Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57726 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57726 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
When she glanced at Scythe, hoping to get a clearer answer, he said, “Vex is referring to you, Chipmunk. You are one of the precious people living in our community.”
“Oh.”
“All done,” Vex announced. “If you arrive by yourself, tell whoever’s at the gate that you’re Scythe’s. They’ll review this information and let you in.” Returning to the booth, he raised the gate and waved her in as Scythe jumped on his bike.
Scythe led her to the last cottage on the right. He drove into the far side of the garage and waved her in next to him. He turned to rummage in the workbench near his bike. When she hesitated, he walked down the driveway to her side. “Go ahead and pull in, Chipmunk.”
“I don’t want to hit your motorcycle. Bad things happen to me at the worst time.”
“You’re not going to hit my bike.”
“I might.”
“If I drive your car in, can you back it out safely?” he asked.
“Definitely.” She unlocked her door and scrambled out. When she lost her balance in her rush, Scythe’s powerful hands wrapped around her waist to steady her. “Thanks.”
“I got you.” Scythe kissed her gently before smacking her bottom. “Go stand by the door.”
Seeing him try to squeeze into her car without adjusting the seat made her giggle. Finally, shaking his head, he found the lever and eased it back. Scythe clipped something to her visor, and Winnie realized it had to be a garage door opener. He was moving her in as if she were going to stay for a while.
When he rejoined her, she asked, “How long are you planning for me to be here?”
“Forever, Chipmunk.”
Stunned by his response, she stared at him. Could he really mean that?
“Come in. Let me show you around.”
He opened the door and ushered her inside. The garage entrance led into the sunny, yellow kitchen with an attached screened-in porch. A feathered creature walked past outside. “Is that a chicken?”
“I brought the last few from my parents’ farm with me. Only two are left now. That’s Fluff. You’ll see Patches soon. They roam around together.”
“You grew up on a farm?” She eyed his muscles. That made sense. Hard labor had honed his physique from a young age.
“I did. Unfortunately, life interfered with my plans to be a farmer. Come, let me show you around.”
Winnie ran her hand over the old-fashioned, red-gingham oilcloth that protected the table as they walked into a large family room. A large leather couch and a huge double-sized recliner dominated the space. A picture popped into her mind of sharing that chair with him as they watched Saturday cartoons.
She could see the influence of his former country lifestyle on his decorations. “Your place is lovely, Scythe.”
“It works for me. We’ll change anything you don’t like. And add more to make it your home as much as mine.”
“Is that a scythe on the wall?” she asked, pointing to a weathered wooden handle with a long, rust-dotted blade. She could tell it wasn’t a simple decoration. It was an actual farm implement.
“A memento from my parent’s farm. It was in the family for a long time.”
“I bet that’s where your name came from. Silly me. I keep picturing Death with his lethal scythe.”
She jumped as her phone rang, preventing him from responding to her guess. Winnie dug into her bag and retrieved the device. Checking the screen, she said, “It’s the funeral home.”
“Hello?”
“Miss Bradley? It’s Russell at Key’s Funeral Home.”
“Yes, this is Winnie.”
“I wanted to inform you that we received notice that the doctor has signed your mother’s death certificate. They’ve released her body.
Relief flooded through her. Her mother had grown to hate the hospital in the last few months. “That’s wonderful. You’ll go get her now?”
“Our driver is already on the way. She’ll be here in less than an hour.”
“That’s wonderful. Thank you.” Winnie disconnected the call.
“The investigation concluded, and the hospital is releasing your mom’s body?” Scythe guessed.
“Yes. They’re headed there now.” Winnie couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. Winnie was so glad she wouldn’t be there for much longer.
Scythe picked Winnie up in his arms and carried her into a small bedroom. He sat in a rocker and set it into motion to soothe her. She melted against his chest, loving how his strength supported her. He kissed the top of her head as they glided.
“Close your eyes for a few minutes, Chipmunk. Everything is going well. You can relax.”
“I already took a nap,” she protested.
“You don’t have to sleep again,” he promised.
The slow movement of the rocker soothed her emotions. With her ear pressed to Scythe’s hard chest, she could hear his steady heartbeat, reassuring her he was healthy. Absorbing his warmth, Winnie relaxed.
“Thank you,” she whispered to Scythe.
“Thank you, Daddy,” he corrected and kissed the top of her head.