Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 708(@200wpm)___ 567(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 708(@200wpm)___ 567(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
There are some things better kept inside.
“I get that,” I whisper.
“Of course you do, dear. I watched from a distance as he went into the Army and worried myself sick. Then he came home and my boys dealt with their grief their own way, working like mad for that business. I watched them pour their hearts into building something grand—then Dexter met you. You opened his heart, and I’ve never been happier to be proven wrong.”
I’m dumbstruck.
I don’t know what to say.
I’ve never been a mom who lost the love of her life.
I don’t know what it’s like, watching from a distance as your children make their choices, good and bad, and try to deal with their own damage.
“They all work very hard,” I hedge.
“The company is everything,” she says, her voice too brittle. “That became their life while I wished they’d share it with more than just work. With Dexter now, and you two getting married, there’s hope.”
Talk about heavy.
“I’m sorry,” I offer again, unsure how to process the fact that her hopes for a happy family are riding on me.
I tighten my hold on the mug, trying not to spill coffee.
“Another thing. Dexter didn’t smile so much before,” she says suddenly. “He worked and he felt proud of his achievements, yes. Heaven knows he made a lot of himself, but he never smiled after the accident.”
I swallow. The stupid lump in my throat comes back with a vengeance.
“And then you came along like a whirlwind,” she says. “I knew he was in love with you before I even met you. You make him smile again.”
I don’t know what to say.
The thought rips at my heartstrings until I forget how to breathe, and I tighten my hold on the mug, needing to feel some warmth.
To know I’m still here, still grounded, still Junie.
Even though I make Dexter smile.
“Well, I shouldn’t keep rambling. You’ve heard enough.” Delly’s eyes gleam as she looks at me. “But you brought back something he lost that day,” she tells me, and I listen to the way her words ring in my head, saying everything I’ve ever wanted to hear. “Something I thought he’d never find. You make him happy.”
Happy.
I don’t know if I can describe the Dexter I’ve seen last week as happy, but then I remember the way he made love to me on the balcony, the smile he gives me when I wake up in his arms.
The way he always kisses me like I’m his first and last kiss.
If that isn’t joy, I don’t know what is.
But if it’s all true, why is he so moody over Haute? What isn’t he telling me?
Is it really Haute at all or is he afraid to admit he’s feeling the same things I am—everything we’re both too scared to say?
22
SWEET SURPRISES (DEXTER)
I don’t see Junie much over the next few days.
The possibility that I’m subconsciously avoiding her is fucking with my head.
Work always brings an easy distraction, though there’s nothing easy about it lately. Not when we don’t have any clue what we’re up against with Haute yet.
Every passing second is just another second where both Junie and Higher Ends could be in danger.
Hell, my entire damn world might be in danger, and I don’t know how to fix it.
“Dexter?” Archer’s voice cuts through the grim thoughts.
I blink at him over the long wooden conference room table.
“I’m listening,” I lie, slowly maneuvering a pen in my fingers as I glance at the clock.
The delivery people picking up Junie’s latest order for Haute are due in about an hour. I need to wrap up here and get the hell over there.
“What was I saying? Enlighten me, numbnuts.” Archer raises a brow.
“That Haute’s clean as a whistle and I’m wasting your precious time.” It’s a guess but given how the circular conversation went during the first half hour, it’s not a bad one. “I’ve got your report written up here, Arch. I can see everything just as well as you.”
“Yeah, I still vote we go ahead.” Patton leans back in his chair, testing the balance.
“And get mired in something illegal?” Archer turns his glare on Patton. “You might think tangling with the law is a joke, Pat, but we need to make damn sure everything we do is entirely aboveboard. There’s no coming back from fuck ups like that.” He looks at me again. “We also can’t have any mistakes with cops.”
Shit.
Looks like he isn’t going to let calling in my favor with Batista go.
“I told you, no one’s going to find out. Plus, that file gave us clues.”
“Fucking prick,” Patton mutters, nodding at his iPad. “Haute, I mean. Though you’re both welcome to wear the hat if it fits.”
“This isn’t the time, Pat,” I snarl.
“I mean it. He’s a certified prick. What sort of dude runs this many charity fronts when he’s strapped for cash? There must be tax fraud.”