Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
“I just want to say—”
“I don’t care what you want to say.” I inhale. “Listen to me and listen to me clearly, Derek. I have nothing to say to you, and there is nothing you have to say that I want to hear. Please leave me alone.” I exhale as I walk away from him.
“Whatever,” he mumbles, still watching me. His head goes down, and then he looks up and nods at me before walking away.
My hands are still shaking when I get to the bakery and order lunch. Everleigh comes out to hand me my bag. “Hey.” She smiles at me and all I can do is fake it.
“Hi,” I say, grabbing the bag from her.
“I heard we are coming to your place for dinner.”
“Oh, yeah,” I reply. “I forgot to get some sweet things for dessert.” I put my hand to my head.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got you covered.”
“Sounds good.” I hold up my hand. “I have to get back to work. I’ll see you tonight.”
I turn and walk out of the bakery shop, the whole time looking around like I’m expecting Derek to jump out at me. When I get back to the barn, I spot Emmett outside talking to Bobby and Sammy, and I leave his lunch on his desk. He gives me a chin up and I head back to work.
The whole afternoon, all I can do is replay the conversation over and over in my head. Trying to calm myself before Lucy comes home, but even with her beside me and talking to me, I feel like I’m teetering on the edge of the cliff, with one foot stepping off.
When we get back to the house, she runs in before us and I dump my purse at the door and kick off my shoes. “I’m going to make a salad for tonight.” I look over at Emmett, who is eyeing me as he walks into the kitchen.
“What’s up with you?” he asks as I pull open the fridge and grab ingredients for the salad. “You’ve said maybe three words total since we got in the truck.”
“It’s nothing,” I start to say and stop when his eyebrows go up.
“But there is something.”
“I don’t want you to freak out,” I start to say as he rounds the island and stands in front of me, “but I ran into Derek today.” He stops walking, and I can see his jaw get tight. “It’s fine.” I hold up my hand. “He just—” I don’t say anything else because Lucy comes running into the room.
“Saige is on her way!” she squeals, jumping up and down. “She’s bringing cupcakes.”
I put the stuff down on the counter. “Please don’t say anything,” I whisper to him. “I’ll tell you everything after everyone leaves.” I put my hand on his chest, touching him for the first time in front of Lucy. “Please.” I look up at him as his hand comes out to grip my hip. “Let’s not ruin it for Lucy.”
“Can I help?” Lucy cuts into our staredown. “I can get a bowl.” She walks over to the cupboard to get a bowl. “I can tear the lettuce like you taught me.”
“I’ll help Lucy and you can go and take a shower,” I tell him, and he looks at me and then looks at Lucy, nodding his head, giving me a squeeze, and then walking away from me.
I let out the breath I was holding, and my head hangs forward for a second before I get started preparing the salad.
The doorbell rings five minutes after we start, and she rushes to the door. I can’t help but laugh at her big smile and her squeal when she opens the door and then the squeal is doubled. “It’s going to be a long fucking night,” he mumbles from behind me as he stands there with his front to my back. “I ordered the pizza,” he says to me, and I look over my shoulder at him, wanting him to lean in and kiss me. His hair is wet from the shower, and little water droplets are falling on his charcoal T-shirt that I wore to bed last night.
“Hey,” Brock says, “we brought cakes and beer.” He holds up the white box.
I can’t help but laugh when the doorbell rings again. “That must be Charlie,” I say, and I’m waiting for Emmett to get the door. “The door?”
“He knows where the handle is,” he retorts, leaving me and walking toward Brock. “Let me get the beer,” he offers, grabbing the case from him. “Would you like one?” he asks, and I nod.
Thirty minutes later, there is more noise than I’ve ever heard in this house. The girls are lying on the carpet in the living room playing with Billy. Brock, Charlie, and Emmett sit on the couch watching them, each with a bottle of beer in their hand.