Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 89503 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89503 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Besides, I’m sure Jory gets this all the time.
“I think you’ll like it here,” I say, pulling my hand away from his. “It’s safe. The Sugar Days Festival is next month, and that’s always a blast. And I told Gus that there are always kids his age hanging out at the park.” I grin. “Since, you know, he might want to hang out with some people his own age.”
There you go, Gus. I threw you a bone.
Jory rolls his eyes, grinning. “I know, I know. But I’ve only had him alone for three days since we visited my mom before coming here, and I wanted to spend a little time together, just the two of us. I guess that’s over.” He shakes his head. “You know, there are people out there who pay for meet and greets with me, but somehow, I’m not cool enough for my own kid.”
“I think that’s just how that works.” I laugh. “Try not to take it personally.”
“Don’t take it personally? It wounds me.” He laughs, too. “But, yeah, you’re right. And I knew this would happen. I just thought I might get a week in before he started begging for time apart.” He shifts his weight from one foot to another. “You know, he is going to make all these new friends, and I’ll have a lot of free time on my hands.”
The coy grin on his face is somehow both adorable and sexy.
I get what he’s hinting at, and it’s a much better angle than his original cheesy line—although I didn’t hate that one, either. But on a normal day, I don’t take the bait that easily, and I’m not about to bite now.
“That’s too bad,” I say, just as playfully. “It’s a good thing you know Gray. There are always chores to do on the ranch.”
“I can’t expect Gray to entertain me every day.”
I snicker. “Good luck getting him to entertain you ever. Gray might meet you for a beer or let you hang around for a day or two, but I don’t see Gray entertaining anyone except Astrid.”
“You’re right. You’re absolutely right. So I guess I’d better find someone else to have dinner with on the nights I’m home alone.”
“You should most definitely do that.”
He lifts a brow. I lift mine right back.
A silence settles between us for the first time since we met. It’s comfortable … and expectant, like we’re both standing at the edge of something, waiting to see who jumps first.
“Would you have dinner with me?” he asks.
“No.”
He laughs in surprise as if he really expected me to fold that easily. The challenge in his grin meets the one in mine. This feels strangely less like turning him down and more like the opening round of a competition.
Game on.
“It’s nothing personal,” I say as a bead of sweat trickles down my back. “You seem like a great guy, but I’m not dating right now.”
“Can I ask why?”
I blow out a hasty breath. “I’m just not. Men have consistently disappointed me over the past … decade, if we’re being honest. Come to think of it, besides my dad and grandpa, I’m not sure a man has ever not disappointed me.”
My heartbeat picks up as a shot of adrenaline fires through my veins. I thought that writing off men would make them less of an issue in my life. But since I vowed not to date anyone, it’s become more of a talking point than anything.
I don’t want to hate men. I want to love them. I want to be a great girlfriend, maybe even an amazing wife someday. And I miss dick so much that I dream about it. But when every relationship ends in failure because of the same problems, there doesn’t seem to be any point in continuing the chaos.
He studies me for a moment, the playful grin slipping from his expression. “I’m sorry that’s been your experience.”
“Me, too. And it’s not like I ask for much, you know? The bare minimum would be more than I expect at this point.”
“The bare minimum is a failure in my books,” he says. “I’m either all in or not in at all.”
My lips twist.
“That wasn’t an innuendo,” he says, chuckling.
I know it wasn’t, but I also love that he knew exactly what I was thinking.
I glance up and find that the crowd has mostly vanished. A few stragglers are moseying through the market, but for the most part, everyone has gone. I expected as much with today’s temperatures… and I’m not mad about it.
“Look, Jory, I have a lot going on, and I need to focus,” I say, stacking the napkins into a neat pile so I can pack them away.
“Do you have anything you’re working on that I could help with? If you’ll recall, I’m about to have a lot of time on my hands.”