Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“I am,” I husked, my voice going out on me.
“I know,” he rumbled, wrapping me in his arms again.
Moments later, when we rejoined everyone, Gavin made sure to talk to Sam and immediately explain about the crystal that Hannah had gifted the three of them with. Sam gave Hannah a squeeze and said that she’d always been generous.
Sam fit into the group seamlessly, and when Gavin said that he might do a year at the University of Chicago, guest lecturing, Sam made sure that Gavin had my contact information so he could call me and we could have him over for dinner.
As the three of us were walking back to the hotel after saying our farewells to our new friends, Hannah leaned into her father’s side.
“How come you gave Gavin Pa’s number when we both know that he was getting a bit too cozy with your husband?”
“He was?” I asked her.
“Yeah,” Hannah told me. “I was this close to calling him out on it and feeling crappy about having to when Dad showed up.”
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry I missed it. I never want you to feel uncomfortable about––”
“No, don’t feel bad. Jake’s the same way. I mean, girls would practically climb into his lap and start giving him a dance before he’d be all—‘hey, wait a minute, I think she might be hitting on me.’”
I smiled at her as she rolled her eyes.
“Ugh,” she groaned. “Drove me nuts. I would say to him, ‘did you not feel her humping your leg?’”
I couldn’t stifle my laughter.
“But no, he was just as clueless as you.”
“Would we say clueless?”
“Are you kidding?” she deadpanned, and Sam snickered.
I coughed and glared at him, still addressing my daughter. “Well, please, if it ever happens again, let me know.”
“I think it’s sweet you don’t notice,” she told me. “It means that Dad’s the only one you see. It’s very romantic.”
“I agree,” Sam seconded, kissing my temple.
“And it doesn’t happen at home because there’s always someone with you. No one tries to put the moves on you with me or Kola calling you Pa.”
That made sense.
“When you’re with Aunt Aja, you guys walk arm in arm like you’re married—same with Aunt Dylan—and Uncle Dane does that weird thing where he puts his hand on the back of your neck and steers you through places.”
I nodded. “He’s always done that.”
“Oh I know,” she agreed. “But no one would dare hit on you when he’s there. Just his stare could turn people to ice.”
She wasn’t wrong. Dane had a way about him where you weren’t quite sure if he was dangerous or just easily annoyed.
“And of course, no one comes near you when Dad is there.”
“No,” Sam agreed, tucking me up against him as we walked. “They would nev––”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Hannah announced suddenly, bolting down an alley that did not look at all as though it was rat or cockroach-free.
Sam and I moved to the side to wait for her, and moments later she returned leading a girl in a silver sequined dress—if the length could be considered one—back toward us. She was a very beautiful young woman, with thick golden-blonde hair hanging halfway down her back, golden-tan skin, and features that belonged in magazines. She was also stumbling drunk and had a sash on that read “Bridesmaid.”
The three guys shouting lewd comments at Hannah stopped immediately and bolted as soon as they saw Sam, but he yelled and they froze where they were. As soon as he flashed the badge on his belt, they remained where they were as he walked over to them. He snapped pictures of their licenses and their faces and asked questions, the answers to which, he typed into his phone. They all appeared terrified, hands in their pockets, two of them shaking as he spoke to them.
Turning back to Hannah, I saw that the girl looked unsteady, but better now that she wasn't walking. “Who’s your friend?” I asked as the girl reached for my hand and looked into my face and smiled.
“I don’t know, but I saw that guy and his two buddies leading her down that alley, and she wasn’t walking too well.”
I shook my head at her. “You and your father, always looking down alleys.”
“You should always look down alleys,” Sam said matter-of-factly as he rejoined us. “Do you have any idea how many hurt dogs and cats I’ve found down alleys that needed to be taken to rescues? Puppies especially get dumped in alleys.”
I understood how people looked at Sam Kage and thought, that’s a scary-looking guy right there, but really, all you had to do was talk to him for five minutes to know that the man saved puppies and kittens.
“Can you tell me your name, sweetheart?” Sam asked the young woman, who looked about twenty-two, twenty-three, not any older than that.