Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 38829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
“Ask me on a day when I don’t have quite so much paperwork, Coop,” I tell him.
“Are you almost finished?” he asks.
“Yeah, I just need to put the folders back in the cabinet. I’ve got one pile here in this manila folder that goes to the ranch office. It’s the invoices for the feed and hay. I had to accept a delivery the other day when Debra was out with the flu.”
“Well, we kind of have a favor to ask. Lisa was wondering if you’d be able to watch Claire tonight. Carson wants to take her out to dinner because he’s been out of town. If you can’t, though—”
“Are you kidding? I love getting time with that baby. I’ll be up in just a bit.”
“Thanks, Livy. Have I ever told you I’m glad you came here to live? I don’t know what we ever did without you,” Cooper says, making me smile.
“I think you’ve mentioned it, but I always like hearing it again,” I laugh.
He winks at me and heads out. I finish up my filing, dust off my jeans and bright orange T-shirt. I’m not really a Tennessee fan, but I do like the bright color—especially this time of the year. It will be October in just a few weeks. I grab the manila folder and then head out. I put the closed sign on the door that has a number to call for emergencies, and then I head toward the house. I take my cell out of my back pocket and dial Winnie.
“Hey, Livy. Are you heading this way?” she asks when she answers.
“Just the opposite. Lisa asked me to sit with Clare tonight. Carson just got back in town, and they wanted some alone time. Can I have a rain check?” Winnie and I were supposed to have a girl’s night full of pizza and bad romance movies. Blade’s out of town and she’s alone.
“Hey! What if I come up? I’d love some time with Clare.”
“That’d be great,” I answer at once. “Maybe Debra will want to stay, too.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be at your cabin in a couple of hours with pizza,” Winnie says.
“Can’t wait. See you soon.” I put my phone back just as I make it top of the small hill the walkway leads over. Once I do, I come to a complete stop. Over by the stables, there’s a man in a faded green thermal and worn jeans. His hair is short, and I can only see his back, but what I see takes my breath away. He looks so much like Bear that my heart stops. In fact, except for the hair being shorter, the guy has the same build and everything. I actually forget how to breathe and automatically my feet lead me to the stables. “Bear?” I ask, but the one word is filled with confusion and not very loud.
“Hey, Lake! Can you give me a hand with the new stallion?” Jeff—one of the hands—calls out to the man I’m watching.
“You got it,” the man says.
I shake my head as I fight to get my breath back. His name is Lake—not Bear. His voice is more graveled and lower in cadence than Bear's, too. Not to mention, there’s no way Bear is alive. Plus, if Bear were alive, he’d be with me. He also wouldn’t have ever let Blade sit in jail for his murder. No, this is just me fooling myself again. I will not allow myself to lose sight of reality now. Things are going too great. I’m not about to fuck it up.
On that note, I turn back to the main house. I’ll call Debra after I collect Clare. She can get the filing then, too. Right now, I need to see Clare and lose myself in all that is good and happy in the world. I need to remind myself life is good even though Bear isn’t with me.
I can’t afford to get lost in my dreams …
EPILOGUE
BLADE
Three Years Later
“Blade! Wake up.”
I turn over in bed, opening just one eye, and letting it focus on my beautiful woman before finally opening the second one. My gaze moves to the Alexa device by the bed and looks at the time.
“Woman, it’s six in the morning. What the hell? Is someone dead?”
She grins at me, and damn, she really is radiant. The past three years have brought happiness and miracles that I never could have imagined. Arwen is the perfect old lady, but it’s more than that. We fit together perfectly. We’ve yet to have a serious fight. The woman hasn’t only made me a better man—she’s changed my world. We’re still living in the penthouse. We’re both just happier here. Arwen redecorated, and it’s warmer, more of a home now. She sold her house to Cross, and he’s living there with a girl named Debra. He met her through Olivia.