Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 19583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 98(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 98(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
Fuck. My heart skips a beat as I look at her—my Jelly Bean.
Danielle turns to me. "I'm sorry, Collin. I know I shouldn't have gone behind your back to do that, but—"
Fuck it.
I cut her off with a kiss. It's just enough to swipe my tongue around hers while my attention drowns out everything else. My mind registers Josh’s presence, but the need to kiss her overrides my common sense.
It takes every self-restraint I have to eventually pull away, not wanting to take it further while her family stares at us. Me being here as her boyfriend is awkward enough as it is.
"I can't believe that's the reason you always carried those things around and never told me."
Danielle gently touches the side of my face, and I instinctively lean into it. "You weren't exactly the most understanding person back then, but I wanted you to have some peace while you were here."
Josh rolls his eyes and walks away. "Great, so everyone's partner is here, love is in the air, and I have to wait for Hilary to get in from Chicago."
I turn to him. "They said there's a snowstorm coming. The bridge is going to be shut down after eight tonight. I'm not sure if she's going to be able to get into town if the bridge is closed."
Josh groans and storms off just as their mom comes out of the kitchen. She's drying her hands on her apron as she approaches with some pep in her step. "Oh my goodness, look at you, Collin. You certainly shot up in height, didn't ya? Good thing you took all those piercings out. You look great. Come tell me about work while the girls get dinner on the table."
I give Danielle a knowing look, and she shakes her head and leaves me to walk with her mother into the living room. It feels odd coming back here after all these years and joining the family for Christmas Eve dinner. I don’t remember the last time I celebrated holidays. Usually, I sit down in front of the TV with a bottle of beer and a big cheeseburger.
Danielle brings me a beer while Josh plops into an armchair and flicks on the TV.
"So tell me what you've been up to." Mrs. Brogan smiles and pats me on the leg.
"The Wright Spot is my shop, and it's been open for about six years now. We do really well."
"So you must live in one of those fancy houses on the bluff. Probably run into Evelyn's boyfriend, Jake, up there too," Josh says with disbelief.
I hate being in the spotlight, with everyone’s attention on me, and I try not to give him a reaction. "I actually own the lot where my shop is, and I built a small house off the back corner. It's a tiny house with a loft, and I get to live without a mortgage on either building."
"Oh, that's … um, nice." Mrs. Brogan speaks with some hesitation in her voice as well. "You know, you're more than welcome to crash here tonight. I'm sure Josh won't mind—"
Josh cuts his mother off. "I mind. He's not getting my room, and I'm not sleeping on the couch. If Hilary makes it to Pittsburgh, I want her to come here and have a place to crash. That won't happen if he's knocked out in my bed. Let's be adults, Mom. He can stay with Dani in her room. I'm sure it won't be the first time, right?"
"Uh, no," I answer, resisting the urge to lower my gaze to the floor. Images of Dani in her bedroom with nothing but her sleepwear on shuffle through my mind, and I shake them off. Not the time to think about being alone with her.
Heat rises to my cheeks, my face, neck, and ears getting impossibly warm, and I feel more like a teenager than a grown fucking adult. I can see Danielle blushing as well as she sets the table with her sister, her eyes flicking toward me every so often. They're putting us on the spot, and I'm not sure I like it. Not one bit.
"Right, all those nights you stayed in her studio apartment on Piedmont Drive," Josh says, his word choice oddly specific.
However, Evelyn is oblivious that he's trying to trip me up as she blurts out, "Josh, Dani doesn't live in Piedmont anymore. She moved into that swanky condo on Bahama Way last year."
Josh kisses his teeth. "I know that. I just wanted to see if he knew that."
"Most of the time, I stay in a hotel when I'm in D.C. I like Dani staying with me to give her a little vacation while at home, you know?" I tell them.
The joke's on me since thinking of Dani in my hotel room and all the things I want to do to her makes blood rush down south, forcing me to shift uncomfortably in my chair. Not fun, especially with her mother sitting beside me.