Page 85 of Breakaway Bet

What a whirlwind the last month has been for us both.

And I can’t help but wonder what it’ll be like when his season starts and I don’t have all this unfettered access to him.

We pull into the driveway of what I presume is the house where he grew up, and it’s actually pretty incredible for an elementary school librarian. It sits right on a lake, and I can picture high school Cash getting drunk with his friends down by the lake and getting into all sorts of shenanigans.

“What did your dad do for a living?” I ask.

“He was a pharmacist. And he was very frugal with his spending because he wanted to ensure that there was enough money around for the future. Which, looking back, seems kind of ridiculous since he didn’t get the future he was always saving for. I feel like that made me want to do the opposite with my own money.”

I reach over and take his hand in mine. His house is big, sure. A mansion, definitely. But it’s not ridiculously over the top. And he drives a Silverado, not a freaking Ferrari. “I think you’re more like him than you realize,” I say quietly.

He glances over at me, and something like appreciation is in his eyes at my words.

I never knew his father, and I’ll never get to. But I get the feeling that if he were still here today, Cash would be incredibly close with him.

And it makes me wonder for a minute, too, if he would still be single or if he would have wanted to start a family and live like they had instead of living the bachelor lifestyle he had before I stepped into it.

And I wonder if during this weekend I’ll get the answers to that.

He cuts the engine of our rental car and glances over at me. “What did Everleigh say?” he asks.

I duck my head a little. “I haven’t exactly told her I’m in Minnesota yet.”

He laughs. “You should probably get on that.”

I twist my lips. “I know.”

“Give me your phone,” he says.

I do, and he taps out a text to her and shows it to me for approval before he hits send.

Me: Hey, this is your brother-in-law texting from my wife’s phone. I whisked her away for the weekend and was hoping to get your approval to take off Monday and Tuesday. We will be working on my tequila branding on and off over the next couple days, so consider this an extended consultation with my strategist. Thanks.

I shake my head as I look at the message. “You’re crazy if you think she’s gonna go for that.”

He clicks send before I can stop him, then slips my phone into Do Not Disturb mode and hands it back to me.

I shake my head at his antics. “Boy, I went from my siblings running my life to you doing it.”

He holds up both hands. “Hey, you got on the plane on your own free will.”

He makes a good point.

“Ready to meet my mom?”

I nod, and we get out of the car with our suitcases and head up toward the front door.

“Did you tell her we’re coming?” I ask before he knocks.

He shakes his head, his eyes gleaming.

“What if she’s got a dude in there?” I ask.

He rolls his eyes. “She’s not going to have a dude in there.”

“There’s no way you can possibly know that,” I say.

“Trust me, I know. My dad was the love of her life. She’s not moving on.”