Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“Besides, the doctor said this morning I’ll be going home tomorrow, so there’s no need to stay in Granby tonight.”
“I don’t mind staying and helping if I can.”
My mother waved off Ensley’s suggestion. “Nonsense. All is fine here, and you need to get back to work.”
Mom turned her attention to me. “Colt, there’s a darling little sandwich shop on Main Street. They have the best Reubens. You and Ensley can grab lunch and work out the best time to meet at the barn and go through your father’s schedule.”
For a moment, I thought my father was going to add something, but he kept his mouth shut.
“I don’t think we need to go to lunch to make those plans,” Ensley argued.
Mom once again waved off Ensley’s words. “Don’t be silly. You haven’t had a good meal since you came here.”
“I have, actually. I went out to dinner with Doug last night. He, um…he came to town to check on…things.”
“Things?” I asked.
Ensley completely ignored me.
“That was so nice of him to do that for you.” Mom turned to my father. “I wonder if the kids can bring you back a salad?”
My father’s eyes lit up. “A sandwich sounds amazing, though. I’d do anything not to have to eat hospital food again.”
“I don’t think the doctor would approve of you eating deli meat. A nice salad will do.”
Sighing, my father said, “I guess a salad from a deli is better than a salad from the hospital.”
Clapping her hands in delight, my mother flashed a wide grin at Ensley. “Then that settles it! You kids will grab lunch, talk about Jacob’s schedule, then bring us back something yummy.”
Ensley forced a smile, and when I looked at my mother and father, I knew exactly what they were doing.
Playing matchmaker with me and Ensley.
I glanced back at Ensley and winked. She shot me a dirty look before rolling her eyes and turning her attention back to her phone.
Lunch was going to be interesting.
Ensley
“I pulled up the sandwich place my mother was talking about. It’s a short walk if you’d like to head there together.”
I hit the elevator down button so hard, I winced at the pain that shot through the tip of my index finger.
“Is that a no?”
I turned to face Colt and gave him my best glowering expression. “Listen, I’m only doing this because your mother forced me into it. I don’t have anything to say to you.”
The elevator doors opened, and I hesitated a long second before getting in.
Once we were inside, Colt faced me. “Ensley, if I’m going to be staying in River Falls for good and working for my father, we’re bound to run across one another. Don’t you think we should…”
Folding my arms over my chest, I asked, “We should what?”
“Talk. Settle things between us.”
“Settle things between us?” I echoed with a humorless laugh.
“Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best choice of words. But I really would like to try and explain.”
“You had plenty of chances to explain. Actually, 3,652 days, give or take a few. Let’s just get through this lunch, and whatever it takes to get you on board with your father’s clients, and then I’m done. I’d really prefer to never have to speak to you again.”
The doors opened, and I nearly sprinted out of that little box. I’ll never be able to ride in an elevator again without fearing it might get stuck.
“Is that really what you want? To just ignore me the rest of your life?”
“You’ve done it to me for the last ten years, so it shouldn’t be that hard, right?”
Colt sighed. “It’s complicated, Ensley.”
I laughed again. “Sure it is. So complicated. You left the woman you supposedly loved, not so much as a reason why and with a note that really said nothing. Spent the last decade wandering the globe and, oh, what else? That’s right…never contacted me. Not. Once.”
“I know it was wrong. I regret it more than you could ever know.”
I hated how my heart loved hearing those words. Right now, though, I needed to focus on my head, not my heart. Stopping, I turned to face him. “I’ve moved on, Colt. I told you already, you being back in River Falls makes no difference to me.”
Colt arched one brow. “Then why were you so against this lunch?”
“Just because I’ve moved on doesn’t mean I want to be your friend, either.”
“Does your being with Doug have something to do with this?”
I hated that Colt was under the impression I was dating Doug. Though, I recalled Doug, on the other hand, wanted him to believe it. He’d even suggested making Colt jealous, which I’d refused to go along with. I was serious when I said I wasn’t about to play games. That wasn’t my style.
“I’m not dating Doug. I did before, but things didn’t work out with us. We’re just friends.”