Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Jarod chuckled. “Come on, Christian. You’re unemployed, and you must be tired of sleeping in the forest. With a little extra money, you could rent a room somewhere. Live like a human.”
Christian forced a smile. Not a real one because he didn’t feel that. But he knew how to flash his teeth when necessary. Satisfaction that he’d regret later rolled through him from the sudden awareness in Jarod’s eyes. The same look prey caught when a hunter came near.
Amka’s chin lifted. “I’m sure Christian will seek employment if and when he wants. For now, I assume it’s nice to be back home and living with such freedom.”
Jarod lost his smirk.
Something warmed in Christian’s chest. How could any one person be so fucking sweet? Jarod sure as shit didn’t deserve her. Neither did Christian. There probably wasn’t anyone on the planet who deserved such an angel. Yeah, if rose-colored glasses existed, he was wearing them.
Then, because he couldn’t help himself, Christian gave Amka the faintest wink. Not playful. Just…a reminder. That she had options. Temporary ones, anyway. “Call me if you need anything.” He turned, boots crunching the gravel as he moved around the front of the truck. Then he climbed in without looking back.
Tika stared at him from the back seat. The pup’s head tilted, ears half-cocked.
“I know,” Christian muttered, pulling the door shut. “I know.”
Chapter 4
Everything hurt as Amka worked the dinner shift at the tavern. She’d forced Jarod to get out of her place the night before, and for once, he hadn’t argued or tried to kiss her. She’d like to think it was because she was hurt and he wasn’t as big of a jerk as she suspected, but that was doubtful. He probably had a date somewhere.
Not that she cared in the slightest.
She’d slept in but had headed to the tavern upon awakening. For now, she didn’t let the discomfort show. She bent slowly behind the bar, fingers curling around the water pitcher with her non-dominant hand, and filled three glasses she’d already lined up on a tray. Moving carefully, she placed the pitcher on the counter and straightened. Her side pulled tight where the bruising ran deepest, but she ignored it.
Smoke from the fire earlier hung in the air, even inside the tavern.
The tourists sat near the back fireplace, leaning in toward each other and laughing with the free sound of people on vacation. They wore loud T-shirts covered in fish jokes, and one of them wore a foam trout hat. Fishing derby types. They came through every June hoping to catch a good trophy and were good for the local businesses.
She approached their table, balancing the tray with both hands. It helped keep her from limping too much. “Here you go.” She placed a glass in front of each of them.
“Thanks,” the first man said, smiling up at her. Like his friends, he looked to be in his mid-thirties or so. “What’s good here?”
“Everything,” she answered, the line coming out smooth from repetition.
They ordered burgers and a pitcher of beer. She smiled and made her way back to the bar with her spine stiff and her pace measured.
It was late, and the place was about half full. Locals lined the counter, boots scuffed and heavy from long days. A few newcomers leaned close to the jukebox as if they hadn’t seen a real one in ages. They probably hadn’t.
Daisy blew in from the kitchen, cheeks flushed, red curls frizzing out like she’d been fighting with the fryer again. “I told you that I’ll handle the floor,” she said, pushing the swinging door open with her hip. “You got blown up yesterday. You shouldn’t even be upright.”
Amka waved her off with her good hand. “We don’t have anyone else,” she said simply.
Daisy scowled, tugging off an apron and tossing it onto the back counter. She was in her early thirties and had left a big city law firm to return to Knife’s Edge, where she’d spent her first ten years. “Seriously. Take it easy.”
“I will,” Amka said. “As soon as I can. Weren’t you going to hang your shingle this spring?”
Daisy grinned. “Yep. I’m saving up to rent a place. Truth be told, I can do both jobs. I don’t think there’s a lot of lawyer work to do around here. I’ll probably draft some wills and deeds.”
Thank goodness, because Amka needed her at least through the summer. She moved to make coffee. “I appreciate it, but don’t want you to give up on your dreams just to help me.”
Daisy snorted. “My dream was to move here and live. I’m doing so. Like I said, I can work half days in the office and half nights here. Besides, if you want to actually talk to people around here, you’ve got to either pour their drinks or feed them. Otherwise, they don’t say a word.” She nodded toward the trio in the back. “What’s their story?”