Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Julius Mills is obsessed with Liv. It's too bad he can't get his brain and mouth to work together when he's around her. Every time he tries to ask her out, his words get twisted and he shuts down. But when he sees the local player try to make a move on his woman, he realizes there's no time to waste
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter One
LIV
I don’t have a clue what to make of Julius Mills. That doesn’t stop my mind from thinking about him every second of every day. It’s a bit sad, really. I’m pining over a man that speaks in grunts. It’s hard to get his attention, and boy, do I try. Embarrassingly so at times. I’m shocked he still comes in here.
“Oh, pink.” My sister Lane goes straight to the coffee maker to get her morning fix.
“‘Oh’ as in bad or ‘oh’ as in cool?” I run my fingers through my hair.
“It’s cute on you. I couldn't pull it off.”
“We’re twins,” I remind her once again. She takes her big sister role a little too seriously for someone who is a whopping two minutes older than me. Lane has an old soul, I’ll give her that, but still, two whole freaking minutes!
“But you have that vibe thing going on, so it works for you.” She nods like she’s agreeing with herself.
“Now I don’t know if you’re making fun of me.”
“I’m not making fun of you.” She grabs the creamer out of the fridge and gives me a soft, reassuring smile. “I think pink hair is my favorite on you.”
I want to ask if it screams look at me, but I already know that she will say yes. It’s not a wild bright pink; this time it’s softer. It was easy to put over my blond hair and should wash out in a week. I don't know why I thought this was a good idea, but I randomly thought Julius might like it. Or at the very least get his eyes to linger on me a few moments longer. The more I think about it, the stupider it sounds.
Julius Mills is big and burly with a no-nonsense attitude. He wears jeans and boots with a simple flannel or T-shirt because it’s functional. He always looks clean and sharp, with his beard neatly trimmed. I bet he's got one of those morning routines that he sticks to every day and does the whole list. The second his big caveman feet hit the floor, he's on the clock. Yeah, he's the complete opposite of me, but the man's dark brown eyes sucked me right in.
The color of his eyes reminds me of my childhood teddy bear that I slept with every night. Okay, it might still be in my bed, but no one knows that. Only my sister goes into my room, and she doesn't count.
“Thanks.” I grab the box of Lucky Charms and add more to my bowl. No need to let the extra milk go to waste. “How is your day looking?”
“I’ve got a lot of orders to work on.” Lane lets out a breath, but I know she’s happy about it.
This is what we wanted when we took over our father's furniture shop. He all but tossed it into our laps before he and our mom took off on a cruise. After that, they landed in Florida and have been staying there the past few years. I’m thrilled for them. Dad never liked the snow or the cold, so it wasn't surprising that he persuaded Mom to move there.
We don’t run the shop the same way he did. When we took over, we added our own style to it. Lane is the powerhouse who can build anything with her hands. She always pushes off compliments when I gush over how good she is, then redirects, calling me the artist. Lane’s creations are art. Sure, I can paint or create the odd piece of small furniture, but they aren’t selling like hotcakes. Our little shop's success is largely due to Lane. People even travel from other states to get pieces from her.
“You know I’ll take care of the front of the house.” Being stuck in the back all day sounds like the worst, but Lane seems to thrive in that environment.
“I feel awful that you always handle all the other stuff.”
“I’m just glad I’m helpful,” I tell her, and I mean it.
Plus, when I work in the front of the shop, that means there’s no way I’ll miss seeing Julius if he pops in. Even if he doesn’t come into the store, at least I know I’ll see him a few times a week. He passes by when walking into town. On Mondays he goes to the grocery store, Wednesdays the post office, and Fridays the diner. I know far too much about a man that might not know my last name.
Julius moved to Cottonwood a few years ago. We’re not a tiny town, but we’re not giant either. Most people know each other or know their family members. He’s got a nice piece of land with a cabin on it. I picture him out there chopping wood all the time, but that’s TikTok taking off with my brain, per usual.