Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 113272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
She glanced up to find him staring straight at her. The level of interest in his face surprised her. Up until right now she’d thought that Kellan could take or leave her. Sure, he occasionally surprised her. Like when he’d paid for her hotel room.
However, she wouldn’t call him uninterested right now.
“Oh, he was just very uninterested in who I am or what I wanted to be. I guess he considered me to be a pawn rather than a daughter.” She grimaced, feeling like she’d said too much. It wouldn’t take a lot of research to work out who her father was.
But did it really matter when he was dead?
Would anyone care that much about what he’d said and done to her?
It wasn’t like she owed him any sort of protection or respect. He’d never given that to her.
“I’m sorry,” Eli told her. “That sounds like he was an awful father.”
“I guess none of us had the most ideal childhood,” she said with a small smile. “I really have to go. I’ve got some jobs to do, and then I need to get back to Horse. He’ll be getting lonely.”
Eli didn’t move.
“Eli, let her out,” Shaw said with exasperation.
“You haven’t eaten enough,” Eli told her.
“I’ve eaten heaps,” she countered. “I’m full.”
“Eli,” Shaw warned before turning his gaze to her. “Arabella, I’ll give you my number in case you need anything.”
He held out his phone so they could share numbers. Eli called the server over to get their bill. Drat. She’d wanted to pay that on her way out and cover everyone’s breakfast. She got her wallet out.
“I’ll pay for breakfast for everyone.”
They all went still and she glanced up.
Eli scowled down at her. “Put that wallet away. And you best not offer to pay again. When you’re with us. We pay. No exceptions.”
“But I owe Kellan—”
“You don’t owe me for anything,” Kellan interrupted. “Keep saying things like that and I’ll take offense. You won’t like it if I get offended.”
These guys.
What was wrong with them? This wasn’t normal, right?
Most people weren’t like this.
But didn’t you move here because it was so different? Because you didn’t want everything to be the same?
“Really? What do you do if you’re offended?”
Kellan leaned forward, his gaze intense. She sucked in a breath.
What would it be like if he did something else with all of that intensity?
What if he used it on her when they were in bed together?
Get it together, Arabella.
“Would you like a demonstration?” he asked.
Arabella swallowed heavily. She really wanted to say yes. Which was insane. Because she also didn’t want to know what he’d do.
“Wow,” Shaw said, interrupting their stand-off. “Do we need to leave you two alone?”
A blush filled her face and she turned to Eli. “Move.”
“Arabella,” he started to say.
“Move or I will make you move and you won’t like how I do it.”
Was it a bit lame to use Kellan’s words on his brother?
Maybe.
But she’d use whatever she needed to in order to get him to move.
“Eli,” Shaw warned.
With a sigh, Eli slid out of the booth and she slid along and stood.
She hesitated.
“Thank you for breakfast.” Sometimes having manners kind of sucked. She rushed out of there, and down the block. It took her half a block to realize that she’d walked past her car.
Idiot.
Her sense of direction was ridiculous. It really was.
Turning, she headed back toward her car.
“Why did you walk straight past your car?” Kellan asked, walking up to her.
She yelped. “Where did you come from?”
“The diner. Same place as you.”
“Yes, but . . . how did you get here so quickly? Were you following me?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Why would I follow you?”
“I don’t know. You seem like a suspicious sort of person.”
Kellan crossed his arms over his chest, leaning in. “And have you done something I should be suspicious about?”
“No! Of course not. I’m leaving. Don’t follow me.”
He sighed, rolling his eyes. “I wasn’t following you. You obviously didn’t realize that you stood there for a good few minutes muttering to yourself. I thought you were lost.”
“How could I be lost?” she countered before rushing off to her car once more.
Unlocking it, she sat and took a few deep breaths. Her phone chimed and she dragged it out, smiling as she saw it was from Pop-Pop.
Pop-Pop: How are things going? Found a nice cowboy to ride yet?
Good Lord.
Only her grandfather would be encouraging her to ‘ride a cowboy.’ She shook her head.
Arabella: No, I haven’t. I’m just about to go get a few bit and pieces to set my new place up.
Pop-Pop: What sort of things? I thought it was fully furnished.
So had she. But it didn’t matter that she had to buy a few bits and pieces.
Arabella: Just stuff to make it feel like home.
Pop-Pop: Has your baking stuff arrived? Is the kitchen good?