Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“May I join you?” he asked.
“Of course.”
He grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head. He stepped out of his shorts next and approached the edge of the hot tub with nothing but his boxers on.
“Make room.”
Dropping my arms, I smiled as he dipped one foot in after the other. When his lower half was engulfed in water, he stepped to the opposite side of the hot tub.
“I’m glad you came out. I wanted to ask if it will be okay to bring Aleesa with me to Charlotte?”
“To Charlotte?” He settled in a bit deeper. “What for?”
“Davina is cake tasting, and she wants me to join her. If that’s taking Aleesa too far, I understand. I don’t want to cross the line or make you uncomfortable. I can just tell Vina I can’t make it, and she’ll understand.”
“No, no.” He held my gaze before I could pull away. “It is fine. You can take her with you. I have a meeting with Tommy tomorrow anyway.”
I raised a curious brow. “Tommy?”
“My manager. He wants to discuss the Bubbles and Swaddles launch and figure out dates for New York.”
“Oh. Gotcha.”
Bubbles and Swaddles was the company Javier had partnered with to promote skin care products for young children and babies. Aleesa was one of the faces for their brand, and she loved using their items during bath times.
I’d met the owner of the company once, when I went to Miami with Davina last year. Her name was Kyla Cox, and she was a smart woman who reminded me a lot of my sister.
Business-savvy. Confident. Chic. Humble.
I narrowed my eyes at Javier. He was being too accommodating about this. “Are you sure it’s okay?”
“Yes. It will be good for you to see your sister after the mess today, I am sure. And Aleesa would probably enjoy the change of scenery. It will be good for her to spread her wings a bit.”
I almost choked on a laugh. “Am I speaking with the same Javier Valdez that hired me?”
“Do not push it.”
I snorted a laugh as he battled a smile.
“I just . . . realize how much freer she is when she is with you,” he said. “You were right. She is adventurous, and one day she will have to explore this world without me. Better that I let her do some exploring now before she starts sneaking out of her bedroom window.”
“You know, I don’t put that one past her. She’ll be sneaking out of her window by the age of seven to catch fireflies or something.”
“Oh, man. Do not say that. It makes me sad to know she will not always be this innocent.” He put on a smile, revealing a beautiful set of pearly-white teeth, but there was also a whisper of sorrow. “So . . . you really love cooking?”
“I do.” I shrugged one shoulder. “I was going to make ravioli tonight.”
“I bet that would have been delicious.”
“Yeah, but I’ll just make it another time.”
“Who taught you how to cook?”
“My mom did.” I twirled a loc around my finger. “She’s always been good at it. She gives something a try for the first time and perfects it. She taught me how to bake my first cake and has saved a lot of her recipes for me.”
“Your first cake? What flavor was it?”
“It was a pound cake.”
“Ah.” He nodded. “And when will you make one for me?”
“Whenever you want it,” I said, biting a smile.
He smirked. “Surprise me.”
I grinned, and I really wished I would stop acting like a schoolgirl with a crush. “Okay, GG. I’ve got you.”
“So it is you telling Aleesa to call me that,” he said with a snap of his fingers.
I giggled. “Guilty.”
“What does it even mean?” he asked with a partial smile.
“Grumpy Giant.”
“Grumpy Giant? Seriously?” His eyebrows dipped as he shook his head. “You are telling my daughter that I am a grumpy giant?”
“Of course not.” I laughed. “She doesn’t know the true meaning of it. She just likes saying the letter G twice. And for some reason when I say it, it makes her giggle. You have to admit you can be grumpy, though.”
“I am not.”
“You are. But it’s okay. You’re our grumpy giant.”
A boyish smile swept across his face as he lowered his gaze. That had seemed to warm him up inside. My goodness. How had I not realized before how adorable he could be?
I ran my fingers through the water, loving the feel of it flowing between the gaps. The act relaxed me as I drew in a breath and then exhaled.
“So . . . listen. About earlier . . .” I blew a heavy breath, ready to just bite the bullet already. Because I knew that was the main reason he had come out here. He wanted to talk about Luther. “This isn’t something I like to talk about, because I want to put it behind me, but I’ll tell you because I don’t want you thinking you’re the problem.”