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)
Miranda sighed and sat back. “Her parents adore her. Her mom and sister might be a bit aggressive when it comes to matchmaking, but they don’t measure her worth based on her relationships. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel pressure. Even when it’s not from her family. It comes from all around. From society. From the shows we watch and the books we read. We want love. We want what we think is normalcy. Don’t think her parents are pushing her to be anything but happy. I think her mom’s been worried about her because of the situation with Bobby. Please don’t give up on her.”
Keane’s head shook. How did one give up on one’s soul mate? On the one woman who could finally bridge all the gaps between him and Garrett? “The only way we leave her is she kicks us out. I’m going to tell you something I hope you don’t pass on, but I need you to understand how serious we are. Garrett and I have already discussed trying to stay close to Willow Fork. We don’t have any interest in a long-distance relationship. We want to be with her. I’m worried her parents already don’t like us.”
Miranda waved the thought off. “Jack doesn’t like anyone until he does. Sam and Abby are easy. If Livie likes you, you’re in. Treat her like the queen she is and Jack will follow. You didn’t bring a personal vehicle, did you?”
He snorted. “I am not letting that man cube my truck.”
Garrett shrugged. “We can get a new one. We should think about it because we need something we can drive Olivia around in. You hate driving mine.”
Olivia wasn’t the only one with a pride problem. “I don’t think she cares about what we drive. She cares that we show up.”
Miranda’s lips curled. “Then you’re already getting to know her. That’s what people don’t get. She grew up with wealth, but they worked for it every day. She would tell you her family was lucky. They had some opportunities her dad turned into wealth, but she doesn’t take any of it for granted. She spent her childhood riding horses and running across this ranch, not in some prep school wearing designer clothes. She doesn’t care about what car you drive as long as it’s safe. She cares about whether you love her. If you love her.”
“It’s too early to tell her that. She’ll get scared.” Not that he hadn’t thought it a million times. “I’ve also got some things about my past I need to tell her. Unless she read my background check. Then she already knows.”
“She doesn’t,” Miranda replied. “She knows you’re hiding something, but she wants you to tell her when you’re ready. Did you get into trouble when you were a kid?”
Trouble wasn’t the word for what had happened. Hell. That was a better word for what he went through. “I need to talk to her first.”
He had been putting it off. It was cowardly. He usually didn’t talk about his past because the women weren’t around for anything but a good time.
Olivia was more than a good time. She was the whole future.
Would she look at him with soft eyes and trust when she found out he spent three years in prison for assault?
Miranda nodded. “Yes, you should, but I think it’s going to be all right. You’ll see.”
The clinic’s doors came open, and he was faced with the sight of the sheriff walking in. He was a large man who had seen fitter days, but he still wore his khakis with authority. He had two deputies behind him, and blue and red lights flashed from the parking lot.
A low knot formed in Keane’s gut.
“We’re here for Keane Rollins.”
Keane stood, that knot rolling into something nasty now. “That’s me.”
The sheriff gestured to his deputies. “Cuff him. Mr. Rollins, you are under arrest for the attempted kidnapping of Olivia Barnes-Fleetwood.”
It wasn’t going to be okay. Not even a little okay.
He felt the cuffs snap around his wrists.
He was going back to hell, and this time no one would save him.
* * * *
Olivia groaned and slowly came awake, the light way too bright for her eyes.
They immediately dimmed, and she felt a warm hand on hers. She sighed. She must be having some weird-ass dream where she got sick and Scott freaked out and then some dude tried to take her away. But she was safe now because she was in bed, and that meant she was surrounded by her men. She reached out for the warm body she was used to sleeping next to now. Any way she turned there was comfort. She loved the way the minute she touched either of them, they would turn and wrap their arms around her.
“Keane,” she whispered because he was usually on her left side. They had quickly found their little rituals. Garrett would climb in first. Keane would check the doors and then join them, a long-satisfied sigh coming from his chest as he rested beside her.