Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
“Are you sure, sir?” Suravi had doubts, like any normal person would. “It’s very cold outside.”
Daddy smiled reassuringly. “We’ll be fine.”
What a load of reindeer crap.
I managed to keep my mouth shut through two chats Daddy had with clients, then while Suravi returned with our coats, and aaaall the way to the exit. We stepped outside, and it was actually snowing. And we had what, half an hour to the hotel?
My feet were tired. Luxembourg at snowy dusk. Yay.
“May I ask what you have against comfortable rides back to the hotel, Daddy?” I asked stiffly.
He chuckled under his breath and put on his leather gloves. “Not a damn thing, but I wanted to show you around one of my favorite cities on earth.”
I scrunched my nose. My breath was already misting in the air.
So far, Luxembourg hadn’t impressed, but that was probably because I hadn’t seen much of it. Just a crapload of modern buildings, busy roads, and some older structures too.
I guessed we were walking, then.
After pulling down my beanie a bit and making sure my mittens were on properly, he grabbed my hand, and we started freaking walking.
Traffic was busy, and I threw a longing glance at every cab that whooshed by.
Banking was big in Luxembourg. Possibly the car industry too, ’cause we walked past lots of dealerships. And banks.
“I suppose it’s a bad time to say I truly love having you with me,” he said. “I feel much more energized.”
I scowled up at him. “You’re stealing my energy—give it back.”
He laughed and linked my arm with his. “What I mean is, I want you to travel with me, Parker. Not for boring meetings, of course, but events like these. We do quite a few of them every year—big and small—and everyone’s very happy with what you’ve contributed. Even my uncle—we actually talked earlier, and he thinks we should bring fewer suits and more creators and engineers. Clients need to see more of the production stage.”
I chewed on my lip, confused about why this was bad. It sounded like a compliment to my ears. “Why would it be bad to say that? I’d love to travel with you.”
Silly man.
“Even when I make you walk back to the hotel?”
A breath gusted out of me, and I shrugged in a “what’re you gonna do?” way. “I guess I’m a masochist. A hungry, tired, cranky masochist.”
“Well. I can take care of two of those things,” he promised me.
We’d see.
Before long, we crossed a street and then another. The snow was falling heavier, but I didn’t hate that part. I loved snow. I just preferred not to walk around in it when I was sharing my space with honking cars and construction sites. That said, I did see light at the end of the tunnel. I glimpsed much older buildings not too far away, and if I was reading the street signs correctly, we were nearing the city center.
“Did you know Luxembourg is famous for its gorges?” he asked.
I rubbed my nose. “No, sir.”
“There’s one up ahead here.” He grabbed my hand again, and we crossed another street. I tried to see what he was seeing, but it was getting dark. There was a patch of nothingness, so that had to be it. I spotted a stone wall along the sidewalk we were aiming for—oh! Across the valley or whatever, there was a big castle up on a mountain! And a really tall bridge that looked old.
Daddy ushered me over to the wall, and I planted my hands on it and peered out. Holy crap—yeah, a gorge. It was beautiful. The sides were lined with tall trees and bushes, but the center was a part of the city. A neighborhood buried at the bottom of the gorge, with old buildings and narrow streets.
“This is cool!” I pulled out my phone to take a couple pictures.
I’d never seen anything like it.
I turned around to take a selfie with the gorge in the background, and then I grabbed Daddy’s hand. “Let’s take a photo together.”
He dipped down and kissed my cheek, and it made me smile like a dork as I took the picture. I had to look. I pinched the screen and zoomed in, and just like that, I was reenergized.
Like, what was wrong with me? I was in a beautiful city with the man I was falling in love with, and I was bitching about being tired?
We looked so good together. He had a soft smile on his face as he kissed my cheek in the picture, and my grin was as silly as it always was. His fancy coat and neatly wavy hair with silver in it against my parka, bright-green beanie, and dorky smile.
I glanced up at him, finding him watching me already.
He better be falling for me too.
Or I’d spank him.