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 looked up to see Lincoln had joined us. The smile that had been on his face the majority of the day was gone. Instead, his jaw was clenched as he addressed Susanne to tell her he needed to get me home so I could rest.
Rest? I’d just had a nice nap and had been looking forward to spending more time catching up with Lincoln.
“Now, don’t you fret about that, sugar. Everyone has already heeded the call for help. I’ve already assured her that there won’t be a need for her to do a thing until she heals. Why, I told her she’s in for a treat tonight as you always rave about Mama’s chicken and dumplings. In fact, people are practically falling over each other signing up to bring meals out to her grandmother’s place.”
I was attempting to do a bit of deciphering myself. I had already begun to understand this woman meant something to Lincoln but there was no questioning the tension I could practically feel rolling over Lincoln. Eyes that had been lit with laughter had darkened to a darker blue that reminded me of the storm clouds that had swirled in the sky the day before. Though he made no overt move and appeared relaxed, I could sense his muscles tensing as if in preparation to jump in front of me when she bent lower, but when her voice dropped to ask, “I mean, that is where you’re staying, right, Oliv… I mean Livvy?” I could see the muscles of his jaw clench. I was at a loss as to how to answer when Lincoln spoke.
“It’s a nice surprise to find you suddenly filled with a sense of community spirit, Susanne, but unless you want all those casseroles going to waste, I suggest you get on the phone and work out scheduling a time for their arrival.”
When Lincoln gave the briefest glance to me before pinning Susanne with a look that would have had me whipping my hands behind me to protect my butt, I held my breath when he added, “At River Waters as Livvy will be our guest for the foreseeable future.”
I knew it was rude of me to want to pump my fist into the air, especially when Susanne gasped, “Well, I-I don’t know what to say,” but when Lincoln coolly returned, “I highly doubt that,” I honestly didn’t care.
“Is everything in the truck?” I asked.
“Everything but you.”
That was exactly the answer I wanted and didn’t even worry about my huge smile reawakening the pain in my jaw. I gave each of the baby chicks a soft pat goodbye and accepted the pad of paper and the pencils from Linc before lifting my arms as he bent to pick me up. If I’d felt like a princess the first time he’d carried me, I now felt like a queen as he left Susanne standing where she was and carried me through the store.
That was until he’d settled me onto the truck seat.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t stop to think perhaps you’d rather be in your own house instead of staying with us.”
Us?
How stupid could I be? Our reunion hadn’t been some quirk of fate. The Universe hadn’t used a frightened deer crossing the road as a rather skewed way to get us together. It had been nothing more than a fluke. Lincoln had not asked for this, and I had no right to stick my nose into his business. Lincoln, being raised the way he’d been, had simply been too kind to tell me that he was involved.
I felt like a total fool for having thought otherwise. The man had had girls falling all over him in grade school for heaven’s sake. Actually, the only thing that would surprise me was if he and Susanne didn’t already have a half dozen little cowboys and girls running around their…
“Hey—”
“I’m sorry! I just thought—”
“Pixie—”
“Never mind, it’s not important what I—”
“Livvy—”
“I’ll apologize to your wife—”
“Olivia!”
His tone snapped my eyes open and I stared up at him.
“Do I have your attention now?”
I bobbed my head and he reached around to cup the nape of my neck with his palm.
“That’s three,” he said but I honestly couldn’t find the energy to care.
“Sorry, Lincoln, I’m listening.”
“Then listen to this.”
Instead of speaking, he looked up to the ceiling of the truck, and I realized he was rolling his eyes not once but around and around like they were steel balls in some pinball machine. I couldn’t help but giggle which had him dropping his gaze to mine again.
“That is how crazy it is for you to even begin to think you owe anyone an apology. Understood?”
“No, not really.”
“Then let me make it clearer. I am not now nor have I ever been married. I am not involved with Susanne St. Helen, and I’m the luckiest man on the planet that the fates brought you back to me. As for ‘us,’ I meant Luther and me. Does that help?”