Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“I’m not sure how we’re related, so I don’t know what to do.” He was the one who’d said we needed to be polite. “I just know she’s old and Harley had to slip into work mode to keep her off his ass.”
Santos clearly didn’t look threatening enough.
“She’s a neighbor and not related to anyone.” My Dad appearing out of nowhere probably made Santos want to jump but he was still too pissed to let it show. “And I have put your other young man in the closet by the garage.”
“The closet?” Santos might’ve just found another limit but Dad cut him off before he could articulate it.
“It’s large, private, and he made a joke about going back in to stay safe, so I think he’s fine.” Dad had always been good at deflating drama because he had Santos trying not to smile. “He wanted some place to hide to update his flash cards.”
And to save his ass.
But the online flashcards he’d insisted on making were going to be helpful later when I tried to figure out who everyone was.
“Why are neighbors at a family barbecue?” Santos’s low growl said I needed to keep going with the questions. “And do you know why there are so many people here? I kind of promised my partners that introducing them to my family for the first time would be low-key and I promised to behave. You’re making that very hard.”
I wasn’t threatening enough either because Dad smiled. “That’s sweet but you really shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep. That’s not a way to make a relationship last.”
Oh no he didn’t.
“Well, I can’t keep knocking them up every time we argue, so I’ll do the best I can.”
Flashing a smile at Santos, I made sure to look innocent and sweet. “I can’t be punished for being honest or for pointing out the flaws in other people’s logic.”
Santos didn’t have to think about his response. “Deal.”
He was frustrated enough not to care about fine print, which said it was time to escape family bonding time.
Turning back to my father, who didn’t look nearly sorry enough for the chaos we’d walked into, I glared at him. “If you don’t act more apologetic, I’m going to go back there and start answering everyone’s weird questions that they’ve been googling.”
That had his face scrunching up. “I saved Harley.”
“You stuck my sweet gay boyfriend in the closet.” I wasn’t sure that counted as saving him. “And that was after he had to glare at crazy old ladies to keep his bottom from getting bruised. If anyone gets to bruise his ass it’s me.”
Dad sighed, clearly not worried enough for his safety. “How about I promise to tell your mother there was an emergency and you couldn’t stay for dessert.”
I hadn’t even had any fucking dinner yet, so yeah, I wasn’t ready for dessert.
“I—”
Santos cut me off with one hand on my shoulder. “That would be a good plan. Thank you. Please give our apologies to your wife and explain that sometimes legal issues don’t keep business hours.”
He was really good at that.
“And if you could sneak Harley out through the garage, that would be even better.” Santos frowned, looking around the bathroom. “I’m not going to fit through the windows, so we’ll have to do our best to get to the front door safely.”
Smart men were really sexy.
“If you wait another minute, I’ll have Sara Beth announce her pregnancy and that’ll give you a distraction.” Dad’s idea of help had me rolling my eyes. “She was going to behave and not take the spotlight from you because your mother kind of threatened to kill her, but it’ll be for a good cause.”
Better her than me.
“Deal.” Dad was smart and left before Santos could start lecturing again or I forgot I was supposed to be being polite.
We both waited in silence for a while before Santos sighed. “I don’t know how I’m going to make it up to Harley for losing him. I just turned around and he was gone.”
He needed one of those kid leashes, but I wasn’t sure they made them in his size. “He’s fine. He’s hiding and my dad is going to get him out.”
“You sound like this is a hostage situation.” Santos’s grumbling was cut off as the noise from out back started to get louder. “I think that’s our cue.”
“Keep going. Don’t let anyone sidetrack you with a baby or a story.” He was definitely regretting making me promise to be nice. “Keep eye contact to a minimum.”
He had no survival skills whatsoever and kept getting waylaid by every woman with wide eyes who needed attention.
Sucker.
“We’re going to talk about you not preparing us enough.” Santos thought his glare looked scary but I’d just dodged three different angry pregnant ladies to find him, so I could handle anything. “But I’ll forget it if you get us out of here in one piece.”