Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 119184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“Aw, you’re tired of the photo shoots?” I chuckle as she glares at me, but her eyes are dancing.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever be emotionally prepared for the attention,” she says, absently stroking Queenie’s head.
The old girl’s tail is a helicopter blade, spinning since we set off this morning. It’s probably why she’s tired out after one quick run and a hike. That’s one reason we’re taking it slow, not going too far in one day—giving everybody plenty of rest.
With the shine in the Lab’s eyes, I’m half tempted to start taking her fish oil supplements myself.
“It’s beautiful here, though,” Lena whispers. The lake ahead reflects the grey mountains above like nature’s mirror.
No question. I made the right choice.
This is the kind of place where people go to figure out the rest of their lives.
I stick my hand in my pocket for reassurance that I still have my future waiting inside.
It’s been burning a damn hole in my flannel shirt since I woke up, but I’m waiting for the perfect moment. You only get to do this once, especially for real.
This entire hike looks perfect location-wise, but it’s early fall on Mount Rainier.
People come and go in spurts, winding along the paths. We’re tucked away from the buses bringing tourists, sure, but I want some privacy from stray hikers.
My first proposal was a performance.
I want this one to be ours.
Private. Perfect. Intimate.
“You know my favorite part?” she asks.
I look up. “Pretty sure you’re about to tell me.”
“The phone reception out here sucks, and I don’t even mind.”
She’s right. I haven’t checked my phone since we parked, unpacked our equipment, and started moving.
She kicks a rock with the toe of her boot, and it bounces off into the trees.
“The lawyers haven’t stopped calling about the case with Satan.” She says it so casually. We haven’t mentioned him in days.
If I had my way, we’d never mention that fuck for the rest of our lives after his criminal trial ends.
“Of course. You’re their gravy train.” I take her hand, threading my fingers through hers. “If anybody had a great reason to clean his ass out, it’s you. Don’t worry too much. The guys Marshall found you should handle everything.”
“He’s a genius. I don’t think the man ever sleeps. But it’s not about the money. I just want to make sure Harry will never do this to another woman again.”
“You’re selfless, Sass. One more reason it’s easy to love you.”
She smiles. The sun brings out freckles on her nose.
I want to spend the evening kissing every one.
“He’ll be behind bars before you know it,” I say, serious again. “With all the charges he’s facing, there’s no chance he’ll weasel out of it. Let him blow his money on legal damage control until he’s bankrupt.”
No exaggeration. Harry Jay faces a deluge of criminal fraud cases, bribery, and yes, revenge porn violations slapped by yours truly.
Lena’s case isn’t the only one leveled at him for abuse. She just threw the first stone, and once it hit, three other women crawled out the woodwork, chasing him for assault.
He’s such a fucking flight risk, he couldn’t post bail.
All the better. That means we get to come here and enjoy some peace without the slightest worry that Harry Jay will climb out of the brush with a loaded gun and nothing to lose.
This is Lena’s battle, but if I had my way, he’d never see the light of day again. No matter what hit man I had to pay to make it happen.
“Ready for the next leg?”
She nods.
I pull her hand to my mouth and kiss her knuckles, banishing demon thoughts from my head. I help her up, and we start moving with Queenie at our side. The path hits an incline, and she draws in a little closer.
“Enough about the past,” I say. “How’s the grand reopening coming along?”
She grins. “Pawsome Hearts? I mean, it’s more of a gimmick than anything, but it’ll help introduce Dr. Vetol to our clients. He’s pretty excited to start seeing patients.”
“A man likes to know his money’s being invested sensibly.”
“My money now,” she reminds me.
“Yours,” I agree, squeezing her hand. “I’d say it paid off brilliantly.”
“Things are good. Like really good. You remembered to thank your parents, right?”
“Yeah.”
After my big talk with Dad, he couldn’t hold my mother back from beating down doors. She went straight to the mayor and the county board, calling in favors owed from years of large campaign contributions, demanding action to deal with the corruption in the code department.
It barely took a hot minute for my parents to get on board with the new life we’re building.
And I’ll admit, having Dad on our side is a definite plus. Pawsome Hearts had a flood of donations coming in to fix up their boarding center. The Pruitt name has been around for a long time, and he knows exactly how to throw its weight around.