Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Starting with dumbass Duke.
Chapter 7
Addison
Theo was late to class, and when he returned, he was vibrating with anger. If I had a moment alone with him, I’d have asked him what happened, but I didn’t. The whole school day was torture as I wondered what set him off. So, when the final bell rings, I’m practically jogging to the greenhouse for our club meeting.
Since I’m so early, the last class of the day is taking forever to leave the greenhouse. As I wait, I delete a few nasty texts from ex-friends. There’s also a text from a friend I don’t speak to anymore but miss terribly.
Savvy: Long time, no speak. You should come over and see the baby one day. I know it’s weird because of Rhett, but we’ve made amends since he moved to Moonlit Gables. I actually really love Abby.
My heart squeezes. I hate that my brother failed to mention this to me. I’m practically there all the time avoiding home and holding sweet Buck.
Me: I’ll come see you next time I visit Buck. I have so much to catch you up on.
Savvy: Miss your face. See you soon.
I smile as I tuck my phone away into my purse. Savvy lived with us when I was younger. Her parents died so she had to go into the foster system for about a year. I loved having a “sister.” But Rhett was obsessed with her and Dad’s sleepwalking scared her. She bolted from our family as fast as she could. Our relationship hasn’t been the same since.
“Greenhouse Club is cancelled today.”
I whip my head up to meet Theo’s scowling face. Frowning, I walk over to him, choosing to stand much closer than is appropriate. “Everything okay?”
His jaw muscle ticks and he won’t meet my gaze. “Just pissed off.”
“Anything I can do to help?”
He turns his head and his eyes rake over my face. The anger melts away, his expression softening. I bite at my bottom lip loving how his attention fixates on the movement.
“We could grab food and talk about it,” I suggest, though he’ll probably deny me again. “As friends, of course.”
He’s silent for a long beat and then he nods. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
I blink at him, shocked. “Really?”
“I’m starving. Missed lunch because I had a meeting with Principal Renner. Let’s go.”
I’m unable to keep from grinning as we walk around the building toward the parking lot where my car is parked. I remote start the engine, so it’ll cool off some before we get there. Once we get to it, Theo holds out his hand.
“I’ll drive,” he says, voice deep and authoritative.
It sends excitement thrumming through my veins. “Sure.”
I toss him the keys. We put our stuff in the backseat and then climb in. It takes him a minute to figure out how to adjust the seat to his taller frame. But, once he does, he relaxes like he was born to drive my car. His watch glints in the sunlight as his hand grips the steering wheel. I notice veins in his arms bulging and the muscle flexed in a delicious way.
“You look good driving my car,” I admit with a giggle.
He smirks at me. “You look good as my passenger princess.”
My passenger princess.
I let out a laugh when he peels out of the parking lot. It wasn’t an accident. He’s driving it like he stole it. I suppose his anger is making him bolder, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hot.
Once on the road, he tests the limits of my car. We cruise well above the speed limit and my heart races. Everything about this feels so forbidden. Wild. Completely out of control. And I love it.
He does slow down eventually and drives us outside of our small town. I don’t know where we’re going, and I honestly don’t care. I’m just happy to be listening to music as Theo takes me for a ride.
“There’s this place that has the best greasy food and shakes,” he tells me as he easily maneuvers the vehicle around sharp turns in the road. “We can take the food to a picnic area by the lake I lived on as a kid.”
The place is a hole in the wall, but it smells good. Theo orders so much food there’s no way we’ll eat it all. I’m eager to try all the things. Once they hand over the food and shakes, and Theo pays, we head for our next destination.
“Do you want some money for all this?”
He cuts his eyes over to me and laughs. “Nope. My treat.”
Not going to confirm by asking, but this totally feels like a date. My heart hammers happily at that thought. It’s crazy to think the happiest I’ve been in months is because of my teacher.
We pull off the main road and go down a less traveled one. Soon, Theo takes us toward a picnic area that’s heavily shaded by trees. The lake beyond the picnic area sparkles beautifully in the afternoon sun.