Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 121755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Tex lumbered in at this juncture and asked, “Is this Angels business?”
“No, we’re—” Harlow tried to answer.
That was as far as she got before Tex noted, “It’s lunchtime, and we got a full house and no one to bring them food. Not sure why I gotta keep tellin’ you this shit, but it works like this. People order food. We give it to them. They pay for it. And that pays your wages. Are you following me?”
“Gabe’s parents are here,” Raye told him.
He reared back. “Mike and Shelby? How’d they get by me?”
“And Luke,” Jessie added.
“Ah.” Tex nodded. “That’s how they got by me.”
“And Willow’s folks surprise showed too,” Shanti put in.
“And Willow has a love bite,” Luna finished explaining my current tribulation.
Tex homed in on my love bite.
Then he visibly gagged.
It was then, Tito showed.
“Willow, I’ve seated your guests,” he announced. “Your mom and Shelby have wine, and the men have beers. And I’ve put in an order of Lucia’s arancini bites. So they’re fine. Take your time.”
With that, he left.
God, I loved Tito.
“You want me to run down the street to the thrift shop and get you a scarf?” Harlow offered.
“We don’t have time,” Luna answered for me. “Does anyone have any makeup?”
And God, worth a repeat, I loved my chicks.
“I do,” I said. “It’s in my car because I’m staying at Gabe’s tonight.”
“Right.” Per usual, Raye took charge. “Harlow is on makeup. I’ll go get it from the car. The rest of you, go back out.”
They took off to see to business, and when Raye gave her my makeup kit, Harlow dabbed foundation then patted powder over my love bite, and this was almost done when Jessie showed at the door.
“Gabe’s here, and you need to get out there.”
I wasn’t sure if Harlow was done, and I didn’t check.
Feeling kinda stupid for hiding, I dashed out to the restaurant.
Gabe’s and my families were seated at a back table.
Gabe was there.
And Brady, Shaw and Landon (Landon was another new member of the team, and yes, it goes without saying, he was gorgeous) were hanging back and watching the scene unfold with inscrutable (but handsome) faces, which told me they were all feeling Gabe’s pain, but too good mannered to let it show in front of the parental units.
“…pull this shit,” Gabe was saying to his father as I rushed to him.
I put my hand to his back, he looked down at me, and I assured (yes, lied), “Hey, baby. Here I am, and I’m good.” I looked to our loved ones at the table. “Sorry I took off. I was just a little taken off guard.”
Gabe’s angry face switched to Gabe’s enraged face, and he looked back to the table too.
“And that’s the shit I’m talking about,” Gabe growled at his dad.
“Son—” Mike tried.
“No, Dad. There are no words you can use that would make me okay with you ambushing my woman, ever, but definitely not at work.”
“It was my idea, honey,” Shelby put in.
Gabe turned to her. “And there’s no words you can say either, Mom.”
“I’m okay,” I said hurriedly, and Gabe’s wrathful look moved to me. “Everything’s okay,” I promised, putting my hand on his chest. “See, baby? They have wine and beer and fried food. That’s the essence of okay.”
“You were hiding in the staff room when I got here,” Gabe pointed out.
“Not my proudest moment,” I said, trying for breezily and not quite cutting it, so Gabe’s wrathful look went overdrive. “But I’m okay now.”
His gaze moved down to my neck and his lips thinned.
I wasn’t sure what that meant, if we’d failed at covering it up, or he was pissed I had to cover it, but I wasn’t going to ask now.
“So!” I took my hand from his chest and clapped both, turning to the table. “Since you started Italian, can I suggest Lucia’s Bolognese? She uses pepperoni as well as bacon, so it’s ridiculously bad for you, but so good.”
“I get you want to make a good impression on my parents, cupcake,” Gabe cut into my efforts to smooth things over. “But you need to get I’d want my parents to make a good impression on you too.”
“He calls her cupcake?” Mom whispered enthusiastically to Shanti.
“I guess so,” Shanti replied happily.
“They’re fine,” I said to Gabe. “We’re all fine. Look, your dad wore a nice shirt.”
Luke chuckled.
Mike teased me. “Thanks for noticing, sweetheart.”
“You’re not getting away with this shit,” Gabe warned his father.
I latched ono his biceps and got his attention again. “They totally are, honey.”
“So!” Mom chirped toward Mike and Shelby before Gabe could carry on being mad. “Our kids are working, and we’re here, and you’re here, so after lunch, we’ll show you the town then we can meet up with the offspring for dinner.”
“That sounds great,” Shelby replied, her voice dripping gratitude at Mom’s intervention.