Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“I found your shoes.” He gestures to the ground next to him. “They’re a little damp, but they’re fine.”
I let out a huff of a laugh and slide my feet inside, sick of standing on the asphalt of this alley in my bare feet. I scrunch my nose up when I slosh around.
“Do you have somewhere to go tonight?”
No.
“Sure. Can I go in there to grab some things first?”
“The electricity is off and won’t be turned back on until all the water is gone. It’s safe, but it’s a mess. And slick in some places, so you’ll need to be careful.”
“But it won’t kill me.”
“No.”
“Thanks.” The others have gotten in the trucks. One has already pulled away, and the other is waiting for the chief. “You can go. I’ve got this.”
“You sure you have somewhere to go? You can crash at my place for the rest of the night if you want and come back here in the daylight.”
I shake my head. “Nah, I’m okay. Thanks, though. Tell Dani hi for me.”
He turns to walk away but then looks back at me. “We missed you, Jules.”
Oh God, don’t make me cry.
“I missed you, too.”
Chapter Ten
BROOKS
“We took her to Vegas for the weekend,” Gabe says as he crosses to his tool chest to grab a drill. “She’d never been before.”
Gabe is my cousin on my dad’s side, and he’s been working for me for a while now. We’ve always gotten along well, and he does excellent work. He’s in a relationship with Dani’s sister, Alex, and a man named Adam who I’ve met a few times.
The three of them are making it work, and I’m happy for him.
“I don’t think Alex has traveled much,” I reply as I close the hood on Juliet’s car.
It’s finally finished. I can’t procrastinate giving it back to her any longer. I could have had it done a few days ago, but this is my only tie to the woman I can’t stop thinking about. The one I want more than I’m willing to admit or am happy about.
The woman who has haunted me for fifteen motherfucking years.
Once I give it to her, there won’t be any reason to talk to her.
And that pisses me off.
The door of the garage opens, and Birdie skips inside. It’s late, almost quitting time. With the change of seasons, it’s getting dark outside earlier.
The sun has already gone down, and it’s raining.
Fall is here.
“Hi, Uncle Brooks,” Birdie calls out as Bridger walks in behind her.
“What are you guys up to?” I ask as I squat, and Birdie walks right into my arms so I can lift her.
“I had to have a checkup at the doctor,” she tells me. “And then I wanted to see you.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You did?”
“Yeah. Are you going to teach me how to fix cars?”
I chuckle and glance at my brother, who’s wandered over to chat with Gabe.
“Sure. I’ll teach you. But you’ll get your hands dirty.”
She scrunches up her nose and then shrugs. “I guess that’s okay. I’m sad, Uncle Brooks.”
Birdie pushes that little lower lip out in a pout, and I do the same, mirroring her.
“Why?”
“Because my restaurant is closed.”
Unease niggles its way into my stomach. “Did they close early today?”
Birdie shakes her head, and Bridger walks my way.
“No, there was a flood,” Birdie says, and my eyes immediately move to my brother.
“What?”
“Yeah, poor Jules,” Bridger says with a sigh. “Middle of the night the other night, one of the pipes in her attic burst, flooded the whole damn building before we could get it shut off.”
“What the fu—” I glance at my baby girl, cutting off the swear word. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Is it your favorite, too?” Birdie asks, patting my cheek, as if consoling me.
“Something like that.” I set the little girl on her feet. “Gabe, I have to go.”
“I’ll lock up,” he calls back with a wave.
“I don’t think she’s staying there,” Bridger says as he and Birdie walk out with me. “She said she had somewhere to stay.”
I stop next to my truck and turn to him. “Where?”
“She didn’t say.”
“Her parents are dead, no siblings, not many friends. Where the hell do you think she had to go, Bridge?”
He shifts on his feet. “I offered my place, but she insisted—”
“Yeah, because she’s a stubborn little thing.” I shake my head and climb into the cab of my truck, wave at Birdie, and pull out of my lot.
I have a feeling that my wildfire has been staying in that attic, with water damage, because she’s too fucking stubborn to ask for help.
I’m going to spank her perfect ass.
After I take her home with me, where she belongs.
It takes seconds to get down the street. It’s fully dark now and still raining. When I pull into a parking space in front of the restaurant, I see that the lights are on inside.