Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
He scowls and steps closer, taking me in his arms. Everything in my world is right again now that he’s touching me. “No, this is my way of telling you that we’re getting hitched.”
Walker is everything I could have ever wanted in a cowboy. I open my mouth to tell him that I’ll marry him any time any place.
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing? Why would you ever want to take my ugly daughter for yourself? There are plenty of other women—”
Before he can finish getting the words out, my dad is on the ground with a trickle of blood dripping down his chin.
Walker squats next to him and says something in a low tone. Just like in the barn with Michael, I recognize that he’s threatening him. He’s threatening my dad because of me.
He helps him to his feet and my dad turns to me. He opens his mouth like he’s going to say something. When he doesn’t, Walker arches an eyebrow at him. He finally throws up his hands and stomps back into his store.
Walker presses me against his chest and holds me close. “I’m sorry, kitten.”
I inhale his masculine scent. “Do you think you could take me home to get my things? I’m going to stay with Mallory for a few days.”
“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go,” he promises in his deep, gruff voice.
At home, I give Walker a quick tour of the place that hasn’t been updated in the past twenty years. It’s embarrassing to step around the empty beer cans and puddle of puke on the carpet. Normally, I’m here to clean up his messes but I can’t be that person anymore.
I pause in front of a little curio filled with ceramics that my mom collected. “After my mom died, it was like time froze for my father. I used to think it was weird, that it meant he was broken.”
“And you feel differently now?” Walker questions. He’s behind me, standing so close that I can feel the heat from his body. I love it when this man surrounds me.
“Now, I have you and just the thought of losing you makes me feel like I can’t breathe, like my heart will stop—”
“You’ll never lose me.” He wraps an arm around my waist and tugs me to him. “Never ever. I’ll fight hell itself to get back to you.”
“My point is just that I get it now and I forgive him. For not being able to love me or accept me. It wasn’t his fault, and it wasn’t mine. I think…I’m finally ready to move on.” I’m still sad and there will always be grief when I think of my dad and what I wanted our relationship to be. “It was never healthy. He’s not going to accept and love me the way I need him to.”
“Sometimes, people can change,” Walker whispers. “In the meantime, it’s OK to set boundaries to protect yourself while holding out hope that he’ll make different choices one day.”
I nod. “Then I guess I’m in that place of cautious hope.”
After our discussion, it doesn’t take me long to pack a bag. “I’ll get the rest of my stuff when I have a permanent place to live. Mallory and River don’t have the space for me to take everything I own.”
He eyes my furniture. It’d probably all fit in the bed of the truck we’re driving. “I’ve got a better idea. You come home with me. Where you belong.”
My heart skips a beat at his words. Where you belong. “Walker…I belong with you?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you since last night, sweet girl. You’re mine now and I want you right there where I can always watch over you.”
9
Jenna
“Wow,” Mallory fans her face after I’ve finished telling her all about my night with Walker and the things we did together.
“And he’s taking me out tonight. He said he wanted to take me out on a real date. Can you believe that?” I dust the cookie crumbs from my lap. We’re sitting in the back of Mallory’s shop where all of the inventory is located. We have dozens of boxes to unload, sort and put on the racks.
“If only you had a best friend with plenty of pretty dresses in your size,” Mallory says.
“Money is tight right now. I kind of just lost my job.” I can’t say that I’ll miss working at the Feed & Seed or seeing my dad’s disappointed expression every day. But I am happy that I get to start over. I’ll find a new job somewhere else.
“Well, you’re staying with Walker, so lodging is covered.” She wiggles her eyebrows. “And you have a best friend who could definitely use an assistant. The pay will suck at first but—”
“It’d be perfect!” I tell her, meaning it. I’d love to get to help Mallory set up and organize her store. I’d get to spend all of my day with her and it’d be work that would make me feel useful. “I’ll accept payment in the form of cute dresses and Lily cuddles.”