Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
I wasn’t sure of the time, but I knew it had to be getting close to dinner, and that made me anxious. I didn’t want to face another meal. At least one where Luther wasn’t present. I wondered if he would return before then and hoped that was the case.
The door opening up to the back patio, where I’d been sitting and enjoying the peacefulness that had never been a part of my life before, drew my attention. The sight of wild blonde curls and a bright smile greeted me, along with Maui, who appeared to be thrilled, as his entire backside wagged along with his tail.
“Hello!” the small beauty said, making her way toward me.
I already knew this must be Linc’s daughter, Stevie. There wasn’t much about her that looked like him, except for the eyes. They were an identical match to his, just much friendlier.
“Hello,” I replied, straightening in my seat.
“You are really pretty,” she replied as she studied me. “Daddy didn’t tell me that.”
I smiled. “You’re rather beautiful yourself,” I told her.
She nodded. “I know. Do you like brownies? Jayda made some for me, and I’ll share with you. But they don’t have milk or nuts. I’m allergic to them. But it’s okay. I like oat milk and sunflower butter. I’m not missing a thing. Jayda said that nuts are yucky.”
I started to respond when the door opened again and a woman appeared. Now, that was who Stevie looked like. She even had the curls; they were just more tamed than her daughter’s.
“I’m sorry if she bombarded you,” the woman apologized. “She was very excited to hear that we had a guest staying with us.”
I shook my head. “Oh, no, I’m happy to have the company.”
The woman glanced at her daughter with the kind of smile that was filled with love, pride, and gentleness. All the things I remembered in my mother’s gaze. The ache that had never gone away from the loss stretched in my chest, making it harder to take a deep breath.
“I’m Branwen,” the woman told me, but then I had already figured that out. “And this little bundle of energy is Stevie.”
Stevie scrunched her nose. “I forgot to tell her my name.”
A laugh bubbled out of me, and her gaze swung to mine.
“It’s okay. Maui has told me all about you.”
Her eyes widened then, and she looked down at her dog. “You talked to Maui? He only talks to Luther. He must really like you.”
Just hearing Luther’s name made my heart rate pick up.
“Why don’t you take Maui to the kitchen and help Jayda with the tray of treats she’s making?” Branwen suggested.
Stevie nodded, her eyes lighting up with excitement over the mention of treats, and called to her dog before running back to the door. Maui scampered after her, and I watched them go. I’d never had a childhood. At least not a normal one. That must be what it looked like. No fear or care in the world. Just happiness around every corner.
Branwen sank into the chair across from me and let out a sigh. “It’s good to be home. Travel with her is always an adventure, but it’s tiresome.”
There was nothing I could say to that. I had no reference or experience in traveling with a child. I simply smiled.
“I hope you’ve been comfortable here. I’m sorry I haven’t been around,” she told me.
“I have been,” I replied. “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you. Linc and Luther have good taste,” she said. “Although I have softened the place up some. Added color and decoration where things were bare and masculine before. I am assuming Luther’s side of the house still is. I’ve never seen it.” She chuckled softly. “I guess that sounds odd, doesn’t it?”
No, it didn’t. I’d lived in the same house my entire life, and there were areas I never saw. I wasn’t allowed to go to the third floor at all, and I had been restricted to my bedroom and the basement many days. I wasn’t going to tell her that though.
“He decorates in darker colors, but it is nice. Comfortable,” I told her.
“Comfortable is not a description I would have imagined,” she mused. “Not with Luther and his…taste in things.”
What did she mean by that?
The door swung open again, and Stevie came bounding out with Maui at her heels, followed by Jayda carrying a tray of food. My stomach knotted up at the sight of it. Was I expected to eat? Again?
“Jayda made sunflower butter fudge!” Stevie announced gleefully.
Dread was rolling into panic when the answer to my problems appeared with a swagger that had me holding my breath as I watched him.
Nineteen
Luther
I had shit to do, and I shouldn’t be back here already, but after Jayda had texted me about what Lace ate for lunch, concentrating on anything else had been impossible. So, here I fucking was. Back at this goddamn house, checking on a female who was not mine. She was Mal’s, for Chrissake. Why hadn’t I told him about this or sent Locke over here? She liked Locke. He was her brother.