Page 51 of Nine Month Contract
My brows lift as I ponder that question. “I think I’m more of a ‘five minutes late’ person. Especially because I’m supposed to be helping Avery this afternoon, and I should have left ten minutes ago.”
He laughs and nods, and I get little butterflies in my belly at the sight of it. It’s not easy to make this man smile, but I feel like a million bucks when I do.
“What’s in the bag?” Wyatt asks as I turn to walk away.
“Oh gosh, I got so distracted by all this hard wood that I forgot I grabbed this.” I trudge back over to Wyatt and hand him the bag, our fingers brushing as it exchanges hands. Heat floods my face as I add, “Just a little ‘congrats on becoming a dad’ present. It just arrived yesterday.”
“You didn’t have to get me a present.”
“I know, but maybe you can consider this a cease-fire request for your overly kind gestures.”
He harrumphs and pulls out a monogrammed coffee mug I ordered for him.
“Dad Era?” He shoots a puzzled look my way.
I smile brightly. “Because you’re such a huge fan of Taylor Swift.”
Wyatt’s face falls. “What?”
“You’re a Swiftie, right?” I point coyly at him. “It sure seemed like it in that video of you at the concert with Everly and your brothers. Man, how many bracelets did you trade with people? Your arm was stacked.”
“Alright, who showed you that?” Wyatt loses all good humor on his face. “Was it Calder? I told him to leave you the fuck alone.” His jaw clenches as he looks up the mountain where his brother’s cabin rests.
His barely contained fury over being outed as a Swiftie has me erupting into a fit of giggles. “It was Everly.”
His demeanor instantly shifts. “Well, fuck.”
“Yeah, take it easy, Mr. Mountain Man. That’s your niece.”
He grumbles something under his breath I can’t quite hear.
“Speaking of your niece, she invited me to her graduation party in a couple of weeks.”
Wyatt’s knowing blue eyes find mine, looking a touch more green in the forest.
“She said it was your idea?”
He shrugs. “Seems like afriendthing to do.”
Heat floods my body because the way he just saidfriendfelt a lot friendlier than it should. But maybe that’s just my hormones talking.
“It wouldn’t be weird for you if I went?”
“Why would it be weird?” Wyatt props his hand on his ax and eyes me seriously.
“Well, I’m assuming a lot of your friends and family will be there, and I’m not sure how many people know about this situation or if you even want to talk about it. Surely, they’ll wonder who I am.”
“Trista, this may come as a shock to you, but I don’t give a fuck what most people think.” His eyes are lethal on mine, and a rush of heat moves through me, settling heavily in my groin. He’s hot when he’s threatening. “The only people who really know about what we’re doing here are my family. As far as I’m concerned, it’s no one else’s business.”
A slow smile spreads across my face. “Sounds good to me. And I already have a gift in mind for Everly. I’m going to have a mug made that says Cousin Era on it. Think she would like that?”
“Definitely,” he replies, and affection blooms on his face as if it’s the first time he’s considered the fact that he’s giving his niece a cousin.
“Okay, then I’ll come.” I nod and smile.
“You’ll come,” he repeats and smiles back.
Our eyes hold each other for a moment, and I swallow the lump in my throat at the way he’s looking at me. My face feels hot when I give an awkward little wave and turn to leave, only to hear Wyatt call out, “Plan on riding with me and my brothers to the graduation party and to our twelve-week scan coming up. It’s more fuel efficient, okay?”
