Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20590 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20590 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
“I know that too, but I think everyone will be seeing her around a lot more.” I kiss her cheek to make up for not bringing Dove around yesterday and scurrying away from her.
“She better. Blakely and I need another woman around to even out the testosterone.” She piles the plate full of pancakes. The bacon and eggs are ready for us to devour as well.
“Speaking of, where is the rest of the gang?” I ask.
“Dad is on his way from the barn, and Knox and Blakely left early this morning. They’re off to look at a new horse.” She smiles, happy that Knox finally pulled his head out of his ass.
“He mentioned that I need to go take a look at a few cows later this week, but the new build has me staying grounded. You think I can convince Dove to hang out around here while I’m gone? She’s got this plan about her future all laid out but is refusing to talk about it until it’s all said and done.” Mom and I are the two jokesters of the family, usually pulling a prank on someone and seeing who can outdo the other.
“Oh, I’m sure we can convince her. If not, maybe I’ll take a drive out today to see Harmony, and I can come up with something to make it happen.” There’s a gleam in her eye. At first, I thought it was only when she was around another friend of hers. That wouldn’t be as it seems, I’m beginning to realize my mom is a culprit.
“Here we go, honey, leave them be.” My dad comes in stepping out of his boots at the screen door. She’d whoop all of our tails if we wore our boots in the house.
“Oh, hush, you’ll take all of my fun away.” She pats my dad on his shoulder. I watch as he pulls her in for a hug, and I know with every depth of my being, it won’t be too much longer till I’ll have that with Dove.
“Love you, you know that, but maybe you and Blakely’s mom can go visit Wolf’s mom. I’m thinking Mrs. Julia would have a blast with y’all again,” I joke but make my plate before she gets me with the spatula, like she did when we were younger. As we got older, it was whatever she could get her hands on—a shoe, a loaf of bread, hell, it was anything.
“And miss all the fun? No way. I knew Blakely could handle her own. Dove needs to learn a thing or two since she hasn’t been around as much.” We all sit down at the bar, each of us eating. It’s quiet for all of a minute before Mom starts in again. “I’m serious, Trace, if you don’t bring Dove out here more, I’ll do it for you.” She stabs a piece of pancake with her fork, telling me she means business.
“Aye, aye, captain,” I joke. Mom looks like she’s going to use her fork more on me and less on her food. Dad snorts, causing me to laugh, bringing us all together in laughter. It’s like old times. The only people missing are Dove, Knox, and Blakely. Damn, I’d love to have her sitting beside me, and maybe taking her out for a ride, this time on a horse.
Ten
Dove
Stationery has always been my vice—notebooks, pens, sticky notes. Seriously, anything in that family, and I was sold, so when I put my plan together to write my first book, I, of course, had to get supplies for organization, plotting, and all the fun things that come along with it. The bad part about this foray into shopping in our small town is the people you encounter.
If this were six years ago, I wouldn’t be here. I would have begged my parents to come and pick something up for me. Now I’m stronger. My confidence is better than ever. That’s why I don’t walk out the second I walk in because my number-one nemesis in high school, the holy terror of them all, Regina, is there working, mostly restocking while her partner in crime, Amanda, is working behind the counter.
“Hi, welcome to Station Based. Let me know if I can help you,” Amanda calls out. I nod my head, thankful that she doesn’t recognize me.
“Hello, thank you.” I move past her and Regina, going straight to the planners. My head is down looking for what I need when I hear whispering in the distance.
“Did you hear Dove is back in town? And apparently she’s not the ugly duckling she once was.” I roll my eyes because could they not be any more childish? I mean, of all the things to talk about, it’s going to be about my appearance.
“News on the streets is she’s spending her time with Trace. He must be feeling sorry for her or something because that man is too fine for his own good.” Now, that stops me from what I’m looking for. There are a lot of things I can handle. If you want to talk trash about me, that’s fine, but to say anything about Trace, it’s horrible. Instead of confronting them right now, I let them keep going on.