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)
“That’ll be nice for me and your mother, as well. Maybe now we’ll get a good night’s sleep.”
I felt guilty for not telling them about my decision to become a cop. I’d let them have a few days of peace before I dropped that bomb on them.
“I’m going to let you go so you can concentrate on driving. You’ll be home right in time for dinner. Be careful, son.”
“I will. See you soon, Dad.”
The line went dead, and I gripped the steering wheel harder. I had no idea what I would be walking into when I returned to Moose Village. At eighteen, I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there; now, I couldn’t wait to get back. It helped knowing that one of my best friends from high school had also recently moved back.
Kian Carter had been a hot-shot lawyer working at his parents’ law firm in New York City, until he got tired of it all, recently moving back to Moose Village. According to my father, he was writing a book and dating a woman, Cadie, who’d moved to town earlier in the year. She was currently the new owner of the bakery, taking over after Opal had decided to retire. The biggest scuttlebutt around town for months had been about the mysterious woman. I’d be glad to talk to Kian and get the truth behind his new girlfriend.
That was one thing I didn’t miss about my hometown. The gossip.
I decided to pull over for a quick drink and something to eat, just enough to keep me going for the next two hours. The traffic didn’t look like it was going to let up at all. After grabbing a burger and some fries from McDonald’s—something I never ate—I was back on the road. I’d missed this part of the country, with the gorgeous Adirondack Mountains, the green rolling hills, and the lakes that were peppered throughout the scenery. The more I took it in, the closer I got to home, the more relaxed I became.
Before I knew it, I was pulling into my parents’ driveway.
Turning off the truck, I let out a long breath as I looked up at my childhood home. As happy as I was to be here, I wasn’t looking forward to residing under the same roof as my parents. “First thing on the agenda—find a place to live.”
I loved my mother and father, but I was not about to live with them at thirty-five. No matter how long I’d been gone.
Still…staring at the house, I smiled. It was a beautiful sight, and I was thankful that I was able to make it back here at all. Some of my friends in the service didn’t.
With a shake of my head, I quickly cleared where my thoughts were headed. I opened the truck door, grabbed my two bags of belongings, and started for the front door.
Should I knock? Walk in? I wasn’t sure what to do.
Before I had much of a chance to debate it on the front porch, the door opened and my father appeared, a wide grin on his face.
My heart squeezed in my chest as I took him in, and I fought to hold back my tears. He’d gotten older. His hair was a bit more gray, a few more wrinkles adorned his face…but his blue eyes were still big and bright, instantly easing my weary soul.
“Fuck, I’ve missed you, Dad,” I said, dropping my bags and letting him embrace me in a giant bear hug.
“I’ve missed you, too. More than you could ever know.”
I wasn’t sure how long we stood there, wrapped in one another’s arms, but it felt good. For the first time in a long time, I felt at peace.
“She has no clue. She’s in the kitchen making the last desserts for the Mother’s Day brunch this weekend. And she’s in a bit of a mood.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Your brother told her that he and Harper would be over for dinner tonight.”
My heart felt like it actually tripped over itself for a moment. “I thought they broke up.”
He shrugged. “Guess they worked things out. Your mother isn’t pleased, but nothing’s new there.”
I frowned. “Why not? I thought she liked Harper.”
He chuckled. “She does when she isn’t dating her baby boy.”
My frown deepened. “What?”
Dad waved off my concern. “Come on, let’s go surprise her.”
I pushed all thoughts of Harper and my brother from my head the best I could—which was difficult.
My dad picked up one bag while I grabbed the other, and I followed him into the house. Glancing around, I felt myself grinning. Everything looked the same. The large living room was to the right when you walked in. Nothing about it had changed since the last time I was here. Hell, since I’d left when I was eighteen. The sofa and love seat were in the same spots, but the furniture itself was new. They were always dark when we were growing up. Now they were cream-colored, with bright throw pillows on their surfaces. A blanket was draped across the love seat, and I could picture my mother sitting there, with a book in one hand and a coffee in the other, as a fire roared in the fireplace.