Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
“Butterfly, you’re tempting the beast. Don’t think just because my mom is here, I won’t take you to my office, hike this cute-as-hell skirt up, and fuck you against the door.” Great now I’m going to have to walk in the with the she-devil with wet panties, “First, we need to take out the trash, and in order for me to do that, you’ll have to play nice so I can take you home and we can play dirty.” He nips the skin beneath my ear. The visual he described plays like a reel in my mind, doing nothing to stop the desire strumming through me. “Come on, butterfly, I’ll make it worth it.”
“Fine, but I swear to God, if she makes one comment about Montgomery, I’m going to pop off.” There’s only so much I can take. Speaking about my brother, who can’t fight fire with fire, it’s one of those subjects I can contain my anger over.
“Alright, little hellcat, retract your claws. Let’s get this shit over and done with, then the weekend is ours.” He lowers me to the ground, hand going to my back, and walks me toward the door. Chase rounds the corner. A thought comes to mind. He and Nelle would be beautiful together. If we weren’t dealing with Ella today, I’d be rubbing my hands together, walking back to my truck, grabbing my phone, and sending her a text with an image of the tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed man.
“Long time no see, Tulsa Rose,” Chase says in a greeting.
“It’s been a while. Ledger didn’t mention you two work together.” It makes sense, though, with all the construction classes he took in high school.
“Yep. Have been for a while now. Momma Sinclair, looking pretty as usual.” He moves toward Heather and gives her a one-armed hug.
“Chase, you’re a smooth talker. I hear you two will be looking for a secretary. If this one here didn’t take a new job already, she’d fit right in and keep the two of you on the straight and narrow.” Okay, absolutely not. I love Ledger, but working with him? No thanks. Plus, I have no idea about the ins and outs of anything roofing related unless it’s designed in a way that has rich history. All of the layers of a home, I’ve got zero idea.
“You did this, didn’t you? Planted a seed in Mom’s head?” I don’t respond, a good thing, too, so it seems. Ledger opens the door to the office, and a slew of emotions come flying back to the surface. Ella sits behind the desk, having a front row seat in Ledger’s life for seven years. I’m not saying him reading the letter back then would have helped, which by the way, he’s yet to read and refuses to. We both forgave one another. Yes, it was short lived for me to keep him at bay. It’s kind of hard to do when the man is a wrecking ball, doesn’t take no for an answer, and won’t give up.
“Oh, yay me. The whole family is here. Obviously, Tulsa didn’t get the message the other day when she called, and I told her you were too busy. Montgomery may have been blind, but I wasn’t. How you two looked at one another when you thought no one was watching was disgusting,” Ella says, full of disdain, acting as if we had some illicit affair when I was underage. The woman is delusional. Why be around Ledger for as long as she has if that’s how she really feels? Unless you can’t get the one you want because he’s gone, so you go after the next best option—the best friend.
“Ella, you’re fired. I’ll give you two weeks’ pay. Pack your stuff. It’s time for you to leave.” Ledger doesn’t leave any room for negotiation even if I have to bite my tongue the entire time. I’d love nothing more than to lash out at her. Sadly, I know it wouldn’t get me anywhere.
“You’ll regret this. Just you watch, Ledger Sinclair, you and your little slut deserve one another. Montgomery would never allow the two of you to be together.” We both have letters that state otherwise, but she doesn’t know that, and I refuse to give her any piece of my brother.
“That’s enough, Ella,” Heather states, vehemence in her tone. Momma bear in full protect mode, she walks in making her presence known. Heather and Ledger might not have been born and raised here in Orange Blossom, but that doesn’t make a difference when you’ve been a pillar in the community, helping your locals out, donating your time, giving them jobs, and going so far as to re-roof a family’s home at cost or nearly nothing when they didn’t have the money at the time to pay for it.