Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Had she done some research on me? The girl continued to impress me.
I felt Fawn stiffen beside me, and I began to run my fingertips in a circular motion over her bare arm, where my hand rested. I liked putting my arm around her and having her move in close to me when we were seated. The closer, the better.
“Yes, I have. I’m hoping to make that ten this weekend,” I told her.
She gave me a tight smile, then shifted her gaze back toward the window.
“Gypsi, did you google Garrett after I told you not to?” Fawn asked, sounding exasperated.
Those eyes—so similar to her mother’s, but less golden—swung back to Fawn. “Yes. We are traveling to another state with a man you recently met. I was just doing some checking,” the girl admitted.
Damn smart.
Fawn turned her gaze to mine and looked up at me apologetically. “She’s a touch stubborn.”
I grinned and pressed a soft, quick kiss to her lips. “She’s intelligent. It’s admirable. Good job,” I told her.
She laughed softly and glanced over at Gypsi. “Sometimes, I think she raised me.”
“Don’t start that, Mom,” Gypsi replied. “You know that’s not true.”
The kid was special. I needed to find out what she was interested in and get her a job working for me. Fawn would like that, and it would give me more excuses to have Fawn with me.
But first, I had to make sure Trev understood that Gypsi was off-limits.
Thirty
Fawn
The cheers from the crowd, Garrett’s hand squeezing my waist, and the energy in the air while we watched his horse, Shakespeare, hold the lead in the Churchill Downs race—it was intoxicating. I found myself bouncing on the balls of my feet as I clapped, feeling utterly delighted as the roar went up around us the moment Shakespeare crossed the finish line.
Had I ever witnessed anything so exciting?
When I spun around to look up at Garrett, his gaze was already on me.
“Let’s go to the winner’s circle, pretty baby,” he said huskily, taking my hand and tucking it in the crook of his arm.
We passed several people he’d already introduced me to, and unlike the gala, everyone in this suite was friendly. There were no jealous or haughty glares. Last night, at the party we had gone to, there were a few, but it was such a large event that it hadn’t mattered. It had been a whirlwind.
Kye and a man Garrett had introduced as Levi earlier stood at the exit of the suite. I smiled at both of them as we exited, but Garrett barely gave them a nod. I was getting used to the way he dealt with his bodyguards—or whatever they were. His world of wealth was confusing, and I was trying to understand it without asking a million questions. The time was going to come—and soon—when I needed some clarification as to why he needed so many men working as protection. If that was what they were.
Cameras were going off as we walked to the place where the jockey and Shakespeare were located. Red roses were everywhere, even draped over the horse, like a blanket. A crowd of people congratulated Garrett, shaking his hand while cameras flashed. He kept one hand on my lower back as he smiled and spoke to the others.
While the press got group shots, Garrett scanned the crowd for someone, then glanced down at me. “When we finish here, I need to find Trev.”
When the celebrating ended, we made our way back to the suite. They had more races coming, and one of Garrett’s closest friends had a horse in the upcoming one. As we walked back into the suite, my gaze found Gypsi. She’d come down, and she was talking to a handsome young man. Thrilled that she was attempting to enjoy this, I called her name.
Garrett seemed to tense slightly, but he said nothing. I wondered if he was still trying to find his son. He walked with me as I made my way over to Gypsi, wanting to hug her for joining us down here. Garrett was so complimentary of her, and I wanted her to give him a chance. He was trying to do all he could to ease her mind about us.
“Son, I see you’ve met Gypsi,” Garrett said as we reached Gypsi and the attractive boy.
I studied him closer as he frowned at his father. I could see the resemblance now. Especially in the eyes. This was Trev. I didn’t understand the tension in the air between the two males, but I could feel it.
“Did you see the race? I wish you’d come down here with us. It was incredible!” I gushed, hoping to distract them and silently check on Gypsi. Decide if she was okay or not.
She seemed a little off. It was in her eyes as they darted nervously from me to Garrett.