Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
“What are you going to do?”
I thought about it for a moment. “There isn’t anything I can do except be his friend. I need to push the idea of being with Levi Tucker out of my mind for good. Maybe now that he’s back, I’ll see how different our lives are. I mean, he’s a father, and we have nothing in common. Right?”
“Um, I don’t know about that,” Moreen replied. “Okay, here’s one! You’re not ready to be a mother.”
I bit my lip. That was something my best friend was wrong about. Why did she think I loved our summer camps so much? I adored kids, and I couldn’t wait to have my own someday.
A light knock on my door had me sitting up. “Got to go, someone’s here.”
“Dinner tonight?” Moreen asked.
“Come in!” I called out. “Not sure yet, I’ll text you later.”
The door opened, and I expected to see my mother. Instead, the man I’d just vowed to move on from stood there with a brilliant smile on his face—and standing next to him, a mini version of Levi.
Yeah, there was no way I could push these feelings away.
“Okay, talk soon!” Moreen said as I hit the end button and stood.
“Levi, I wasn’t expecting you until later this afternoon.”
“Rhett was dying to come and see Aurora, and I thought I’d check in on her.”
Rounding my desk, I smiled, then crouched to greet Rhett. I held out my hand. “Hi, Rhett. We haven’t met yet. I’m Emeline Wilde.”
Rhett’s deep blue eyes sparkled as he smiled. “I’m Rhett Tucker, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am. Are you dating anyone?”
Surprised, I jerked my head up to glance at Levi, who closed his eyes for a moment, clearly in exasperation. “I’m so sorry, Emeline. Rhett here knows better than to ask things like that.”
“I wasn’t asking for you, Dad. I was asking for me.”
That time, I laughed. “For you, huh?”
He tipped his little black cowboy hat, and Levi let out a groan. This young man didn’t act like a six-year-old. More like a sixteen-year-old.
“Well, Rhett. To answer your question, no, I’m not dating anyone. I’m afraid you’re just a little too young for me, though.”
“You could wait a few years.”
I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh again. Nodding, I gave him a thoughtful look, but before I could say anything else, Levi spoke.
“Rhett Tucker, I know you did not just say that.”
Rhett shrugged his shoulders. “You always tell me it never hurts to ask. The worst that can happen is you’re told no. So I took a chance.”
I stood and covered my mouth with my hand and stared at Levi, who was also trying hard not to laugh.
“I did say that, but this is different. You’re a little boy, and Ms. Emeline is a grown woman.”
Why did it heat my body to hear Levi say those words?
Rhett kicked at nothing on the ground, then looked up at me and flashed a smile. “You don’t have to wait for me, Ms. Emeline. But if you’re not married in…” He closed his eyes and started counting on his fingers before looking at me and saying, “Twelve years, maybe we can talk then.”
“Dear God,” Levi said, scrubbing his hands down his face.
Smiling, I held out my hand again. As we shook, I said, “It’s a deal.”
Rhett grinned, then added, “And if you and my dad fall in love and get married, I’d be okay with that, too.”
My eyes shot back to Levi. He simply shook his head and gave me a look that said, Let it go.
Clearing my throat, I said, “Shall we go see Aurora?”
Rhett fist pumped. “Yes!”
I motioned for Rhett to head back out of my office, where we ran into my mother.
“Mom!” I said, a little too eager. “Levi brought Rhett to see Aurora.”
My mother bent down to say hi to Rhett. “My goodness, you’ve grown since the last time I saw you.”
The little boy looked slightly concerned. “I don’t remember you. I’m sorry.”
Laughing, Mom said, “You were pretty young when your daddy brought you to visit, when your sister was just a baby, so I’m not surprised you don’t remember.”
I looked at Levi to see if my mother’s mention of Brooke caused any pain, and it didn’t appear that it did. As if he could feel my eyes on him, he returned my gaze.
I forced a casual smile, then looked back at my mother and asked, “Have you seen Aurora this morning?”
“I was here early enough to see you’d slept in her stall last night, Emeline Wilde.”
I felt my cheeks heat.
“You slept in her stall?” Levi asked.
“I think she’s close, and I wanted to make sure she was okay. Marshall took the first half of the night, and I came in around one in the morning to take over. He’s back out there with her now.”