Total pages in book: 188
Estimated words: 179812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 899(@200wpm)___ 719(@250wpm)___ 599(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 179812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 899(@200wpm)___ 719(@250wpm)___ 599(@300wpm)
And after a while, I realize I don’t want to either. I’m having fun. Joe is funny. He’s attentive. He likes me. He really likes my dress; he’s said that to me multiple times now. While he’s expressed how the dress would look better if I had a clear, freckle-less skin, I’m choosing to let that go. I mean, I don’t like my freckles either so he’s not wrong.
Once we’ve placed our order, I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. Mostly, I’m going to check on my red lipstick and text my friends and my sister—we’re in a group chat together—that they were right. I’m having fun and I’m going to be making my famous piña colada for them every Saturday for at least the next couple of months. They all come back with happy but sassy replies about how I should always listen to them because they’re always right.
Sighing happily, I exit the restroom and I’m on my way back when it happens. When I think I’m hallucinating and come to a screeching halt.
I am, aren’t I? Because how is it that I’m seeing what I’m seeing?
Him. Sitting at my table. With Joe.
What the…
But then he turns, and somehow his gaze lands right on me, as if he was just waiting for me to emerge, waiting for me to find him, and I know this is real. I’m not hallucinating. He’s really sitting at the table with the guy I’m on a date with.
Chapter Five
It’s been two days since I saw him last.
Since I fled the room after kneeing him in the junk. I’m not going to lie, I have feared retaliation on his part. I have been scared of being called into George’s office and getting fired for attacking a paying customer. Not only because I know that’s exactly what George would do if he found out, but also because I know him.
He bites back, my stepbrother. He’s not a thorn, he’s a snake. A vicious viper, and I knew he wouldn’t take my rebellion lying down. But then nothing happened for two days and I thought maybe, just maybe, he’d moved on, but apparently not.
I already know why he’s here. For some kind of payback, isn’t it? He’s here to ruin things for me somehow and I have no choice but to walk toward him. Even though I’m thoroughly confused, I’m trying to appear nonchalant. I’m trying to appear like his presence doesn’t affect me. Chin up, shoulders straight. But it’s hard.
Especially when he’s staring at me like that. With pitch black and intense eyes.
He makes his way from the top of my head, taking in my bouncy hair, to my made-up face, all the way down to my dress and heels. While my dress is borrowed from Tempest, my shoes are my favorite ones. Black pumps with red soles. I’ve walked in them for years now. I’ve run in them, danced in them too. But somehow, it feels like I’ve forgotten how to walk in them in this moment. I’m fairly sure I’m going to stumble—not on purpose—if I don’t get to my destination soon.
I finally reach the table but before I can say anything, Joe stands up like the gentleman he is and goes, “Hey, you’re back.”
I swivel my gaze over to him. “Yeah, hi. I—”
Suddenly, a grin erupts on his face, a very boyish one at that, cutting my words off. “You didn’t tell me you knew him.”
My eyes snap back to him, only to find him still staring at me. With the same dark and focused look. I want to tell him to cut it out. He can’t look at me like that when I’m on a date with someone else. Tearing my eyes away from him, I address Joe. “I don’t. I—”
“Saw a flash of strawberry red from across the street and stopped in my tracks. There’s only one girl I know with that shade of red hair. My baby sister’s best friend. So I thought I’d come say hi.”
Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t you do it, Jupiter.
I breathe in sharply and turn to him. “What were you doing across the street?”
“Watching you through the window,” he replies blithely.
“What were you doing before you were watching me through the window?”
“Parking my truck.”
“You—”
“I’m in town for a while,” he informs me.
“A while?”
“For the foreseeable future.” I open my mouth to say something when he continues, “I’m sure we’ll be running into each other a lot.”
He’s dropped his voice low, making the words sound so rough and deep. Carrying a certain weight of intimacy in them. Like we really know each other. Like there’s a connection between us.
“We’re on a date,” I tell him firmly.
Danger flashes through his features, tightening his jaw, but before he can say anything Joe speaks. “Yeah, I’m sorry but I think that’s my fault. I invited him to sit with us. I just…” He turns back to him, totally starstruck. “I know I’ve said this before, but you’re fucking amazing. I’ve watched every single one of your games. And not only in the pros. I’ve followed your career ever since you played for the high school here.”