Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 92062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“No, it’s not,” Nate grumbles, unlocking the door and I almost burst out laughing.
He turns to laugh at Nate, thinking he’s joking, before he turns and opens the back door of the truck to me. “After you, my kind lady,” he says and I smile at him.
“Well, look at that,” I say to him and then look over to a scowling Nate, “chivalry isn’t dead after all.” I shrug one shoulder. “Welcome home, Gavin, and thank you for your service.”
CHAPTER 20
Nate
SNOWMAN
I watch Gavin openly flirt with Elizabeth, and if I didn’t love Joshua and the Morrow family as much as I do, I think I would throat punch him. “After you, my kind lady,” he says to her, and she smiles back at him. The pit of my stomach tightens when she does it.
“Well, look at that,” she replies to him and then turns to me as I glare at her, “chivalry isn’t dead after all.” She shrugs one shoulder at him. “Welcome home, Gavin, and thank you for your service.”
“That’s a bit of a stretch,” I state, getting into the truck, “we don’t even know what he does in the military.”
“I would tell you,” Gavin says, getting in and tucking his backpack by his feet before reaching for his seat belt, “but it’s classified.”
“Oh,” Elizabeth says from behind me, and I look over my shoulder as I start the truck, “that sounds important.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s the common answer for anyone who is in the military and has clearance.” I pull out of the parking spot.
“That’s not necessarily true,” Elizabeth says, “if he was on tour, he would be able to talk about it.”
“She’s beautiful and smart,” he tosses over his shoulder, and I think he even winks at her. “That, my friend, is a lethal combination.”
“I’m not your friend,” I remark, looking out the window as I merge into the lane onto the highway.
The phone rings as soon as I pull into the driveway and turn off the truck. “Hello.” I put the phone to my ear.
“Hey,” Joshua says, his voice in a whisper, “did you get the package?”
“If you are asking if I picked up your brother-in-law,” I start, looking over at Gavin, who gets out of the truck and holds the back door open for Elizabeth as they exchange a couple words; words that make her laugh out loud and pretend she’s bashful, “that would be yes.”
“Oh good. I have my father bringing over clothes for him to wear tonight.”
“Great,” I say, slamming the door and trying to ignore the sound of the two of them talking. “How about he goes home with your father also?”
Joshua laughs at me. “What? Why?”
“No reason,” I say as he holds out his hand for Elizabeth.
“Wouldn’t want you to fall and injure yourself.”
“We wouldn’t want that now,” Elizabeth replies, staring up at him, “would we?”
“We most certain would not.” He tucks her hand around his bicep, walking up the stairs.
“They’re not slippery,” I tell them, “nor are they wet.” I look around. “So the chances she’s going to fall are slim to none.”
“We can never be too safe.” Gavin grins at her.
“Yeah, how long do you want me to keep him here?” I punch in the code for the door and then open in.
Whiskey hears the door from wherever he is in the house and comes trotting over to us. He smells me and then his tail wags even faster when he sees Elizabeth and just as fast when he sees Gavin. “Traitor,” I mumble. “Let’s go outside,” I snap my command and he turns his attention back to me and follows me to the back door. “So why can’t he leave with your father?”
“He’ll be bored out of his skull with my father. The two of you have a lot in common,” Joshua explains, and I turn to see Elizabeth showing him around and offering him something to drink.
“I don’t think I have anything in common with him. I don’t even know what he does.” I turn around and my voice is low.
“He’s in top-secret communication, something or another.” I roll my eyes at his description of Gavin’s job. “Either way, take good care of him, and I’ll see you guys in a couple of hours.”
“You know what would be fun? Why don’t you bring Macy here and we can surprise her now?” He chuckles at my idea. “You know what, after your wedding, I don’t want to see you for a month,” I grit between my clenched teeth.
“Okay, well, I’m going to go upstairs and get ready for tonight,” Elizabeth announces. “Or, you know what, you’ve been traveling all day—”
“Or maybe he just took an hour flight,” I cut in. “We don’t really know where he came from.”
He points to me and chuckles. “You trying to get me to tell you my secrets?”