Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88463 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88463 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
He’s going to be an asset to the ranch this summer. This first week went really well.
And I can also see that Willow’s right. He’s a good kid. So why is he acting out and treating her so badly? What in the hell is going on with him?
I’ll ask him over the coming weeks, and we’ll get to the bottom of it because I hate seeing my Willow upset.
We’re sitting on the porch with bottles of water when Willow comes driving up to the house. She climbs out of the car, and Aiden stands and turns to me.
“I guess I’ll see you on Monday,” he says.
“Get some rest tonight,” I reply, and he walks down to where Willow’s standing.
“I figured you’d be hungry,” she says as she approaches, and I hear the hesitation in her voice as she speaks to him. Is she afraid of him? “So there are some burgers and fries in the front seat. I already had mine, so the rest is yours.”
“Awesome, thanks.”
Her eyes widen in shock as Aiden climbs into the car, unwraps a burger, and bites in happily.
“Holy shit,” she murmurs.
“What’s wrong?”
“He hasn’t thanked me for anything in . . .” She swallows hard. “In a long time. I guess he must have had a good day.”
“Yeah, we had a good day.” I want to hug her more than I want to breathe, but I’m filthy, so I reach out and tuck her hair behind her ear. She’s so damn soft. “How was your day, Trouble?”
“It was good. I started on a new audiobook for an author that I’ve worked with before, and I enjoy her books. This one is a football romance.” She blows out a breath and shoves her hands in her pockets. “I should be able to have it done by Tuesday, if I work through the weekend.”
“No days off for you?”
She shakes her head. “I have back-to-back projects, and I’m still catching up from last month. Not to mention, driving back and forth takes a chunk of time out of my workday.”
I wish she’d stay out here. I hate that she has a long-ass drive ahead of her. They should be here, on the ranch. She should be with me. This week has taken a toll on her. I can see that she’s exhausted.
“He didn’t give you any trouble today?”
“Not at all. He did well.”
Her shoulders drop in relief. “I’m so glad. Well, I’d better get him home, but we’ll see you on Monday.”
She watched all my games and cried when I set the record.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks.
“Like what, Wills?”
“Like . . . I don’t even know, but it’s different.”
I think I’m finally seeing what I’ve been missing all along. She’s not just my best friend. But I don’t know for sure if she feels what I do, and I have to tread carefully so I don’t fuck up three lives.
“I just think you’re pretty great.”
She smiles softly and then frames her face and rolls her eyes. “I’m glad somebody notices.” She smirks and walks to the driver’s side. “Have a good weekend, Ry.”
“You too.”
Both of them wave, and then they’re off, leaving me here alone, and I wish they’d stay. I want to talk about hockey with Willow and pick her brain. Listen as her sexy-as-hell lips rattle off stats to me. I never considered that to be hot before, but just the mere thought of it has my cock stirring.
With a shake of my head, I walk into the house and head straight for the shower.
Chapter Seven
Willow
“I bet I’ll get to help with the cattle today,” Aiden says. He’s sitting in the passenger seat, and we just left the house, on our way out to the ranch after he had the weekend off. It’s so freaking early in the morning, and I don’t remember the last time I was this exhausted, but I’ve seen such a huge difference in my boy in the past week that he’s been working out there, it’s totally worth it.
He even smiled at me this morning. I’d do just about anything for that handsome grin to be pointed at me. Not to mention, I didn’t have to coax him out of bed this morning. He spent most of the weekend sleeping, which I expected. He worked his butt off last week. But this morning, he jumped right up and was ready to go before I was.
He was waiting for me.
That never happens during the school year.
“Are they branding the cows?” I ask.
“Nah, they already did that, but we have to herd them to a different pasture where they’ll be for about a month or so. And I think Ryker’s getting some more head in next week. That’s what he was telling Dusty.”
I don’t remember the last time we had a conversation this long. He was sullen over the weekend again, not saying much of anything, but now he’s animated, and obviously excited to get to work, and it fills me with so much hope, I’m almost bursting with it.