Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
I’m about to suggest we go upstairs when the doorbell rings. Skyler pulls back, and it pains me to see that there is fear on her face. I brush her hair off her brow. “I hope it’s okay. I need to interview a receptionist, and I had her come here.”
Her eyebrows lift, and she laughs. “Sure, sure, nothing like inviting another woman to your girl… I mean… You know what I mean.”
“My girlfriend’s house,” I finish for her, and she lights up. “Yes, I invited a woman here for an interview, but you should know by now that I’m not going to be looking at any woman other than you.” I lean in and kiss her forehead. “And if you don’t know that, then I’m fucking this up royally, and I’m going to fix it as soon as my interview is over.”
The doorbell rings again. Skyler pushes against my chest, and as I step back, she jumps down. “Go, let’s go meet her, and then I’ll let you get on with it.”
I laugh as I put an arm around her shoulder. “You want to meet her?”
She rolls her eyes. “This is Whiskey Run. I most likely know her.”
Whiskey Run has been my home base forever, but I haven’t spent a lot of time here, and that’s something that I forgot. Everyone knows everyone—and everything—in this small town.
When we get to the door, I peek through the peephole, and when I see the woman on the other side, I realize I probably should have warned Skyler.
I disable the alarm, open the door, and stand back.
There’s no hiding the surprise on Skyler’s face. She’s stunned and instantly opens her arms. “Bree! You’re here! Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen you… well, uh, in a long time.”
I watch the two women hug, and it isn’t the first time that I wonder if I’m doing the right thing.
As soon as Skyler releases Bree, she looks at me questioningly and then back to Bree. “Uh, are you applying for the receptionist job at Stronghold?”
Bree bites her lip. “Yes.”
She pauses, waiting to see Skyler’s reaction.
Skyler turns to me. “Uh, does Logan know about this?”
I cross my arms over my chest and shake my head. “No. I haven’t mentioned it.”
Sky inhales deeply and nods her head. “Okay. Okay.”
She doesn’t know what to say, and it makes me wonder what she knows about Bree and Logan. Sky hugs Bree again. “Well, I’m going to clean up the kitchen and let you all get to it.”
I point to the living room. “Have a seat, Bree. I’ll be right there.”
She walks into the living room, and I put my hand at Skyler’s lower back and lead her back into the kitchen. “Leave the dishes. I’ll do them after I’m done with the interview.”
She leans against the counter and smiles up at me. “What if I have other plans for you after the interview?”
I groan and readjust myself. “Fuck, Sky, you’re killing me here.”
She just smirks at me.
I nod my head to the other room. “You think I’m fucking up by hiring her?”
Sky crosses her arms over her chest, tilts her head, and gives me a measured look. “Well, you’ve been friends with Logan for most of his life, so I think you know about his history with Bree.”
It’s not really a question, but I nod. “I do.”
She lifts her chin. “So you know he needs to get his head out of his ass.”
I smirk and point at her. “I know he deserves to be happy.”
Her eyebrows lift. “And you think Bree will do that?”
For the first time, I’m questioning this. I ran into Bree when I first retired from Walker’s Ghost Team. This idea has bloomed in my head until I can’t get it out. I know Logan is going to be mad at me, but hopefully he can come to terms with it and see I’m doing it for his own good. “I hope that’s the case. If nothing else, he needs closure.”
Smiling, she taps a finger against my chest. “You’re a good man, Zach Campbell.”
I lean down and press a quick kiss to her lips. “I’ll be back.”
I’m almost to the door of the kitchen when I remember the other thing. “Oh yeah, I have a meeting with a prospective client tonight. I’m going to get Alex to come over while I’m gone.”
She nods. “Okay. I’m going to The Whistler with Aria tonight.”
“Skyler.”
“Zach.” She matches my tone. “What? It was on my calendar. My sister-in-law and I get together twice a month, and tonight is one of those nights.”
I take a step toward her. “You have a stalker—”
She shakes her head. “And I’m not going to stop living my life because of him. I’m going tonight, Zach. Alex can go with me.”
I growl. I don’t know why. I trust Alex, and I know he would keep her safe, but it’s not his job. I want to be the one to keep her safe. I want to be the one to go out with her.