Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
She threw up her hands, and he bounced her on his hip. I’d never seen him smile quite like that before.
The flutters started up again. I took tickets and slung pizza, all the while, trying to keep my eye on him through the crowd.
He gave her little hand a high five. The boys also cheered.
“Have you met Sam Watson, the town heartthrob?” Harper broke me from my ogling.
Shit! Caught looking. I played it off with a laugh. “Heartthrob? Isn’t that something from a tween magazine?” I looked away and handed off another slice.
“Well, it fits. That man’s a ladies’ favorite in this town.” She flipped open the lid on the last box, not enough to feed the still-long line.
“Aren’t you married with like four kids?” I asked her.
She elbowed me. “I’m married, not blind. Tell me he doesn’t melt your butter.”
I wasn’t blind either. But knowing that a woman who’d lived in Cooper Valley her whole life–she’d shared all about herself when we were setting up–labeled Sam a heartthrob meant it’d been a longstanding term. Except Sam had to be in his early twenties, at most.
“He’s a little young for us, don’t you think?”
“Well, like you said, I’m married. But he’s not too young for you.” She tossed the last empty pizza box on the stack.
I didn’t actually know how old he was. I’d been afraid to ask. But based on his skill and talent in and out of the sack, he’d had lots of practice in a short time.
Why was I suddenly jealous of the women in his past? I was the one who wanted no strings. He was giving it to me. The no-strings and his dick.
“Hey, Sam!” Harper called out, waving her arm wildly in the air above her head.
Ack! “What are you doing?” I hissed, feeling my cheeks heat.
“Introducing you. You’re new to town–I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to show you around.”
“Oh, no! I mean, I already know him. He’s been to the shop for a tractor part,” I said.
Harper was still trying to flag him down, but it was way too noisy, and Sam was focused on the little girl he held.
I was pretty sure both ovaries dropped eggs at how freaking sweet they looked together. I’d never ever thought about having another kid–raising JT on my own had been enough, but I suddenly was picturing what it would be like to raise a kid with a partner. To have a hunky husband to share the responsibilities and joys of parenting.
Was I nuts to suddenly think of Sam that way?
Yes. Yes, I was. Because Sam was a player, with a capital “P.” If it hadn’t been abundantly obvious from the moment I first laid eyes on him, Ernie had told me that, and now Harper had confirmed it.
I quickly plated the slices. “You don’t need to introduce us. But yeah, he seemed nice.”
Sam had disappeared into the crowd. I should be relieved that he hadn’t heard Harper calling him over, but I felt strangely disappointed.
“Oh, he’s nice all right. Nicest guy you’ll ever meet. He coached my Mark’s T-ball team back in the spring, and his mother and my mother are best friends. He’ll do anything for his family. Those are his sisters’ kids.”
I’d figured. He’d mentioned he had nieces and nephews last night. The little boys looked like him. I’d ruled him out for fatherly potential from the first second I met him, but seeing him with them made me think otherwise. He looked fully comfortable in the role of Cool Uncle.
He was good with Remy and JT.
Clearly, there was so much I didn’t know about him.
The pepperoni boxes finally arrived, carried in by a man who I assumed was Matt, Joey’s dad, and I quickly plated an entire box to set us up while Harper took tickets.
“Hey, Mommy, look at me!” The familiar sound of my son’s joyful voice brought my head up with dismay. He was supposed to stay with Marina until I could get away. He must’ve grown bored, and she let him come find me. It was his school, so he was familiar with the place, but I wasn’t, and it was so crowded.
I scanned the nearby line for my little guy.
“Up here!” He was right beside me, riding on Sam’s shoulders.
I sucked in a quick breath. Damn the millions of tiny fireworks going off in my tummy. What was so melting about a gorgeous young man taking care of your kid? If this were a different century, I probably would’ve swooned.
“Hey there.” Sam’s dimples were in dazzling display. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full here. I thought I’d rescue you.”
Swooning. Still swooning.
“Oh, now I see what’s going on,” Harper teased. “You really do know Sam.”
Shut up, Harper.
I wasn’t the blushing type, but I was pretty sure my face had grown warm.