Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Lily reached over and squeezed my hand. When I looked at her, she smiled. I returned the gesture before a throat cleared, and I pulled my hand from hers.
“The only reason I’m not taking you out back and shooting you right now—because I wasn’t born yesterday, and I know damn well you weren’t simply talking to my daughter. You forget I was your age once.”
Timberlynn’s cheeks turned bright red, and she cleared her throat.
“Like I was saying, the only reason I’m not taking you out back is because if Lily has to be with anyone, I’d prefer she be with you. You’re like a son to me, Maverick. I trust you with my daughter…and her heart.”
I was positive my eyes were as wide as saucers.
“Don’t look so damn surprised. Timberlynn and I think of you as part of this family, and we’ll keep reminding you of that fact until you believe it. I’ve seen the way my daughter’s been smiling more over the past few weeks. And today, she looks downright happy.”
“Oh, she is happy,” Timberlynn added, then covered her mouth to keep from laughing.
Tanner rolled his eyes. “Since she was with you last night and all of today, I’m going to assume you had something to do with that, and I’m sure your time spent together wasn’t playing twenty questions. The only thing I want from you right now, Maverick, is a promise that you won’t hurt her. Because if you do, I have two brothers who will help me bury your body, no questions asked—and I have plenty of land to choose where your remains will disappear.”
“I’ll help bury you too,” Nathan added.
With a quick shake of my head, I answered, “I would never hurt her. At least, I wouldn’t ever do so intentionally, Tan— Um…sir.”
The corner of Tanner’s mouth twitched, and he looked at Timberlynn, who outright smiled. When he turned his attention back on me, the hint of a smile was gone. “I know you wouldn’t. I don’t have to tell you how much I love her and what she means to me and her mother.”
“And me,” Nathan added once again. When I looked at him, he made a motion with his fingers. Pointing to his eyes, then to me, as if saying he was watching me. I stared at him for a moment before looking back at Tanner.
“I trust you with her, Maverick. And I like you a hell of a lot better than that pussy, Ben.”
Nathan laughed hard at that. Timberlynn attempted to hide her laughter yet again, and Lily said, “Dad, really?”
“What? He is a pussy.”
“I’ll agree with that,” I replied as Lily looked at me, then back to her dad.
Picking up her fork, Lily said, “Great, now that we got that out of the way, can we move on?”
Tanner narrowed his eyes at me, leaned forward, and said, “Remember, I know how to hide a body, son, and have countless acres to do it on.”
“Oh my God!” Lily scowled at her mother and said, “Mom! Make him stop.”
“So do I,” Nathan added, causing everyone to swing their gaze to him.
He smiled. “What? I watch a lot of true-crime shows.”
I picked up my fork and looked at Lily. “I’m not sure if I should be worried more about your dad or your brother.”
She tried not to laugh and finally lost the battle.
Chapter Thirteen
LILY
I walked into Higherground Brewing and looked around for Rose and Kipton. Waving her hand like a madwoman, Rose called out my name.
“Why don’t you let the whole place know I’m here?” I laughed as I hugged Rose first, then Kipton.
Rose grabbed my hands and yanked me down into a chair, than sat herself. “Tell us everything!”
I frowned. “About?”
Kipton and Rose both rolled their eyes before Rose said, “Don’t even play that way. My mom was talking to your mom on speakerphone when I was with her. She said you and Maverick are together.”
My cheeks heated, but before I could say anything, the waitress appeared. “What can I get you to drink?”
“I’ll have the Hula Hopped IPA, please.”
Rose looked at the beer menu and said, “I think this time I’ll try the Base Camp Irish Red.”
The waitress smiled. “Good choice. It’s one of my favorites.”
“I’ll just have a water, please.”
Rose and I both swung our gazes to Kipton.
“Water? You’re drinking water? We just found out Lily is sleeping with the hot horse whisperer, and you’re drinking water?”
The waitress coughed to cover up her laugh.
I shot my cousin a dirty look. “Really, Rose?”
“Fine. I’ll take a water and a lemonade.”
Smiling, the waitress asked, “Do you need more time to look at the menu, or do you want the usual?”
Rose, Kipton, and I had been meeting at the brewery almost weekly for the last year and had always ordered the same thing. But when all three of us turned to look at Kipton, she laughed.