Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83244 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83244 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit.”
“I lost my cool.”
“You can say that again,” he huffed out a bitter laugh. “We’ll be lucky if the guy doesn’t press charges.”
“He was a problem, and I dealt with it.”
“That’s not how we deal with problems around here, and you damn well know it.” His eyes narrowed. “Now, what the hell is going on?”
I didn’t answer. I just lowered my head and stared at the ground. I could feel Goose’s eyes on me, but he didn’t say a word. He just waited for me to talk. Eventually, I muttered, “I saw her tonight.”
He had no idea who I was talking about. I knew that. But he didn’t question me. He just gave me the space I needed to get out what I needed to say. “It’s been over two years… two years without so much as a phone call, and she shows up at the fair with a kid and a new guy. What the fuck is that?”
I shook my head and mumbled a few stray curses. A car drove by, and the front door opened and closed. But neither of us moved. I took a deep breath before telling him, “I loved her. God, I loved her. She meant everything to me, but I...”
I stared out across the parking lot, trying my best not to break down completely. Hell, that was the last thing I needed to do. Goose gave me a moment, then asked, “This girl still mean something to you?”
“I’d say no, but I’d be lying.”
“That’s a tough one.”
“You haven’t heard the half of it,” I scoffed. “That kid I mentioned…”
“Yeah?”
“There’s a chance she could be mine.”
He didn’t laugh or tease. There was no smartass comment or even a grin. Goose just shook his head and said, “Damn. It just keeps getting better.”
“Exactly.”
“How old is this kid?”
“Can’t say for sure… Year and a half or so.”
“I’d say it’s time for you two to have a conversation.”
“You think?”
“Then, have one.”
“Not that easy.”
“Why’s that?”
“Don’t have her number. I don’t know where she lives. Don’t know anything.”
“That’s an easy fix.” He pulled out his phone. “We just gotta tell Shep, and…”
“No,” I cut him off. “That’s not how I want to find out.”
“You don’t gotta go full throttle, brother.” He shrugged. “I’m just talking about an address. Or are you gonna wait another two years to cross paths with her again?”
He had a point. I couldn’t just sit around and wait for answers. I’d already tried that, and it got me nowhere. This couldn’t wait. I needed to know what happened and if I’d been imagining those blue eyes being just like mine.
“I just need a name, brother. Shep will do the rest.”
I thought back to the way she’d looked at me, so lost and yet full of hope, and I knew what I had to do. I looked up at Goose and said, “Just the address.”
“Whatever you say, brother.”
I gave it one last thought, then I finally said the words.
“Brooke Lancaster.”
8
BROOKE
“You have to do it.”
“No, I don’t.”
“It’s a great opportunity.”
“I have a great opportunity right here.”
“It’s not the same, and you know it.”
“A degree is a degree. It doesn’t matter where I get it.”
“You’re really gonna keep arguing with me about this?”
“Looks that way.”
He laughed, low and soft, and the sound warmed my heart all the way to my toes. He had that effect on me. He always had. “You’ve been at it for days.”
“Yeah, but I’ve been making some excellent points.”
“I don’t know.” Brayden leaned against the tailgate of his old pickup and folded his arms across his chest. “You’ve repeated the same point about twelve times now.”
“Because you keep refusing to admit I’m right.”
“Because you’re not.” The corners of his mouth twitched. “You are stubborn, though. Very, very stubborn.”
“I am no such thing.”
“You are, and you’re hard-headed.”
“What?”
“You won’t listen to reason.”
“Because the reason is two hours away!”
“You say that like it’s days instead of a couple of hours.” He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I can drive two hours day or night. No problem.”
“Every weekend?”
“If I have to.”
“That's four hours in a truck.”
“So… I like driving.”
“You hate driving.”
"I hate traffic. There’s a difference.”
“Gas is expensive.”
“You’re grasping for straws now,” he teased.
“I’m serious. You already work too much. I would hate for you to blow your money on…”
“Coming to see you wouldn’t be blowing my money, Brooke.”
“Doesn’t make it any less expensive.”
“I could sell some feet pics.”
“Bray… This isn’t funny.”
“I know.”
A light breeze stirred through the trees, carrying the smell of fresh-cut grass. We’d driven out to the lake after dinner, and the sun was just beginning to set. My acceptance letter sat folded in my purse, and the corner was poking out, like it was daring me to pick it up.
I was overcome with emotion as I whispered, “I don’t want to leave you.”