Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
“I guess I look pretty stressed,” I finally said, mumbling around the food.
“Understatement of the year,” Maisie retorted. “What’s happened? Something at the ranch?”
“Yesterday Callum bent me over the kitchen table and spanked me.”
My friends shared a look, incredulous at first then shifted to amusement.
Mickie squinted. “Over Nana’s kitchen table?”
“The very same,” I managed in between bites. I quickly slid the plate back to Maisie before I ate it all. Having a little bit of food in my belly calmed me as much as their presence.
“Was it consensual?” Maisie piped up.
“Yes. Then I kissed him. And he declared that we’re in a relationship. But now I haven’t seen him since. He’s sent me a few paltry excuses–”
“Define. What’s his reasoning?” Mickie played with the heart charm on her necklace.
“Callum is managing a lot of back-end things. Structural integrity. Finances. I guess things that maybe weren’t being handled. Seems like a convenient excuse,” I said shrugging. When I said it out loud to my friends it sounded whiny and needy. Two things I wasn’t on a typical day. Like I needed to see Callum to ground me back into reality so I could function. That wasn’t fair since I’d been managing just fine without him.
They shared another look. Maybe I was being stubborn and clingy. Seeing things that weren’t there. Callum wasn’t going to implement changes and bounce off. He owned the ranch with me now. It was like, official and shit.
“It sounds like there’s been a lot going on behind the scenes,” Maisie suggested. “I’d reach out to Callum and tell him what you’re feeling. Keeping it all inside is just going to fester.”
“You’re right, but it doesn’t mean it’s that simple. Nana left us the ranch to co-manage together. The only way to change ownership after the fact would be for one of us to buy the other one out. I don’t have the means to do that,” I lamented. “And honestly I can see how hard he’s working to improve things already.”
“So, then this is a relationship-only issue?” Mickie waited for me to nod before continuing. “Well the best course of action really is to talk to him. He spanked you. By your account, he’s now your boyfriend. I don’t think Callum would bother with all that if he was going to leave.”
Mickie certainly knew a thing or two about leaving. She’d only recently moved back home. Her boyfriend Sam literally drove to the city, collected her and now they were living in peaceful bliss. It hadn’t started out that way, I reminded myself.
Drumming my fingers on the table, I leaned back against the chair. “I haven’t been in a relationship in so long, maybe I’ve jumped the gun.”
Maisie reached forward and patted my hand. “Don’t rush to a decision based on your gut, Quinn. I know you’ve been taking care of things on your own both personally and professionally for a while. Maybe give Callum a chance to explain before you go off half-cocked and wreck it.”
Damn it. Of course my best friend understood the heart of the matter before I acknowledged it. I hated when Maisie was right, which was more often than not. Stealing a few more bites from her yummy sandwich, I wiped my mouth on a napkin and stood up.
“I’m sorry for wrecking your lunch,” I apologized, though neither of my friends looked the least bit upset.
“You didn’t wreck anything, Quinn,” said Mickie quietly. She stood up and hugged me tightly.
“We love you,” Maisie added, joining our hug.
“Is it safe to come out yet?” Oliver called through the double doors.
We all laughed, breaking up the remaining bit of tension. “Yeah, yeah, I’m leaving!”
Oliver returned to his spot by the counter, leaning casually. “Did you get your advice?”
“I did, and I’ll actually take it for once….” I rolled my eyes. “I’ll talk to him! Okay? I’ll talk to Callum with poise and grace.”
Maisie snorted. “I doubt the last part. Don’t forget to bring him here one day.”
“One day,” I agreed before waving over my shoulder and exiting the shop. They were right as usual. Only Callum could fix the worries bumping around in my head. As long as I told him what was on my mind.
Twenty-six hours since we’d spoken to each other. Not that I’d been counting. Not that I hadn’t. It was as if the advice from this morning went in one ear and out the other. Glancing up from where I’d been washing my beast of a pickup truck I saw Callum on top of a horse. So much for my assessment that he couldn’t possibly remember how to ride.
From this distance it looked like he’d been doing it every day since he left. The navy flannel and boots added to his overall handsome appearance rather than detracting from it. His steady hand rubbed along Cedar’s mane as they trotted to the barn. Cedar was our mahogany brown Morgan that we used for work around the ranch, and the sight was magnificent.