Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 48446 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 242(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48446 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 242(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
Cyrus Benning is a successful neurosurgeon, so details are never lost on him. He spotted the prince in a broken-down bull rider's clothing from day one. But watching Weber walk out on him keeps getting harder, and he’s not sure how much more his heart can take. Now Cyrus has one last chance to prove to Weber that it's not Weber's job that makes him Cyrus's perfect man, it's Weber himself. With the help of his sister's newly broken family, he’s ready to show Weber that the home the man’s been searching for has always been right there, with him. Cyrus might have laid down an ultimatum once, but now it's turned into a vow—he's never going to let Weber out of his life again
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
ONE
It was pouring when I walked outside to use the pay phone. I was so close; I could stop or just catch another bus depending on how he sounded on the other end.
“Hello?”
Not Cy, someone else, and it was noisy wherever his phone was. I checked my ancient Timex—nearly eight o’clock on a Friday night. He was probably at a club or a bar or even dinner. I was interrupting.
“Hello?”
I cleared my throat. “Um, sorry, I… Is this Doc’s phone?”
“Doc?”
“Sorry, I mean Cyrus.”
“Yeah, this is his. He just had me answer it ’cause he’s putting things away in the fridge. Who’s this?”
I swallowed, and instead of hanging up like I should have, I said, “This is Weber, and I wanted—”
“Weber who?”
“Weber?” someone asked in the background.
“Hey, Cy, do you know anybody named—”
“You know what,” I started to say just as muffled sounds came from the other end of the line, and then a quick bang, like something dropped, maybe the phone.
“Weber?” Cy sounded breathless, and my name, because he was the one saying it, sounded amazing.
“Hey.” I smiled into the phone even though the water was coming in under the booth and soaking through the bottoms of my worn cowboy boots. “Sorry to be interruptin’ whatever you’re doin’. I wasn’t thinkin’.”
“You’re not interrupting anything. Where—”
“Are you at a party?”
“No, I’m at a friend’s house, and we were about to have dinner.”
“Then I’ll let you go and—”
“It’s just a big group, Web, it’s nothing,” he assured me. “Where are you?”
I was starting to shiver. “Not far, so I thought I would—”
“Yes.” He cut me off. “Come see me. I’ll go home right now.”
“Oh no, you—”
“Web.” His breath caught. “Please. Meet me there.”
“I’ll meet you in the morning,” I told him, because I realized how exhausted I was, and I wanted to shower and shave before I saw him. I always showed up looking like hammered shit, in clothes I’d slept in for a week. He deserved better. Not that this was the case at the moment. I’d showered in a motel the night before.
“Weber, I’m sorry, okay?”
“Nothing to be sorry for.”
There was a long silence, and after a minute I got it. I wasn’t that bright, but even I could figure things out. “I’m not punishing you. I just look like hell, and I’d like to look better this time. I promise I’ll be there.”
“You promise?”
“Yeah,” I said as my teeth started to chatter.
“Oh God, you’re freezing. Are you… Where exactly are you?”
“At the Greyhound bus station in Oakland.”
“Oh God,” he groaned. “You’re that close?”
“Doc—”
“Weber.” His voice cracked. “Please don’t make me wait until tomorrow. I don’t give a damn what you look like. Just let me come get you…please.”
“I don’t wanna interrupt your—”
“Web.” He sounded so serious, and I loved it. “I’ll beg. Do you want me to beg?”
“You don’t need to beg for nothin’, ever.”
“Listen,” he said, his voice low and gravelly, “just…I’m so sorry about the last time.”
Seven or so months ago I had been through on my way to Reno, and when I was ready to go, he had given me an ultimatum: Stay forever or go and never come back. He was tired of waiting, which I had no idea he’d even been doing, and he wanted me either to remain with him or lose his number. I had actually forgotten the fight until this very moment. I tended to remember only the good times with him and none of the bad.
“Oh shit, Doc.” I trembled. “I shouldn’t have bothered you. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Web—”
“God, I’m such an ass,” I groaned, feeling more than stupid. Talk about a needy bastard.
“No!”
No? “Darlin’, are you—”
“Weber Yates, don’t you dare hang up this phone!”
“Yeah, but—”
“I want to see you!”
He had to be making a spectacle of himself at whoever’s house he was at. “Calm down and stop your yellin’. I don’t want no one lookin’ at ya like you’re crazy.”
“I don’t care! Jesus Christ, Web, just—”
“Are you sure you wanna see me?”
He made a strangled noise. “Yes, please. So sure.”
“You ain’t mad no more?”
“No, baby, I’m not mad. I was never mad.”
I coughed softly. “Was that the guy?”
There was silence before he answered me. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, last time I was here you said you were fixin’ to get serious with a guy who wanted to marry you, and so—”
“No, that wasn’t him. I tried to make it work with the man you’re talking about, but…turns out you can’t love someone just because you should.”
“So it’s over?”
“Yes, it’s over. It’s been over for the last four months.”
“’Cause I don’t wanna mess nothin’ up for ya. I reckon I put you through enough.”
“There’s nothing to mess up, I assure you. I’m so sorry for how we… Baby, I’m so sorry for what I said.”
I realized between his tone and how shaky his breathing was that maybe I made a mistake. “You know, I’m kinda tore up. Maybe this wasn’t such a good—”