Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Pulling out my phone, I saw that Gatlin had already texted the family the new gate code…and the reason for the change. Emeline was the first to reply.
Emeline: That little bitch! I hope Lilibeth punched her lights out.
Ensley: God, how I wish I’d run into her first. I just got home and must have missed the little twat.
Mom: Girls! Language. Lilibeth, are you okay?
Ensley: Did you punch her? Please tell me you punched her.
Lilibeth: LOL! I did not punch her, but the urge was there.
I quickly typed out a reply.
Me: Followed her to the gate to make sure she left. Heading back to the house now.
My phone rang, and I saw it was Ensley.
“Hey.”
“What in the actual fuck? She came to the house?”
“Yeah. Treated Lilibeth like trash, then proceeded to tell me how happy I should be because she was back.”
Ensley let out a humorless laugh. “I hope you told her to go fuck herself.”
“Not in those exact words. I think it’s safe to say she won’t be back. I told her I was going to ask Lilibeth to marry me.”
Ensley gasped. “Oh my Gosh, Caden, are you?”
I climbed back into my truck after checking the code, which worked.
“I am. I mean, not tonight or tomorrow.”
“You’ll know when the time is right.”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I sighed. “I just hope she didn’t upset Lilibeth. She was so happy today after we found out we’re having a girl.”
Ensley screamed. “You’re having a girl! Oh my gosh! I’m going to have a niece! Holy shit balls!”
I closed my eyes. “Shit! Ensley, please don’t tell anyone. We’re telling the family this Sunday.”
“I won’t tell a soul, I swear! Are you happy?”
After turning the truck around, I headed back to my house, going a bit faster than I probably should have. “I’m beyond happy. I had a feeling it was a girl, so did Lilibeth.”
“Names?”
“Not yet.”
“And how are things going between Mommy and Daddy?”
I chuckled. “They were going amazing until crazy-ass Rachel showed up.”
“Caden, I know you, and I’m sure you’re waiting for this perfect opportunity to let Lilibeth know your true feelings.”
Shaking my head, I replied, “I hate that you know me so well.”
“You need to tell her tonight. Even if Lilibeth doesn’t believe you’ll get back with Rachel, she’s a woman, and we have these crazy thoughts and ideas that don’t always make sense. Then throw in the pregnancy hormones, and I’m sure she’s sitting at your house thinking the worst. Hell, she might even be packing.”
“What!” I shouted.
“Okay, that would be me. I can’t see Lilibeth overreacting like that.”
I breathed out a long breath. “I’m turning down my road now. Will you let Gatlin know the gate code works?”
“I will. And Caden?”
“Yeah?
She waited a moment before she spoke. “Did you feel anything when you saw Rachel?”
“Not a damn thing.”
Lilibeth
I paced back and forth in my bedroom as I wrung my hands.
“Don’t overthink this, Lilibeth. Just wait until Caden comes back.”
Stopping in the middle of the room, I closed my eyes and slowly shook my head.
Rachel had shown up at Caden’s house. And I was the one who’d answered the damn door. The way that woman looked at me with such disdain is something I’ll never forget. Or how incredibly beautiful she was. Her long, dark, wavy hair, blue eyes, and a perfect body to finish it off.
“No!” I said, pushing my hands out to the sides. “You’re not going to do that.”
Glancing at the clock, I noted that Caden had been gone for twenty minutes.
I sat down on the bed and drew in a deep breath. Caden wasn’t going to go back with Rachel. I saw the look on his face when he saw her. It wasn’t a happy look, but more of a shocked, angry expression.
My mind raced with reasons why Caden had followed Rachel off the ranch. Did he want to talk to her alone, so I couldn’t hear what he said? What would they talk about? What would she say to win him back? Did he still love her?
I quickly stood. “Ugh! Stop this, Lilibeth! Right now, stop this.”
A part of me was glad I hadn’t told Caden I loved him today. It had been on the tip of my tongue after we made love. There were a few moments I thought he might say it to me, as well, and then I’d whispered it after he fell asleep.
“This is all so stupid. You’re being ridiculous.”
I was also talking to myself now, apparently. I placed a hand on my stomach. Caden wouldn’t leave us, that much I knew.
The sound of his truck pulling up caused me to stop pacing, draw in a deep breath, and slowly exhale.
I wasn’t going to hide up in my room and wait for him to find me. I’d go downstairs and let him tell me what happened.