Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 164910 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 825(@200wpm)___ 660(@250wpm)___ 550(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164910 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 825(@200wpm)___ 660(@250wpm)___ 550(@300wpm)
“She’ll take care of it.”
I close my mouth, knowing he doesn’t want to hear anyone doubt his wife’s abilities. She’s good with people, but she’s pregnant, and she might be off her game. I don’t know…
“Pub’s going into deep cleaning to be ready for snowbird season,” Trace reports. “Shipment coming in tomorrow.”
“We will look the other way,” Army murmurs, his voice teasing.
Macon lifts his eyes to him, though, a look passing between them, and I’m almost relieved, because it isn’t directed at me. If Macon looks at you for longer than a second—and he’s not speaking—that means he’s thinking about you.
He doesn’t think about you when he’s happy with you.
Army’s been off for a long time, his mood shifting since he became a cop. We’ve all noticed it, and I am happy to sink into the background with Callum now and enjoy my life a little and let someone else be the focus of the family.
“Is the drive-in ready?” Trace asks us.
“It’s looking good.” Iron nods. “Liv is talking with distributors. We thought it might be fun to do some classic movie nights. ‘Parents wanting to let their kids experience their favorite films in a theater like they did’ type thing.”
“Whatever.” Macon rises up and changes out tools. “I’ll get involved if it’s not working.”
I think he likes that we’re taking the reins more.
So do we.
“Dex has his school clothes?” he asks Army.
“Let me handle my son,” Army says. “He’s not for you to manage like you do us. Tend to your own.”
“You’re not going to let me practice?” Macon taunts, smiling a little.
Army twists his mouth to the side, detecting bullshit. They’ve both had enough experience raising kids.
“But what if it’s a girl?” Trace replies.
“I hope it is.” Macon sighs. “I’ve had my fill with y’all.”
“She could be exactly like us,” I point out. “Or you.”
Or like Aracely. God help us.
“Well, then let me rest up while I can.” He shoos us away. “Get out of here.”
Good. I’m dying to get home anyway.
Army takes his beer inside, and I swallow three large gulps, handing the rest to Iron as Trace and I walk to our cars.
But Macon stops me. “Dallas!” he calls out.
I turn, seeing him step out from underneath the car and stop at the garage door.
“Remember what I said,” he tells me.
“I’ll bring it up with him, but—”
“And I don’t like you shacking up over there, either,” he commands. “It’s not respectful.”
Not respectful? “What does that mean?”
“It means, if you know what you want, then get it settled,” he tells me. “Living together and sleeping together without the rings and the promise is pussy bullshit. Get it done.”
Get it done? What the fuck?
He’s already gone, sliding back under the hood, conversation over.
Trace grips my shoulder, shaking me as we keep walking.
“Get it done?” I repeat.
Does he mean…?
Trace just chuckles. “Dallas Ames sounds better than Callum Jaeger. Just my opinion.”
I gape at him, realization dawning. “Fuck off.”
But he just laughs harder as it hits me what my brother wants me to do as if I’m just going to go fill up the tank with gas or something.
I haven’t even thought about marriage.
I wince.
“And you take his name!” Macon shouts at my back. “It’s good for us to have an Ames in the family!”
I spin around, my eyes bugging out. What the fuck?!
Trace peals with laughter, shaking uncontrollably as he pulls me to my car. Which he better fucking do, because I’m about to start a damn fight. What the hell?
I’m not changing my name! It’s Jaeger carved into that tomb, dammit.
Son of a bitch.
Yanking open my car door, I climb inside and drive, back over to where it’s quiet. It’s still storm season, but the weather has been unusually dry the past week, and everyone is outside, enjoying it. Liv and Clay are at their lighthouse, getting some outdoor work done while the weather is good, and Krisjen is shopping with her brother, getting some new clothes for fall. Not that he needs them for school. He’ll be in a uniform at Marymount, but he’s growing fast, and he still needs to dress up for things with his parents when they’re around.
Bike riders soak in the sunset, and kids play at the new splash pad, the town calm again. The college kids are back at school, but the residents have been filtering back in from their sojourns abroad, everyone busy with preparing their homes and children for fall.
Nights in the Wolfe Room will become busier with everyone back in town now, but we’re ready to monitor who’s coming and going via cameras. If they play clean—and with people their own fucking age—there won’t be a problem.
Callum and I play at home, but the residents see us out together and know. I have no doubt we’re the subject of gossip, but Jerome Watson and Vincent Law have been surprisingly cool. The two of them have been busy all summer with Callum, putting the plan together to expand Marymount.