Total pages in book: 254
Estimated words: 240032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1200(@200wpm)___ 960(@250wpm)___ 800(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 240032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1200(@200wpm)___ 960(@250wpm)___ 800(@300wpm)
He was finally answering my question from the car ride after the diner. Wow. Wow. Wow. “Thank you for telling me that, Fluff. I always wondered,” I admitted, trying my hardest not to make it a big deal over him sharing personal information.
His head rolled to the side so he could look at me. “You really didn’t know?”
“No, Matti almost never talks about anything family-related anymore.” I paused. “He never talked much about your side of the family to begin with.”
He frowned. “Not his mom or dad?”
I shook my head. “I can count on one hand the number of times he has in ten years.”
“Matti?”
“Big-mouth Matti, yes,” I confirmed, since he knew the magnitude of that behavior from his cousin.
His frown got deeper, his expression going thoughtful. “I’m not surprised he wouldn’t talk about me—”
“Why’s that?”
“Because….” He suddenly looked a little uncomfortable.
“Because?” I whispered.
Henri wiped a hand down his mouth, and I almost expected him not to answer, but he did what I’d forgotten was a part of him—tell the truth. “I did a shit job watching over him back then. I didn’t know what I was doing. When I was grieving—”
When had he grieved? Who had he grieved?
“—I wanted to be left alone, so that’s what I gave him. It wasn’t until after he left that I thought that might’ve been the opposite of what he needed from me.”
“He’s never said a single bad word about you to me or Sienna,” I told him. “He loves you. I’m sure he appreciates what you did. It was a s-h-i-t-t-y situation.”
One of those brawny shoulders went up and down. “He wasn’t happy here. He left as soon as he could.”
“That had nothing to do with you,” I tried to explain. “He loved his parents, Fluff. His life changed overnight. That was all. I don’t think there’s anything anyone can do for someone else’s broken heart.” I winced. “If it makes you feel any better, he’s a city boy. He told me he can’t live without food delivery and two-day shipping. He has a white couch.”
He rolled onto his side. “A white couch?” he repeated in disbelief.
I nodded. “The interior of his car is white too, if you can believe it.”
He grimaced. “He doesn’t get it dirty?”
“I found a steam cleaner in their closet.”
A huff left his mouth, but the corner of it tipped up right after. “He’s such a little fucker, still. My first grays came in when he started living with me.”
I reached over and touched the side of his temple where a couple of silvery strands were mixed into the blacks of his hair. I’d never really noticed them before, but he also just didn’t have that many of them. But I couldn’t let this opportunity go. “Was it these…?”
The way he narrowed his eyes told me exactly who Agnes had learned her expressions from. “I bet I have a few on the other side from you talking shit to Spencer and having a tree thrown at you.”
We were joking then? “Sorry?” I tried to give him an apologetic look.
“The only thing you’re sorry about is being mean to him.”
I couldn’t argue that.
And if I thought it was adorable he knew me well enough to recognize that… I guess there were worse things in the world I could think were cute.
Chapter
Fifteen
I was going to blame Sienna for why I was so distracted a few nights later.
Sienna: You met any cute guys yet?
Sienna: Any future Mr. Popoca’s?
I had not, in fact, met a single cute guy at the ranch… not any that counted. I wouldn’t refer to Henri as a mere “guy,” and my feelings toward Randall unfortunately didn’t run in that direction at all. None of the dads I’d met at the nursery made the list either—they were all mated.
So, I hadn’t needed to type more than two letters back at her.
Me: No
Sienna: What are you waiting for then?
And it was that question I had on my mind when a short whistle had me spinning around on our way to dinner.
What was I waiting for?
I didn’t have any more time to think about it though when I found Henri coming down the stairs, looking fresh out of the shower in dark jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt that said Lobo Springs on it. The man, who had stayed and watched not 1 but 2 movies with us the other night, looked great.
Like always.
Lifting my chin, I gave him a smile. “Hi, Fluff. Just got off work?”
“Hey.” He nodded before glancing down and smiling a little. “Hi, Duncan.”
The tip of my donut’s tail twitched.
“Just got home a few minutes ago,” he explained warily, telling me everything I needed to know about how his shift had gone. “Where are you going?”
I hooked my thumb down the hall. “I was going to fix something for dinner.”