.
I thought about whether or not I wanted to share with my father my thoughts about Sean and Harper’s so-called reunion. In the end, I decided to keep them to myself. “Nothing…just that Mom probably needs to stay out of it.”
He pointed at me. “Agreed. But do you want to be the one to tell her that?”
I held up my hands and shook my head. “I’m Switzerland.”
Laughing, he turned the TV back up. “Coward.”
I set my two bags in the back seat of my truck and turned back to look at my mother and father.
“Mom, please don’t cry.”
She shrugged. “It’s just that you’ve only been home a week, and you’re already moving out!”
“I’m a thirty-five-year-old man, Mom. I can’t be living at home.”
“What if he wants to bring a date home?” Dad said, causing my mother to perk up.
“Are you seeing anyone?”
I nearly choked. “No! Not now, at least.”
She put a hand to her heart. “Well, are you interested in anyone? Because—”
“Mom, don’t even go there.”
“Go where?”
I rolled my eyes. “You know exactly where. I’m going to kiss you goodbye now, and I want you to promise me, no matchmaking.”
She crossed her heart. “I promise, no matchmaking.”
Raising a brow, I gave her a questioning look.
“I crossed my heart, Declan!”
Laughing, I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I’ll miss seeing you every day, Mom.”
“And you’ll miss my home cooking, as well.”
With a wink, I shut the back door and said, “Good thing I know where you live.”
I started to walk around to the driver’s side of my truck when my father called out. “Wait! Declan, you never told us where you’re living now.”
Part of me was hoping they didn’t realize I hadn’t shared that information. It was wishful thinking on my part. It wasn’t that I didn’t want them to know. I just knew my mother. She’d be at my door tomorrow with some casserole she’d made for me. Sean said she did it for months after he’d moved out.
“Brystol Duggan offered me the apartment above Memory Lane Toys. She said her former manager lived there for a couple of years, but she got tired of the weather and moved south somewhere. So, it was available to rent.”
“Oh, how sweet of her. She’s such a nice young lady,” Mom said with a wide smile.
“Mom,” I warned.
“What?” she replied, her hands on her hips. “I simply said she’s a nice young lady.”
When I looked at my father, he shrugged.
“Right. I love you both.”
“Love you, Declan! Make sure to eat!”
I couldn’t help but laugh as I started the truck and headed toward the beginning of the next chapter of my life.
The moment I stepped into the elevator of the Moose Village Hotel, the one and only historical hotel in Moose Village, two women smiled at me. They both looked to be in their early twenties, way too young for me, and dressed for a night of fun that I wasn’t interested in. Those days were long gone.
I nodded my head. “Ladies.”
They were both blondes, hot as hell, and most likely looking for a good time. I, on the other hand, was simply meeting a few friends I hadn’t seen in years for drinks up at the rooftop bar, The Muddled Moose.
Yes, everything practically had the word Moose in it in this town. It was kind of a thing here.
“You here visiting?” the shorter blonde asked.
Clearing my throat, I replied, “Um, no. I’ve recently moved back to Moose Village.”
“From where?” the other one asked, but not before swiping her tongue over her bottom lip and eye-fucking the hell out of me.
“North Carolina. I was in the Marines.”
They both let out high-pitched squeals that nearly had me covering my ears.
“A Marine, huh? Care for some company?”
Politely smiling, I replied, “I appreciate the offer, but I’m here to meet some friends and have a few drinks. That’s it.”
They both pouted in unison. It was rather impressive.
“Bummer.”
The elevator doors opened, and I motioned for them to exit first. They were carded and then let in. I hung back a few moments, then walked up to the hostess stand.
“You can head on in,” the woman said with a smile.