Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“Mom,” I call, and she stops to look at me. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, honey.” She gives me a soft look, then disappears out of sight.
Alone with Sam, I finish feeding him his breakfast while realizing my mom is right about one thing: without going through what I did with Lex, I wouldn’t have the knowledge I do now, and most importantly, I wouldn’t have Sam. And I don’t even want to imagine my life without him. So maybe falling in love with Lex wasn’t all bad.
I glance down at the GPS on my phone, then back at the road to confirm that I’m going the right direction. I make a left turn when the automated voice tells me to. It’s Saturday, and after a week of video calls with Blake every morning, not seeing him at work every day, and random texts or short phone calls most evenings, I’m finally seeing him in person. Butterflies take flight in my stomach as we get closer to his house, while Sam starts to shout his dislike of being stuck in his car seat for more than ten minutes.
“We’re almost there, baby.” I turn on one of his favorite songs, which annoys me but thankfully distracts him. A few minutes later, the GPS announces I’ve reached my destination, and I just barely see a mailbox on the side of the road that’s partially covered by the overgrowth of bushes. I turn down the one-lane dirt road after it and wonder if I’m going the right way as I continue to drive.
It isn’t until Tutu comes running up to my car that I relax. Going around another curve, I have to blink at the house in front of me. The rock-covered monstrosity is huge and looks nothing like the house I imagined Blake would live in. I figured he would live in a log home like Tanner’s or his parents’, or maybe something cool and modern with lots of windows. I park next to a newer silver car in front of the closed garage, then shut down the engine and open my door. As soon as I get out, Tutu barks, bouncing on her back legs, her large size making it impossible for her to fully jump on me.
“Hey, girl.” I laugh, scratching the top of her head, then tell her to sit so I can get Sam out of the back seat. Thankfully, she listens, but her body wiggles with excitement, letting me know just how hard it is for her to do so.
“Can I help you?” a woman asks, and I spin around to face her, holding my hand against my chest. She’s older, with long dark-gray hair braided over her shoulder, weathered skin, and eyes so blue they look like crystals.
“Umm.” I look around. “I’m here for Blake.”
“Aww.” She smiles. “I’m Tina. This is my place.” She points to the house behind her. “Blake’s house is a little farther up the road. We share a driveway.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“It’s not a big deal. It happens from time to time.” She points across the hood of my car. “Just follow that road on the side of my garage up about a half mile, and you’ll run smack-dab into his house.”
“Okay, thanks.” I open my door back up. “It was nice meeting you. I’m Everly, by the way.”
“Nice meeting you, Everly.” She lifts her hand and calls out to me before I close my door. “If you see my grandson, Edmond, on the way or find him hanging around Blake’s house, I’d appreciate it if you’d tell him it’s lunchtime, so he needs to come home and eat.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him.” I laugh as I shut the door, then back up and drive around the side of her garage. I follow the road with Tutu chasing my car and barking, and a half mile or so later, the trees open up once more. A black house with an angular roof and large windows comes into view, the style 100 percent Blake, which makes me curious if he designed it himself. As I get closer, Blake steps out of the garage, followed closely by a boy around eight or nine who has the most gorgeous red hair I’ve ever seen in my life.
I park next to his truck and unhook my seat belt, and my heart does a double beat as he walks toward my car. I’m not sure if he got better looking since the last time I saw him, but the extra stubble on his jaw and his baseball cap, T-shirt, and loose shorts are definitely a good look on him.
“Hey,” he says, opening my door and holding out his hand to help me out.
“Hey.” I let out a long breath when he wraps his arms around me, and I melt into him. I didn’t know how much I needed to be held until I was in his arms.