Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
I don’t even need to think. “Yes.”
Beside me, my supervisor laughs. “I suspected that might be your answer.”
Later, when I tell the brothers the great news, Cade is the first to give me a hug.
“So you’re stuck with us,” he says.
“I think it’s the other way around.”
Rhett smiles and gives me a kiss. “I’d been hoping federal bureaucracy would finally do something useful.”
Boone pulls me close and wraps his arms around me. “You’ll officially live here.”
“Yes, you’re never getting your room back.”
His head tips back as he laughs, and he pulls me closer. “Fair trade,” he says.
CHAPTER 44
WREN
The next day, I get a text from Elena: Can you meet us in town for pie in thirty minutes? Kira’s already on her way.
It’s mid-afternoon, and pie sounds perfect. Visiting with my two new Moon Ridge friends sounds even better. Both women have called me since the operation, but this will be the first time I’m seeing them in person since that day.
Boone insists on driving me, arguing that he’s bored because I won’t let him chop firewood. I start to tell him I don’t need a babysitter, but then I think about how good it feels to have his hand resting on my leg while he drives, and I agree.
“Take your time,” he tells me when he drops me off in front of the restaurant. “I’ll go see what’s new at the store.”
The restaurant isn’t busy this time of day. There are a couple of tables of retirees and a pair of hikers in a booth along the wall.
Elena waves at me from the same table where I’d sat with them before. “We ordered coffee for you,” she says when I reach them.
“We didn’t know which pie you preferred,” Kira says. “And they have peach today.”
“Ooh, I’ll go for that one.”
The waitress arrives with a cup of coffee for me, and I add my pie order to theirs.
I ask about Felicity and T.J., and find out the children are with the men today. Despite it being summer break, Elena tells me she’s been busy with work, trying to recover from events that happened earlier in the year at the school building. Kira tells me she’s been busy trying to rein in the childproofing operation that’s going on at her house.
“Lissy probably won’t be crawling for a couple of months, but they already have the compound locked down like a fortress,” she says with a laugh. “I mean, it was already a safe place, but now every electrical outlet has been covered, every hard corner has been padded with foam, and opening a toilet lid is now a two-step process.”
“I suppose you should be grateful they haven’t wrapped Felicity in foam padding,” Elena says.
“The first time she skins her knee, they’ll probably propose that during one of their meetings,” Kira says with a very fond laugh.
Gradually, as we enjoy our pie, conversation turns to the recent events at the cabin.
“I got updates about Harlan Turner from Atlas,” Kira says, “and of course, you told me you were okay when we talked on the phone, but how are you really?”
I sit with the question for a few seconds as I take a sip of coffee, then I say, “I won’t say I’m over all of it. I don’t know how long it’ll be before shadows on trees stop spooking me, but overall, I’m good. Really good.”
Both women are looking at me too closely.
“We know that kind of good,” Kira says, arching an eyebrow.
“How are things going with those Wilder brothers?” Elena asks, but Kira nudges her with her elbow.
“Those Wilder brothers are the reason for that smile on her face,” Kira says.
The three of us laugh for a moment, and then I tell them the good news about my new job position, but they’re not surprised.
“Atlas told me that, too,” Kira says. “Apparently Rhett’s pretty excited. He might be arranging for a billboard out by the highway to tell the whole county.”
I smirk. “Nah, he’s too private to do something like that.”
“He wants to keep Wren all to himself,” Elena says. “Well, not all to himself. You know what I mean.”
The three of us laugh again, and it seems like we don’t stop for at least twenty minutes.
“It’s good to be with women who understand,” I tell them. “I never imagined myself being in such an unconventional relationship.”
“You never know what life will bring your way,” Elena says with a happy shrug.
“There might not be a lot of women who understand,” Kira says, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “But the ones who do become family.”
Elena adds her hand above Kira’s. “They sure do.” The three of us share warm smiles, then Elena says, “Speaking of family … there’s a reason I wanted to see you both today.”
“Pie isn’t enough of a reason on its own?” Kira says.