Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 140604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
He was surprised she didn’t. Olivia Barnes-Fleetwood was a confident woman. She knew what she wanted and asked for it. So why didn’t she simply tell the guy off? Why had she hidden behind them?
She also had her pride, and it had recently taken a hit. She’d had to acknowledge that the man she loved since she was a kid didn’t love her the way she needed to be loved. There was a part of him that wanted to tell her he was out. He wasn’t built for this kind of drama. He’d had enough of it in his life, and he’d learned that stepping in to save someone didn’t necessarily make him a hero. Sometimes it just made him a fool.
“Let me know how I can help. You don’t have to let us stay with you. We’ll help you without that,” he heard himself say.
Damn, but she got to him. He had promised long ago to never go somewhere he wasn’t wanted, but here he was again.
She turned and looked back at him. “I shouldn’t have dragged you into this, and if I had half a spine I would correct the situation, but I have to work with him. I would let my dad handle him, but he’s not here and I can’t put this off. Our contracts are out of date. They’re our biggest distributor, and I need a good deal out of them. Of course now that I think about it, I probably should have played him differently if I wanted a good deal.”
“No, you did exactly the right thing,” Garrett countered. “Keane and I can be a shield for you, and I’m serious about calling HR on his ass if he can’t take no for an answer. And I do think we should probably stay with you. The hands talk. This scenario doesn’t work if he knows you’re pretending. I wish Gwen didn’t know. We might have to silence her.”
“Garrett,” Keane began.
Gwen laughed, the sound ringing through the car. “How about I promise to keep the secret? You know I love to know what everyone else doesn’t.”
“I think Gwen’s kept my secrets before. Even when I didn’t know she was doing it.” She turned back and seemed to relax a bit. “I would like for you to stay with me, and we can talk about that over dinner tonight if you’ll let me cook for you.”
“Of course,” Garrett said.
It would be so nice to not have the dark voices in his head. To be able to say yes to everything that came his way and have real optimism about it. “We should talk before you allow me in your home, Olivia. I think Garrett should stay with you. You can tell your ex I come and go.”
“Oh, Olivia’s momma would be so upset. Now that would be a scandal,” Gwen whispered. “Treating one man as better than the other? It’s awful.”
Olivia’s hand came out, pointing Gwen’s way. “What she said. The hands talk. Gossip is gold in this town. They might not like my parents’ relationship, but they know the rules. I introduced two boyfriends. They know damn well I wouldn’t keep one a dirty secret. It would be an insult to my papa, who still has to endure those rumors. Of course then my dad shows everyone Papa isn’t a secret at all.”
“Do you have enough room?” The thought of sleeping on the couch while the woman of his dreams was so close did not sound perfect to him. It sounded like hell.
“I have a guest bedroom and a pull out in another room,” she replied. “But we can talk about the living arrangements when we get there. After I arrange for someone to pick up my car. I’m going to have to drive Mom’s.”
See, he thought they hadn’t talked about this enough. “The cops didn’t seem too serious about what happened.”
They seemed pretty useless. They had looked at the car, nodded, asked her if she had insurance, and told her they would write a report.
Was Muffin in medical distress? She had all four paws up and her tongue hanging half out of her mouth. She hadn’t moved in minutes.
“It probably was kids, like they said,” Olivia announced. “But just in case, I’ll ask for the security footage.”
“Let me do it. I’ll introduce myself as your attorney,” Garrett offered,
“Are you saying you’re willing to handle all the phone calls and being put on hold and all the people who say you’re overreacting?” Olivia asked.
“Yes,” Garrett replied. “I spend most of my life on a phone, so it’s no big deal.”
“I appreciate that, Garrett,” she replied and then pointed. “Hey, Gwen, that was the turnoff. I guess you can turn around up ahead.”
But Gwen didn’t take that advice. Nope. She made a U-turn in the middle of the highway. There was honking and tires screeching, and he was pretty sure the station wagon left the ground at one point. On pure instinct, he grabbed the dog so she didn’t go flying. He saw his life flash before him.