Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Her and me.
I stared up at the ceiling, and my mind started to wander. I didn’t know how the hell we’d gotten here. Because somewhere between helping her with the boys, the late-night texts, and her smiling every time she looked at me, this woman had gotten to me in a way I hadn’t expected.
And when I mentioned staying, I hadn’t really taken the time to consider what that meant. I thought I had time to figure that all out, so I said, “Me, too.”
“You almost sound like you mean that.”
“A lot to figure out.”
“Like?”
“This place, for starters.” I cleared my throat. “You’re gonna have to help me fix this place up.”
“It’s fine. It just needs a little love.”
“The floor squeaks.”
“You’ll always know when someone’s coming.”
“The bathroom door won’t close.”
She shrugged. “Added ventilation.”
“Paints chipping.”
“Great excuse to pick a new color.”
“I don’t even have a kitchen table.”
“Just a yard sale away.”
“You’re fucking with me, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely.” She giggled. “This house has good bones and lots of character. It wouldn’t take much to make it into a beautiful home.”
“Glad you think so, and thanks for volunteering to make that happen.”
“I didn’t volunteer anything.”
“Nah, I’m pretty sure I heard you say, ‘Walker, please let me spend all my weekends fixing this place up.”
“I think you need to get your hearing checked.”
“I’m thinking the place needs a barn… Maybe a couple of cows.”
“Cows?” Her brows pulled together. “You don’t strike me as a ‘cows’ kind of man.”
“I’m not.” I shrugged. “But your boys would probably get a kick out of having ‘em around, and there’s plenty of room.”
“Yeah, there is.” She let that settle for a bit, then added, “Well, if you’re gonna have a barn and cows, you might as well have a garden.”
“A garden is a lot of work.”
“Yeah, but I’d help.”
“Gonna hold you to that.”
A smile marked her face as she nestled up next to me. She closed her eyes and whispered, “I like this.”
“I do, too, Rae.” I ran my fingers through her hair. “I do, too.”
A few minutes later, her breathing evened out, soft and steady. I continued to toy with her hair, and it wasn’t long before she was completely out. I, on the other hand, was wide fucking awake.
And I needed a fucking cigarette. I remembered I had a pack stashed in my bike, so I eased out of bed, being careful not to wake Raelyn. I glanced back at Rae, and damn. The sight of her nearly took my breath away. The sheet had tangled around her waist, and her hair was spread across the pillow, and she couldn’t have looked more beautiful.
I pulled on my boxers and t-shirt, then made my way out of the room. The floor creaked under my weight as I slipped down the hall and out the front door. I went down the steps to my bike and opened my saddlebag, already reaching for the crushed pack I knew was shoved near the bottom.
And then my fingers brushed against something soft.
Everything inside me stopped.
I knew what it was. I would’ve known even if I were drunk, blind, or half-dead. It was his bear. My chest locked up so fast it felt like somebody had driven a knife straight through my chest.
I picked it up and ran the pad of my thumb across its back.
“Jameson.”
His name came out broken and rough. I dropped down on the front porch steps, feeling the weight of my guilt crushing down on me. I couldn’t believe it. I hadn’t thought about him, or her, in days. Maybe even weeks.
The thought hollowed me out. It didn’t even seem possible.
For so long, every breath I took was filled with heartache. I missed them every second of every day, and no matter how far I drove, every road led back to them. Every moment of silence carried echoes of my boy’s laugh and her calling out my name.
I’d lived inside that grief so completely that it became the only thing I knew. The bear, her voicemails, the pictures on my phone. It was all I had left of them. I held on to them for dear life, thinking it was what I was meant to do. It was what I owed them.
And then Raelyn happened. Her boys, Preacher, and the guys came into play, and somewhere along the way, the pain stopped being the first thing I felt. Hell, I was making plans for a future, a home, and I actually wanted it.
I should have felt relieved.
Instead, it felt like I’d betrayed them. I’d forgotten them. I tightened my grip around the bear and groaned as the memories started creeping over me. And in a blink, I was back to that night.
I tried to shake it, but it was too late.
I was behind the wheel again, watching the windshield wiper blades sweep back and forth, pushing the rain from the glass. And just like that, my breath hitched. There was no turning back now.