Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“What?” Erin lifted her head.
“Never mind.” He didn’t like to talk about those years.
She studied him through wise eyes. “The one thing I always knew was that I had it good growing up. And my mom? She had it good because Simon stepped up when Mike’s real father wouldn’t. But what would have happened to her if there had been no Simon? If she had been pregnant and alone with nowhere to turn? I want to make sure these women know they have somewhere. Someone.”
Oh man, she was too good to be true. His mother would love her. “They’re lucky to have you.”
She shot him a grateful smile. “That’s nice of you to say,” she said through a yawn.
“I’m not nice.”
She rolled her head to the side. “You have your moments,” she countered.
Thankfully, he pulled into the driveway of her condo before he had to reply.
* * *
Somehow Erin survived the first week of living with Cole. They made little progress in any kind of breakthrough in their relationship, which made her uneasy, as she’d have a future of dealing with him. Neither of them discussed her pregnancy, though she sensed he was taking the time to process his new reality. And since she, too, had needed time after she’d found out, she couldn’t deny him the same.
For now, Erin had enough to deal with, including the immobility of one arm and the pain from the bullet, which was getting slightly better day by day. For the baby’s sake, she took as little medication as possible, which meant she hadn’t slept much.
Still, she returned to work, grateful to be getting out of the house and even more grateful to be back in the office.
Trina greeted her with a welcome-back cake, which nearly brought Erin to tears. She blamed it on the hormones. Her first two days back were harder than she’d anticipated. She tired easily, a combination of lingering pain and the drag on her body from the injury combined with the pregnancy.
Always observant, Evan noticed and stepped in, assuring her that he’d spread out her workload until she could handle everything again. She appreciated it and stopped insisting she could do more when she knew better. This unexpected pregnancy had certainly shown her limitations, and accepting them was better than thinking she was Superwoman.
Her biggest problem at the office was Cole. His hulking presence outside her door had everyone talking, providing an endless source of gossip and speculation among the women. Erin, who’d always been a private person, told them he was her bodyguard because of the shooting, and he’d stay until they figured out who’d shot at her and why. She could only imagine how her colleagues would react when her stomach ballooned and the truth about her and Cole came out.
Especially Evan. He postured around Cole, and Cole returned the favor. And for what? Yes, Evan had asked her out in the past. Yes, they’d gone on one date when he moved back to town before he’d been elected and become her boss. But no, she hadn’t found the chemistry needed to go out with him again. Not that he didn’t keep trying, but it had become a game between them. She was his challenge, and he enjoyed the chase. But Evan respected her legal abilities and she felt the same about his, and that was that. Harmless. Not that Cole understood.
Since the flowers had arrived, Cole acted like Evan was both the enemy and direct competition who needed to be chased off. Unfortunately, Evan treated Cole the same way. In reality, neither man had a claim on her, and the endless stress of the two men’s reactions was slowly driving her insane.
As for her shooting, the bullet had been found lodged in a nearby car, as well as the shell casing, near the woods. Only an amateur would leave evidence behind, but at least they had something to work with. Mike sent the evidence to the state police crime lab, which was backed up with more important cases, and that news sent her brother over the edge. To calm him while waiting on ballistics, Erin had given in and gone over her cases with her brothers, even though she believed the possibility was ridiculous. Still, the Serendipity police were questioning people she was prosecuting—and, as Erin had predicted—with no results.
With Cole around, a reminder of his presence in Erin’s future, her brothers were in constant bad moods just as she was in a constant state of awareness. How could she not be? A sleepy, just-awake Cole was as sexy as a ready-for-bed, sleepy-eyed man. Knowing he was just a room away added to her tossing and turning.
At least she was now allowed to remove the sling and use her arm as far as she could, which helped her feel better and improve her mood.