Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 113330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“Actually,” he says, his eyes locked with mine, “I think there were two rods in a closet at the Airbnb, so you’d only have to bring one for yourself if you come teach us how to fish.”
My racing heart feels like it’s stopped. “Us?” For the life of me, I can’t fathom what that word means in this context.
Roman’s lopsided grin returns. “I brought Maverick with me.”
My jaw hangs open. “Oh. Wow.” It’s all my overwhelmed brain can manage.
“You said I didn’t show you the real me in Kauai, so I came to show him to you here—and I realized I can’t do that without introducing you to my son. He’s my heart and soul, Iris. As real as I get.” Roman noticeably flushes a bit. He takes a deep breath and clears his throat. “My parents are here with me, too. They came along to help with Mav this week, in case I happen to get lucky and get a date with a pretty girl while I’m here.”
Date.
With me?
Am I the pretty girl?
My brain searches for a different meaning. A more logical one. But it can’t come up with anything else. My chest heaving, I blurt, “I watched the press conference, Roman. In a sports bar. Everyone went nuts, exactly like you said.” My breathing feels erratic, so I take a deep, steadying breath. “After the press conference, I heard your new Thunderbolts jersey sold out within hours of the announcement, and it’s now the best-selling NFL jersey.”
Roman smiles ruefully. “Yeah, we’ll see how long the honeymoon phase lasts once the season starts. If I don’t start racking up wins out of the gate, those same fans will start burning my jersey in effigy.”
I swat at the air above Butterscotch’s back to shoo a fly. “Don’t worry about that. You’re gonna come out of the gate winning. I know it in my bones.”
He raps his knuckles to the side of his head, playfully knocking on wood. “Let’s hope your bones are psychic.” As he drops his hand to his side, his Adam’s apple bobs. “Hey, would you be willing to come out from behind the horse so I can give you a hug?”
My knees buckle, so I grip Butterscotch to steady myself. “Yes. Of course.”
“Only if you’re comfortable.”
“No, I am. Yes. Of course.”
I inhale deeply before beginning my short journey toward Roman’s opened arms, during which my knees feel rubbery and my heart feels like it’s exploding in my chest. And the minute Roman embraces me and I smell the familiar, musky spice of his aftershave, I’m hurtled straight back to our magical kiss at the waterfall.
“I’ve missed you,” Roman whispers into my ear, and my heart leaps with excitement. They’re the words I’ve been dying to hear for over a month.
“I’ve missed you, too,” I confess. I’m telling the truth. And yet, as soon as I say the words, another truth slams into me: I’m wary. Skeptical. Worried about getting my heart broken again. Obviously, it’s exciting to realize Roman came here to Orchard Blossom to visit me—for a full week, no less, and with his family in tow. But a week isn’t a long time. Not nearly long enough, anyway, for me to hope for any kind of future with Roman after he leaves and goes back to his new life in LA.
Roman leans back from our embrace to look into my eyes. “Was Denver okay? I was worried about you running into your ex.”
“I didn’t see him.” I cock my head. “By any chance, did you send someone to watch over me in Denver? There was a dark SUV that seemed like it kept popping up, especially when I was at Brandon’s house to get another load of stuff.”
Roman looks sheepish. “Yeah, that was my guy. A bodyguard.”
I bat his shoulder. “You should have told me! I thought human traffickers were after me.”
“Your number was disconnected. Plus, you told me to rip off the Band-Aid, remember? I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me.”
“So you let me think human traffickers were after me?”
Roman laughs. “I didn’t think you’d notice him.”
“I did.”
“Sorry.” He bites his lower lip. “God, it’s good to see you again, Iris.”
“You, too.”
He touches my cheek, sending shivers skating every which way across my skin. “Do you have time to meet my son?”
“When?”
“Now.”
“Where?”
“Here.”
“Maverick’s here—at the ranch?”
Roman nods. “My parents, too. I left them chatting with a young woman with dark hair.”
“Was her hair in braids?”
“That’s the one.”
“That’s Harper. She’s been my best friend since grade school. Her family owns the place.”
Roman grins. “The minute she told me where to find you, Harper became my best friend, too.”
Even as my stomach flutters with butterflies, it’s also tight with anxiety. For weeks, I’ve been fantasizing about getting to see Roman again. In person. Just one more time. But now that he’s here, I’m equal parts elated and wary.